X SETTLEMENT AT XVOOLLYA 235 



began to pour in, and Jemmy's mother and brothers arrived. 

 Jemmy recognised the stentorian voice of one of his brothers 

 at a prodigious distance. The meeting was less interesting 

 than that between a horse, turned out into a field, when he 

 joins an old companion. There was no demonstration of 

 affection ; they simply stared for a short time at each other ; 

 and the mother immediately went to look after her canoe. 

 We heard, however, through York that the mother had been 

 inconsolable for the loss of Jemmy, and had searched everywhere 

 for him, thinking that he might have been left after having 

 been taken in the boat. The women took much notice of and 

 were very kind to Fuegia. We had already perceived that 

 Jemmy had almost forgotten his own language. I should think 

 there was scarcely another human being with so small a stock 

 of language, for his English was very imperfect. It was 

 laughable, but almost pitiable, to hear him speak to his wild 

 brother in English, and then ask him in Spanish (" no sabe ? ") 

 whether he did not understand him. 



Everything went on peaceably during the three next days, 

 whilst the gardens were digging and wigwams building. We 

 estimated the number of natives at about one hundred and 

 twenty. The women worked hard, whilst the men lounged 

 about all day long, watching us. They asked for everything 

 they saw, and stole what they could. They were delighted at 

 our dancing and singing, and were particularly interested at 

 seeing us wash in a neighbouring brook ; they did not pay 

 much attention to anything else, not even to our boats. Of all 

 the things which York saw, during his absence from his countrj-, 

 nothing seems more to have astonished him than an ostrich, 

 near Maldonado : breathless with astonishment he came running 

 to Mr. Bynoe, with whom he was out walking — " Oh, Mr. Bynoe, 

 oh, bird all same horse ! " Much as our white skins surprised 

 the natives, by Mr. Low's account a negro-cook to a sealing 

 vessel did so more effectually ; and the poor fellow was so 

 mobbed and shouted at that he would never go on shore again. 

 Everything went on so quietly, that some of the officers and 

 myself took long walks in the surrounding hills and woods. 

 Suddenly, however, on the 27th, every woman and child 

 disappeared. We were all uneasy at this, as neither York nor 

 Jemmy could make out the cause. It was thought by some 



