126 TERRA DEL FUEGO. 



any hard work. They appear very fond and seem careful of their 

 young children, though on several occasions they offered them for sale 

 for a trifle. They have their faces smutted all over, and it was 

 thought, from the hideous appearance of the females, produced in 

 part by their being painted and smutted, that they had been disfigured 

 by the men previous to coming alongside. It was remarked that when 

 one of them saw herself in a looking-glass, she burst into tears, as 

 Jack thought from pure mortification. 



The men are employed in building the huts, obtaining food, and 

 providing for their other wants. The women were generally seen 

 paddling their canoes. 



When this party of natives left the ship and reached the shore, the 

 women remained in their canoes, and the men began building their 

 temporary huts ; the little children were seen capering quite naked on 

 the beach, although the thermometer was at 40°. On the hut being 

 finished, which occupied about an hour, the women went on shore to 

 take possession of it. They all seemed quite happy and contented. 



Before they left the ship, the greater part of them were dressed in old 

 clothes, that had been given to them by the officers and men, who all 

 showed themselves extremely anxious " to make them comfortable." 

 This gave rise to much merriment, as Jack was not disposed to allow 

 any difficulties to interfere in the fitting. If the jackets proved too 

 tight across the shoulders, which they invariably were, a slit down 

 the back effectually remedied the defect. If a pair of trousers was 

 found too small around the waist, the knife was again resorted to, and 

 in some cases a fit was made by severing the legs. The most difficult 

 fit, and the one which produced the most merriment, was that of a 

 woman to whom an old coat was given. This she concluded belonged 

 to her nether limbs, and no signs, hints, or shouts, could correct her 

 mistake. Her feet were thrust through the sleeves, and after hard 

 squeezing she succeeded in drawing them on. With the skirts brought 

 up in front, she took her seat in the canoe with great satisfaction, amid 

 a roar of laughter from all who saw her. 



Towards evening, Messrs. Waldron and Drayton visited their huts. 

 Before they reached the shore, the natives were seen making a fire on 

 the beach, for their reception, evidently to avoid their entering their 

 huts. 



On landing, one of the men seemed anxious to talk with them. He 

 pointed to the ship, and tried to express many things by gestures ; 

 then pointed to the southeast, and then again to the ship, after which, 

 clasping his hands, as in our mode of prayer, he said " Etoah, Eloah," 

 as though he thought we had come from God. 



