206 



OENS-MEN — AURIVALS. 



Jan. 



the Tekeenica tribe, cross over to Navarin Island, and thence 

 sometimes to others, driving the smaller and much inferior 

 Tekeenica people before them in every direction. By Jemmy's 

 own account, however, there are hard battles sometimes, and 

 the Oens tribe lose men ; but as tliey always contrive to carry 

 away their dead, it seems that the advantage of strength is on 

 their side. 



These periodical invasions of a tribe whose abode is in the 

 north-eastern quarter of Tierra del Fuego are not to be con- 

 founded with the frequent disputes and skirmishes which take 

 place between the two Tekeenica tribes ; and it is interesting 

 to compare what we thus heard with the account obtained by 

 Oliver Van Noort in 1 589 : who learnt that the people lived in 

 caves dug in the earth, * and that there were five tribes — four 

 of ordinary stature and one of gigantic size. These giants, 

 called Tiremenen, lived in * Coin.' The other tribes were called 

 Enoo, Kemenites, Karaike, and Kenneka. 



23d. While embarking our tents and cooking utensils, seve- 

 ral natives came running over the hills towards us, breathless 

 with haste, perspiring violently, and bleeding at the nose. 

 Startled at their appearance, we thought they had been fight- 

 ing ; but it appeared in a few moments, that having heard of 

 our arrival, they lost not a moment in hurrying across the 

 hills from a place near WooUya, and that the bloody noses 

 which had surprised us were caused by the exertion of running. 

 This effect has been noticed among the New Hollanders, I 

 believe the islanders of the Pacific Ocean, as well as the 

 Esquimaux, and probably others; but to our party it was 

 then a novelty, and rather alarming. 



Scarcely had we stowed the boats and embarked, before canoes 

 began to appear in every direction, in each of which was a 

 stentor hailing us at the top of his voice. Faint sounds of 

 deep voices were heard in the distance, and around us echoes 

 to the shouts of our nearer friends began to reverberate, and 

 warned me to hasten away before our movements should be- 



* The ground within a wigwam is scooped out considerably. 



