1833. 



WASHING DOCTOR. 



211 



and when she was dressed, Jemmy brought her to see me. His 

 brothers speedily became rich in old clothes, nails and tools, 

 and the eldest were soon known among the seamen as Tommy 

 Button and Harry Button, but the younger ones usually staid 

 at their wigwams, which were about a quarter of a mile distant. 

 So quietly did affairs proceed, that the following day (^5th) a 

 few of our people went on the hills in search of guanacoes : 

 many were seen, but they were too wild to approach. An old 

 man arrived, who was said to be Jemmy's uncle, his father^s bro- 

 ther ; and many strangers came, who seemed to belong to the 

 Yapoo Tekeenica tribe. Jemmy did not like their visit ; he 

 said they were bad people, ' no friends.' 



26th. While some of my party were washing in a stream, 

 stripped to the waist, several natives collected round, and were 

 much amused at the white skins, as well as at the act of 

 washing, so new probably to them. One of them ran to the 

 nearest wigwams, and a troop of curious gazers collected, 

 whose hands, however, were soon so actively employed in 

 abstracting the handkerchiefs, shoes, &c., which had been laid 

 on the bank, that a stop was put to the ablutions. 



We discovered that Jemmy's eldest brother was a ' doctor," 

 and though young for his occupation of conjuring and pre- 

 tending to cure illness, he was held in high estimation among 

 his own tribe. I never could distinctly ascertain whether the 

 eldest man, or the doctor of a tribe had the most influence; but 

 from what little I could learn, it appeared to me that the 

 elder of a family or tribe had a sort of executive authority, 

 while the doctor gave advice, not only in domestic affairs, but 

 with respect to most transactions. In all savage nations, I believe 

 there is a person of this description — a pretended prophet — 

 conjuror — and, to a certain degree, — doctor. 



This evening our party were employed for a short time in 

 firing at a mark, with the three-fold object of keeping our arms 

 in order — exercising the men — and aw eing, without frightening, 

 the natives. While this was going on, the Fuegians sat about on 

 their hams, watching our proceedings, and often eagerly talk- 

 ing to each other, as successful shots were made at the target, 



p 2 



