Feb. 1827. 



NATIVES. 



53 



water had been given her, made no attempt to pilfer. One 

 of the party, who seemed more than half an idiot, spit in 

 my face ; but as it was not apparently done angrily, and he 

 was reproved by his companions, his uncourteoiis conduct was 

 forgiven. 



If possessed of any furs, they had left them, perhaps con- 

 cealed, near their wigwams : only a few arrows, a necklace of 

 shells, and a fillet for the head, made of ostrich feathers, were 

 obtained by barter. Their canoes were paddled by the women, 

 occasionally helped by the men. One or two of the former were 

 young, and well-featured, but the rest were hideous ; and all 

 were filthy and most disagreeable, from the quantity of seal- 

 oil and blubber, with which they had covered their bodies. 

 After we had obtained, by barter, all the articles they had to 

 dispose of, I presented them with red caps and medals, of 

 which they were very proud : the latter they requested might 

 have a hole drilled through them, that they might be suspended 

 by a string round their necks. Their astonishment was much 

 excited, and they were pleased by hearing a watch tick ; but 

 I believe I had very nearly, though unintentionally, given great 

 offence, by cutting off a lock of hair, from the head of one of 

 the men. Assuming a grave look, he very carefully wrapped 

 the hair up, and handed it to a woman in the canoe, who, as 

 carefully, stowed it away in a basket, in which she kept her 

 beads and paint : the man then turned round, requesting me, 

 very seriously, to put away the scissors, and my compliance 

 restored him to good-humour. 



The features of these people bore a great resemblance to 

 those of the Patagonian Indians, but in person they were 

 considerably shorter and smaller. The elderly people of both 

 sexes had hideous figures ; the children, however, and young 

 men, were well-formed; particularly one of the boys, whom they 

 called ' Yal-la-ba," which, I believe, meant a youth, or a young- 

 warrior. The word ' Sherroo'' was used to denote a canoe, or 

 vessel. 



They were ill-clothed, with mantles made of guanaco, or 

 otter skins, but not so neatly as those of the Patagonians. 



