March 18^8. fuegians — beagle sailed. 



129 



equally liked, and swallowed most voraciously. One of them 

 was discovered taking the tallow out of the end of the deep 

 sea lead and eating it, although mixed with sand and dirt. 



Before sunset their canoes were despatched on shore to pre- 

 pare the wigwams, during which operation three of the men 

 remained on board ; and as soon as the preparations were made 

 they called for a canoe and went on shore. We obtained seve- 

 ral spears, baskets, necklaces, bows and arrows from them in 

 barter ; but they seemed to have very few skins. Perhaps those 

 they possessed were hidden in the bushes, because they had no 

 wish to part with them. 



One woman was covered with a guanaco mantle another 

 merely wore a seal-skin over her back and shoulders, which, 

 while she crouched in the canoe, was sufficient to cover her 

 person. One had a black stripe down the nose, but she was 

 the only female ^mong them who was so painted. 



Next morning the Indians visited us with a fresh assortment 

 of bows and arrows, in the manufacture of which they had 

 evidently passed the night, for every one was quite new ; the 

 bows were of green wood, and the arrows not even pointed. 

 They found, however, a ready sale. One of the party was a 

 man who had been turned out of our vessel the preceding even- 

 ing, for picking my pocket ; but he was daubed over with 

 a whitish pigment to deceive us, and would probably have 

 escaped detection, but for the unusual ugliness of his person, 

 which was not so easily disguised. He was much disconcerted 

 by our recognition ; and our refusal to barter with him made 

 him angry and sullen. 



The women had daubed their faces all over wdth bright red 

 ochre ; to add to their beauty, no doubt. 



We sailed out of the port by the northern passage, and stand- 

 ing across the Strait, anchored in San Nicolas Bay. Mr. Graves 

 went to Bougainville Harbour, to communicate with the 

 Adeona, and take letters from me to Lieutenant Wickham. 

 He brought back an account of all being w^ell at Port Famine, 

 and of the Beagle having sailed on the 17th. 



When we left Port Famine my intention was to examine 



VOL. I. K 



