196 



INDIAN GRAVES — ADELAIDE. March l829. 



which spread, and soon joined that which Mr. Tarn had made. 

 Their union probably burned many square leagues of country. 



On the 27th, we were still detained by a southerly gale. 

 Captain Fitz Roy accompanied me in search of Indian graves, 

 which are described to be on the summits of the hills. We 

 found the remains of two, one of which had been recently dis- 

 turbed, but the other had been opened a considerable time. 



No vestiges of bones were left. It is said that the corpse is 

 extended in an east and west direction, on the top of the 

 highest pinnacle of the hill, and then covered over with large 

 stones until secure from beasts of prey. Decomposition takes 

 place, or the flesh is consumed by small animals or insects, 

 without the bones being removed, so that complete skeletons 

 are formed. According to Falkner, the bones are collected at 

 a certain period, and removed to some general cemetery, where 

 the skeletons are set up, and tricked out with all the finery 

 the Indians can collect. The avidity they evince for beads and 

 other ornamental trifles is, perhaps, caused by this desire of 

 adorning the remains of their ancestors. 



The next morning we left Sea Bear Bay and proceeded to 

 San Julian, ofl" which we anchored for a few hours, while Cap- 

 tain Fitz Roy entered the port to look for the Adelaide, or for 

 some vestige of Lieutenant Graves's visit. Finding nothing in 

 the port, nor any tracks upon the shore, we went on towards Cape 

 Fairweather, and in our way met the Adelaide. After parting 

 from us during the gale in which all her sails were split, she went 

 to Port Desire, where she arrived first, and, not seeing us, pro- 

 ceeded to the two other places of rendezvous, and had been lying 

 at anchor eight days off* Cape Fairweather. Finding we were not 

 there, she was returning to Port San J ulian, when we met her. 



The weather being calm, so good an opportunity of supply- 

 ing the Adelaide with provisions was not lost, and she was 

 completed to six months. 



On the 1st of April we were off* Cape Virgins, and parted 

 from the Beagle and Adelaide ; Captain Fitz Roy having pre- 

 viously received orders from me to proceed through the Strait of 

 Magalhaens, and despatch the Adelaide to survey the Mag- 



