1830. 



NATIVES DRIVEN AWAY- 



A CAUTION. 



319 



The next morning, five or six natives were seen crouching 

 down among high grass, on the hill over our watering-well, 

 waiting for the people to go for water ; probably with the inten- 

 tion of assaiUng them, for it appeared afterwards that their 

 slings and bows were in readiness. To show them they were 

 not out of our reach, I caused a six-pound shot to be fired 

 over their heads, which, as it went high above them, made no 

 impression. The gun was then pointed lower, and another 

 ineffectual shot fired. A third, however, fell close to them, 

 when they jumped up, shook their mantles in the air, with 

 the most violent gestures, and, apparently in a furious rage, 

 scampered off; but the last man, before he disappeared , 

 threw an immense stone, which did not reach one quarter of the 

 distance. 



We saw nothing more of the natives until the evening, when 

 Lieutenant Mitchell, who went to look for them, found they 

 had moved away to Rocky Bay, where they had encamped 

 on the open beach. The next day, I sent him to endeavour to 

 make peace, which he very easily effected, by the interchange 

 of a few trifles. 



After this we had much bad weather, during which most of 

 the Indians kept close to their wigwams; but a few occasionally 

 communicated with our watering party, quite peaceably, as if 

 nothing had happened. A day or two after, the weather im- 

 proved, and the Fuegians dispersed, probably for want of food, 

 some going to the northward, but the greater part along shore 

 to the southward. These people pointed upwards to the sky, 

 when they were going away, repeating the word ' Pecheray."* 



This was our last interview with the wretched Fuegians. 

 Naturally petulant and quarrelsome, they are also ever intent 

 upon mischief ; the fear of punishment alone restraining theiiio 

 Weakly-manned vessels passing through this Strait should 

 always avoid them, if they are numerous; for unless they are 

 given what they want, they try to steal it, and any consequent 

 punishment probably brings on a quarrel. Their conduct, and 

 servile bearing, at our first seeing them, gave them an ap- 

 pearance of being timid and inactive ; while, in reality, they 



