414 



NATIVES DISPERSED. 



March 1830. 



arms. It appeared that the savages knew of no alternative but 

 escape or death, and that in trying to take them they would 

 certainly do material injury to some of our party with their 

 spears, stones, or large knives made of pieces of iron hoops. 

 Remaining therefore with Lieut. Kempe, in the cutter, to watch 

 their motions, I sent my boat on board with the man who was 

 hurt. The Fuegians made their escape separately through the 

 bushes, and were quickly out of sight and reach : we fired a 

 few shots to frighten them, watched their retreat over the barren 

 upper part of the hills, and then went to look for their wig- 

 wams, which could not be far distant, as I thought ; but after 

 unsuccessfully searching all the coves near us, a smoke was 

 seen at the opposite side of the sound, on one of the Whittle- 

 bury islands ; so concluding it was made by the rest of their 

 tribe, and being late, I returned on board. 



" 9th. At daylight, next morning, I went to look for the 

 wigwams, on the Whittlebury Islands, at the north side of 

 the sound: we saw their smoke when we were half-way across, 

 but no longer. The natives had probably seen us, and put 

 out their fire directly, well knowing the difference between our 

 boat and their own canoes, and noticing her coming from a 

 part of the sound distant from the point whence they would 

 expect their own people, and crossing over against a fresh 

 breeze, which a canoe could not attempt to do. The wig- 

 wams were entirely deserted, and almost every thing was taken 

 away; but near their huts a piece of ' King's white line,' quite 

 new, was picked up; therefore our boat* had been there, or 

 these were some of the people who stole her. For the late 

 inmates of the wigwams we searched in vain — only their dogs 

 remained, they themselves being hidden. Looking round on the 

 other side of that islet, we saw two canoes paddling right 

 away from the islands, though it was blowing a fresh breeze, 

 and a considerable sea was running. Knowing, from the place 

 they were in, and their course, that they were the fugitives from 

 the wigwams, we gave chase, and came up with them before 



* In the lost boat were several pieces of spare line, ' King's white 

 line,' quite new. 



