May 1830. puma — nest — accident — natives. 445 



breeze from the N.E. ; passed Windhond Bay, and at sunset 

 hauled the boat up, though a surf on the stony beach made 

 it a difficult task. Several guanacoes were seen near the shore 

 as we passed along. 



" At daylight this morning (13th), we went in search of 

 guanacoes ; but, seeing none, soon returned to the boat, and 

 launched her. I lost my new dog in the bushes, yet we 

 could not stop to recover him. During our walk this morning, 

 I observed traces of a large land-animal, which I supposed 

 to be a puma ; and two of the men noticed a place, like a 

 large nest, made in the trees by the natives, in which I have 

 no doubt they watch for the guanacoes, to spear them as 

 they pass underneath. We reached the Beagle in the evening, 

 and found all well on board excepting one man, who, in car- 

 rying a guanaco, * shot by the cutter'*s crew, had slipped and 

 broken his leg. Mr. Stokes, with whom he was, contrived to 

 set it for him ; but very properly made the best of his way to 

 our ship with the man, whose leg was there found to be so 

 well set, and bandaged up with splints, by those in the boat, 

 that the surgeon had nothing to alter. Mr. Stokes went away 

 again directly ; and both he and Mr. Murray were absent 

 at my return ; but Lieut. Kempe, with the few men left on 

 board, had done what was required, and gave a good account 

 of the harbour, with respect to safety as well as shelter from 

 wind. Ten canoes had come, at different times, to the ship ; 

 but the natives were extremely quiet and inoffensive, and 

 sold our people a large quantity of fish. By success in shoot- 

 ing, Lieut. Kempe had been enabled to stop the issue of salt 

 provisions for two days. Our Fuegians were in high spirits, 

 and the meeting between them and Jemmy Button was droll 

 enough : they laughed at him, called him Yapoo, and told 

 us to put more clothes on him directly. 



" 17th. Mr. Murray returned from his excursion to Cape 

 Good Success, having done all that was expected, but not 

 without incurring considerable danger on so exposed a coast. 

 Had not his boat been a very fine one, his crew good, and 

 * The stuffed skin is now in the British Museum. 



