to iJhc Strait of Magellan, 9\ 



interior of the country, in the valleys near to some rivulet or 

 pond of fresh water, and in the neighbourhood of some moun- 

 tain, to shelter themselves from the fury of the winds, so that 

 we could have no opportunity of seeing their manner of lodging 

 and hving, having only, now-and-then, on-board the frigate, 

 had a distant view, from which we were not enabled to remark 

 man}^ particulars. Nevertheless, since we know that they lead 

 a wandering life, like the Arabs, abandoning the tracts that 

 fail spontaneously to furnish them food, it is natural to sup- 

 pose that their huts are constructed without design or solidity. 

 As a proof that they lead an unsettled wandering life, we can 

 alledge, that, during our voyage, we met with the same tribe 

 established in two different parts of the strait. 



It is difficult to speak with certainty of their temper and 

 dispositions, considering we had so few occasions of inter- 

 course with them; only, we can affirm, that they are nei- 

 ther barbarous nor cruel, and that it is an atrocious injustice 

 done to them by Cavendish and M. Gennes, who, in their 

 journals, attribute to them the horrible practice of eating human 

 flesh; and that, in this way, they destroyed and devoured the 

 unhappy Spaniards of Sarmiento's colonies in the strait ; — 

 an imposture of which it is not easy to discover the origin, 

 as the Spanish authors who have written concerning these 

 settlements, are totall}^ silent on such a subject. Their 

 peaceable orderly behaviour ought not to be attributed to 

 want of sense, courage, or spirit; for the objects of their most 

 anxious desire were our arms, — a proof of their brave and 

 ■warlike dispositions; so that, knowing their own superiority in 

 strength over the other classes of Indians their neighbours, it 

 is but natural to suppose, that they are not wanting in the 

 means of gratifying their vengeance : but this does not con- 

 tradict their general peaceable demeanour ; for we never could 

 discover in them any marks of evil intention in their dealings 

 with us. 



It has formerly been observed, that they used to leave their 

 horses, arms, &c. on the shore, when thej came on-board our 

 ship, which proves the reciprocal good faith existing among 

 them ; and the frankness and readmess with which they put 

 themselves unarmed into our hands, demonstrates evidently 

 that, unconscious of treachery in themselves, they are not apt 

 to suspect it in others. 



We saw them entrusting to each other, on merely lying 

 down on the beach, their most valuable articles, in order to 

 embark, sure of finding them again, on their return to the shore ; 

 and so much are the rights of property respected among them, 

 that the ribbons, presented to' them by Byron, not being in suf- 



K 2 



