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CHARLES DARWIN 



of natives, as hostages for the loss of a boat, which had 

 been stolen, to the great jeopardy of a party employed on 

 the survey; and some of these natives, as well as a child 

 whom he bought for a pearl-button, he took with him to 

 England, determining to educate them and instruct them in 

 religion at his own expense. To settle these natives in their 

 own country, was one chief inducement to Captain Fitz Roy 

 to undertake our present voyage; and before the Admiralty 

 had resolved to send out this expedition, Captain Fitz Roy 

 had generously chartered a vessel, and would himself have 

 taken them back. The natives were accompanied by a mis- 

 sionary, R. Matthews ; of whom and of the natives, Captain 

 Fitz Roy has published a full and excellent account. Two 

 men, one of whom died in England of the small-pox, a boy 

 and a little girl, were originally taken ; and we had now on 

 board, York Minster, Jemmy Button (whose name expresses 

 his purchase-money), and Fuegia Basket. York Minster 

 was a full-grown, short, thick, powerful man : his disposition 

 was reserved, taciturn, morose, and when excited violently 

 passionate; his affections were very strong towards a few 

 friends on board; his intellect good. Jemmy Button was a 

 universal favourite, but likewise passionate; the expression 

 of his face at once showed his nice disposition. He was 

 merry and often laughed, and was remarkably sympathetic 

 with any one in pain: when the water was rough, I was often 

 a little sea-sick, and he used to come to me and say in a 

 plaintive voice, " Poor, poor fellow ! " but the notion, after 

 his aquatic life, of a man being sea-sick, was too ludicrous, 

 and he was generally obliged to turn on one side to hide a 

 smile or laugh, and then he would repeat his " Poor, poor 

 fellow ! " He was of a patriotic disposition ; and he liked to 

 praise his own tribe and country, in which he truly said there 

 were "plenty of trees," and he abused all the other tribes: 

 he stoutly declared that there was no Devil in his land. 

 Jemmy was short, thick, and fat, but vain of his personal 

 appearance; he used always to wear gloves, his hair was 

 neatly cut, and he was distressed if his well-polished shoes 

 were dirtied. He was fond of admiring himself in a looking 

 glass; and a merry-faced little Indian boy from the Rio 

 Negro, whom we had for some months on board, soon per- 



