240 
TIERRA DEL FUEGO 
CHAP. 
night, the odious word “ yammerschooner ” has shrilly sounded 
from some gloomy nook, and then the little signal-smoke has 
curled up to spread the news far and wide. On leaving some 
place we have said to each other, “ Thank Heaven, we have at 
last fairly left these wretches 0 when one more faint halloo from 
an all-powerful voice, heard at a prodigious distance, would 
reach our ears, and clearly could we distinguish— £c yammer- 
schooner.” But now, the more Fuegians the merrier ; and very 
merry work it was. Both parties laughing, wondering, gaping 
at each other ; we pitying them, for giving us good fish and 
crabs for rags, etc. ; they grasping at the chance of finding 
people so foolish as to exchange such splendid ornaments for a 
good supper. It was most amusing to see the undisguised smile 
of satisfaction with which one young woman with her face 
painted black, tied several bits of scarlet cloth round her head 
with rushes. Her husband, who enjoyed the very universal 
privilege in this country of possessing two wives, evidently became 
jealous of all the attention paid to his young wife ; and after a 
consultation with his naked beauties, was paddled away by 
them. 
Some of the Fuegians plainly showed that they had a fair 
notion of barter. I gave one man a large nail (a most valuable 
present) without making any signs for a return ; but he imme¬ 
diately picked out two fish, and handed them up on the point ot 
his spear. If any present was designed for one canoe, and it 
fell near another, it was invariably given to the right owner. 
The Fuegian boy, whom Mr. Low had on board, showed, by 
going into the most violent passion, that he quite understood 
the reproach of being called a liar, which in truth he was. We 
were this time, as on all former occasions, much surprised at the 
little notice, or rather none whatever, which was taken of many 
thinsrs, the use of which must have been evident to the natives. 
Simple circumstances—such as the beauty of scarlet cloth or 
blue beads, the absence of women, our care in washing our¬ 
selves,—excited their admiration far more than any grand or 
complicated object, such as our ship. Bougainville has well 
remarked concerning these people, that they treat the “ chef- 
d’ceuvres de l’industrie humaine, comme ils traitent les loix de 
la nature et ses phenomenes.” 
On the 5 th of March we anchored in the cove at Woollya, 
