Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.1): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

54- NATIVES, OR Feb. 1827. Their bodies were smeared over with a mixture of earth, char- coal, or red-cere, and seal-oil ; which, combined with the filth of their persons, produced a most offensive smell. Some were partially painted with a white argillaceous earth ; others were blackened with charcoal ; one of the men was daubed all over with a white pigment. Their hair was bound by a fillet of plaited twine, made perhaps with strips of bark, and a few of them had it turned up ; but to none did it appear to be an object of attention, except one of the young women, who repeatedly combed and arranged her's with the well-toothed jaw of a porpoise. During a remarkably calm night, we were frequently startled by the loud blowing of whales, between us and the shore. We had noticed several of those monsters on the previous day, but had never heard them blow in so still a place. At dawn, a light air carried us towards some broken land to the S.E. of Cape Rowlett, between the eastern trend of which, and the projecting point of an island, we found a secure and land-locked harbour, with two entrances, one to the north and the other to the south of High Islet. The south side of the port, which I called Port Cooke,* is a narrow strip of land, forming the head of a deep inlet or sound, called j- Brook Harbour. It seemed to extend to the base of the high moun- tainous range, and to be separated only by a narrow isthmus from Fitton Harbour. We had scarcely been at anchor half an hour when the same party of Fuegians was seen arriving. The men hastened to us in their canoes, as soon as the women had landed, to cover or thatch the wigwams, which they found standing, and to light fires. We afterwards went ashore, and, sitting down near them, commenced a brisk trade for arrows, skins, necklaces, and other commodities. The furs which covered their backs they parted with, for a few beads, and went quite naked the whole evening. Among them was a young man, who appeared to be treated • After the lieutenant of the Adventure. + At Mr. Tarn's request.