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

Feb. 1827. FUEGiANs. 55 with some deference by the others ; he was one of the best-look- ing of the party ; and there was a good-natured smile on his countenance dui'ing our communication, while the rest fre- quently manifested displeasui'e, even about trifles. He was, at least, the master of one of the two families ; his wigwam con- tained his wife, and two children, his, or his wife's father, and mother, as well as the idiot, and his wife, who, from her ap- pearance, must have been a Patagonian, or else a woman of unusual size among these people. The old woman was very inquisitive, and the man, in a long speech, described to her all the wonders I had shown him, applying to me, from time to time, to point out to her the articles he was trying to describe. Their dexterity with the sling is extraordinary ; and, I should think, when used as a weapon of offence, it must be very formidable. Upon asking the same man to show us its use, he picked up a pebble, about the size of a pigeon's egg, and placed it in the sling ; then intimating that he was going to strike a canoe, he turned his back to the mark, and threw the stone in an opposite direction, against the trunk of a tree, whence it rebounded over his head, and fell close to the canoe. I have seen them strike a cap, placed upon the stump of a tree, fifty or sixty yards off*, with a stone from a sling. In using the bow and arrow, also, with which they kill birds, they are very dexterous. The spear is principally for striking por- poises and seals, but is also used in war ; and from the nature of the barb, must be an efficient weapon. For close quarters, they use clubs, stones held in the hand, and short wooden daggers, pointed with very sharp -edged quartz, pitch-stone, or flint. The next morning, seeing us underweigh, they came along- side and tried to induce us to anchor again. The young man, of whom I have spoken, was very importunate, and at last offered us his wife, as a bribe, who used all her fancied allure- ments to second his proposal. So highly did they esteem beads and buttons, that a few of each would have purchased the canoe, the wife, and cliildrcn.