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

320 sLiXGs — FIRING — CUNNING. April 1830. are the very reverse. Had we attempted to land on the last occasion, I do not think we should have effected our object, without receiving some severe contusions from their stones, which they sling with such extraordinary precision and force so much so, that I consider the sling, in their dexterous hands, to be equal to a musket in ours. Indeed, with many of us, a native would have had the advantage. It has been too much the practice, when obliged to fire upon them, to fire over their heads ; by which proceeding the savages are led to consider our weapons as so uncertain in their effect, that they become much depreciated in their estimation. It would be almost pre- ferable to inflict a slight wound, in order to siiow the nature of our arms, and as a warning against further hostilities. When the Uxbridge, sealer, was at anchor in a harbour in the Magdalen Channel, some Indians, who were on board, angry at being ordered out of the vessel at sunset, threw stones at the person who was walking the deck, as they returned to the shore. Several muskets were fired over their heads, at which they expressed neither fear nor concern ; but paddled leisurely away, and the next morning came off again to the vessel, as if nothing had happened. At Port Famine, Duclos Guyot had a skirmish with natives, the particulars of which are described in Dom Pernetty's History (ii. 653). Three of the Indians were killed, and tliree of the French were severely wounded. It may be here remarked, that the chiefs name, according to M. Duclos Guyot, was ' Pach-a-chui,' which is not unlike ' Pecheray ;' the women were called ' Cap, cap,' probably a mistake for ' Cab, cab ;' which evidently means ' no, no !' for it was an expression we frequently used, and was never misunderstood. Their cunning is sufficiently proved by the theft of the Adelaide's boat, in St. Simon's Sound (page 142). The absence of the Fuegians permitted us to move about a little ; and among other places, we visited their late encamp- ment at Rocky Bay, our approach to which was offensively indicated by a most sickening smell. On our way, I found two fossils ; one was very interesting, bearing the appearance of a