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. 1830. more disappointment. 403 watch in the bushes, he stood out to sea in the boat ; and the stratagem succeeded sufficiently to enable our men to get very near to the natives, but not to catch any of them. One old man squinted very much, and in other respects exactly answered the description of a Fuegian who ill-treated some of the Saxe- Cobourg's crew, when they were cast away in Fury Harbour. I wish we could have secured him ; but he was always on the alert, and too nimble for our people. In their canoe, which was taken, was found the sleeve of Mr. Murray's tarpaulin coat, a proof that these people belonged to the tribe which had stolen our boat. The canoe was a wretchedly patched affair, evidently put together in a great hurry. " Next morning (22d) the master and I set out on our return to the Beagle ; but seeing a great smoke on the opposite shore, in Thieves' Sound, I thought it must be made by the offen- ders, who, having returned and found their home desolate, were making signals to discover where their family was gone: sending the cutter therefore on board, I pulled across the sound towards the smoke. As the distance was long, and the wind fresh against us, it was late before I arrived ; yet the smoke rose as thickly as ever, exciting our expectations to the utmost — but, to our disappointment, not a living creature could be seen near the fire, nor could any traces of natives be found. The fire must have been kindled in the morning, and as the weather was dry, had continued to burn all day. " We were then just as much at a loss as ever, for probably (if that was the party), they had seen us, and would, for the future, be doubly watchful. At first we had a chance of com- ing upon them unawares, but the time for that had passed : every canoe in the sound had been examined, and all its inha- bitants knew well what we were seeking;. " It blew too strong, and it was too late, to recross Whale- boat Sound that night, so I ascended a height to look round. Next morning (23d) we again searched many miles of the shores of Thieves' Sound without anv success ; and afterAvards sailed across to Ste\A^art Harbour. We reached the Beadle in the evening, but found that all the othei- pi'isoners, excepting 2d 2