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

428 YAPOos — FISHING — FORGE. April 1830. ing at them, and calling them ' Yapoo, yapoo.'' ' Fuegia' went on deck ; but the instant she saw them, screamed and ran away. Some one told her, in jest, to go into their canoe and live with them, which frightened her so much, that she burst into tears and ran below to hide herself. After they were gone, ' Boat' and ' York' made us understand they had had fights with that tribe, and shewed the scars of wounds received from them. By the help of signs we could compre- liend mvich of their meaning ; but very few words were yet learned on either side. We afterwards found that these Ya- poos built their wigwams in a manner differing from that of the western tribes, being made of a number of poles, or pieces of wood, placed on end around a small space, and meeting at the top. " Our Yapoo acquaintances established themselves in the bay near our forge, but without attempting to steal any thing. They frequently came alongside the ship with fish, which they caught in the kelp. They take these fish by means of a line without a hook, having only a small piece of bait at the end, with which to entice them to the top of the Avater, close to the side of the canoe. A fish bites, and before it can detach its small teeth from the soft, tough bait, the hand holding the line jerks the prize above the water, and the other catches it. The fisher then bites out a large piece of its belly, takes out the inside, and hangs the fish on a stick by the fire in the canoe. " 10th. Still fine steady weather, notwithstanding the un- usvially low fall of the barometer already mentioned. " 12th. By the assistance of Mr. May, at the forge, we made one good anchor out of two broken ones, and fitted new hawse-plates where they were worn through, by constantly using the chains. Fortunately, we brought from San Carlos a good supply of iron and coals, and applied the latter only to the use of the armourer and the small stoves, so that we were enabled to use the forge very often ; and between the wants of the ship and those of the boats, there was always raiuch work for that most useful appendage.