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. FUEGiAN natives. 45 were found standing, and from the green appearance of the branches with which they were formed, seemed to have been lately erected. After leaving WiDes Bay, the Hope visited Fox Bay, and Sir Edward Owe^s Sound, which, it was thought, would lead into Lomas Bay, opposite to Port Famine ; but, after running ten miles up, they got into shoal water, and as there was no current, or stream of tide, they landed, and found that a mile and a half farther on, the sound was terminated by low land. Another day, while proceeding along the south side of Bi-enton Sound, the smoke of Indians' fires was noticed near the beach. As this was the first time the Natives of this part had been seen, the course was shaped towards them, until the Hope anchored. Three Indians then ap- proached, holding up the skins of some animal, and inviting them to land. The small boat was hoisted out, and Messrs- Wickham and Rowlett, with Robinson the pilot, went on shore. The Fuegians presented a fox skin to each of the party, who in return gave them some trifles. After a short inter- view the boat left them, and no further communication was held that night. The following morning a canoe came off to the vessel, containing three young men, two women, and three children, the youngest not more than four months old. They were no sooner alongside than the men went on board, and commenced an active traffic with all the valuables they pos- sessed ; and for a few buttons, a glass bottle, or an empty pre- served-meat canister, many of their goods were bartered. They had several fox-skins with them, but no other kind of peltry, except their clothing, obtained from the seal or guanaco : and though many of them wore a penguin skin suspended from their girdle, some were without even that covering. This canoe was followed by another, containing . an old man, sixty or seventy years of age, with a grey beard ; an elderly woman, and two children. Before they came alongside they put their dogs on shore. Although the visit from these Indians did not last very long, they had time enough to pilfer. One of the young men, who was seen going into a canoe, excited, by his manner, a suspi-