Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE WAR. 193 him where a harbour could be found ? As soon as he under- stood what was meant, which was an affair of some difficulty, for he then could speak but very little English, he got up on the vessePs bulwark, and looked anxiously around. After some hesitation, he pointed to a place where the ship might go, and then went to the lead-line, and made signs to Mr. Low that he must sound as he approached the land. The cove was found to have a shoal and narrow entrance, but was safe and sufficiently spacious within. Such knowledge at so early an age is an extraordinary proof of the degi-ee in which the perceptive and retentive faculties are enjoyed by these savages. Whenever the advice of Niqueaccas or any of his tribe wa^, ejected, much sullenness and displeasure were shown. Upon one occasion his services were refused, and a harbour tried against his advice, which pi'oved to be a bad one ; it was left to seek for that which he had previously recommended, and his sullenness suddenly changed into delight; but when his harbour was pronounced excellent, and he was duly praised, his joy knew no bounds. Generally speaking, both Niqueaccas and the boy Bob were well-behaved and good-tempered ; but the boy was sometimes inclined to be mischievous, and would hide the people''s clothes, or put salt into their mouths while asleep. When much annoyed, he would use both teeth and nails, and attack anyone, however superior to himself in size and strength. Battles between parties of the same tribe seem to occur occasionally, as this boy showed Mr^ Low two spots where quarrels had been decided. Both were open spaces, clear of trees, and near them were the remains of wigwams. One of those battles occurred in consequence of one party wishing to take some seal-skins away from the other ; but it did not distinctly appear from the boy's account whether these encoun- ters were between parties of his tribe, or whether an encroach- ment upon their territory, with a view to plunder, had been made by some other tribe. That parties occasionally cross overland from Skyring Water to Obstruction Sound is evident from Mr. Bynoe's account (page 198), and that people of the VOL. II. o