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

1833. JEALOUSY OENS-MEN. 205 woods, and established themselves, very confidently, in a wig- wam within a hundred yards of our tents. During this and the preceding day, we found the weather, by comparison, so mild, even warm, that several of our party bathed ; yet the ther- mometer ranged only to 53° in the shade, and at night fell to 40°. The temperature of the sea was 48°. Being within a few hours' pull (row) of Jemmy's ' own land,' which he called Woollya, we all felt eager, though anxious, and I was much gratified by seeing that Matthews still looked at his hazardous undertaking as steadily as ever, betraying no symptom of hesitation. The attentions which York paid to his intended wife, Fuegia, afforded much amusement to our party. He had long shewn himself attached to her, and had gradually become excessively jealous of her good- will. If any one spoke to her, he watched every word ; if he was not sitting by her side, he grumbled sulkily ; but if he was accidentally separated, and obliged to go in a different boat, his beliaviour became sullen and morose. This evening he was quizzed so much about her that he became seriously angry, and I was obliged to interpose to prevent a quarrel between him and one of his steadiest friends. On this and previous evenings, as we sat round the blaz- ing piles, which our men seemed to think could never be large enough, we heard many long stories from Jemmy about the Oens, or Coin men, who live beyond the mountains at the north side of the Beagle Channel, and almost every year make despe- rate inroads upon the Tekeenica tribe, carrying off Avomen and children, dogs, arrows, spears, and canoes ; and killing the men whom they succeed in making prisoners. He told us that these Oens-men made their annual excursions at the time of 'red leaf;' that is in April or May, when the leaves of deci- duous trees are changing colour and beginning to fall ; just the time of year also when the mountains are least difficult to pass. At that period these invaders sometimes come down to the shores of the Beagle Channel in parties of from fifty to a hun- dred ; seize upon canoes belonging to the Yapoo division of