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

206 OEXs-MEN — ARRIVALS. Jan. the Tekeonica tribe, cross over to Navarin Island, and tlience sometimes to others, driving the smaller and much inferior Tekeenica people before them in every direction. By Jemmy's own account, however, there are hard battles sometimes, and the Oens tribe lose men ; but as they always contrive to carry away their dead, it seems that the advantage of strength is on their side. These periodical invasions of a tribe whose abode is in the north-eastern quarter of Tierra del Fuego are not to be con- founded with the frequent disputes and skirmishes ^which take place between the two Tekeenica tribes ; and it is interesting to compare what we thus heard with the account obtained by Oliver Van Noort in 1589 : who learnt that the people lived in caves dug in the earth, * and that there were five tribes — four of ordinary stature and one of gigantic size. These giants, called Tiremenen, lived in ' Coin.' The other tribes were called Enoo, Kemenites, Karaike, and Kenneka. 23d. While embarking our tents and cooking utensils, seve- ral natives came running over the hills towards us, breathless with haste, perspiring violently, and bleeding at the nose. Startled at their appearance, we thought they had been fight- ing ; but it appeared in a few moments, that having heard of our arrival, they lost not a moment in hurrying across the hills from a place near WooUya, and that the bloody noses which had surprised us were caused by the exertion of running. This effect has been noticed among the New Hollanders, I believe the islanders of the Pacific Ocean, as well as the Esquimaux, and probably others; but to our party it was then a novelty, and rather alarming. Scarcely had we stowed the boats and embarked, before canoes began to appear in every direction, in each of which was a stentor hailing us at the top of his voice. Faint sounds of deep voices were heard in the distance, and around us echoes to the shouts of our nearer friends began to reverberate, and warned me to hasten away before our movements should be- * The ground within a wigwam is scooped out considerably.