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

214 PILFERING TRIAL. Jan. natives, every one of w^hom had decamped at this time, gave a good opportunity for landing the larger tools belonging to Matthews and our Fuegians, and placing them within or beneath his wigwam, unseen by any one except ourselves ; and at dusk, all that we could do for them being completed, we left the place and sailed some miles to the southward. During the four days in which we had so many natives about us, of course some thefts were committed, but nothing of consequence was stolen. I saw one man talking to Jemmy Button, while another picked his pocket of a knife, and even the wary York lost something, but from Fuegia they did not take a single article ; on the contrary, their kindness to her was remarkable, and among the women she was quite a pet. Our people lost a few trifles, in consequence of their own carelessness. Had they themselves been left among gold and diamonds, would they all have refrained from indulging their acquisitive inclinations ? Notwithstanding the decision into which I had reasoned myself respecting the natives, I could not help being exceed- ingly anxious about Matthews, and early next morning our boats were again steered towards WooUya. My own anxiety was increased by hearing the remarks made from time to time by the rest of the party, some of whom thought we should not again see him ahve ; and it was with no slight joy that I caught sight of him, as my boat rounded a point of land, car- rying a kettle to the fire near his wigwam. We landed and ascertained that nothing had occurred to damp his spirits, or in any way check his inclination to make a fair trial. Some natives had returned to the place, among them one of Jemmy"'s brothers ; but so far were they from showing the slightest ill- will, that nothing could be more friendly than their behaviour. Jemmy told us that these people, who arrived at daylight that morning were his friends, that his own family would come in the course of the day, and that the ' bad men,' the stran- gers, were all gone away to their own country. A further trial was now determined upon. The yawl, with one whale-boat, was sent back to the Beagle, and I set out on