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

4* PASSAGES. FUEGIANS. 1830. twenty-five and thirty degrees west, are, I believe, far less subject to detention— taking the year through— than those which adopt easterly courses. Cape St. Roque, St. Paul Rocks, Fernando Noronha, and the Roccas, ought not to be thought of too lightly ; but in avoiding them, and the lee current near St. Roque, many ships have encountered the tedious calms, extremely hot weather, frequent torrents of rain, and violent squalls, which are more or less prevalent between the longitudes of twenty and ten degrees west. To return to the Fuegians. While on our passage home I addressed the following letter to my commanding officer and kind friend, Captain King. « Sir, Beagle, at sea, Sept. 12, 1830. " I have the honour of reporting to you that there are now on board of his Majesty's sloop, under my command, four natives of Tierra del Fuego. o " Their names and estimated ages are, York Minster 26 Boat Memory 20 James Button 14 Fuegia Basket (a girl) 9 " I have maintained them entirely at my own expense, and hold myself responsible for their comfort while away from, and for their safe return to their own country : and I have now to request that, as senior officer of the Expedition, you will consider of the possibility of some public advantage being derived from this circumstance ; and of the propriety of offer- ing them, with that view, to his Majesty's Government. " If you think it proper to make the offer, I will keep them in readiness to be removed according to your directions. " I am now to account for my having these Fuegians on board, and to explain my future views with respect to them. " In February last, the Beagle being moored in ' Towns- hend Harboui-,' on the south-west coast of Tierra del Fuego, I sent Mr. Matthew Murray (master), with six men, in a whale-boat, to Cape Desolation ; the projecting part of a small.