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

324 * JEMMY ' AND HIS FAMILY. March detected me, and a sudden movement of the hand to his head (as a sailor touches his hat) at once told me it was indeed Jemmy Button — but how altered ! I could hardly restrain my feelings, and I was not, by any means, the only one so touched by his squalid miserable appearance. He was naked, like his companions, except a bit of skin about his loins ; his hair was long and matted, just hke theirs ; he was wretchedly thin, and his eyes were affected by smoke. We hurried him below, clothed him immediately, and in half an hour he was sitting with me at dinner in my cabin, using his knife and fork pro- perly, and in every way behaving as correctly as if he had never left us. He spoke as much English as ever, and, to our astonishment, his companions, his wife, his brothers and their wives, mixed broken English words in their talking with him. Jemmy recollected every one well, and was very glad to see them all, especially Mr. Bynoe and James Bennett. I thought he was ill, but he surprised me by saying that he was " hearty, sir, never better,"* that he had not been ill, even for a day, was happy and contented, and had no wish whatever to change his way of life. He said that he got " plenty fruits,"f " plenty birdies," " ten guanaco in snow time," and "too much fish." Besides, though he said nothing about her, I soon heard that there was a good-looking ;]: young woman in his canoe, who was said to be his wife. Directly this became known, shawls, hand- kerchiefs, and a gold-laced cap appeared, with which she was speedily decorated ; bvit fears had been excited for her hus- band's safe return to her, and no finery could stop her crying until Jemmy again showed himself on deck. While he was below, his brother Tommy called out in a loud tone-^-" Jemmy Button, canoe, come !" After some time the three canoes went ashore, laden with presents, and their owners promised to corae again early next morning. Jemmy gave a fine otter skin to me, which he had dressed and kept purposely ; another he gave to Bennett. * A favourite saying of his,, formerly. t Excrescences on the birch trees, and berries, X For a Fuegian,