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

1834. 'York's' treachery — jemmy's story. 325 - Next morning Jemmy shared my breakfast, and then weliad a long conversation by ourselves ; the result of which was, that I felt quite decided not to make a second attempt to place Matthews among the natives of Tierra del Fuego. Jemmy told me that he knew very little of his own language ; that he spoke some words of English, and some Tekeenica, when he talked to his family ; and that they all understood the English words he used. York and Fuegia left him some months before our arrival, and went in a large canoe to their own country ; the last act of that cunning fellow was to rob poor Jemmy of all his clothes ; nearly all the tools his Tekee- nica 'friends' had left him; and various other necessaries. Fuegia was dressed as usual, and looking well, when they de- camped : her helpmate was also well clothed, and bad hardly lost anything I left with him. Jemmy said " York very much jaw," " pick up big stones," "all men afraid." Fuegia seemed to be very happy, and quite contented with her lot. Jemmy asserted that she helped to " catch (steal) his clothes," while he was asleep, the night before York left him naked. Not long after my departure in Febuary 1833, the much- dreaded Oens-men came in numbers, overland, to Woollya obliged Jemmy's tribe to escape to the small islands, and car- ried off every valuable which his party had not time to remove. They had doubtless heard of the houses and property left there, and hastened to seize upon it — hke other ' borderers.' Until this time York had appeared to be settled, and quite at ease, but he had been employed about a suspiciously large canoe, just finished when the inroad was made. He saved this canoe, indeed escaped in it, and afterwards induced Jemmy and his family to accompany liim " to look at his land." They went together in four canoes (York's large one and three others) as far west as Devil Island, at the junction of the north-west and south-west arms of the Beagle Channel : there they met York's brother and some others of the Alikhoolip tribe ; and, while Jemmy was asleep, all the Alikhoolip party stole off, taking nearly all Jemmy's things, and leaving him in his original condition. York's fine canoe was evidently not