Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2- Appendix): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

132 APPENDIX. ceived a wigwam, and immediately made towards it ; but the re- ception I met with was not at all agreeable ; for stooping to get into it, I presently received two or three lacks in my face, and at the same time heard the sound of voices seemingly in anger, which made me retire and wait at the foot of a tree, where I remained till an old woman peeped out, and made signs to me to draw near. I obeyed very readUy, and went into the wigwam : in it w^ere three men and two women ; one young man seemed to have great respect shewn to him by the rest, though he was the most miserable object I ever saw. He was a perfect skeleton, and covered with sores from head to foot. I was happy to sit a moment by their fire, as I was quite benumbed with cold. Tlie old woman took out a piece of seal, holding one part of it between her feet, and the other end in her teeth, and then cut off some thin slices with a sharp shell, and distributed them about to the other Indians. She then put a bit on the fire, taking a piece of fat in her mouth, which she kept chevnng, every now and then spirting some of it on the piece that was warming upon the fire ; for they never do more vnth. it than warm it through. When it was ready, she gave me a little bit, which I swallowed whole, being almost starved. As these Indians were all strangers to me, I did not know which way they were going and, indeed, it was now become quite indifferent to me which way I went, whether to the northward or southward, so that they would but take me with them, and give me something to eat. However, to make them comprehend me, I pointed first southward, and after to the lake, and I soon imderstood they were going to the northward. They all went out together, excepting the sick Indian, and took up the planks of the canoe, which lay near the wigwam, and carried them upon the beach, and presently put it together and, getting everything into it, they put me to the oar. We rowed across the lake to the mouth of a very rapid river, whei'e we put ashore for that night, not daring to get any way down in the dark, as it required the greatest skill, even in the day, to avoid running foul of the stumps and roots of trees, of which this river was fuU.* I passed a melancholy night, as they would not suffer me to come near the wigwam they had made ; nor did they give me the least bit of any one thing to eat since we embarked. In the morning we set off again. The weather proved extremely bad the whole day. We • In March — April : beginning of autumn. — Caflo de Perdon ?— R, F.