Thecovewasborderedbysomeacresofgoodslopingland，notcoveredaselsewhereeitherbypeatorbyforest-trees。CaptainFitzRoyoriginallyintended，asbeforestated，tohavetakenYorkMinsterandFuegiatotheirowntribeonthewestcoast；butastheyexpressedawishtoremainhere，andasthespotwassingularlyfavourable，CaptainFitzRoydeterminedtosettleherethewholeparty，includingMatthews，themissionary。Fivedayswerespentinbuildingforthemthreelargewigwams，inlandingtheirgoods，indiggingtwogardens，andsowingseeds。
　　Thenextmorningafterourarrivalthe24ththeFuegiansbegantopourin，andJemmy’smotherandbrothersarrived。Jemmyrecognisedthestentorianvoiceofoneofhisbrothersataprodigiousdistance。Themeetingwaslessinterestingthanthatbetweenahorse，turnedoutintoafield，whenhejoinsanoldcompanion。Therewasnodemonstrationofaffection；
　　theysimplystaredforashorttimeateachother；andthemotherimmediatelywenttolookafterhercanoe。Weheard，however，throughYorkthatthemotherhasbeeninconsolableforthelossofJemmyandhadsearchedeverywhereforhim，thinkingthathemighthavebeenleftafterhavingbeentakenintheboat。ThewomentookmuchnoticeofandwereverykindtoFuegia。
　　WehadalreadyperceivedthatJemmyhadalmostforgottenhisownlanguage。
　　Ishouldthinktherewasscarcelyanotherhumanbeingwithsosmallastockoflanguage，forhisEnglishwasveryimperfect。Itwaslaughable，butalmostpitiable，tohearhimspeaktohiswildbrotherinEnglish，andthenaskhiminSpanish“nosabe？”whetherhedidnotunderstandhim。
　　Everythingwentonpeaceablyduringthethreenextdayswhilstthegardenswerediggingandwigwamsbuilding。Weestimatedthenumberofnativesataboutonehundredandtwenty。Thewomenworkedhard，whilstthemenloungedaboutalldaylong，watchingus。Theyaskedforeverythingtheysaw，andstolewhattheycould。Theyweredelightedatourdancingandsinging，andwereparticularlyinterestedatseeinguswashinaneighbouringbrook；
　　theydidnotpaymuchattentiontoanythingelse，noteventoourboats。
　　OfallthethingswhichYorksaw，duringhisabsencefromhiscountry，nothingseemsmoretohaveastonishedhimthananostrich，nearMaldonado：
　　breathlesswithastonishmenthecamerunningtoMr。Bynoe，withwhomhewasoutwalking——“Oh，Mr。Bynoe，oh，birdallsamehorse！”Muchasourwhiteskinssurprisedthenatives，byMr。Low’saccountanegro-cooktoasealingvessel，didsomoreeffectually，andthepoorfellowwassomobbedandshoutedatthathewouldnevergoonshoreagain。Everythingwentonsoquietlythatsomeoftheofficersandmyselftooklongwalksinthesurroundinghillsandwoods。Suddenly，however，onthe27th，everywomanandchilddisappeared。Wewerealluneasyatthis，asneitherYorknorJemmycouldmakeoutthecause。Itwasthoughtbysomethattheyhadbeenfrightenedbyourcleaningandfiringoffourmusketsonthepreviousevening；
　　byothers，thatitwasowingtooffencetakenbyanoldsavage，who，whentoldtokeepfurtheroff，hadcoollyspitinthesentry’sface，andhadthen，bygesturesactedoverasleepingFuegian，plainlyshowed，asitwassaid，thatheshouldliketocutupandeatourman。CaptainFitzRoy，toavoidthechanceofanencounter，whichwouldhavebeenfataltosomanyoftheFuegians，thoughtitadvisableforustosleepatacoveafewmilesdistant。Matthews，withhisusualquietfortituderemarkableinamanapparentlypossessinglittleenergyofcharacter，determinedtostaywiththeFuegians，whoevincednoalarmforthemselves；andsoweleftthemtopasstheirfirstawfulnight。
　　Onourreturninthemorning28thweweredelightedtofindallquiet，andthemenemployedintheircanoesspearingfish。CaptainFitzRoydeterminedtosendtheyawlandonewhale-boatbacktotheship；andtoproceedwiththetwootherboats，oneunderhisowncommandinwhichhemostkindlyallowedmetoaccompanyhim，andoneunderMr。Hammond，tosurveythewesternpartsoftheBeagleChannel，andafterwardstoreturnandvisitthesettlement。Thedaytoourastonishmentwasoverpoweringlyhot，sothatourskinswerescorched：withthisbeautifulweather，theviewinthemiddleoftheBeagleChannelwasveryremarkable。Lookingtowardseitherhand，noobjectinterceptedthevanishingpointsofthislongcanalbetweenthemountains。Thecircumstanceofitsbeinganarmoftheseawasrenderedveryevidentbyseveralhugewhales[2]spoutingindifferentdirections。OnoneoccasionIsawtwoofthesemonsters，probablymaleandfemale，slowlyswimmingoneaftertheother，withinlessthanastone’sthrowoftheshore，overwhichthebeech-treeextendeditsbranches。
　　Wesailedontillitwasdark，andthenpitchedourtentsinaquietcreek。
　　Thegreatestluxurywastofindforourbedsabeachofpebbles，fortheyweredryandyieldedtothebody。Peatysoilisdamp；rockisunevenandhard；sandgetsintoone’smeat，whencookedandeatenboat-fashion；butwhenlyinginourblanket-bags，onagoodbedofsmoothpebbles，wepassedmostcomfortablenights。
　　Itwasmywatchtilloneo’clock。Thereissomethingverysolemninthesescenes。Atnotimedoestheconsciousnessinwhataremotecorneroftheworldyouarethenstanding，comesostronglybeforethemind。Everythingtendstothiseffect；thestillnessofthenightisinterruptedonlybytheheavybreathingoftheseamenbeneaththetents，andsometimesbythecryofanight-bird。Theoccasionalbarkingofadog，heardinthedistance，remindsonethatitisthelandofthesavage。
　　January20th——EarlyinthemorningwearrivedatthepointwheretheBeagleChanneldividesintotwoarms；andweenteredthenorthernone。
　　Thesceneryherebecomesevengranderthanbefore。Theloftymountainsonthenorthsidecomposethegraniticaxis，orbackboneofthecountryandboldlyrisetoaheightofbetweenthreeandfourthousandfeet，withonepeakabovesixthousandfeet。Theyarecoveredbyawidemantleofperpetualsnow，andnumerouscascadespourtheirwaters，throughthewoods，intothenarrowchannelbelow。Inmanyparts，magnificentglaciersextendfromthemountainsidetothewater’sedge。Itisscarcelypossibletoimagineanythingmorebeautifulthantheberyl-likeblueoftheseglaciers，andespeciallyascontrastedwiththedeadwhiteoftheupperexpanseofsnow。Thefragmentswhichhadfallenfromtheglacierintothewaterwerefloatingaway，andthechannelwithitsicebergspresented，forthespaceofamile，aminiaturelikenessofthePolarSea。Theboatsbeinghauledonshoreatourdinner-hour，wewereadmiringfromthedistanceofhalfamileaperpendicularcliffofice，andwerewishingthatsomemorefragmentswouldfall。Atlast，downcameamasswitharoaringnoise，andimmediatelywesawthesmoothoutlineofawavetravellingtowardsus。Themenrandownasquicklyastheycouldtotheboats；forthechanceoftheirbeingdashedtopieceswasevident。Oneoftheseamenjustcaughtholdofthebows，asthecurlingbreakerreachedit：hewasknockedoverandover，butnothurt，andtheboatsthoughthriceliftedonhighandletfallagain，receivednodamage。Thiswasmostfortunateforus，forwewereahundredmilesdistantfromtheship，andweshouldhavebeenleftwithoutprovisionsorfire-arms。Ihadpreviouslyobservedthatsomelargefragmentsofrockonthebeachhadbeenlatelydisplaced；butuntilseeingthiswave，Ididnotunderstandthecause。Onesideofthecreekwasformedbyaspurofmica-slate；theheadbyacliffoficeaboutfortyfeethigh；andtheothersidebyapromontoryfiftyfeethigh，builtupofhugeroundedfragmentsofgraniteandmica-slate，outofwhicholdtreesweregrowing。Thispromontorywasevidentlyamoraine，heapedupataperiodwhentheglacierhadgreaterdimensions。
　　WhenwereachedthewesternmouthofthisnorthernbranchoftheBeagleChannel，wesailedamongstmanyunknowndesolateislands，andtheweatherwaswretchedlybad。Wemetwithnonatives。Thecoastwasalmosteverywheresosteep，thatwehadseveraltimestopullmanymilesbeforewecouldfindspaceenoughtopitchourtwotents：onenightwesleptonlargeroundboulders，withputrefyingsea-weedbetweenthem；andwhenthetiderose，wehadtogetupandmoveourblanket-bags。ThefarthestpointwestwardwhichwereachedwasStewartIsland，adistanceofaboutonehundredandfiftymilesfromourship。WereturnedintotheBeagleChannelbythesouthernarm，andthenceproceeded，withnoadventure，backtoPonsonbySound。
　　February6th——WearrivedatWoollya。MatthewsgavesobadanaccountoftheconductoftheFuegians，thatCaptainFitzRoydeterminedtotakehimbacktotheBeagle；andultimatelyhewasleftatNewZealand，wherehisbrotherwasamissionary。Fromthetimeofourleaving，aregularsystemofplundercommenced；freshpartiesofthenativeskeptarriving：YorkandJemmylostmanythings，andMatthewsalmosteverythingwhichhadnotbeenconcealedunderground。Everyarticleseemedtohavebeentornupanddividedbythenatives。Matthewsdescribedthewatchhewasobligedalwaystokeepasmostharassing；nightanddayhewassurroundedbythenatives，whotriedtotirehimoutbymakinganincessantnoiseclosetohishead。
　　Onedayanoldman，whomMatthewsaskedtoleavehiswigwam，immediatelyreturnedwithalargestoneinhishand：anotherdayawholepartycamearmedwithstonesandstakes，andsomeoftheyoungermenandJemmy’sbrotherwerecrying：Matthewsmetthemwithpresents。Anotherpartyshowedbysignsthattheywishedtostriphimnakedandpluckallthehairsoutofhisfaceandbody。Ithinkwearrivedjustintimetosavehislife。Jemmy’srelativeshadbeensovainandfoolish，thattheyhadshowedtostrangerstheirplunder，andtheirmannerofobtainingit。ItwasquitemelancholyleavingthethreeFuegianswiththeirsavagecountrymen；butitwasagreatcomfortthattheyhadnopersonalfears。York，beingapowerfulresoluteman，wasprettysuretogetonwell，togetherwithhiswifeFuegia。PoorJemmylookedratherdisconsolate，andwouldthen，Ihavelittledoubt，havebeengladtohavereturnedwithus。Hisownbrotherhadstolenmanythingsfromhim；andasheremarked，“Whatfashioncallthat：“heabusedhiscountrymen，“allbadmen，nosabeknownothing“and，thoughIneverheardhimswearbefore，“damnedfools。”OurthreeFuegians，thoughtheyhadbeenonlythreeyearswithcivilizedmen，would，Iamsure，havebeengladtohaveretainedtheirnewhabits；butthiswasobviouslyimpossible。
　　Ifearitismorethandoubtful，whethertheirvisitwillhavebeenofanyusetothem。
　　Intheevening，withMatthewsonboard，wemadesailbacktotheship，notbytheBeagleChannel，butbythesoutherncoast。Theboatswereheavilyladenandthesearough，andwehadadangerouspassage。Bytheeveningofthe7thwewereonboardtheBeagleafteranabsenceoftwentydays，duringwhichtimewehadgonethreehundredmilesintheopenboats。Onthe11th，CaptainFitzRoypaidavisitbyhimselftotheFuegiansandfoundthemgoingonwell；andthattheyhadlostveryfewmorethings。
　　OnthelastdayofFebruaryinthesucceedingyear1834theBeagleanchoredinabeautifullittlecoveattheeasternentranceoftheBeagleChannel。CaptainFitzRoydeterminedonthebold，andasitprovedsuccessful，attempttobeatagainstthewesterlywindsbythesameroute，whichwehadfollowedintheboatstothesettlementatWoollya。WedidnotseemanynativesuntilwewerenearPonsonbySound，wherewewerefollowedbytenortwelvecanoes。Thenativesdidnotatallunderstandthereasonofourtacking，and，insteadofmeetingusateachtack，vainlystrovetofollowusinourzigzagcourse。Iwasamusedatfindingwhatadifferencethecircumstanceofbeingquitesuperiorinforcemade，intheinterestofbeholdingthesesavages。WhileintheboatsIgottohatetheverysoundoftheirvoices，somuchtroubledidtheygiveus。Thefirstandlastwordwas“yammerschooner。”When，enteringsomequietlittlecove，wehavelookedroundandthoughttopassaquietnight，theodiousword“yammerschooner“
　　hasshrillysoundedfromsomegloomynook，andthenthelittlesignal-smokehascurleduptospreadthenewsfarandwide。Onleavingsomeplacewehavesaidtoeachother，“Thankheaven，wehaveatlastfairlyleftthesewretches！”whenonemorefainthallofromanall-powerfulvoice，heardataprodigiousdistance，wouldreachourears，andclearlycouldwedistinguish——“yammerschooner。”Butnow，themoreFuegiansthemerrier；andverymerryworkitwas。Bothpartieslaughing，wondering，gapingateachother；wepityingthem，forgivingusgoodfishandcrabsforrags，etc。；theygraspingatthechanceoffindingpeoplesofoolishastoexchangesuchsplendidornamentsforagoodsupper。Itwasmostamusingtoseetheundisguisedsmileofsatisfactionwithwhichoneyoungwomanwithherfacepaintedblack，tiedseveralbitsofscarletclothroundherheadwithrushes。Herhusband，whoenjoyedtheveryuniversalprivilegeinthiscountryofpossessingtwowives，evidentlybecamejealousofalltheattentionpaidtohisyoungwife；and，afteraconsultationwithhisnakedbeauties，waspaddledawaybythem。
　　SomeoftheFuegiansplainlyshowedthattheyhadafairnotionofbarter。
　　Igaveonemanalargenailamostvaluablepresentwithoutmakinganysignsforareturn；butheimmediatelypickedouttwofish，andhandedthemuponthepointofhisspear。Ifanypresentwasdesignedforonecanoe，anditfellnearanother，itwasinvariablygiventotherightowner。
　　TheFuegianboy，whomMr。Lowhadonboardshowed，bygoingintothemostviolentpassion，thathequiteunderstoodthereproachofbeingcalledaliar，whichintruthhewas。Wewerethistime，asonallformeroccasions，muchsurprisedatthelittlenotice，orrathernonewhatever，whichwastakenofmanythings，theuseofwhichmusthavebeenevidenttothenatives。
　　Simplecircumstances——suchasthebeautyofscarletclothorbluebeads，theabsenceofwomen，ourcareinwashingourselves，——excitedtheiradmirationfarmorethananygrandorcomplicatedobject，suchasourship。Bougainvillehaswellremarkedconcerningthesepeople，thattheytreatthe“chefsd’oeuvredel’industriehumaine，commeilstraitentlesloixdelanatureetsesphenomenes。”