natural reflection--"Me no help it." He was not able to learn any
particulars regarding his father's death, as his relations would not
speak about it.
Jemmy was now in a district well known to him, and guided the boats to
a quiet pretty cove named Woollya, surrounded by islets, every one of
which and every point had its proper native name. We found here a
family of Jemmy's tribe, but not his relations: we made friends with
them; and in the evening they sent a canoe to inform Jemmy's mother and
brothers. The cove was bordered by some acres of good sloping land,
not covered (as elsewhere) either by peat or by forest-trees. Captain
Fitz Roy originally intended, as before stated, to have taken York
Minster and Fuegia to their own tribe on the west coast; but as they
expressed a wish to remain here, and as the spot was singularly
favourable, Captain Fitz Roy determined to settle here the whole party,
including Matthews, the missionary. Five days were spent in building
for them three large wigwams, in landing their goods, in digging two
gardens, and sowing seeds.
The next morning after our arrival (the 24th) the Fuegians began to
pour in, and Jemmy's mother and brothers arrived. Jemmy recognised the
stentorian voice of one of his brothers at a prodigious distance. The
meeting was less interesting than that between a horse, turned out into
a field, when he joins an old companion. There was no demonstration of
affection; they simply stared for a short time at each other; and the
mother immediately went to look after her canoe. We heard, however,
through York that the mother has been inconsolable for the loss of
Jemmy and had searched everywhere for him, thinking that he might have
been left after having been taken in the boat. The women took much
notice of and were very kind to Fuegia. We had already perceived that
Jemmy had almost forgotten his own language. I should think there was
scarcely another human being with so small a stock of language, for his
English was very imperfect. It was laughable, but almost pitiable, to
hear him speak to his wild brother in English, and then ask him in
Spanish ("no sabe?") whether he did not understand him.
Everything went on peaceably during the three next days whilst the
gardens were digging and wigwams building. We estimated the number of
natives at about one hundred and twenty. The women worked hard, whilst
the men lounged about all day long, watching us. They asked for
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