superior in force made, in the interest of beholding these savages.
While in the boats I got to hate the very sound of their voices, so
much trouble did they give us. The first and last word was
"yammerschooner." When, entering some quiet little cove, we have looked
round and thought to pass a quiet night, the odious word
"yammerschooner" has shrilly sounded from some gloomy nook, and then
the little signal-smoke has curled up to spread the news far and wide.
On leaving some place we have said to each other, "Thank heaven, we
have at last fairly left these wretches!" when one more faint hallo
from an all-powerful voice, heard at a prodigious distance, would reach
our ears, and clearly could we distinguish--"yammerschooner." But now,
the more Fuegians the merrier; and very merry work it was. Both
parties laughing, wondering, gaping at each other; we pitying them, for
giving us good fish and crabs for rags, etc.; they grasping at the
chance of finding people so foolish as to exchange such splendid
ornaments for a good supper. It was most amusing to see the
undisguised smile of satisfaction with which one young woman with her
face painted black, tied several bits of scarlet cloth round her head
with rushes. Her husband, who enjoyed the very universal privilege in
this country of possessing two wives, evidently became jealous of all
the attention paid to his young wife; and, after a consultation with
his naked beauties, was paddled away by them.
Some of the Fuegians plainly showed that they had a fair notion of
barter. I gave one man a large nail (a most valuable present) without
making any signs for a return; but he immediately picked out two fish,
and handed them up on the point of his spear. If any present was
designed for one canoe, and it fell near another, it was invariably
given to the right owner. The Fuegian boy, whom Mr. Low had on board
showed, by going into the most violent passion, that he quite
understood the reproach of being called a liar, which in truth he was.
We were this time, as on all former occasions, much surprised at the
little notice, or rather none whatever, which was taken of many things,
the use of which must have been evident to the natives. Simple
circumstances--such as the beauty of scarlet cloth or blue beads, the
absence of women, our care in washing ourselves,--excited their
admiration far more than any grand or complicated object, such as our
ship. Bougainville has well remarked concerning these people, that
they treat the "chefs d'oeuvre de l'industrie humaine, comme ils
traitent les loix de la nature et ses phenomenes."
214