Onthe5thofMarch，weanchoredinacoveatWoollya，butwesawnotasoulthere。Wewerealarmedatthis，forthenativesinPonsonbySoundshowedbygestures，thattherehadbeenfighting；andweafterwardsheardthatthedreadedOensmenhadmadeadescent。Soonacanoe，withalittleflagflying，wasseenapproaching，withoneofthemeninitwashingthepaintoffhisface。ThismanwaspoorJemmy，——nowathin，haggardsavage，withlongdisorderedhair，andnaked，exceptabitofblanketroundhiswaist。Wedidnotrecognizehimtillhewasclosetous，forhewasashamedofhimself，andturnedhisbacktotheship。Wehadlefthimplump，fat，clean，andwell-dressed；——Ineversawsocompleteandgrievousachange。
　　Assoon，however，ashewasclothed，andthefirstflurrywasover，thingsworeagoodappearance。HedinedwithCaptainFitzRoy，andatehisdinnerastidilyasformerly。Hetoldusthathehad“toomuch“meaningenough
　　toeat，thathewasnotcold，thathisrelationswereverygoodpeople，andthathedidnotwishtogobacktoEngland：intheeveningwefoundoutthecauseofthisgreatchangeinJemmy’sfeelings，inthearrivalofhisyoungandnice-lookingwife。Withhisusualgoodfeelinghebroughttwobeautifulotter-skinsfortwoofhisbestfriends，andsomespear-headsandarrowsmadewithhisownhandsfortheCaptain。Hesaidhehadbuiltacanoeforhimself，andheboastedthathecouldtalkalittleofhisownlanguage！Butitisamostsingularfact，thatheappearstohavetaughtallhistribesomeEnglish：anoldmanspontaneouslyannounced“JemmyButton’swife。”Jemmyhadlostallhisproperty。HetoldusthatYorkMinsterhadbuiltalargecanoe，andwithhiswifeFuegia，[3]hadseveralmonthssincegonetohisowncountry，andhadtakenfarewellbyanactofconsummatevillainy；hepersuadedJemmyandhismothertocomewithhim，andthenonthewaydesertedthembynight，stealingeveryarticleoftheirproperty。
　　Jemmywenttosleeponshore，andinthemorningreturned，andremainedonboardtilltheshipgotunderway，whichfrightenedhiswife，whocontinuedcryingviolentlytillhegotintohiscanoe。Hereturnedloadedwithvaluableproperty。Everysoulonboardwasheartilysorrytoshakehandswithhimforthelasttime。Idonotnowdoubtthathewillbeashappyas，perhapshappierthan，ifhehadneverlefthisowncountry。EveryonemustsincerelyhopethatCaptainFitzRoy’snoblehopemaybefulfilled，ofbeingrewardedforthemanygeneroussacrificeswhichhemadefortheseFuegians，bysomeshipwreckedsailorbeingprotectedbythedescendantsofJemmyButtonandhistribe！WhenJemmyreachedtheshore，helightedasignalfire，andthesmokecurledup，biddingusalastandlongfarewell，astheshipstoodonhercourseintotheopensea。
　　TheperfectequalityamongtheindividualscomposingtheFuegiantribesmustforalongtimeretardtheircivilization。Asweseethoseanimals，whoseinstinctcompelsthemtoliveinsocietyandobeyachief，aremostcapableofimprovement，soisitwiththeracesofmankind。Whetherwelookatitasacauseoraconsequence，themorecivilizedalwayshavethemostartificialgovernments。Forinstance，theinhabitantsofOtaheite，who，whenfirstdiscovered，weregovernedbyhereditarykings，hadarrivedatafarhighergradethananotherbranchofthesamepeople，theNewZealanders，——who，althoughbenefitedbybeingcompelledtoturntheirattentiontoagriculture，wererepublicansinthemostabsolutesense。InTierradelFuego，untilsomechiefshallarisewithpowersufficienttosecureanyacquiredadvantage，suchasthedomesticatedanimals，itseemsscarcelypossiblethatthepoliticalstateofthecountrycanbeimproved。Atpresent，evenapieceofclothgiventooneistornintoshredsanddistributed；
　　andnooneindividualbecomesricherthananother。Ontheotherhand，itisdifficulttounderstandhowachiefcanarisetillthereispropertyofsomesortbywhichhemightmanifesthissuperiorityandincreasehispower。
　　Ibelieve，inthisextremepartofSouthAmerica，manexistsinalowerstateofimprovementthaninanyotherpartoftheworld。TheSouthSeaIslanders，ofthetworacesinhabitingthePacific，arecomparativelycivilized。
　　TheEsquimauinhissubterraneanhut，enjoyssomeofthecomfortsoflife，andinhiscanoe，whenfullyequipped，manifestsmuchskill。SomeofthetribesofSouthernAfricaprowlingaboutinsearchofroots，andlivingconcealedonthewildandaridplains，aresufficientlywretched。TheAustralian，inthesimplicityoftheartsoflife，comesnearesttheFuegian：hecan，however，boastofhisboomerang，hisspearandthrowing-stick，hismethodofclimbingtrees，oftrackinganimals，andofhunting。AlthoughtheAustralianmaybesuperiorinacquirements，itbynomeansfollowsthatheislikewisesuperiorinmentalcapacity：indeed，fromwhatIsawoftheFuegianswhenonboardandfromwhatIhavereadoftheAustralians，Ishouldthinkthecasewasexactlythereverse。[1]Thissubstance，whendry，istolerablycompact，andoflittlespecificgravity：ProfessorEhrenberghasexaminedit：hestatesKonigAkad。derWissen：Berlin，Feb。1845thatitiscomposedofinfusoria，includingfourteenpolygastrica，andfourphytolitharia。
　　Hesaysthattheyareallinhabitantsoffresh-water；thisisabeautifulexampleoftheresultsobtainablethroughProfessorEhrenberg’smicroscopicresearches；forJemmyButtontoldmethatitisalwayscollectedatthebottomsofmountain-brooks。Itis，moreover，astrikingfactthatinthegeographicaldistributionoftheinfusoria，whicharewellknowntohaveverywideranges，thatallthespeciesinthissubstance，althoughbroughtfromtheextremesouthernpointofTierradelFuego，areold，knownforms。
　　[2]Oneday，offtheEastcoastofTierradelFuego，wesawagrandsightinseveralspermacetiwhalesjumpinguprightquiteoutofthewater，withtheexceptionoftheirtail-fins。Astheyfelldownsideways，theysplashedthewaterhighup，andthesoundreverberatedlikeadistantbroadside。
　　[3]CaptainSulivan，who，sincehisvoyageintheBeagle，hasbeenemployedonthesurveyoftheFalklandIslands，heardfromasealerin1842？，thatwheninthewesternpartoftheStraitofMagellan，hewasastonishedbyanativewomancomingonboard，whocouldtalksomeEnglish。WithoutdoubtthiswasFuegaBasket。ShelivedIfearthetermprobablybearsadoubleinterpretationsomedaysonboard。PreviousChapterNextChapterTheVoyageoftheBeagle-Chapter11TheVoyageoftheBeaglebyCharlesDarwinPreviousChapterNextChapterChapter11-StraitofMagellan——ClimateoftheSouthernCoastsINTHEendofMay，1834，weenteredforasecondtimetheeasternmouthoftheStraitofMagellan。ThecountryonbothsidesofthispartoftheStraitconsistsofnearlylevelplains，likethoseofPatagonia。CapeNegro，alittlewithinthesecondNarrows，maybeconsideredasthepointwherethelandbeginstoassumethemarkedfeaturesofTierradelFuego。Ontheeastcoast，southoftheStrait，brokenpark-likesceneryinalikemannerconnectsthesetwocountries，whichareopposedtoeachotherinalmosteveryfeature。Itistrulysurprisingtofindinaspaceoftwentymilessuchachangeinthelandscape。Ifwetakearathergreaterdistance，asbetweenPortFamineandGregoryBay，thatisaboutsixtymiles，thedifferenceisstillmorewonderful。Attheformerplace，wehaveroundedmountainsconcealedbyimperviousforests，whicharedrenchedwiththerain，broughtbyanendlesssuccessionofgales；whileatCapeGregory，thereisaclearandbrightblueskyoverthedryandsterileplains。Theatmosphericcurrents，[1]althoughrapid，turbulent，andunconfinedbyanyapparentlimits，yetseemtofollow，likeariverinitsbed，aregularlydeterminedcourse。
　　DuringourpreviousvisitinJanuary，wehadaninterviewatCapeGregorywiththefamousso-calledgiganticPatagonians，whogaveusacordialreception。Theirheightappearsgreaterthanitreallyis，fromtheirlargeguanacomantles，theirlongflowinghair，andgeneralfigure：onanaverage，theirheightisaboutsixfeet，withsomementallerandonlyafewshorter；
　　andthewomenarealsotall；altogethertheyarecertainlythetallestracewhichweanywheresaw。InfeaturestheystrikinglyresemblethemorenorthernIndianswhomIsawwithRosas，buttheyhaveawilderandmoreformidableappearance：theirfacesweremuchpaintedwithredandblack，andonemanwasringedanddottedwithwhitelikeaFuegian。CaptainFitzRoyofferedtotakeanythreeofthemonboard，andallseemeddeterminedtobeofthethree。Itwaslongbeforewecouldcleartheboat；atlastwegotonboardwithourthreegiants，whodinedwiththeCaptain，andbehavedquitelikegentlemen，helpingthemselveswithknives，forks，andspoons：nothingwassomuchrelishedassugar。ThistribehashadsomuchcommunicationwithsealersandwhalersthatmostofthemencanspeakalittleEnglishandSpanish；andtheyarehalfcivilized，andproportionallydemoralized。
　　Thenextmorningalargepartywentonshore，tobarterforskinsandostrich-feathers；fire-armsbeingrefused，tobaccowasingreatestrequest，farmoresothanaxesortools。Thewholepopulationofthetoldos，men，women，andchildren，werearrangedonabank。Itwasanamusingscene，anditwasimpossiblenottoliketheso-calledgiants，theyweresothoroughlygood-humouredandunsuspecting：theyaskedustocomeagain。TheyseemtoliketohaveEuropeanstolivewiththem；andoldMaria，animportantwomaninthetribe，oncebeggedMr。Lowtoleaveanyoneofhissailorswiththem。Theyspendthegreaterpartoftheyearhere；butinsummertheyhuntalongthefootoftheCordillera：sometimestheytravelasfarastheRioNegro750milestothenorth。Theyarewellstockedwithhorses，eachmanhaving，accordingtoMr。Low，sixorseven，andallthewomen，andevenchildren，theironeownhorse。InthetimeofSarmiento1580，theseIndianshadbowsandarrows，nowlongsincedisused；theythenalsopossessedsomehorses。Thisisaverycuriousfact，showingtheextraordinarilyrapidmultiplicationofhorsesinSouthAmerica。ThehorsewasfirstlandedatBuenosAyresin1537，andthecolonybeingthenforatimedeserted，thehorseranwild；[2]in1580，onlyforty-threeyearsafterwards，wehearofthemattheStraitofMagellan！Mr。Lowinformsme，thataneighbouringtribeoffoot-Indiansisnowchangingintohorse-Indians：
　　thetribeatGregoryBaygivingthemtheirworn-outhorses，andsendinginwinterafewoftheirbestskilledmentohuntforthem。
　　June1st——WeanchoredinthefinebayofPortFamine。Itwasnowthebeginningofwinter，andIneversawamorecheerlessprospect；theduskywoods，piebaldwithsnow，couldbeonlyseenindistinctly，throughadrizzlinghazyatmosphere。Wewere，however，luckyingettingtwofinedays。Ononeofthese，MountSarmiento，adistantmountain6800feethigh，presentedaverynoblespectacle。IwasfrequentlysurprisedinthesceneryofTierradelFuego，atthelittleapparentelevationofmountainsreallylofty。Isuspectitisowingtoacausewhichwouldnotatfirstbeimagined，namely，thatthewholemass，fromthesummittothewater’sedge，isgenerallyinfullview。Irememberhavingseenamountain，firstfromtheBeagleChannel，wherethewholesweepfromthesummittothebasewasfullinview，andthenfromPonsonbySoundacrossseveralsuccessiveridges；anditwascurioustoobserveinthelattercase，aseachfreshridgeaffordedfreshmeansofjudgingofthedistance，howthemountainroseinheight。
　　BeforereachingPortFamine，twomenwereseenrunningalongtheshoreandhailingtheship。Aboatwassentforthem。Theyturnedouttobetwosailorswhohadrunawayfromasealing-vessel，andhadjoinedthePatagonians。
　　TheseIndianshadtreatedthemwiththeirusualdisinterestedhospitality。
　　Theyhadpartedcompanythroughaccident，andwerethenproceedingtoPortFamineinhopesoffindingsomeship。Idaresaytheywereworthlessvagabonds，butIneversawmoremiserable-lookingones。Theyhadbeenlivingforsomedaysonmussel-shellsandberries，andtheirtatteredclotheshadbeenburntbysleepingsoneartheirfires。Theyhadbeenexposednightandday，withoutanyshelter，tothelateincessantgales，withrain，sleet，andsnow，andyettheywereingoodhealth。