The interior parts of Tierra del Fuego have never been explored, but appeared to consist of continued mountains of immense height and irregular surface. About one fourth of their ascent is frequently covered with trees of a considerable size. Towards the middle, nothing but wither ed shrubs appear : next succeed patches of snow and frag ments of rock ; while the summits, composed of huge crags piled upon each other, and towering above the clouds, are devoted to everlasting sterility. Many of them are no thing but immeasurable masses of rock, naked from the base to the summit, without a single shrub or one blade of grass to be seen upon them ; and the intermediate vallies, equally destitute of verdure, are filled with beds of snow, or masses of ice. The climate is intensely cold and stormy ; and, even in the midst of summer, the ground is frequently covered with snow. Its severity is fatally exemplified by an accident mentioned in Captain Cook's first voyage, a part of whose crew having attended Sir Joseph Banks and Dr Solander on shore, and having been obliged to pass the night in the open air, though it was upon the most tem perate part of the coast, and about the season of midsum mer, two of them expired of cold; and Dr Solander himself, a native of Sweden, was saved with great difficulty. Even in this barren soil and dreary climate is found a great va riety of plants unknown in Europe. The trees chiefly noticed, were beech, birch, winter-bark or spice laurel, and 'the holly-leaved barberry. The plains are covered with a kind of spongy moss ; and nettles, wild celery, and scurvy grass, are generally found close to the beech. Cranberries, red and white, are produced in great abundance. Fish may be procured with great facility on every part of the coast, and particularly on the Straits of Magellan. Whales, seals, and sea-lions, are seen in great numbers along the shores, particularly in the Straits of Le Maire. There are great quantities of shell fish, limpets, clams, and especially mus sels, some of which are five or six inches in length. Few insects have been observed in the country, and none that were either hurtful or troublesome. Of land-birds there are few varieties; and none have been seen larger than an English black-bird, except a few hawks and vultures. But there is plenty of water-fowl, sea-pies, shags, and the kind of gull generally called Port Egmont hen ; geese, resembling bustards, smaller than the tame geese of England, but well tasted ; and ducks of several kinds, the most remarkable of which, called by the sailors race-horses, are unable to fly on account of the shortness of their wings, but run upon the water with amazing swiftness. Almost the only quadrupeds observed by navigators were dogs in a domestic state, which differed from others of their species bred in America, in possessing the faculty of barking. The traces of larger animals were indeed noticed in some places : but their species could not be ascertained.
The natives of Tierrra del Fuego are the most deplo rable in appearance, and the most destitute in resources, of the human race,—inhabiting the most inhospitable cli mate in the world, and possessing no sagacity to provide themselves with those few conveniences, which even their dreary land might supply. They are a little, ugly, mea gre, and beardless race,* with long black hair, and the co lour of their skin like the rust of iron mixed with oil. Their is hole apparel consists of the stinking skin of a seal, sometimes of a guanicoe, thrown over their shoulders, ex actly in the state in which it was taken from the back of the animal. A piece of the same skin is sometimes drawn over their feet, and gathered about the ancles like a purse; and a small flap is worn by the women as a fig-leaf. They appeared very fond, however, of ornament, and paint their faces in various forms, generally with horizontal streaks of black and red, with a white ring round the eyes. They wear upon their wrists and ancles bracelets of beads form ed of small shells or bones, and delight particularly in every thing that is of a red colour. Their food consists chiefly of cranberries and shell-fish, and sometimes the flesh of whales or seals, whim, ,.ley devour with the greatest relish in a raw and rotten state. Some of Cap tain Wallia's people gave to one of them a fish as it was taken alive out of the water : the Indian snatched it hastily as a dog would take a bone ; and, instantly killing it, by giving it a bite near the gills, proceeded to eat it, begin ning with the head, and going on to the tail, without re jecting either the bones, fins, scales, or entrails. They ate
readily whatever food was given to them by European voyagers, but could not be persuaded to take any other drink than water. They appear to have no fixed resi dence, but to move from one place to another, after having exhausted the supplies of shellfish around their habita tions. Their huts are constructed in the most rude and inartificial manner imaginable, and are merely a few poles set up inclining towards one another, and forming a cone at the top like a bee-hive. They are covered on the wea ther-side with a few boughs and a little grass, yet not so as to exclude the snow or rain ; and, on the lee, nearly an eighth part of the circumference is left open, both as a door and a chimney. Within these wretched hovels no kind of furniture is seen ; and a little grass laid round the inside of the stakes, serves the purposes of chairs and beds. The only utensils observed among them were, a satchel to hang on the back, a basket to carry in the hand, and a bladder to hold water. Wherever they halt, though only for a short time, in the open air, they always kindle a fire ; and are generally affected with sore eyes, from sitting so much over the smoke of their fires. Even in their canoes, they have a fire placed on a heap of sand in the midst of the vessel, around which they huddle themselves as close as possible; and which they seem thus to carry about with them, not only for the sake of immediate warmth, but in order also to have fire ready _kindled wherever they may land. Their canoes are extremely slight made, sometimes of planks, but generally of pieces of bark sewed together, either with the sinews of some wild beast, or with thongs cut from a hide. A kind of rush is laid into the seams; and the outside is smeared with a resin or gum, to prevent the water from soaking through the bark. About fifteen slender branches, each bent into an arch, are sewed transversely to the bottom and sides ; and some straight pieces are placed across the top from one gunwale to the other, and fastened securely at each end. These vessels are about fifteen feet long, three broad, and three deep, are steered with paddles, and have only a seal-skin as a sail. The only appearance of inge nuity among them was in their weapons, which consisted of bows, arrows, and javelins. Some of the bows were neatly made, with strings of gut ; and the arrows were formed of wood, very highly polished, with a point of glass or flint, barbed, and fitted to the shaft with wonderful skill. In the use of these weapons they discovered great dexte rity, and seldom failed to hit a mark at a considerable dis tance. They have also a kind of harpoon, which they use in fishing, formed of a'fish bone about a foot in length, sharpened at the end, toothed on one side, and fixed to a long pole. No appearance of subordination or government has been observed among them, and no one is respected more than another ; yet they seemed to live together in the utmost harmony. Neither do they discover any notions of religion, unless a vehement vociferation, addressed to every new object, may be considered as a species of exorcism, and as implying a belief in evil spirits. Both those who were seen by Bougainville and by Cook, though on diffe rent parts of the coast, gave themselves the name of Pe chcray; and they do not seem to be a numerous people. Their language in general is guttural, and sonic of their words are expressed by a sound resembling that which is made by clearing the throat; hut other expre'ssions are sufficiently soft, such as halMcii, beads, and oodli, water. They are harmless, and friendly towards strangers; and, either front a contented disposition, or from stupidity of mind, discover no desire for additional possessions and gratifications. When carried on board of European ships, they testified no emotions of surprise, satisfaction, or cu riosity, regarded every object, except looking-glasses, and the clothes of the people, with utter indifference ; and ex pressed no wish for any thing whatever but beads. One of their women even offered her sucking child to an offi cer of Byron's ship; and their whole aspect and manners declared them to be among the lowest and most wretched of human beings. See Byron's, Wallis's, Bougainville's Voyages, and Cook's First and Second Voyages round the World On