y perceived, that, instead of ascending the hill in a line,
so as to penetrate into the country, they had made almost a circle round
it. When they came on board, they congratulated each other upon their
safety, with a joy that no man can feel who has not been exposed to
equal danger; and as I had suffered great anxiety at their not returning
in the evening of the day on which they set out, I was not wholly
without my share.

SECTION V.

_The Passage through the Streight of Le Maire, and a further Description
of the Inhabitants of Terra del Fuego and its Productions._

On the 18th and 19th, we were delayed in getting on board our wood and
water by a swell: But on the 20th, the weather being more moderate, we
again sent the boat on shore, and Mr Banks and Dr Solander went in it.
They landed in the bottom of the bay, and while my people were employed
in cutting brooms, they pursued their great object, the improvement of
natural knowledge, with success, collecting many shells and plants which
hitherto have been altogether unknown: They came on board to dinner, and
afterwards went again on shore to visit an Indian town, which some of
the people had reported to lie about two miles up the country. They
found the distance not more than by the account, and they approached it
by what appeared to be the common road, yet they were above an hour in
getting thither, for they were frequently up to their knees in mud; when
they got within a small distance, two of the people came out to meet
them, with such state as they could assume; when they joined them, they
began to halloo as they had done on board the ship, without addressing
themselves either to the strangers or their companions; and having
continued this strange vociferation some time, they conducted them to
the town. It was situated on a dry knoll, or small hill, covered with
wood, none of which seemed to have been cleared away, and consisted of
about twelve or fourteen hovels, of the most rude and inartificial
structure that can be imagined. They were nothing more than a few poles
set up so as to incline towards each other, and meet at the top, forming
a kind of a cone, like some of our bee-hives: On the weather-side they
were covered with a few boughs, and a little grass; and on the lee-side
about one-eighth of the circle was left open, both for a door and a
fire-place; and of this kind were the huts that had been seen in St
Vincent's bay, in one of which the embers of