ey had no
utensil or furniture but the basket and satchel, which have been
mentioned before, and which had handles adapted to the carrying them
about, in the hand and upon the back; the only clothing they had here
was scarcely sufficient to prevent their perishing with cold in the
summer of this country, much less in the extreme severity of winter; the
shell-fish, which seemed to be their only food, would soon be exhausted
at any one place; and we had seen houses upon what appeared to be a
deserted station in St Vincent's bay.

It is also probable that the place where we found them was only a
temporary residence, from their having here nothing like a boat or
canoe, of which it can scarcely be supposed that they were wholly
destitute, especially as they were not sea-sick, or particularly
affected, either in our boat or on board the ship. We conjectured that
there might be a streight or inlet, running from the sea through great
part of this island, from the Streight of Magellan, whence these people
might come, leaving their canoes where such inlet terminated.

They did not appear to have among them any government or subordination:
None was more respected than another; yet they seemed to live together
in the utmost harmony and good fellowship. Neither did we discover any
appearance of religion among them, except the noises which have been
mentioned, and which we supposed to be a superstitious ceremony, merely
because we could refer them to nothing else: They were used only by one
of those who came on board the ship, and the two who conducted Mr Banks
and Dr Solander to the town, whom we therefore conjectured to be
priests. Upon the whole, these people appeared to be the most destitute
and forlorn, as well as the most stupid of all human beings; the
outcasts of Nature, who spent their lives in wandering about the dreary
wastes, where two of our people perished with cold in the midst of
summer; with no dwelling but a wretched hovel of sticks and grass, which
would not only admit the wind, but the snow and the rain; almost naked,
and destitute of every convenience that is furnished by the rudest art,
having no implement even to dress their food: Yet they were content.
They seemed to have no wish for any thing more than they possessed, nor
did any thing that we offered them appear acceptable but beads.

In this place we saw no quadruped except seals, sea-lions, and dogs; of
the dogs it is remarkable that they bark, which tho