were，hasalwaysappearedtomemostmysterious：fromwhatYorksaid，whenwefoundtheplaceliketheformofahare，whereasinglemanhadsleptthenightbefore，Ishouldhavethoughtthattheywerethieveswhohadbeendrivenfromtheirtribes；butotherobscurespeechesmademedoubtthis；Ihavesometimesimaginedthatthemostprobableexplanationwasthattheywereinsane。
Thedifferenttribeshavenogovernmentorchief；yeteachissurroundedbyotherhostiletribes，speakingdifferentdialects，andseparatedfromeachotheronlybyadesertedborderorneutralterritory：thecauseoftheirwarfareappearstobethemeansofsubsistence。Theircountryisabrokenmassofwildrocks，loftyhills，anduselessforests：andtheseareviewedthroughmistsandendlessstorms。Thehabitablelandisreducedtothestonesonthebeach；insearchoffoodtheyarecompelledunceasinglytowanderfromspottospot，andsosteepisthecoast，thattheycanonlymoveaboutintheirwretchedcanoes。Theycannotknowthefeelingofhavingahome，andstilllessthatofdomesticaffection；forthehusbandistothewifeabrutalmastertoalaboriousslave。Wasamorehorriddeedeverperpetrated，thanthatwitnessedonthewestcoastbyByron，whosawawretchedmotherpickupherbleedingdyinginfant-boy，whomherhusbandhadmercilesslydashedonthestonesfordroppingabasketofsea-eggs！
Howlittlecanthehigherpowersofthemindbebroughtintoplay：whatisthereforimaginationtopicture，forreasontocompare，orjudgmenttodecideupon？toknockalimpetfromtherockdoesnotrequireevencunning，thatlowestpowerofthemind。Theirskillinsomerespectsmaybecomparedtotheinstinctofanimals；foritisnotimprovedbyexperience：thecanoe，theirmostingeniouswork，poorasitis，hasremainedthesame，asweknowfromDrake，forthelasttwohundredandfiftyyears。
Whilstbeholdingthesesavages，oneasks，whencehavetheycome？Whatcouldhavetempted，orwhatchangecompelledatribeofmen，toleavethefineregionsofthenorth，totraveldowntheCordilleraorbackboneofAmerica，toinventandbuildcanoes，whicharenotusedbythetribesofChile，Peru，andBrazil，andthentoenterononeofthemostinhospitablecountrieswithinthelimitsoftheglobe？Althoughsuchreflectionsmustatfirstseizeonthemind，yetwemayfeelsurethattheyarepartlyerroneous。
ThereisnoreasontobelievethattheFuegiansdecreaseinnumber；thereforewemustsupposethattheyenjoyasufficientshareofhappiness，ofwhateverkinditmaybe，torenderlifeworthhaving。Naturebymakinghabitomnipotent，anditseffectshereditary，hasfittedtheFuegiantotheclimateandtheproductionsofhismiserablecountry。