DuringourstayatPortFamine，theFuegianstwicecameandplaguedus。Asthereweremanyinstruments，clothes，andmenonshore，itwasthoughtnecessarytofrightenthemaway。Thefirsttimeafewgreatgunswerefired，whentheywerefardistant。ItwasmostludicroustowatchthroughaglasstheIndians，asoftenastheshotstruckthewater，takeupstones，and，asabolddefiance，throwthemtowardstheship，thoughaboutamileandahalfdistant！Aboatwassentwithorderstofireafewmusket-shotswideofthem。TheFuegianshidthemselvesbehindthetrees，andforeverydischargeofthemusketstheyfiredtheirarrows；all，however，fellshortoftheboat，andtheofficerashepointedatthemlaughed。ThismadetheFuegiansfranticwithpassion，andtheyshooktheirmantlesinvainrage。
Atlast，seeingtheballscutandstrikethetrees，theyranaway，andwewereleftinpeaceandquietness。DuringtheformervoyagetheFuegianswerehereverytroublesome，andtofrightenthemarocketwasfiredatnightovertheirwigwams；itansweredeffectually，andoneoftheofficerstoldmethattheclamourfirstraised，andthebarkingofthedogs，wasquiteludicrousincontrastwiththeprofoundsilencewhichinaminuteortwoafterwardsprevailed。ThenextmorningnotasingleFuegianwasintheneighbourhood。
WhentheBeaglewashereinthemonthofFebruary，Istartedonemorningatfouro’clocktoascendMountTarn，whichis2600feethigh，andisthemostelevatedpointinthisimmediatedistrict。Wewentinaboattothefootofthemountainbutunluckilynottothebestpart，andthenbeganourascent。Theforestcommencesatthelineofhigh-watermark，andduringthefirsttwohoursIgaveoverallhopesofreachingthesummit。Sothickwasthewood，thatitwasnecessarytohaveconstantrecoursetothecompass；
foreverylandmark，thoughinamountainouscountry，wascompletelyshutout。Inthedeepravines，thedeath-likesceneofdesolationexceededalldescription；outsideitwasblowingagale，butinthesehollows，notevenabreathofwindstirredtheleavesofthetallesttrees。Sogloomy，cold，andwetwaseverypart，thatnoteventhefungi，mosses，orfernscouldflourish。Inthevalleysitwasscarcelypossibletocrawlalong，theyweresocompletelybarricadedbygreatmoulderingtrunks，whichhadfallendownineverydirection。Whenpassingoverthesenaturalbridges，one’scoursewasoftenarrestedbysinkingkneedeepintotherottenwood；atothertimes，whenattemptingtoleanagainstafirmtree，onewasstartledbyfindingamassofdecayedmatterreadytofallattheslightesttouch。
Weatlastfoundourselvesamongthestuntedtrees，andthensoonreachedthebareridge，whichconductedustothesummit。HerewasaviewcharacteristicofTierradelFuego；irregularchainsofhills，mottledwithpatchesofsnow，deepyellowish-greenvalleys，andarmsoftheseaintersectingthelandinmanydirections。Thestrongwindwaspiercinglycold，andtheatmosphereratherhazy，sothatwedidnotstaylongonthetopofthemountain。Ourdescentwasnotquitesolaboriousasourascent，fortheweightofthebodyforcedapassage，andalltheslipsandfallswereintherightdirection。