ing its advantage. On, still on, till under the
gathering shadows of night the flotilla of canoes appears like tiny
specks--like a flock of foul birds at rest on the distant water.

"Thar's no fear o' them comin' arter us any furrer, I reck'n," says the
old sealer, in a glad voice. "'Tain't likely that their country runs
far in this direction."

"And we may thank the Almighty for it," is Captain Gancy's grateful
rejoinder. "Surely never was His hand more visibly extended for the
protection of poor mortals! Let us thank Him, all!"

And the devout skipper uplifts his hands in prayer, the rest reverently
listening. After the simple thanksgiving, he fervently kisses, first
his wife, then Leoline. Kisses of mutual congratulation, and who can
wonder at their being fervent? For they all have been very near to
their last embrace on earth!

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Note 1. Seagriff does not exaggerate. Their skill with this weapon is
something remarkable. Captain King thus speaks of it: "I have seen them
strike a cap, placed upon the stump of a tree fifty or sixty yards off,
with a stone from a sling." And again, speaking of an encounter he had
with Fuegians, "It is astonishing how very correctly they throw them,
and to what a distance. When the first stone fell close to us, we all
thought ourselves out of musket-shot!"

Note 2. A kind of telegraph or apparatus for conveying information by
means of signals visible at a distance, and as oscillating arms or flags
by daylight and lanterns at night. A simple form is still employed.

Note 3. The "williwaw," sometimes called the "wooley," is one of the
great terrors of Fuegian inland waters. It is a sort of squall with a
downward direction, probably caused by the warmer air of the outside
ocean, as it passes over the snowy mountains, becoming suddenly cooled,
and so dropping with a violent rush upon the surface of the water, which
surges under it as if struck by cannon shot.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

WHY "LAND OF FIRE."

The night is down; but, although it is very dark, the boat-voyagers do
not bring in to land. They are still far from confident that the
pursuit has been relinquished; and, until it is abandoned, they are
still in danger.

Ere long, they have sure evidence that it is not. Along the shores of
the sound flash up fires, which, like the smoke seen in the daylight,
are surely signals. Some are down