CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

THE DREADED OENSMEN.

From the information they have gained about the Yapoos, which shows them
to be ferocious and treacherous, and hostile to white men, Captain Gancy
decides upon running out to seaward through the Murray Narrow--a resolve
in harmony with the advice given him by his Fuegian host and the trusted
Seagriff as well. The inlet in which they are is just outside the
entrance to the Narrow, on its western side, and once round a separating
tongue of land, they will be in it. As if fortune favoured their taking
this route instead of following the Beagle Channel, a fine breeze has
set in from almost due north, and is still blowing when the spoil-laden
hunters return.

To take advantage of it, immediate departure must be made, and is
determined upon. Down comes the tent, and its component parts are
transferred to the boat with all their other belongings. Enough, also,
of the guanaco meal to last them for a much longer voyage than they hope
to have the necessity of making.

What if they make no voyage at all? What if they are not even allowed
to embark? But why should these questions occur to them?--for they do
occur.

Because, just as they all have come down to the boat, and are preparing
to step into it, something is seen on the water outside, near the
opposite shore of the channel, which painfully suggests to them a fleet
of canoes crowded with men, and evidently making across for the cove.

"The Yapoos!" exclaims Orundelico in a voice betokening great alarm.

But not so great as when, the instant after, he again cries out:

"O Lor'! The Oensmen 'long with them!"

Captain Gancy, quickly covering the canoes with his glass, makes out,
what is yet undistinguishable by the naked eye of any other than a
Fuegian, that there are two sorts of men in them, quite different in
appearance; unlike in form, facial aspect, dress--everything. Above
all, are they dissimilar in size, some being of gigantic stature; the
others alongside of them appearing like pigmies! The latter are seated
or bent down working the paddles; while the big men stand erect, each
with an ample robe of skin hanging toga-like from his shoulders,
cloaking him from neck to ankles.

It is seen, also, that the canoes are lashed two and two, like
double-keeled catamarans, as though the heavy stalwart Oensmen dare not
trust themselves to embark in the ordinary Fuegian craft.

"O Lor', O Lor'!" repeats Orunde