t the same time, and Gardiner, thinking the
cause for the present hopeless, accepted a homeward passage, writing in
his journal, "We can never do wrong in casting the Gospel net on any side
or in any place. During many a dark and wearisome night we may appear to
have toiled in vain, but it will not be always so. If we will but wait
the appointed time, the promise, though long delayed, will assuredly come
to pass."

But if he was not daunted his supporters were, and nothing but his
intense earnestness, and assurance that he should never abandon South
America, prevented the whole cause from being dropped. His next attempt
was to reach the Indians beyond Bolivia, in the company of Federigo
Gonzales, a Spaniard, who had become a Protestant, and was to have gone
on the Patagonian Mission. Here fever became their enemy, but after much
suffering and opposition Gonzales was settled at Potosi, studying the
Quichuan language, and hoping to work upon the Indians, while the
unwearied Gardiner again returned to England to strain every nerve for
the Fuegian Mission, which lay nearest of all to his heart.

He travelled all over England and Scotland, lecturing and making
collections, speaking with the same energy whether he had few or many
auditors. At one town, when asked what sort of a meeting he had had, he
answered, "Not very good, but better than sometimes."

"How many were present?"

"Not one; but no meeting is better than a bad one."

He could not obtain means enough for a well-appointed expedition such as
he wished for; but he urged that a small experimental one might be sent
out, consisting of himself, four sailors, one carpenter, with three
boats, two huts, and provisions for half a year. He hoped to establish a
station on Staten Island, whence the Fuegians could be visited, and the
stores kept out of their reach.

Having found the men, he embarked on board the barque _Clymene_, which
was bound for Payta, in Peru, and was landed on Picton Island; but before
the vessel had departed the Fuegians had beset the little party, and
shown themselves so obstinately and mischievously thievish, that it was
plainly impossible for so small a party to hold their ground among them.
Before there could be a possibility of convincing them of even the
temporal benefit of the white man's residence among them, they would have
stripped and carried off everything from persons who would refrain from
hurting them. So, once more, the Capt