Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
likely Yahgan fires that Magellan saw and it
was Yahgans who were involved with the Brit-
ish explorers and Anglican missionaries. The
extremely primitive Yahgans were surprised to
find Europeans on shore and were none too
friendly. They threatened and stole many of the
supplies brought ashore. Fitzroy was furious
and in response he caught four Yahgans and
carried them back to England. He hoped to edu-
cate them, teach them to use modern tools and
to worship God, then return them to their tribes
to educate others. One of the Yahgans was a
young boy whom the crew named Jemmy But-
ton since that was the price Fitzroy paid for
him.
Two years later Fitzroy returned with three
Yahgans (one had died) and released them near
the spot where he had originally captured
them. Also aboard Fitzroy's ship,
The Beagle
,
was the naturalist Charles Darwin. Assigned to
survey the eastern coast of South America and
the southern islands, the voyage lasted five
years.
Did You Know?
The Beagle Channel was named in
honor of this voyage. Darwin developed
his Theory of Evolution based in part on
his findings gathered in Tierra del
Fuego, although the Galapagoes Is-
lands provided more evidence for his
theory.
