The Voyage of the Beagle

Chapter 10 centers on Darwin’s encounters with the people of Tierra del Fuego, an archipelago off the southern tip of South America. Darwin is largely critical of the Indigenous people living on these islands, denigrating their behaviors, religion, appearance, and social customs. He also reveals that the Beagle crew contains a group of three Fuegian hostages, whom Captain FitzRoy kidnapped, educated in England, and now plans to return to their home. Darwin can hardly believe that these hostage Fuegians—now named York Minster, Jemmy Button, and Fuegia Basket—are of the “same race” as the “miserable, degraded savages” they encounter at Tierra del Fuego (195).

At Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of Tierra del Fuego, Darwin observes the harsh living conditions of the Indigenous Fuegians. The shelters Darwin observes—which he calls “wigwams”—offer little protection from the raging sleet storms that plague the island. The Fuegians’ scant clothing, which is typically made from guanaco or otter skins, provides even less relief. Darwin is amazed that humans can bear these horrific living conditions and compares the Fuegians to animals, which he believes have better adapted to their conditions.

Darwin’s strongest criticism of the people of Tierra del Fuego relates to their embrace of European taboos such as cannibalism and infanticide.