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Patagonia Bookshelf

Tierra del Fuego: Of Sailors and Savages (1851—1900)
Contacts between ships and natives groups, as reported in the English-language press

GLENMORE  [1888]

Article title A terrible tale of the sea Ship Ship, barque, England?
Source Poverty Bay Herald (NZ), 12 January 1889 Date of event 1888
More info. None Location Cape Diego, Tierra del Fuego
Article Transcript Informant James Morgan, second mate

Abstract: The crew of the Glenmore were compelled to abandon ship rapidly in the Strait of Le Maire. Approaching the mainland, they observed tall natives on the cliffs. Judging them to be dangerous, the party crossed to Staten Island, seeking shelter at the St. John's lighthouse. It was to be five months before they were able to leave. While on the island, the lighthouse-keepers said that they had recently found salted human flesh in barrels — the implication being that this was the work of a shipwrecked crew.

Assessment: The crew's decision not to risk a landing near Cape San Diego was based on the belief that the local natives were cannibals. Certainly, their description of tall, naked Fuegians does not apply to the Yamana, who had recently been announced as trustworthy. These are likely to have been Selknam, or members of the Haush sub-group.