We can hardly put ourselves in the position of these savages, and understand their actions.

In the case of this Fuegian, the possibility of such a sound as the report of a gun close to his ear could never have entered his mind.

He perhaps literally did not for a second know whether it was a sound or a blow, and therefore very naturally rubbed his head.

In a similar manner, when a savage sees a mark struck by a bullet, it may be some time before he is able at all to understand how it is effected; for the fact of a body being invisible from its velocity would perhaps be to him an idea totally inconceivable.

Moreover, the extreme force of a bullet that penetrates a hard substance without tearing it, may convince the savage that it has no force at all.