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.