ANIMALS. 25? 



Grew, that there should either be dwarfs or giants ; 01 if such, they 

 cannot be fitted for the usual enjoyment of life and reason. Had 

 man been born a dwarf, he could not have been a reasonable crea- 

 ture ; for to that end, he must have a jolt head, and then lie would 

 not have body and blood enough to supply his brain with spirits ; or 

 if he had a small head, proportionable to his body, there would not 

 be brain enough for conducting life. But it is still worse with giants; 

 and there could never have been a nation of such, for there would not 

 be food enough found in any country to sustain them ; or, if there were 

 beasts sufficient for this purpose, there would not be grass enough for 

 their maintenance. But what is still more, add others, giants could 

 never be able to support the weight of their own bodies ; since a man 

 of ten feet high, must be eight times as heavy as one of the ordinary 

 stature ; whereas he has but twice the size of muscles to support such 

 a burden, and consequently would be overloaded with the weight of 

 his own body. Such are the theories upon this subject, and they re- 

 quire no other answer, but that experience proves them both to be 

 false ; dwarfs are found capable of life and reason ; and giants are 

 seen to carry their own bodies. We have several accounts from mari 

 ners, that a nation of giants actually exists, and mere speculation 

 should never induce us to doubt their veracity. 



Ferdinand Magellan was the first who discovered this race of peo- 

 ple along the coast, towards the extremity of South America. Ma- 

 gellan was a Portuguese, of noble extraction, who having long behaved 

 with great bravery, under Albuquerque, the conqueror of India, he was 

 treated with neglect by the court, upon his return. Applying there- 

 fore, to the king of Spain, he was intrusted with the command -i five 

 ships, to subdue the Molucca islands, upon one of which he was slain. 

 It was in his voyage thither that he happened to winter in St. Julian's 

 Bay, an American harbour, forty-nine degrees south of the line. In 

 this desolate region, where nothing was seen but objects of terror, 

 where neither trees nor verdure drest the face of the country, they 

 remained for some months without seeing any human creature. They 

 had judged the country to be utterly uninhabitable, when one day they 

 saw approaching, as if he had been dropped from the clouds, a man of 

 enormous stature, dancing and singing, and putting dust upon his head, 

 as they supposed in token of peace. This overture for friendship 

 was, by Magellan's command, quickly answered by the rest of his 

 men ; and the giant approaching, testified every mark of astonishment 

 and surprise. He was so tall, that the Spaniards only reached his 

 waist ; his face was broad, his colour brown, and painted over with a 

 variety of tints ; each cheek had the resemblance of a heart drawn 

 upon it ; his hair was approaching to whiteness ; he was clothed in 

 skins, and armed with a bow. Being treated with kindness, and dis- 

 missed with some trifling presents, he soon returned with many more 

 of the same stature ; two of whom the mariners decoyed on ship ' 

 board : nothing could be more gentle than they were in the beginning ; 

 they considered the fetters that were preparing for them as ornaments, 

 and played with them like children with their toys ; but when they 

 found for what purpose they were intended, they instantly exerted 

 their amazing strength, and broke them in pieces with a very easy 

 VOL. i. R 



