106 APPEN'DTX. 



the Patagonian's head ; and Mr. Clarke is certain that there were 

 several taller than him on whom the experiment was made, for there 

 were about five hundred men, women, and children. They seemed 

 very happy at the landing of our people, and expressed their joy by 

 a rude sort of singing. They were of a copper colour, and had long 

 lank hair, and faces hideously painted. Both sexes were covered 

 with skins, and some appeared on horseback and others on foot. 



A few had on their legs a sort of boot, with a sharjD-pointed stick 

 at the heel, instead of a spur, llieir bridles were made of thong, 

 the bit wood ; the saddle as artless as possible, and without stir- 

 rups. The introduction of horses into these parts by the Europeans 

 introduced, likewise, the only species of manufacture they appear to 

 be acquainted with. All their sldU seems to extend no farther than 

 these rude essays at harness, and to equip themselves for cavaliers. 

 In other respects they would be in the same state as our first 

 parents, just turned out of paradise, clothed in coats of skins ; 

 or, at best, in the same condition in which Caesar found the ancient 

 Britons ; for their dress was similar, their hair long, and their bodies 

 like those of our ancestors, made terrific by M'ild painting. Tliese 

 people, by some means or other, had acquired a few beads and 

 bracelets ; otherwise, not a single article of European fabric B.p- 

 peared among them. These they must have gotten by the inter- 

 course with the other Indian tribes ; for had they any intercourse 

 with the Spaniards, they never would have neglected procuring 

 knives, the stirrups, and other conveniences, which the people seen 

 by Mr. Wallis had. 



I should have been glad to have closed, in this place, the relations 

 of this stupendous race of mankind, because the two following 

 accounts, given by gentlemen of character and abihties, seem to 

 contradict great part of what had been before advanced, or at least 

 ser\'e to give scoffers room to say, that the preceding navigators 

 had seen these people through the medium of magnifying glasses, 

 instead of the sober eye of observation. But before I make my 

 remarks on what has been before related, I shall proceed with the 

 other navigators, and then attempt to reconcile the different ac- 

 counts. 



In 1767 Captain Wallis, of the Dolphin, and Captain Philip 

 Carteret, of the Swallow slooj), saw and measured with a pole 

 several of the Patagonians who happened to be in the Straits of 



