48 
A 2 PE NOD a oe nee 
navigators, and give new lights into the manners of this fingular 
race of men: it will not,I flatter myfelf, be deemed imperti- 
nent to lay before you a chronological mention of the feveral 
evidences that will tend to prove the exiftence of a people of a 
fupernatural height inhabiting the fouthern tract. You will 
find that the majority of voyagers, who have touched on that 
coaft, have feen them, and made reports of their fize, that will 
very well keep in countenance the verbal account given by Mr. 
Byron, and the printed by Mr. Clarke: you will obferve, that if 
the old voyagers did exaggerate, it was through the novelty and 
amazement at fo fingular a fight; but the latter, forewarned by 
the preceding accounts, feem to have made their remarks with 
coolnefs, and confirmed them by the experiment of meafure- 
ment. 
A.D. 1519. The firft who faw thefe people was the great 
Magellan ; one of them juft made his appearance on the banks of 
the river Je Plata, and then made his retreat: but during Magel- 
lan’s long ftay at Port St. Julian, he was vifited by numbers of 
this tall race. The firft approached him, finging, and flinging 
the duft over his head; and fhewed all figns of a mild and 
peaceable difpofition: his vifage was painted; his garment the 
fkin of fome animal neatly fewed; his arms a ftout and thick 
bow, a quiver of long arrows feathered at one end, and armed 
at the other with flint. The height of thefe people was about 
feven feet, (French) but they were not fo tall as the perfon who 
approached them firft, who is reprefented to have been of fo 
gigantic a fize, that Magellen’s men did not with their heads 
reach as high as the waift of this Patagonian. They had with 
them beafts of burden, on which they placed their wives; by 
Magellan’s, 
