OM) RE, (RA PAG ON VAS, 
hours an opportunity of ftanding within a few yards of this race, 
and feeing them examined and meafured by Mr. Byron. He re- 
prefents them in general as ftout and well proportioned, and 
affures us, that none of the men were lower than eight feet, and 
that fome even exceeded nine; and that the women were from 
feven feet and an half to eight feet. He faw Mr. Byron meafure 
one of the men, and, notwithftanding the commodore was near 
fix feet high, he could, when on tip-toe, but juft reach with his 
hand the top of the Patagonian’s head; and Mr. Clarke is cer- 
tain, that there were feveral taller than him on whom the ex- 
periment was made, for there were about five hundred men, 
women, and children. They feemed very happy at the landing 
-of our people, and exprefied their joy by a rude fort of finging. 
They were of a copper color, and had long lank hair, and 
faces hideoufly painted; both fexes were covered with fkins, 
and fome appeared on horfeback and others on foot. 
M. de Premontel makes this an object of ridicule, as if the 
fize of the horfes were unequal to the burden of the riders. Our 
navigators tell us, that the horfes were fifteen or fixteen hands 
high. It is well known, that a mill-horfe has been known to 
carry nine hundred and ten pounds, a weight probably beyond 
that of any Patagenian they faw. 
A Few had on their legs a fort of boot, with a fharp-pointed 
ftick at the heel inftead of a fpur. ‘Their'bridles were made of 
thong, the ‘bit wood; the faddle as artlefs as poffible, and 
without ftirrups. The introduction of horfes into thefe parts 
by the Europeans, introduced likewife the only fpecies of ma- 
nufacture they appear-to be acquainted with. All their fkill 
Aeems to extend no farther than thefe rude eflays at a harnefs; 
4 and 
