to th^ Strait of Magellan, 



85 



before the Flood ; or whether, by a particular exertion of lier 

 powers. Nature has preserved in any corner of the globe a race 

 of gigantic size ; but merely content ourselves with asserting, 

 that, in no respect whatever, can the Patagonians be called a 

 Hation of giants. 



The many and careful measurements and observations of the 

 officers of our frigate, exactly tallying with those made by 

 Messrs. Carteret, Ulloa, and Bougainville, correspond precisely 

 %vith the correct description left us of these men by the two 

 Kodales, who passed this strait in 16 !8, viz. that the Patago- 

 nians were strong-limbed, well-personed men, (iinos hombrcs 

 memhrudos y a personados.J 



It is impossible to avoid taking notice of the heavy charge 

 brought against the first Spanish navigators and travellers, of liav- 

 ing given rise to the fable of the gigantic stature of the Patagoni- 

 ans, in order to render still more extraordinary the occurrences of 

 their voyages, which, for that purpose, certainly needed nothing 

 but a simple relation of the truth. A great number of authors, who 

 have taken a share in this contest, all agree in affirming, that 

 Magellanes Loaisa, the brothers Nodales, and even Sarniiento 

 himself, all, with one accord, bear witness to the gigantic sta- 

 ture of the Patagonians. But we, who have hiid access to, and 

 carefully examined, the original journals of these celebrated 

 navigators, have found in them nothing in the least supporting 

 such an opinion. 



The Journal of Alvo, which alone remains of all those made 

 in the expedition of Magellanes, does not even make mention of 

 the Patagonians. Urduneta, in mentioning that he had inter- 

 course with them, calls them grandts ij feos, (large and ugly.) 

 The MS. of Meri, although it treats particularly of these na- 

 tives of South America, takes not the least notice of their sta- 

 ture. The same may be said of Camargo. Ladrilleros affirms, 

 that the people of the strait are well-bodied men, stout and 

 stately, and of great strength. The inhabitants of the mouth, 

 towards the north, have large bodies, both men and women ; 

 the men being of great strength, and very alert and active. 

 Sarmiento, in his first voyage, says only, that ten men could 

 hardly hold one Patagonian ; and, without expressing their 

 size, calls them in g^ncvA giants^ saying, that, to the east end of 

 the river San Juan de la Possession in Port Famine, begins the 

 race of big men. In his second voyage, he adds, that the In- 

 dians of the strait were large and tall, and their captain or chief 

 the biggest and tallest: and he always distinguishes the inha- 

 bitants of the north mouth by the epithet, the Great People; 

 saying, that one he took on-board was of large limbs. Her- 



