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and visited the eastern side occasionally, but not often: so that if they have been rarely seen by the vessels which have touched at the coast of Patagonia for the last hundred years, the reason probably is, that being, like other Indian nations, desirous to conceal themselves from strangers, they retired to the mountains. It is indeed to be regretted, that no skeleton of these people has been brought into Europe; and it may at first seem strange, that no such evidence of their uncommon stature should have been produced, as it is known that several of them who had been made prisoners by the Commanders of European vessels, died on board soon after they came into a hot climate; but the wonder will cease, when it is considered that all mariners have a superstitious opinion that the compass will not traverse if there is a dead body on board the vessel." Upon the whole, it may reasonably be presumed, that the concurrent testimony of late navigators, particularly Commodore Byron, Captain Wallis, and Captain Carteret, Gentlemen of unquestionable veracity, who are still living, and who not only saw and conversed with these people, but measured them, will put an end to all the doubts that have been hitherto entertained of their existence.
Having thus brought together the whole of the evidence for and against a fact which has long been the object both of popular and philosophical curiosity, I shall not anticipate any opinion that the Reader may form concerning future navigations in the track which has been described by any of the vessels whose voyages are here related, except that although it is the opinion of Commodore Byron, who spent seven weeks and two days in passing through the Streight of Magellan, that it may be passed in three weeks at the proper season; yet the passage cost Captain Wallis near four
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Voyaging Accounts |  |
© Derived from Volume I of the London 1773 Edition: National Library of Australia call no. FERG 7243, page xvi, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
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