BOOK rough, two navigators that lived in the reign of Charles II., LXXXIX. maintain that the men on these coasts are of moderate sta ture; but their statements may be correct, without contradicting those of Pigafetta, Hawkins and Knivet; for it has never been supposed that all the inhabitants of that coast are of a colossal size. If a traveller saw only in Lapland, Russians, Norwegians or Swedes, he might perhaps deny that there were any pigmies in the country. Additional information has been obtained concerning the Patagonians, during the eighteenth century. The famous admiral Byron tells us that he saw them; "The Commodore having landed with a few of his men, made the savages sit down near him; he distributed some toys amongst them, and observed that, notwithstanding their being seated, they were taller than himself when he stood upright.”* But the best and most minute account is contained in the voyage to the Malouine Islands. Duclos Guyot, who visited the Patagonians in 1776, has left us some curious details concerning their manners and customs. Mr. Duclos measured the least man that he saw amongst them, and his height was more than five feet eleven inches; the rest were much taller. It is likely that they had communication with the Spaniards, for they called one of their companions their Capitan. They sang and danced like the islanders of the South Sea, and their hospitality was of that rude sort which distinguishes the savage. They were stout and well proportioned, and for that reason did not at first sight appear very tall. Their caps were covered with feathers, and their clothes consisted of guanaco's skins. The French treated some of the women very familiarly, and as their husbands did not resent their conduct, the writer of the voyage has supposed that the Patagonians had no notion of jealousy. The Capitan and many of his men visited the sloop, where they were entertained and received presents. They ate voraciously, and drank whatever was Hawkesworth's collection. + Voyage de Don Pernetty, t. II. offered them, among other things, three pints of seal oil. BOOK The accuracy of Duclos' statements has been since confirm- LXXXIX. ed in the account of a voyage made by some Spaniards to the Straits of Magellan.* The tallest person that they measured was more than eight feet, and nearly five round the waist. Their physiognomy and meagre beard indicated sufficiently their American origin. It is obvious, from these observations, made at different times during the course of three centuries, that the Patagonians are the tallest race of men existing at present in the world, their mean height varies from six to seven feet; other countries may have at a former period contained inhabitants of as gigantic a stature, whose descendants are now degenerated by luxury, refinement or other causes; but the Patagonians, separated from the rest of mankind, have had little communication with other nations, and adhered always to their rude customs and homely fare. That portion of America, the most southern country Climate of either in the old or new world, is sterile, cold, and unculti- Patagonia. vated. Boisterous winds and frequent tempests are common to the extremities of both continents. But some of the causes which tend to produce such effects in Patagonia, exert a greater influence than in northern countries of a higher latitude. It is detached from the rest of the world by three vast oceans; winds and opposite currents are not uncommon at every season of the year. A broad and lofty chain of mountains occupies the half of the land, and it is far removed from any mild or cultivated region. The land of the plains on the east differs widely from Plains and that of the mountains on the west; the first is a sandy and barren soil, incapable of supporting vegetable life; the atmosphere is generally unclouded and serene, and the heat of summer varies from forty-one to fifty degrees of Fahrenheit. The other portion composed of primitive rocks, watered by rivers or cataracts, and covered with forests is subject to incessant rains, and the thermometer seldom * Viage al estrecho de Magalhaens, Madrid, 1789. mountains. BOOK reaches above the forty-sixth degree. A species of the LXXXIX. birch tree (Betula antartica, Lin.) flourishes on the higher parts of the coast, the Filix arborescens has been observed Plants. on the straits of Magellan. The guanacos, the viscacha, and the hare of the Pampas, are found in Patagonia. The rocks at Port Desire are composed of talc as transparent as crystal, and marble of different colours. The lands in the neighbourhood were supposed to be very unfruitful, but Narborough affirms that he has seen many herds of wild oxen at no great distance in the interior. The coast is lined in many places with banks of fossil shells. The armadillo and an animal resembling the jaguar have been seen near Port St. Julian. Straits of The discovery of Cape Horn, by affording a more conMagellan. venient entrance into the Pacific Ocean, destroyed the nautical importance of the Straits. They were discovered by the celebrated Magalhanes in the year 1519. Many of the old voyagers, who sailed round the world, were, in that part of their course, exposed to imminent danger. Currents and sinuosities render their navigation difficult and uncertain. The length of the Straits is about 450 miles, and they vary in breadth from fifteen to two leagues. On the east they are confined by steep rocks; near the middle there is a large basin, on which Port Famine is situated. The colony of Ciudad Real de Felipe was founded there by the Spaniards; but owing to unexpected misfortunes, the settlers perished from hunger. We should form, however, a wrong opinion of Port Famine, were we to judge of it from its frightful name; the adjacent country is well stored with game; it produces different sorts of fruit, lofty trees are not uncommon.* Towards Cape Forward, the confines of the Andes are covered with thick forests, and whole trees are sometimes borne down by the Gallego and other rivers, to the straits of Magellan, and the ocean. * Narborough. The north-east coast, which confines the western outlet BOOK of the Straits, was at one time supposed to be connected LXXXIX. with the continent, but it has been since discovered to be part of an extensive group of islands. The archipelago of Toledo is situated farther to the north, and the largest island upon it, is the Madre de Dios. The Spaniards had stations on some of the islands and several factories on the western coast. Having reached the extremity of the American continent, we may take an excursion to the neighbouring isles, although many of them are not subject to America, still they are less removed from it than from every other country. To the south of Patagonia, there is a number of cold, barren and mountainous islands; volcanoes, which cannot melt, brighten and illumine the perpetual snow in these dismal regions. "Here it was that the sailors observed fires on the southern shores of the Strait, for which reason the land on that side was called Terra del Fuego."* Narrow channels, strong currents and boisterous winds, render it dangerous to enter into this desolate labyrinth. The coast, which is composed of granite, lava, and basaltic rocks, is inaccessible in many places. Cataracts interrupt the stillness that reigns there; phoci sport in the bays, or repose their unwieldy bodies on the sand. A great many penguins and other birds of the antarctic ocean flock to these shores, and pursue their prey without molestation. Captain Cook discovered port Christmas, a good haven for the ships that double Cape Horn. Staten land, a detached island which may be considered as forming a part of the archipelago of Terra del Fuego, was discovered by Lemaire. Custom has given an unappropriate name to these islands, they ought in honour of their discoverer to have been called the archipelago of Magelhanes. The northern and eastern coasts are more favoured by nature than the southern; towards the Atlantic ocean, the mountains are not so steep, a rich Burney's Collection of Voyages to the South Sea. 61 VOL. V. Terra del Fuego, BOOK verdure decks the vallies, and some useful animals are LXXXIX. found in the woods and pastures. The Yacanacus, or indigenous inhabitants, are of a middling size; their dress is made of the skins of sea-calves, but the people are so dirty, that travellers can with difficulty distinguish the colour of their skin. The natives near Good Success Bay are less savage than their neighbours. The Malouine islands, called formerly by English geographers, Hawkin's Maidenland, and at present Falkland's islands, are about seventy-six leagues north-east from Staten land and a hundred and ten eastward of the Straits. The two largest islands are separated from each other by a broad channel, called in Spain the straits of San Carlos, but better known in England by the name of Falkland's channel. Permetty and Bougainville are of opinion that the islands were discovered between the years 1700 and 1708, by five vessels that set out from St. Malo, hence the origin of their French name. But Frezier, in the account of his voyage to the South Sea, acknowledges that the English are entitled to the merit of having discovered them. The mountains in these islands are not very lofty; the soil on the heights adjacent to the sea is composed of a dark vegetable mould; copper pyrites, yellow and red ochre are found below the surface. Permetty observed a natural amphitheatre formed by banks of porphyritic sand-stone. No wood grows on these islands; the Spaniards were at the trouble of bringing plants from Buenos Ayres, but their labour was vain, for every tree perished in a short time. The gladiolus or sword grass is very common and rises to a great height; when seen at a distance, it has the appearance of a verdant grove. The grass is luxuriant, celery, tresses, and other herbs have been noticed by travellers. The vegetables are not unlike those of Canada; but the epipactis, the thity malus resinosus and different species of rosemary are also found in Chili. A great variety of phoci, to which the common people have given the name * Permetty, vol. I. p. 7 and 65. |