however cannot he done in an unbroken ferfes when the
Complicated and multifarious objects o f hiftory are to be recorded
; but as eaeh of the narratives in this work is a Angle-
thread, the tranfaftions o f every day are fet down in a regular
fucceffion, and the time noted in the margin.
Great care has been taken to make the charts and the
nautical part of the narrative coincide; i f there fhould be
any difference, which it is hoped will npt be the cafe, the
charts are to be confided in, as of unqueftionable authority»
By the charts, as well as by the narrative, efpecially by that
on which the tracks o f the feveral veffels are marked, it w ill be
feen how far the exiftence or non-exiftence o f a fouthern continent
is already afeertained, and what land has -in the courfe o f
thefe voyages been firft difeovered. The charts alfo will at
one view prevent any miftake which might arife from the-
fame name having been given to different iflands by the:
feveral Commanders in thefe voyages, -without the trouble
o f comparing the latitudes and longitudes a Signed them‘in
thg narrative.
As it is hut a very few years finpe the exiftence of a race
of men above the cornman ftature upon the coaft of Patagonia,
was the fubjefe of eager difpute among all' ranks o f
people in this country, I have brought together the whole
of the evidence on the queftion, as I find it in a eolleftion off
voyage? lately printed inFrance, under the titfeof “ Hiftoire
des Navigationes aux Tgrres Auftrajes»’*
“ It mull be acknowledged, that the contrariety of the reports
that have been made, by ocular witneffes. concerning
a fadt eafyto.be determined,. does not deviate left from the
c o m m o n courfe of thing? than the gigantic ftature of. the
people in queftion- S appear?, that during an hundred
v 1 ' rears.
years, almoft all navigators, o f whatever country, agree in’
affirming the exiftence o f a race o f giants upon the coaft o f
Patagonia ; and that during another century, the much
greater number agree in denying the- fact, treating their
predeeeffors as- idle fabulifts-, and imputing their reports
either to the terror which the rude fiercenefs of a favage
people infpired, or to the natural propenfity of mankind to
affume importance, by pretending to have feen wonderful
things. That men have a llratige propenfity to the marvelous
cannot be denied^ nor that fear naturally magnifies its objedtj-
but though it be allowed that the accounts o f the Patagonians
have in feme inffances- been'exaggerated, it is certain, that:
all who have affirmed their ftature to be gigantic, were not
under the influence of fear ; and it is very ftrange, that nations
who have an hereditary hatred to each other, and am
acknowledged oppolition o f intereft, fhould agree- in affert—
ing an evident falfehood.
« In the firft place, it is w ell known to have beenan opinion,
long cllablilhed, both in our ancient world and in America,,
rhat there was once a race o f giants upon earth who diftin—
guifhed themfelves by violence- and guilt.
“ Barbenais was told by the inhabitants-of South America,,
that a deluge having laid Peru under water, the Indians retired
to the mountains till the flood fhould:fubfide, and that
when they came again down to the plain, they- found there
men o f an enormous ftature,. who-attacked them with -great-
ferocity, killing many, and driving the reft to the caves o f
the rocks but that having continued in their hiding,
places many years, they faw in the air a young man. who*
deftroyed the giants by thunderbolts, and thus reftored to*
them the pofleffion o f their country.. His, guides alfofhowed;
him.