Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Part 1.: The Exploration of the WorldVerne, Jules
History
Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Part 1.: The Exploration of the World
Verne, Jules
Discoveries in geography; Explorers; Voyages and travels
A little below the estuary of the La Plata, once thought to be an
arm of the sea opening into the Pacific, the flotilla anchored at
Port Desire. Here they obtained an ample supply of penguins for the
crews of the five vessels--a bird which did not make a very
delicious meal. Then they anchored in 49 degrees 30 minutes in a
beautiful harbour, where Magellan resolved to winter, and which
received the name of St. Julian's Bay. The Spaniards had been two
months there, when one day they perceived a man who seemed to them
to be of gigantic stature. At sight of them he began dancing and
singing and throwing dust upon his head. This was a Patagonian, who
allowed himself without resistance to be taken on board the vessels.
He showed the greatest surprise at all he saw around him, but
nothing astonished him so much as a large steel mirror which was
presented to him. "The giant, who had not the least idea of the use
of this piece of furniture, and who, no doubt, now saw his own face
for the first time, drew back in such terror, that he threw to the
ground four of our people who were behind him." He was taken back on
shore loaded with presents, and the kind welcome which he had
received induced eighteen of his companions, thirteen women and five
men, to come on board. They were tall, and had broad faces, painted
red except the eyes, which were encircled with yellow; their hair
was whitened with lime, they were wrapped in enormous fur cloaks,
and wore those large leather boots from which was given to them the
name of Large-feet or Patagonians. Their stature was not, however,
so gigantic as it appeared to our simple narrator, for it varies
from 5ft. 10in. to 5ft. 8in., being somewhat above the middle height
among Europeans. For arms they had a short massive bow, and arrows
made of reed, of which the point was formed of a sharp pebble.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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