Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-07-27
MISC ELL Y.
From Chambers Journal
Adventures with the Giants.
--~--~-~-O-O.--~O~~O~~~-~~-~

A story of captivity among savages, full
of hairbreadth escapes and strange adven-
lures, is something unexpected at the pres
ent day and when one finds that the mar
rator is bold mariner who affirms that he
lived three months among giants, ,one natu
rally begins to think of Captain Lemuel
CULVER, and to be reasonably suspicious.
There are really, however, no good grounds
for supposing that Mr.. BourneIs story which
comes to US in book recently published
in America, is unworthy of credit and the
information it affords concerning country
and people very little known, is certainly
curious, and may prove useful to future eX-
plorers.
MIR. Bourne was mate Of the American
schooner JOHN .4Hyae, which left the port
of New Bedford on the 18th Of February,
1S49, with a number of passengers, bound
for California. They had prosperous
voyage till they reached the Strait Of Ma
gellan. They were in want of fresh provis-
ons; and at the captains desire, MIR.
Bourne, with three men, went ashore in
small boat to see if he could procure some.
He did not 90 very willingly, as he knew
the natives bore an extremely bad repu.a-
ton among seamen for treachery and cru
city. When the boat drew near the shore,
a crowd of huge, black-looking barbarians
came down TO the beach, and greeted them
in broken Spanish. The natives pretended
to be friendly ,and urged them to land prom
sing them plenty OF eggs,iowIs aud beef IN
barter. But no sooner had the boat touch
ed the shore, than the savageS crowded in
to it; and Mr.. Bourne found himself and
his men prisoners. They were not at first
ill-treated, however and, after while,the
three sailors were allowed to return to the
ship, to bring the ransom demanded for Mr..
Bourne's release, consisting of tobacco, rum,
bread, -four brass and beads-a rather odd
assortment. The articles were brought i'm
mediately, and, at the request of the ma
tives, placed on the beach; but when the
faithess Fatagonians had got possession of
the ransom, they demanded more, and re-
fused to let their prisoner 60. The boats
pulled back to the schooner, and were to
return the next day; but a violent gale
dr,ve the vessel from her anchorage, and
nothing more was seen Of her from the
shore. In this way, the unfortunate mate
was left in the hands ofthe natives--a cap
tive almost as helpless as Captain CULVER
among the gians of Brobdinag.
He Jared, however, very differently from
the hero of Swi ia,.r.s story. One OF
the most unaccountable facts in the natural
history of mankind is the circumstance that
the hugest race of men should be found in
such country as Patagonia, which is little
better than a treeless desert, with few
ers or fountains, and hardly any plants mt
70, food. The advocates of a vegetable di-
ct may be somewhat puzzled when they
learn that these colossal Patagonians sub
sist entirely on the flesh of wild animals
and of horses. On the other hand, it will
be a satisfaction 10 the yegetarians to find
that these overgrown hesh-eaters are among
the most stupid, degraded, aud repulsive OF
barbarians. Take, as an evidence of this,
the description of them gwen by MIR.
Bourne. "In person" he says, "they are
lrge at first sight they appear absolutely
ronic. They are taller than any other
race have seen, though it is impossible to
give any accurate description. The only
standard of measurement had was my own
height, which is about FIVE feet ten inches.
could stand very easily under the arms Of
many of them and all the men were at
least head taller than myself. Their av
erage height, should think, is nearly six
and half feet; and there were specimens
that could be little less than seven feet high.
They have broad shoulders, full and we'll
developed chests, frames muscular and fine
ly proportioned the whole figure and air
making an impression like that which the
first view of the sons Of Anak is said 10
have made on the children of Israel. They
exhibit enormous strength whenever they
are sufficiently aroused to shake Oft their
constitutional laziness, and exert IT. They
have large heads, high cheek-eones like
the North American indians, whom they
also resemble in ,heir complexion, though
1t is shade or two darker. Their fore-
heads are broad, but low, the hair covering
them nearl y to the eyes. The eyes are full,
generally black or of a dark brown, and
brilliant, though expressive oi but little IN
telligence. Thick, coarse, and stiff hair
protects the head, its abundance making a
I ny artificial covering superauous. Their
teeth are really beautiful, sound and white
about the only attractive and envlable
feature Of their persons. They have deep,
heavy voices, and speak in cultural tones
the worst cultural ever heard-wlth a
muttering, lndlstinct articulation, much as
| if their mouths were filled with hot pud-
DING. Their countenances are generally
stupid but, on closer inspection, there is a
gleam of low cunning that flashes through