The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-01
no GIANTS AMONG MEN.


The contrast in size between the Amer
lean soldiers and the Spanish soldiers
Is very noticeable, and although the
difference In the stature of many diff
ferent ATTITUDES is well known, 1T Is only
in case OF war that the contrast be-
comes striking. Scientists are of the
opinion that during the past few hun
dred years. man has increased in height
and proportionateIy In build. The data
upon which such conclusions must be
based are not readily obtainabie. but in
all times. at least within a thousand
years. ii has been invariably the rule
that men born in the temperate zones
are of larger size than those in the tor
rid and frigid zones
The Esquimaux, Lapianders and Jap
anese are all small men. and. again.
near the equator are many races. such
as the Akkas of Africa, the Bushmen
Of Africa. and the Negritos. OF the Phil
ippines. who are very small. while those
belonging to the Latin race, although
larger, are smaller than the Scandina-
Wan. The general rule cannot be made
strictly In accordance with isothermal
lines, because almost in parallel lati-
tude are to be found the Hottentot, who
Is almost dwarf, and the Zulu and the
kaffir. who are both men of consider
able size. Among the largest races are
the Norwegians. the Canadians, the
Southern side OF the world. the Patago-
mans.
Classical authors mention men of
great size, but as their stature is men
toned as being exceptionally great
there could not have been a race of
giants. and il is impossible to tell what
the average was In their time. Pliny
mentions the giant Gobbara, who was
nine feet nine inches high. and two 9TH
ers are described as being even taller
Garopius tells OF young giantess who
was ten feet high. The authors may
only have taken their figures from
hearsay, and If there was any exagger-
alton. we may match them with some
very tall men and some few women
who, with eight To nine feet Of height,
were regarded as wonders. The Chinese
a Ia lad
eight feet three inches tall. and an
Austrian giant. Winckelmeier. meas
ured eight and a half feet. Many men
have been exhibited rs giants who were
scarcely eight feet tall, yet We know
these TO be exceedingly rare specimens.
IL we use the language OF the ancients
III describing them. we might convey
the impression that even in our time
the people were very tall. IN these
days were giants. and men Were known
To reach the height Of hire feet" This
would convey an idea that they were
only the taliest among many who near
ly approached them. whereas the truth
seems Ia be that tn all ages. a man nine
or ten feet high was phenomenon
and one from seven TO eight Zee; tain
almost as rare.
Nowhere in the history II the race
do We find any authentic account of
giants Of the size tradition has invent
Ell. Even at the height Of eight feet
one would be only a very tail nnau. and
far from being such giant a. could
hold an ordinary nan on the palm If his
hand. Ne relies have been found ~ a
race Of giants among men equal in p-o.
portions to the remains II tn man.
moths among animals our giants have
been merely over-grown men. whose
heisht has peen obia REL II the sar-
ri''ee ot stock. aad usually 81: mental
capacity. Everywhere the medium
sized man has been intellectually -,
superior of the extremely tall and ex-
tFrtlglN ttWRrfe,t