The Dutch Company May Be Said
To Have Dated Their Grandeur From The Day Of His Return, Both In Respect
To reputation, power, and riches; the former resulting from his
successful circumnavigation of the globe, and the others from their
Conquests in the Moluccas, in which he not only assisted, but likewise
brought home the first intelligence. On his return to Holland,
Spilbergen confirmed the report of Magellan respecting a gigantic people
inhabiting the straits, named Patagons. He said that he had gone
several times on shore, and had examined several graves of the natives,
and saw several savages at different times in their canoes, all of whom
were of the ordinary size; or rather under. But one day he observed a
man on shore, who first climbed one hill and then another, to look at
the ships, and at last came to the sea-side for that purpose, and this
man was allowed by all who saw him to be even taller than those spoken
of by Magellan. This is likewise confirmed by the accounts given to Van
Noort and De Weert, by a boy they took from the savages; who said there
were only two tribes of these giants, all the other savages being of the
ordinary size.[101]
[Footnote 101: Without pretending to give any opinion on this subject,
it may be remarked, that the account from the savage boy is worthy of
little credit, as a kind of nursery tale, and given by one who certainly
could hardly have sufficient language to express himself.
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