214: Patagonian 'Giants' - Did they really exist?

If you've come across accounts of the giants of Patagonia you will have seen illustrations showing them exceedingly taller that the Europeans that visited those shores. And that would be true, most Europeans at that time had an average height of only 5'5" (now it's 5'9') and these people were an average of 6'8" with some recorded at up to 7'4". If you were a short 5'5" European sailor and encountered someone of 6'8" and more, they would be correctly classed as 'giants' to the observer. Its has been hard to get an decent first hand accounts of these visitors in 1848. Below we have some short excerpts of the book which is available in soft-cover or hard cover on Amazon... or free at Gutenberg.org . Are the tales true? Yes. But the exaggerated illustrations are not. Like any truth, it's always ends up being sensationalised, at no time more so that out current time of 2023, and always by the media of the day. These few excerpts are from this book below.

This seems reasonable

As does this...

This is a complete fabrication

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THE CAPTIVE IN PATAGONIA;

OR,

LIFE AMONG THE GIANTS.

PERSONAL NARRATIVE.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BOURNE.

After the contradictory statements of voyagers as to the “giants” of South America, there may be some curiosity to hear the testimony of one who has “seen the elephant” under circumstances that enabled him to measure its proboscis..........

Taking our guns, a bag of bread, and some tobacco, four of us started for the shore. As we approached the beach, a crowd of black-looking giants came to the water’s edge to gaze at us. We did not particularly fancy their looks, and lay on our oars for a considerable length of time..........

In person they are large; on first sight, they appear absolutely gigantic. They are taller than any other race I have seen, though it is impossible to give any accurate description. The only standard of measurement I had was my own height, which is about five feet ten inches. I could stand very easily under the arms of many of them, and all the men were at least a head taller than myself.........

The excitement and dissatisfaction which I had remarked and dreaded appeared to have died away, when one night I had startling evidence that it was still active. At the usual hour of rest, as I was expecting every moment to be ordered, like a dog, to my cold corner of the lodge, a gigantic, ill-favored fellow made his appearance, and exchanged, in an under-tone, a few words with the chief. Without comprehending a word that was passing, I could see, by their significant glances, that the colloquy concerned me, and that it boded me no good. The giant soon disappeared. The chief sat a moment in silence, rose, and ordered me to follow him.........

On the contrary, acting upon the profound maxim, that one sufficient reason is as good as a dozen, and better than that number of questionable ones, I merely advised, that, after the experience which Captain Eaton* and others had had of Patagonian prowess, the sight of too many of his giants would frighten away the whites, and prevent all beneficial communication with them; while the presence of a small deputation would be a pledge of their pacific inclinations.

*Captain Eaton had landed 2 years before, was tricked in the purchase of horses and murdered up his own boat by these people. Like the Maori, trade occurred but there was bound to be times where local unknown laws were broken or the locals were just barbaric by nature.

*****

But did tall people exist in Patagonia? By these accurate an unembellished accounts, yes, and based on our average heights today they would be approaching 7'9" (2.36m) in comparison, so we would indeed call them giants today, as BF Bourne did then at 6'8" - 7'4". And we know the femur bone we have belonged to someone of at least 7'11".