quietly, nor did any of those that held the ribband attempt to pull it
from the rest, though I perceived that they were still more delighted
with it than with the beads. While the ribband was thus extended, I took
out a pair of scissars, and cut it between each two of the Indians that
held it, so that I left about a yard in the possession of every one,
which I afterwards tied about their heads, where they suffered it to
remain without so much as touching it while I was with them. Their
peaceable and orderly behaviour on this occasion certainly did them
honour, especially as my presents could not extend to the whole company:
Neither impatience to share the new finery, nor curiosity to gain a
nearer view of me and what I was doing, brought any one of them from the
station that I had allotted him.

[Footnote 18: Now for the goblins, the giants of Patagonia! Some account
of the controversy about them is reserved for another place. In the mean
time the reader may amuse himself with the following notices in addition
to the substance of the text; they are extracted from the account of
this voyage, already referred to in the preceding notes. "On our first
approaching the coast, evident signs of fear appeared among those in the
boat, on seeing men of such enormous size, while some, perhaps to
encourage the rest, observed that these gigantic people were as much
surprised at the sight of our muskets, as we were at seeing them, though
it is highly probable they did not know their use, and had never heard
the report of a gun. But this was sufficient to remind us, that our
fire-arms gave us an advantage much superior to that derived from
height of stature and personal strength."--"The commodore and chief
officers entered upon a short consultation on the propriety of landing.
The first officer, fired with the thoughts of making a full discovery in
regard to these Indians, who have been so much the subject of
conversation among the English, made a motion to approach nearer and