somewhat startled, and even the "learned skeptics" allowed that the Patagonians were a large-boned set of fellows, and then began to speculate whether they might not have descended from the gigantic Germans whom Tacitus describes. Hernandez and D'Acosta discovered, in South America, human bones and skulls of an amazing size. What were the cubic contents of the latter, we might easily guess. Clavigero asserts that it is an old tradition among the Mexicans, that their country "was first inhabited by giants." Mausoleums are still to be seen, where their skeletons are deposited. I know, that a learned and ingenious memorial was printed in France, (under the reign of that great encourager of physical science, Napoleon Bonaparte,) to show that these were the bones of some large amphibious animal. But I think it more probable-since there are pigmies in Lapland-that there should have been giants in America, than that any people should be so moon-struck as to build tombs for sea-horses. What can appear more incredible than the accounts we receive of the AMAZONS of antiquity? Their very name has been given them from a, non,--and as the breast: for, we are told, they burnt or cut off one of their breasts, in order to draw the bow with greater facility and strength. What confirmation does their existence not derive, from the Amazons of America, who have given their name to the greatest river in the world! Thus, then, we have a nation of women--of female warriors and politicians! Ladies who may discuss the issue of a campaign themselves are engaged to fight; and the consequences of a treaty themselves are to form!--Yet, of the existence of the Amazons of South America, Dr. JOHNSON tells us that CONDAMINE has collected and preserved various memorials; and of those of Caucasus the testimony, though old, is still more extensive and strong. QUINT. CURTIUS states, that Thalestris, queen of the Amazons, visited ALEXANDER, and "desired to have posterity by him.” This patriotic and modest request, the historian adds with great gravity" obliged Alexander to make a longer stay in the place." The ladies will not believe in the confident boldness of this virago, and yet have no " skepticism." • History of Mexico, lib. i. † Idler. DURING THE LATE WAR, BETWEEN BRITISH AND AMERICAN VESSELS. (Continued, from our June number, from the British Naval Chronicle.) "On the 14th of August following, a sloop action between us and the Americans yielded a similar result to the last. The force of the Pelican I take from that of the heaviest of our brig sloops, and the number of men she had in the action, from captain Maples' letter. The force of the Argus in guns, I also obtain from the same source, and her killed and wounded from other ac counts of the action, subsequently published. No American offi cial account has yet appeared in print. Superiority on the British side. In number of men, as six to five. In size of vessel, equal. "The captain of the Argus was a great favourite, and had his vessel fitted out in every respect as a fighting ship. His crew had iron skull caps to defend their heads in boarding, and were so tall and stout that they were ashamed at being compared with their conquerors, who were certainly, in appearance, a very indifferent ship's company. No great loss was sustained on either side in this action. Ours was seven killed and wounded; of the Americans, one account says forty, another, probably the most correct, twenty-three. "Among the occurrences of this year, we must not forget the chase of the President, late American frigate, in company with the Scourge privateer, of ten guns, and one hundred and twenty men, for three days and nights, (light all the while) off the North Cape, by the Alexandria, a twelve pounder thirty-two, and the Spitfire sloop; of (united) actually less than two-thirds the force pursued. It was reasonable to doubt this at first; but the concurrent testimony has since confirmed it. The commodore's journal of his cruise has this item: July 19th, was chased from our cruising ground off North Cape, by a line of battle ship and a frigate; from the lightness of the wind, and several shiftings of it in their favour, the chase was prolonged to eighty-six hours.' In another place he admits the Scourge was in company. This is a very sore subject to American naval officers. During this cruise, the commodore captured H. B. M. schooner Highflyer, of five guns, late tender to admiral Warren. That is the only circumstance that can account for the term brilliant being applied by the government papers to this, the commodore's five months' cruise. On lake Ontario we captured and destroyed the American national schooners Julia, Ontario, Hamilton, and Scourge, and on the ocean the Shannon. The Morgiana, of twenty-two guns and fifty men, was taken by the Barossa frigate; she was formerly a British whaler, taken and commissioned by captain Porter, and appears in the American navy list as a regular man of war. We this year sustained a se but not disgraceful loss on lake Erie, as well as of the Dothe act schooner, and Boxer gun brig, of which affairs I shall proceed to a statement of the latter action. It took place on the following month, but the exact day is not recollected. Our brig had two officers and some men absent; the Enterprize aware of that circumstance, put to sea with the avowed purpose of attacking her, therefore was fully prepared for battle. No British official account of the action has appeared. After many gross misstatements in the American papers, the following estimate of the force on both sides was deemed tolerably correct: (Rating 14 guns, mounting the same.) (Rating 14, mounting 16 guns.) "The death of captain Blyth, in the very onset of the engagement; the loss of the main top-mast, almost immediately afterwards; and the want of officers, fully competent, perhaps, to second the wish of their fallen chief, were untoward circumstances, ever had the number opposed to them been less than double the Boxer's crew. Yet did the gallant little band make good use of their guns for the enemy; they killed and wounded fourteen, losing of themselves, in killed and wounded, notwithstanding the vast disproportion we have noticed, only twenty-one. It will not surely be too much to say, that forty more men, and a skilful officer, would have changed the result of this battle. Of all vessels in his majesty's navy, never was there so despicable a class as the ten, twelve, and fourteen gun brigs. They in general sail like colliers, and in actual force are an undermatch for most of the privateers that fit out from America. They are ever likely to be come the grave, not only of the lives, but the reputation of valuable officers and men; and I hope to see them all, ere long, fc、、 erased from the list of "British king's ships." "Now comes a new era, and I trust it will prove a single one in American naval chronology--a victory in squadron! The 10th of September, 1813, saw this event happen: an event, nevertheless, that reflected no dishonour on British seamen, but exhibited additional proofs of their devotedness to the good old cause of their king and country. At the very commencement of the highly interesting letter of commodore Barclay, detailing this unfortunate action, will be found the following words: "So perfectly destitute of provisions was the port (Detroit,) that there was not a day's flour in store, and the crews of the squadron under my command, were on half allowance of many things, and when that was done there was no more." In another place he says, "No intelligence of seamen having arrived, I sailed on the 9th instant, fully expecting to meet the enemy next morning, as they had been scen among the islands; nor was I mistaken." Again he says, after recounting the loss of the battle," Manned as the squadron was with not more than fifty British seamen, the rest a mixed crew of Canadians and soldiers, and who were totally unacquainted with such service, rendered the loss of officers more sensibly felt." It clearly appears then, that thus "deplorably manned," and with crews half famished into the bargain, the British squadron was obliged to put to sea and risk a battle with the squadron of the enemy. What that squadron consisted of I will show presently. Many weeks before the action took place, the American newspapers informed us that one hundred, and again, one hundred and fifty, and so on, of" prime seamen," had left the ships of war in Boston and New York, to join the fleet on lake Erie. Besides these, which we may estimate at three hundred and fifty at least, there were soldiers, riflemen, and volunteers of every description, flocking on board from the neighbourhood. There is no getting at the number of men wholly engaged on either side in this battle, but I have no doubt but in point of seamen only, they exceeded us full as six to one; and perhaps in the aggregate number of each squadron, as four to one. The armament of the ships, both British and American, I am enabled to give correctly, as well from captain Barclay's offi |