The Beagle , under the command of Captain Robert Fitz-Roy, left Davenport (England) on December 27, 1831 with a team of botanists, naturalists, physicists... (among whom was Charles Darwin ). The British Crown sponsored this scientific and geographical exploration expedition.
They skirted the Canary Islands and crossed the Atlantic until they reached the Brazilian coast. After exploring them, they continued towards the Strait of Magellan and landed in Patagonia to verify the veracity of the chronicles of Antonio Pigafetta (He was one of the 18 survivors of the first circumnavigation of the Earth, started by Ferdinand Magellan and finished by Juan Sebastián Elcano ). According to these chronicles, the Patagonians were giants with huge feet (when they lay down their feet gave them shade). In contrast, his women were much shorter and fatter with huge saggy tits.
So, the English began to measure the poor Patagonians... Their size was normal and their feet were rather small. It seems that Antonio Pigafetta it was based on the tracks left by the huge moccasins they wore.
Source:Simple History of Science – José Luis Comellas
Image:Embassy of France-Argentina
