Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci is best known for his namesake: the continents of North and South America. But in 1499, when his expedition landed on the island of Curacao, Vespucci encountered natives that appeared to be giants. His account is depicted in the below engravings.
Vespucci and his shipmates happened upon some statuesque giantesses and immediately planned to kidnap them. Unfortunately, they are almost immediately interrupted.
“We found that this other island was inhabited by very tall people. We landed to see whether there was any fresh water, and not thinking it was inhabited, as we had not seen anyone, we came upon very large foot-marks in the sand, as we were walking along the beach. We judged that if the other measurements were in proportion to those of their feet, they must be very tall. Going in search, we came into a road which led inland. There were nine of us. Judging that there could not be many inhabitants, as the island was small, we walked over it to see what sort of people they were. When we had gone1 about a league we saw five huts, which appeared to be uninhabited, in a valley, and we went to them. But we only found five women, two old, and three children of such lofty stature that, for the wonder of the thing, we wanted to keep them. When they saw us they were so frightened that they had not the power to run away. The two old women began to invite us with words, and to set before us many things, and took us into a hut.
They were taller than a large man who may well be tall, such as was Francesco degli Albizi, but better proportioned. Our intention was to take the young girls by force, and to bring them to Castille as a wonderful thing. While we were forming this design there entered by the door of the hut as many as thirty-six men, much bigger than the women, and so well made that it was a rare thing to behold them. They, in like manner, put us into such a state of perturbation that we rather wished we were on board, than having dealings with such people. They carried very large bows and arrows, and great clubs with knobs. They talked among themselves in a tone as if they wished to destroy us. Seeing ourselves in such danger, we made various suggestions one to another. Some proposed that we should attack them in the hut, and others said that it would be better to do so outside, while others advised that we should not take any action until we saw what the natives were going to do. We at last agreed to go out of the hut, and walk away in the direction of the ships as if nothing had happened, and this we did.
Having taken our route to return to the ships, they also came along behind us at a distance of about a stone’s-throw, talking among themselves. I believe they had not less fear of us than we of them; for sometimes we stopped to rest, and they did so also without coming nearer. At last we came to the beach, where the boats where waiting for us. We got in, and, when we were some way from the shore, the natives rushed down and shot many arrows ; but we then had little fear of them. We replied with two bombard-shots, more to frighten them than to do them harm. They all fled into the woods, and so we took leave of them, thankful to escape after a dangerous adventure. They all went naked like the others. We called this island the Island of the Giants by reason of their stature.”
The Letters of Amerigo Vespucci and Other Documents illustrative of his Career (Hakluyt Society, First Series) 1st Edition by Clements R. Markham (Editor)
Thirty-six "gigantic savages" armed with spiked clubs mogged the manlets. Vespucci and his crew decided to pretend they weren't about to steal some giantesses and casually walked back to the ship, with the giants escorting within a stone's throw.
This was just the beginning of giant encounters in the New World. In 1520, Ferdinand Magellan wintered in Patagonia and according to his chronicler, Antonio Pigafetta, the natives they encountered were extremely tall - by his estimation, they stood between 9 and 12 feet.
“And he was so tall that the tallest of us only came up to his waist. Withal he was well proportioned”
—Magellan’s chronicler Antonio Pigafetta. 'Report on the First Voyage around the World', 1525.
Everywhere there is a description of these giants it is always mentioned that they are well-proportioned, robust, and handsome in their own way. None of the indicators of gigantism or some other hormonal disorder are ever mentioned. No disproportionate growth, no limps or ungainly movement.
There are other indicators in this report of the giant’s sheer size and power—
The captain caused food and drink to be given to this giant, then they showed him some things, amongst others, a steel mirror. When the giant saw his likeness in it, he was greatly terrified, leaping backwards, and made three or four of our men fall down….
The captain was anxious […] to transport a race of giants to Europe: with this view he ordered the two others to be arrested […] Nine of our strongest men were scarcely able to cast them to the ground, and bind them, and still even one of them succeeded in freeing himself.