Note 305 — Chapter LII

This account of the tradition concerning giants at Point Santa Elene, is the fullest that is given by any of the old writers, and it is quoted as such by Garcilasso de la Vega (i, lib. ix, cap. 9).

Zarate’s version of the tradition differs but slightly from that of Cieza de Leon. He adds that little credit was given to the story until 1543, when a native of Truxillo, named Juan de Holmos, caused excavations to be made, and found huge ribs and other bones, and enormous teeth. From that time the native tradition was believed. (Historia del Peru, lib. i, cap. iv.) Acosta also mentions the bones of giants of huge greatness, found about Manta. (Acosta, lib. i, cap. 19.) Mr. Ranking, a fantastic theorist, who published his Researches on the Conquest of Peru and Mexico by the Mongols, accompanied with Elephants, in 1827, founds his theory on this tradition of giants having landed at Point Sta. Elena. (p. 51.)

It appears that fossil bones of huge mammals have been found on this part of the coast, where pieces of cliff are constantly breaking away, and they doubtless gave rise to this story about giants. Mr. Spruce tells me that a French naturalist took a quantity of these fossils home with him not long since. Ulloa calls these fossils the bones of giants, and Humboldt thinks they belonged to cetaceous animals. Stevenson says he saw a grinder which weighed more than three pounds, with enamel spotted like female tortoise shell, in the possession of Don Jose Merino of Guayaquil. (Travels, ii, p. 235.)