Henry Hudson's "Giants": Inuit Encounter in 1611, Not Rock-Throwing Monsters

In 1611, Henry Hudson's crew in Hudson Bay encountered Inuit people they called "troglodytes." Hudson's account described them as giants hurling massive boulders from cliffs—some supposedly requiring 20 men to lift. Modern scholars view this as an embellished retelling of a minor conflict. The Inuit were likely defending territory; the "giants" and impossible boulders reflect fear, cultural misunderstanding, and the tendency to mythologize the unknown. No archaeological or indigenous oral history supports literal rock-throwing giants.