ZOOLOGY. 319 



distinction of age or sex, but that the women and children were pref- 

 erable, the flesh being more delicate. This Ghilane had become a 

 devout Mussulman, and had lived fifteen years in the Holy City. 

 The fondness, the necessity even, for raw flesh (it really was a want 

 for him) did not fail to return upon him; and his master, therefore, 

 by a precaution, never failed, when this fit was on him, to provide 

 him with an enormous piece of raw mutton, which he consumed rav- 

 enously, before every body. This desire for raw flesh showed itself 

 periodically ; sometimes twice a week. Being asked why he did not 

 try to correct such a habit, he answered with great frankness, 'I 

 have often tried to overcome this appetite, which I received from my 

 father and mother. In my country, great and small, young and old, 

 live in this manner, besides eating fish, fruits, and vegetables. If any 

 master neglected to supply this requirement of my nature, I am sure 

 I could not resist the desire which possesses me of devouring some- 

 thing, and I should cause great sorrow by tailing on some person too 

 weak to contend with me, an infant, for example.' Having asked 

 him to allow me to see him naked (for I wished to sketch him), he 

 resisted for a long time, but finally yielded, on receiving the promise 

 of an entirely new dress, which I was to send to him ; he came pri- 

 vately to my house, where he took off the scanty shirt of coarse blue 

 linen which he wore. I was thus enabled to contemplate him quite 

 at my ease, and to paint his portrait, without exposing him to the pun- 

 ishment which would have been inflicted on him, if he had been de- 

 tected by his fanatical and superstitious master." The drawing made 

 under these circumstances has been placed under the eyes of the 

 Academy. 



Here are some extracts from the description given by M. du Cou- 

 ret of the Ghilanes : " Ghilanes are a peculiar race of negroes 

 which have a strong resemblance to the monkey ; much smaller than 

 the usual race, being rarely more than five feet high. They are com- 

 monly ill made ; their bodies are lean and seem weak; their arms long 

 and slim ; their hands and feet are longer and flatter than those of 

 any other of the human species ; their cheeks project, and their fore- 

 head is low and receding. Their ears are long and deformed ; their 

 eyes are small, black, piercing, and twinkle constantly; their noses 

 are large and flat ; their mouths wide, and furnished with teeth very 

 sharp, strong, and of dazzling whiteness. Their lips are full and 

 thick ; their hair curled, but not very woolly, not thick, and it re- 

 mains short. But what particularly distinguishes them is the prolon- 

 gation of the vertebral column. This gives to each individual, male 

 or female, a tail of two or three inches long." 



Finally, here are some other particulars of Belial, the person the 

 author encountered at Mecca : " His skin was black-bronzed, shin- 

 ing, soft to the touch, like velvet. His ribs could easily be counted. 

 He had no beard, and his body was not hairy. He was very active 

 and handy. His tail was more than three inches long, and almost as 

 flexible as that of a monkey. His disposition, setting aside the oddi- 

 ty of his tastes and habits, was good, and his fidelity was above all 

 praise." 



