362 Sir R. Schomburgk on the Natives of Guiana. 



Thus the Guianese, with the advantage of a fine proportioned 

 figure, may vie w^ith the European. In some individuals an 

 obliquity of the eye is very apparent, the external canthus 

 being raised towards the temple. The distance between the 

 eyes is perhaps a peculiarity which the American shares with 

 the Mongolian. The greatest difference of the long to the 

 short diameter of the osseous cavity of the eye is j^j ^^^ t^® 

 least difference -^^ of an inch. The nose is, generally speak- 

 ing, prominent, long, and thick towards the nostrils, the 

 openings being directed downwards, as in the Caucasian. 

 The mouth is rather large, the lips protuberant, without ap- 

 proaching the thrown-up lip of the African. The teeth, which 

 are seldom good, are destroyed at an early age owing to the 

 practice of chewing the cassada bread, for the purpose of 

 making it into an intoxicating drink ; and thus, without any 

 farther examination, the skull of a native Guiana woman may 

 Be recognised. The pelvis is well covered, and apparently 

 of a capacity equal to the Caucasian, The hand is small and 

 slender. The inferior extremities are well proportioned. The 

 foot is, if anything, somewhat broad compared with the Cau- 

 casian, and in proportion to the difference^ strength and soli- 

 dity appear to be the result ; for the Indian of Guiana, in^ 

 walking, far surpasses the African, — children from six to 

 eight years of age having been known to march sixteen miles 

 m a day without complaining of fatigue. The skin of the 

 female is of a soft texture, notwithstanding the pores are 

 much larger than in the European. 



The South Americans are generally short, and differ in this 

 respect from their brethren of the North. Indeed, the ave- 

 rage height of the Indians I have seen, amounts to no more 

 than five feet four inches ; the tallest was five feet eight and 

 a quarter inches. Hearne, the north polar traveller, saw 

 among the Indians in Canada, individuals who measured six 

 feet four inches, and the Muscogulges and Cherokees of North 

 America are taller than Europeans, many being above six 

 feet, and few under five feet eight inches. In this particular 

 the following measurements are interesting, — 



