206 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



more given to extravagances and excesses. He may 

 be right ; but one must take into consideration that it 

 was impossible for those to be weaklings who came out 

 from Germany and got as far as Tulpehacken, over- 

 coming all manner of difficulties so as to establish 



o 



themselves in the wilderness. It is true that the physi- 

 cal constitutions of the Americans, taken in the aver- 

 age, are certainly not particularly strong or stable. It 

 may be that the great contrast between the hot season 

 and the cold, and the frequent sudden changes of the 

 weather gradually weaken the bodily strength ; it may 

 be that the minor degree of physical labor to which the 

 country people are subjected fails to build them up 

 sufficiently. However, they are healthy, and there is 

 no lack of instances where people have lived to a great 

 age. On the other hand, they have in general several 

 striking advantages. Throughout America one sees 

 few mis-shapen people. The generality is slender, tall, 

 and well formed. So will be found the Virginians in 

 especial, and among them may be observed again the 

 happy influence of a warm climate, characteristics 

 which in the old world distinguished the Georgians, 

 Circassians, Persians, and Greeks. A number of physi- 

 cal deformities very common in Europe are much more 

 rarely seen in America. 



A letter which I had brought to him gave me the 

 opportunity of knowing another Doctor ; and only 

 with difficulty was I able to rid myself of him. Quite 

 against our will he insisted on taking us the next 

 morning to a marvellous cave, the like of which ac- 

 cording to him was not to be seen elsewhere in the 

 world. It was a rainy day, and for several hours we 

 were led about aimlessly through the woods ; finally, 



