4 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



Utility we have indicated. She has covered the 

 head of ihofe carelefs and uninduftrious tribes, 

 with a fleece more crifp than a tiflue of wool, 

 which effeflually flielters it from the burning heat 

 of the Sun. They are fo perfeflly fenfible of it's 

 accommodation to this purpofe, that they never 

 employ a fubftitute head drefs ; and there is no 

 defcription of Mankind among whom artificial co- 

 verings, as bonnets, turbans, hats, &c. are more 

 rare, than among the Negros. They ufe fuch as 

 are foreign to them, merely as objeds of vanity 

 and luxury, and I do not know of any one that is 

 peculiar to their Nation. The inhabitants of the 

 peninfula of India are as black as they ; but their 

 turbans communicate to the hair, which, but for 

 their head drefs, would, perhaps, be frizzled, the 

 facility of growing and expanding. 



The American tribes which inhabit under the 

 Line, are not black, it muft be admitted ; they 

 are (imply copper- coloured. T afcribe this weak- 

 ening of the black tint to feveral caufes peculiar 

 to their country. The firft is, the univerfal prac- 

 tice of rubbing themfelves over with roiuou (a kind 

 of fweet-fcented pafte) which preferves the furface 

 of their ikin from the too vehement impreffion of 

 the Sun. Secondly, they inhabit a country clothed 

 with forefts, and croffed by the greatell river in the 

 World, which covers it with vapours. Thirdly, 



their 



