192 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



pelvis is wider, the aperture round, and both sexes have 

 the hips remarkably well proportioned. The bones of 

 the typical nations are heavy, well knit, or with the 

 apophyses fitted to receive broad insertions of the 

 muscles; and the dome of the skull is particularly 

 solid ; but the ribs slender and flexible. Hence Ne- 

 groes, of all human beings, are distinguished for fight- 

 ing, by occasionally butting, with their heads foremost, 

 like rams, at each other, the collision of their skulls 

 giving a report that may be heard to some distance. 

 Even women, in their brawls, have the same habit. 

 The dense spherical structure of the head, likewise, 

 enables several tribes to shave their crowns, and in this 

 exposed state to remain, with the lower half of the 

 body immersed in water, under a vertical sun. This 

 very structure may influence the erect gait, which 

 occasions the practice, common also to the Ethiopian 

 or mixed nations, of carrying burthens and light 

 weights, even to a tumbler full of water, upon the 

 head ; a feat which they effect with perfect safety and 

 gracefulness.* 



Most of the black nations are capable of protracted 

 toil, without much injury to their frames ; they wil- 

 lingly share labour with the female sex in a state of 



* Though the practice is general, pride nevertheless can 

 counteract it; for we have invariably seen the Jamaica 

 Maroons carry their produce to market on the back, and 

 take their rest under distinct trees, apart from slave Ne- 

 groes, because, as they told us, they would show themselves 

 " free like Buckra man !" A second jar of water, Negroes 

 always carry upon the palm of the hand inverted. 



