374 JAMAICA, 



pean traders, Inftead of putting them to death. After leaving Ben- 

 guela we arris^e among the Hottentots, whofe women are fo remarka- 

 ble for a natural callous excrefcence, or flap, which diftinguifhes them 

 from all others of the fame fex in the known world. Thefe people 

 are of a dark nut, or dingy olive complexion, and in all other refpefts, 

 fave what have been noticed, are like the other Negroes in perfon. 

 They are a lazy, ftupid race ; but pofl'efs benevolence, liberality, in- 

 tegrity, and friendfliip; they are hofpitable and chafte, have fome ap- 

 pearance of a regular form of government among them, and the bar- 

 barities they practife are more the refult of antient cuftoms, whofe 

 fource is now unknown, than any innate cruelty of their difpofitions. 

 Thefe people have feveral mechanic arts among them; but their lan- 

 guage is guttural, and inarticulate, compared by fome to the gabbling 

 of enraged turkey-cocks, and by others to the rumbling of wind a 

 pojleriori. As we approach towards Abyffinia, the North Eaft con- 

 line of Negro-land, we find the Blacks well (haped and featured, and 

 for the moft part having lank black hair inftead of wool, though not 

 very long. The Abyffinians are reprefented to be of a brown olive 

 complexion, tall, of regular and well-proportioned features, large 

 fparkling black eyes, elevated nofes, fmall lips, and beautiful teeth; 

 the charafter of their minds is equally favourable; they are fober, 

 temperate, fenlible, pious, and inoffenlive. 



The Red Sea divides thefe people from the Arabs, who. In com- 

 plexion, perfon, and intelle6l, come ftill nearer to the Whites or Per- 

 lians, their next neighbours, whofe valour, quick parts, and huma- 

 nity, are juftly celebrated. 



Having now compleated this tour, we are ftruck with one very per- 

 tinent remark; the natives of the whole traft, comprifed under the 

 name of Negro-land, are all black, and have wool inftead of hair j 

 whereas the people in the mofl torrid regions of Libya and America, 

 who have the fun vertical over them, have neither the fame tinflure 

 of (kin, nor woolly covering. As we recede from Negro-land, this 

 blacknefs gradually decreafes, and the wool as gradually changes to 

 lank hair, which at firft is of a fiiort flaple, but is found longer, the 

 further we advance [/']. We obferve the like gradations of the intel- 



ie£lual 



[(■] I admit there is fome variety both in colour and feature among the different nations of the 

 Negroes; fome are lighter thau others by a fhade or two, and fome have fmaller features ; but this 



diverfity 



