AN ACCOUNT OF, &c. 435 



than himself, and their progeny scarcely differs 

 in size from their countrymen. In districts, 

 however, of very small extent, and having little 

 intercourse with other countries, an accidental 

 difference in the appearance of the inhabitants 

 will often descend to their late posterity. The 

 clan of the Macras, for instance, possess both 

 sides of Loch-Duich in Scotland ; but those who 

 inhabit one side of the loch are called the black 

 Macras, and the others the white, from a dif- 

 ference which has always been observed in their 

 complexions. Again, those who attend to the 

 improvement of domestic animals, when they 

 find individuals possessing, in a greater degree 

 than common, the qualities they desire, couple 

 a male and female of these together, then take 

 the best of their offspring as a new stock, and 

 in this way proceed, till they approach as near 

 the point in view, as the nature of things will 

 permit. But, what is here done by art, seems to 

 be done, with equal efficacy, though more slowly, 

 by nature, in the formation of varieties of man- 

 kind, fitted for the country which they inhabit. 

 Of the accidental varieties of man, which would 

 occur among the first few and scattered inha- 

 bitants of the middle regions of Africa, some 

 one would be better fitted than the others to 

 bear the diseases of the country. This race 

 would consequently multiply, while the others 



