108 NATURAL HISTORY 



In examining the surface of the earth, and beginning 

 our inquiries from the north, we find in Lapland, and in 

 the northern parts of Tartary, a race of small-sized men, 

 whose figure is uncouth, and whose physiognomy is 

 as wild as their manners are unpolished. Though they 

 seem to be of a degenerate species, they are very nu- 

 merous, and occupy vast regions. 



The Laplanders, the Danes, the Swedes, the Mus- 

 covites, the inhabitants of Nova Zembla. the Boran- 

 dians, the Samoeids, the Ostiacs of the old continent, 

 the Greenlanclers, and the savages to the north of the 

 Esquimaux Indians of the new continent, appear to 1)0 

 of one common race, which has been extended and mul- 

 tiplied along the coasts of the northern seas, and over 

 deserts, considered as uninhabitable by every other na- 

 tion. In these countries, the visage is large and broad,* 

 the nose is flat and short, the eyes are of a yellowish 

 brown, inclining to black, the eye-lids are drawn towards 

 the temples, the cheek-bones are extremely prominent, 

 the mouth is very big, the lower part of the countenance 

 is very narrow, the lips are thick and turned out- 

 ward, the voice is shrill, the head is bulky. The hair 

 is black and straight, and the skin is tawny. They 

 are small in stature, and, though meagre, they are of a 

 squat form. In general, their size is about four feet, 

 nor do the tallest exceed four and a half; and among 

 these people, if there is any difference to be found, it 

 depends on the greater or less degree of deformity. 



The Danish Laplanders have a large black cat, which 

 they make a confidant of all their secrets, and a coun- 

 sellor in all their difficulties. Among the Swedish Lap- 

 landers, there is in every family a drum, for the pur- 

 pose of consulting the devil : and notwithstanding the 

 .natives of these countries are robust and nimble^ from 



