178 History of Nature. [BooK VII. 



lately, on the other side of the Alps, 1 there are those that 

 kill Men for Sacrifice, after the manner of those (Scythian) 

 people, which differs but little from eating their Flesh. 

 Moreover, near to those Scythians that inhabit Northward, 

 not far from the very rising of the North-east Wind, and 



people, whose singularities may have referred to some manner in the 

 habitual use of the organ, rather than to an actual deformity. A third 

 section of these supposed anomalous people may obviously be referred to 

 the quadrumanous tribes: a class of creatures so nearly approaching to 

 the external form of humanity, that we cannot feel surprised if ignorant 

 travellers, who viewed only at a distance, and with minds prepared to 

 welcome every wonder the oran outang and pongo were not able to 

 discern a generic difference between them and the truly human race. 

 Such were the hairy men and women mentioned in the 31st chapter of 

 this book, the satyrs, Choromandae, and people with no noses, or having 

 tails, a figure of the latter being found on an abraxis, or amulet, engraved 

 by Montfau9on ; but through the whole of his narrative we observe that 

 the author is careful to give his authorities, as being aware that what 

 appeared so strange must be made to rest upon the credit of those who 

 had originally reported it. Some of these instances, indeed, admit of no 

 interpretation that we are able to afford them ; but in regard to one of 

 the strangest of them, Purchas gives the authority of Fitch, an English- 

 man : " I went from Bengala into the country of Couche, not far from 

 Cauchin China. The people have ears which be marvellous great, of a 

 span long, which they draw out in length by devices when they be 

 young." In addition to the strange forms of men mentioned by Pliny, 

 Diodorus Siculus mentions some in an island discovered by Jambulus, 

 whose bones were as flexible as nerves (tendons) : the holes of their ears 

 far wider than ours ; and with tongues deeply cloven, so that they imi- 

 tate the song of birds, and can ordinarily speak to two men at once. 

 Wern. Club. 



1 The people here referred to are the Gauls. Caesar (de Bell. Gall. 

 lib. vi.) says, " The whole nation of the Gauls is much addicted to reli- 

 gious observances, and on that account, those who are attacked by any of 

 the more serious diseases, and those who are involved in the danger of 

 warfare, either offer human sacrifices or make a vow that they will offer 

 them, and they employ the Druids to officiate at their sacrifices ; for they 

 consider that the favour of the immortal gods cannot be conciliated, 

 unless the life of one man be offered up for that of another : they have also 

 sacrifices of the same kind appointed on behalf of the state. Some have 

 images of enormous size, the limbs of which they make of wicker-work, 

 and fill with living men, and setting them on fire, the men are destroyed 

 by the flames." Wern. Club. 



