DIFFERENCES OF STATURE. 379 



may depend on soil, climate, food, or selection in breeding : 

 but all the manna of heaven would never raise the mouse to 

 the bulk of the mammoth." 



Similar differences of stature to those which I have de- 

 scribed in the American, occur also in the Ethiopian variety. 

 That of the Negroes in general does not differ essentially 

 from our own. The Hottentots at the southern extremity 

 of the country are the smallest of the species in Africa. The 

 whole race is shorter than Europeans, yet not so invariably 

 but that tall individuals sometimes occur. Thus Latrobe 

 mentions one of six feet in height*. The Bosjesman tribe, 

 however, are remarkably short, even among the Hottentots. 

 Two individuals seen by Lichtenstein were scarcely four 

 feet high f. Mr. Barrow says, that " In their persons they 

 are extremely diminutive. The tallest of the men (in a 

 horde or kraal containing 150 individuals) measured only 4 

 feet 9 inches, and the tallest woman 4 feet 4 inches. About 

 4 feet 6 Inches is said to be the middle size of the men, and 

 4 feet that of the women. One of these that had several 

 children measured only 3 feet 9 inches X-" 



To shew how little the varieties of our species depend on 

 climate, situation, or other external influences, we find the 

 neigbouring tribe to the Hottentots, the KafFers, distin- 

 guished for height and strength. These qualities, however, 

 are more conspicuous in the men than In the women, and 

 the same remark holds good in other instances. Langs- 

 DORFF was surprised at finding the Marquesan women defi- 

 cient in those personal qualities which were so remarkable 

 in the men ; and could hardly suppose them to be the 

 mothers of the very fine males whom he saw. '' The 

 KafFer women were mostly of low stature, very strong- 

 limbed, and particularly muscular in the leg ; but the good 

 humour that constantly beamed upon their countenances 

 made ample amends for any defect in their persons. The 

 men, on the contrary, were the finest figures I ever beheld ; 



* Journal of a Visit to South Africa, Ho. p. 282. 



+ Travels in Southern Africa, chap. 8. 



+ Barrow's Southern Jfrica^x. i. p. 277. 



