THE BAY OF BISCAY. 193 



may easily be understood with what interest I 

 studied this remarkable race, which has no affinity 

 with any other European nation, and whose origin is 

 one of the most difficult problems of Ethnology. 

 He would ill deserve the title of naturalist who, 

 being exclusively occupied with the study of animals, 

 should neglect that of the human race, or should 

 hesitate to attach the highest importance to every- 

 thing that might throw light on the history of its 

 innumerable varieties. 



The Basques, called by different authors Canta- 

 brians, Euskarians, and Euskaldunes, give them- 

 selves the name of Euskaldunac.* They speak a 

 language which has no analogy with other European 

 dialects, and they designate it as the Eskuara, or the 

 Euskara tongue. f Distinguished from all neigh- 

 bouring populations by their physical and moral 

 character, their customs and institutions, they differ 

 from them still more by their religious belief and 

 traditions. 



The ancient Euskarian myths speak, according to 

 some authors, of the destruction of a former world, 

 from which only a few men escaped, f( as few in 

 number as the olives which remain upon the tree after 

 the fruit has been gathered in, and as rare as the grapes 



* This word is formed by contraction from Eskua-alde-dunac, 

 which signifies a people of skilful hands. (Histoire des Cantabrea, 

 ou des premiers Colons de toute VEurope, avec celle des Basques^ 

 leurs descendants directs, by the Abbe d'Hiarce of Bidassouet. 

 Paris, 1825.) 



f The language of the hand, the science of gesture. 

 VOL. II. O 



