138 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



As might be expected, physical Giants flourished 

 longest in the colder temperate regions of our hemis- 

 phere, and are traced on the American continent, in 

 the Mexican records, and high nosed human forms in 

 relief ; while there exist also several tribes of American 

 Indians, of very large stature, bearing, in general, 

 marks of a partially distinct origin from the others, and 

 still more from the Esquimaux. Again, in the cold 

 extreme south, the Patagonians, likewise apparently 

 differing from the more stunted Fuegians near them ; 

 and the Araukas or Arookas, perhaps a mutation of the 

 Indian Azooras, compared with the now extinct Flat- 

 heads ; and in both cases, fast disappearing, by reason 

 of recent interunion with tribes of lower stature. South 

 Africa, again, is in the possession of a lofty race of 

 Caffres, with their champion, Aba-lafas, by the side of 

 the dwarfish Bosjemans and Dokkos ; and in the moun- 

 tains of northern China, men above six feet in height 

 occur. But it is doubtful, whether, in any region, they 

 do not all, directly or indirectly, spring from the original 

 bearded stock of High Asia ; therefore conquerors, and 

 always a master race. They have been often and long 

 cannibals, the earliest possessors of horses ; and hence 

 doubly meriting the Chinese name of horse faced ; be- 

 cause, in addition to the first possession of the animal, 

 all the lofty tribes of mankind have elongated fea- 

 tures. * 



* In the list, among the giant tribes of Syria alone, we 

 find so many, that it is evident they were mere families, 

 ruling, most likely by conquest, over Canaauitish tribes 



