THE HUMAN SPECIES. 197 



with them, has been confined to kindred tribes, and 

 produced only slaughter. Even Christianity, of more 

 than three centuries duration, in Congo, has scarcely 

 excited a progressive civilization, because it is unat- 

 tended by the stimulus of a stranger race (for the small 

 number of Portuguese officials, priests, exiles, criminals, 

 and slave merchants, are inadequate, and of all Euro- 

 pean nations least capable of stirring the mind to 

 activity, by education, and the example of exertion) ; 

 notwithstanding that the nations south of the Zezere 

 have a more intellectual aspect, and have a barter 

 trade across the continent to Mozambique. 



Thus, the good qualities given to the Negro by the 

 bounty of Nature, have served only to make him a slave, 

 trodden down by every remorseless foot, and to brand 

 him for ages with the epithet of outcast ; the marked 

 unceasing proof of a curse, as old as the origin of society, 

 not even deserving human forbearance ! and true it is, 

 that the worst slavery is his lot, even at home, for he 

 is there exposed to the constant peril of becoming also 

 a victim, slaughtered with the most revolting torments. * 

 Tyrant of his blood, he traffics in slavery as it were 

 merchandise; makes war purposely to capture neigh- 

 bours ; and sells even his own wives and children. 



A second stem of the typical group is the eastern 

 tropical or Samang, which we shall continue to deno- 

 minate Papua, notwithstanding recent investigations 

 have endeavoured to confine this name to a more hybrid 

 * See Bowditch's Mission to Ashantee. 



