224 Idle Days in Patagonia. 



among the race of men, and shows, afc present, no 

 sign of becoming obsolete. Moreover, that first 

 correlation, namely, milk-glands and a hairy cover- 

 ing, appears to have entered the very soul of 

 creatures of this class, and to have become psychical 

 as well as physical, for in that type, which is only 

 inferior to the angels, the fondness for this kind of 

 outer covering is a strong and ineradicable passion." 

 I am not sure that this view accords with some 

 facts in our experience, and with some instinctive 

 feelings which we all have. Like Waterton I have 

 found that the feet take very kindly to the earth, 

 however hot or cold or rough it may be, and that 

 shoes, after being left off for a short time, seem as 

 uncomfortable as a mask. The face is always un- 

 covered ; why does the supposed correlation not 

 apply to this part ? The face is pleasantly warm 

 when the too delicate body shivers with cold under 

 its covering; and pleasantly cool when the sun 

 shines hot on us. When the wind strikes us on a 

 hot day, or during violent exercise, the sensation to 

 the face is extremely agreeable, but far from agree- 

 able to the body where the covering does not allow 

 the moisture to evaporate rapidly. The umbrella 

 has not entered the soul not yet ; but it is miser- 

 able to get wet in the rain, yet pleasant to feel the 

 rain on the face. " I am all face," the naked 

 American savage said, to explain why he felt no 

 discomfort from the bleak wind which made his 

 civilized fellow-traveller shiver in his furs. Again, 

 what a relief, what a pleasure, to throw off the clothes 



