ORDER II. BIMANA. 381 



ble globe — Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and some few in North 

 America. "Their tents are pitched on the heaths of Brazil, and the ridges 

 of the Himalaya hills ; and their language is heard in Moscow and Madrid, 

 in London and Stamboul." "Their power of resisting cold is truly wonder- 

 ful, as it is not uncommon to find them encamped in the midst of the snow, 

 in slight canvas tents, where the temperature is :.'">° to 30° below the freez- 

 ing point, according to Keaumur," while, on the other hand, they withstand 

 the sultry climes of Africa and India. 



"The Gypsies are the most prominent of numerous and diverse tribes dif- 

 fused in little groups over the four continents, to whom Prichard's term, 

 ' Allophylian races,' would properly apply. A list might be made of them, 

 their occurrence in islands, remote valleys, and mountain fastnesses, or even 

 amid dense populations, being far more frequent than is generally sup- 

 posed. In the absence of all record beyond that of modern days, — their 

 existence known only by their discovery, — we refrain from the labor of 

 enumeration, with the sole remark, that to us they all are mementos of the 

 permanence of type, athwart vicissitudes certainly endured, but unrecorded 

 by themselves : each being a relic of some primitive type of man, generally 

 displaced from its geographical centre of creation, that, having served in 

 days of yore the purposes of the Creator, is now abandoned (witli so 

 many others, now lost, like the Guanches') to its fate, scarcely affording his- 

 tory sufficient for an epitaph." 



Tiie Hindoos. 



The Hindoos, or Gentoos, are the primitive inhabitants of the East In- 

 dies, one of the most ancient nations, distinguished for their humanity, gen- 

 tleness, industry, and polished by letters and the arts, at a time when most 

 of their Asiatic neighbors were yet only in the first stages of civilization, 

 when the Greeks lay in obscurity, and the people of Europe in general were 

 destitute both of the useful and the fine arts. They form a numerous peo- 

 ple, have preserved their national character for thousands of years, even 

 under tlte dominion of foreigners, and have retained, to the present day, 

 their language, their written characters, their government, religion, manners, 

 customs, and habits of life. They are, in general, of a brownish-yellow 

 complexion, but the higher and richer classes are almost as white as Euro- 

 peans. They are somewhat above the middle height, well-proportioned, 

 and, in particular, very flexible and dexterous. They are remarkable for 

 their small hands. 



Temperance, frugality, hospitality, and obliging manners are the' favor- 

 able traits in their character. They are reproached with indolence and 

 avarice. They possess great natural talents, but are, at present, deprived 

 NO. xx. 101 



