INHABITANTS OF WEST INDIA. 



351 



But out of all this chaos of wars and slavery, of standing feuds and rivalries, 

 there gradually arose colonies of peaceful populations, whose heterogeneous primi- 

 tive elements have been merged in a small number of types with well-marked 



Fig. 165.— Snake -Catcher and Charcoai Giel, Martinique 



transitions. The majority are half-breeds, people of colour sprung from the 

 alliance of European men with négresses from Africa. Between these two distinct 

 elements a complete fusion has taken place, to such an extent that, of the five 



