38 SOUTH AMERICA— THE ANDES EEGIONS. 



them the more susceptible to the ravages of disease. Whole populations were 

 destroyed by small-pox, and in districts once occupied by flourishing villages, 

 nothing is now seen except a few survivors encamped in the forest glades. 



At the time of the great mortality following the conquest it was supposed that 

 the aborigines were destined to disappear on the mainland, as they had already 

 disappeared in Espanola and the other West Indian islands. Even long afterwards 

 their ultimate extinction continued to be regarded as inevitable. But history has 

 fortunately proved the contrary. After the period of decline the natives, trans- 

 formed by crossings with the whites, are again increasing, if not everywhere, at 

 least amongst their more important groups. Compared with the other great 

 representative races of the world, they are advancing even at a more rapid rate 

 than the whites, but they no longer advance as a distinct race. Henceforth the 

 descendants of conquered and conquerors are merged in a single nationality. 



"Viewed as a whole, the southern aborigines are distinguished from those of 

 the Laurentian and Mississippi regions by the colour of their skin, which is not 

 coppery red, but presents, according to place and race, two distinct tints, olive- 

 brown and yellow, with all the intermediate shades. Neglecting the minor 

 groups, brown may be said in a general way to prevail amongst the natives of 

 the Andes, vellow amongst those of the plains and of the Guiana and Brazilian 



uplands.* 



To what is to be attributed this diflference in the complexion of the two 

 main divisions of the aborigines ? Probably to more than one cause. The con- 

 trasts of climates, of pursuits, of habits, of food, all contribute in various 

 deo-rees to produce contrasts in the colour of the skin. It must be especially 

 borne in mind that the natives of the western slopes of the Andes live under a 

 dry climate, or at least one far less moist than that of the eastern regions, 

 that they are for the most part agriculturists, and that their diet is chiefly 

 vegetarian. The hunting and fishing tribes of the plains are, on the contrary, 

 far more carnivorous. 



Differences occur in the shape of the skull, and in the stature, although the 

 comparative tables of these discrepancies do not supply sufficient materials for a 

 definite classification of the Indians based on racial characteristics.! While 

 differing in many other respects, all the natives resemble each other in the 

 quality of their hair, which is coarse, black, and lank, in their scanty beard, 

 short chin, small, deep-sunk eyes, powerful jaws, and fine teeth. Physical 

 deformity is extremely rare, which should be attributed to the perfect freedom 

 of movement left to the children, nearly all of whom are allowed to run about 



naked. 



Certain writers of the last century, notably Ulloa, who had, nevertheless, 



* A. d'Orbigny, V Homme Américain. 



t Cephalic index of the South American abori^nes, according to Hyades and Deniker :— 

 Extreme brachycephaly : Patagonians ,..•••• °5 

 Extreme dolichocephaly : Goroados of South Brazil 70 



Stature:— x ci!i. ,n • 



Highest: Patagonians, according to A. d'Orbigny . . (mean) 6 ft. 10 ms. 



Shortest : Galibi, ac.'ording to Deniker (mean) 5 ft. 2 ma. 



