124 SUPPLEMENTAL HISTORY OF MAN. 



endowed with terrestrial ubiquity. He thrives every- 

 where, and climate is less influential in the production 

 of varieties in his species than in every other. The 

 tendency to variation from diversity of abode is 

 much more conspicuous in the inferior animal cre- 

 ation. This is a characteristic mark of specific dis- 

 tinction too remarkable to be passed over by the 

 natural historian of man. 



The Greenlanders and Esquimaux are found as 

 far as between 70° and 80° north-latitude, and 

 the Danes have formed settlements in Greenland 

 in as high a degree. Dr. Aikin notices the fact of 

 three Russians having lived between six and seven 

 years in Spitzbergen, between 77° and 78° north- 

 latitude. The capacity of the human species to 

 endure cold, has been still further illustrated by the 

 late enterprising voyages to the Arctic Regions. 

 While the mercury has been frozen in the ball of 

 the thermometer, and in the open air, while many 

 of the animals who seem apparently born for these 

 inhospitable climates, proved incapable of enduring 

 the intensity of the cold, the enterprising and phi- 

 losophic travellers, Parry, Franklin, and their com- 

 panions, have lately braved all the rigours of a 

 worse than Siberian winter, and the hardy native 

 disdained to confine himself to his habitation. 



In a temperature where brandy is frozen even in 

 rooms, the Indian of Canada, and the Esquimaux 

 proceed with impunity to the chase ; and even the 

 European, if he keep his blood in circulation by 

 sufficient exercise, can bear without detriment a 



