SECT. I.] CLIMATE. 49 



asserts that in Peru, mountaineers possess a lighter colour than 

 the lowlanders; whilst Tschudi says, the colder the climate 

 the darker the colour. In Puna dark red-brown ; in Sierra 

 considerably lighter, nearly of a rusty red ; darker on the 

 coast, and straw-yellow in the forests* 



The example of the native Peruvians, who are dark brown 

 in the Andes, though they have but two rainy months in the 

 year, has induced D'Orbigny to declare a hot and moist climate, 

 provided the country affords sufficient shade, as favourable to 

 whiteness of skin \ and he cites, as a proof, the light-corn- 

 plexioned Yuracares (Antisana) compared with the Quichuas 

 and Aymaras. Thus Dobrizhofier 1 saw in the forests of 

 Paraguay, Indians of European white colour, whilst the Paya- 

 guas, who live almost entirely upon the water and are much 

 exposed to the weather, are darker at least than the 

 Guaranis. 2 Gumilla 3 has made the same observation, which 

 is confirmed by Humboldt and Bonpland. 4 To these may be 

 added Eschwege, 5 who says that the lower classes of Portugal 

 and Spain, especially the fishermen, who are much exposed to 

 the weather, possessed the same colour as the Indians of Minas 

 Geraes, which is deepened in the latter by their uncleanliness. 

 Hence A. de St. Hilaire 6 declares that the colour of the Brazil 

 Indians is merely the result of the climate and their uncleanli- 

 ness. Hombron again states, that the mountaineers of New 

 Guinea and the Philippines, although living in damp, thick 

 forests, are not less black than the New Hollanders ; but he 

 also observes, that the blackest negroes somewhat lose their 

 black colour after a few years' residence in warm and damp 

 colonies. That heat and moisture alone do not produce a 

 yellowish brown skin, is shown by several Polar nations, and 

 the majority of North American Indians, among whom again 

 the natives of the greater part of the north-west Coast exhibit 

 a remarkable exception in their white skin. 



1 " Geschichte der Abiponer," ii, p. 18, 1783. 



2 Demersay, "Bulletin Soc. Geogr.," i, p. 17, 1854. 



'* Hist. nat. civ. et g. de 1'Orenoque," i, p. 2, 1758. 



4 " Reise," iv, p. 495. 



5 " Journal v. Brasil," i, p. 85, 1818. 



6 " Voy. dans I'mterieur du Bresil," i, p. 426, 1830. 



