138 PHYSICAL INVESTIGATION. [PART I 



stances, and combines them with other indications. T 

 possess, observes Leichardt 1 of the Australians, an extraordi- 

 nary local memory ; peculiarly shaped or grouped trees, broker 

 branches, and many other minute marks, seem to be impressec 

 upon them like a photograph, all of which seems to be the result 

 of concentrated attention. Schiel 2 received from a Delaware 

 Indian, descriptions of countries which the latter had not visited 

 for eighteen years, and yet they were found perfectly correct. 

 The European, however, after from three to four years' prac- 

 tice, is also enabled to see twice as far as before, but he rarely 

 acquires the skill in trailing possessed by the natives. 3 

 Kretzschmar 4 observes, that the Dutch boors at the Cape are 

 almost as skilful as the Hottentots in this respect. Many 

 interesting examples of this kind are related of the Bedouin 

 Arabs, who are able to discern objects at a much greater 

 distance than the Europeans. 5 They pursued without err- 

 ing the tracks of men and animals among thousands. The 

 Mongrels performed the same feats as the pure races. The 

 Grauchos in South America possess the same skill in tracking as 

 the pure Indians. 6 A Hottentot Mongrel discovered at a 

 distance of more than 1,000 metres the movement of the 

 head of a gazelle concealed in grass. 7 And McCoy 8 says, that 

 the practised white does not show less aptitude in following 

 the trace of animals or of the enemy than the North American 

 Indians. Much of what Daumar 9 states of the high per- 

 fection of the senses of the Suafes, the inhabitants of the 

 district Suf, is manifestly exaggerated. It can scarcely be 

 doubtful whether we are in such cases to assume an ori- 

 ginally acuter power of perception in uncivilized nations, or 

 an acquired vigour of the senses. Both are perhaps combined, 



1 " Tageb. einer Landreise in Austr.," 1851. 



2 " R. durch d. Felsengeb.," p. 97, 1859. 



3 Hodgson, Eeminisc. of Austr./' p. 249, 1846. 

 " Siidafrikanische Skizzen," p. 327, 1853. 



Bitter, "Erdk.," x, 1099; Riley, " Schiksale u. E. un der Wesk. von 

 Afr.," p. 37, 1818 ; D'Escayrac, " D. Afr. Wiiste u. d. Land d. Schwarzen," 

 p. 287, 1855 ; Werne, " Feldz. nach Taka," p. 122. 



Capt. Head, " Bough Notes," 2nd ed., p. 257. 



Delegorgue, " Voy. dans 1' Afr. Aust.," i, p. 135, 1847. 



" Hist, of Baptist. Ind. missions," p. 344, Washington, 1840. 



" La Sahara Algerien," p. 193, 1845. 



