THE CAFFRO-AFRICAN FAMILY. 89 



river ; but its inland or northern limit is unknown, but is probably not less than 

 two hundred leagues.* Thus the CafFers are interposed between the Hottentots 

 on the south and the common Negroes on the north. Caffer, though now 

 generally adopted among Europeans as the national designation of these people, is 

 an Arabic word signifying infidel. Their true name appears to be Amakosa. 



They are divided into many tribes, of which the principal are the Amakosa, 

 Amatimba, Amaponda and the Zoulah.f The difference of physical appearances 

 among these tribes is inconsiderable. They are tall, athletic and extremely well 

 proportioned, and possess much natural grace of manner. Their physiognomy is 

 remarkable for its combination of European and Negro character. The head, for 

 example, is large, the forehead full and vaulted, the nose salient and aquiline, and 

 the face a well formed oval: but on the other hand the mouth projects, the lips 

 are large and fleshy, the hair black and more or less woolly, and the skin mostly 

 black, though occasionally a dark brown. The Caffer women are much smaller 

 than the men, seldom exceeding five feet in height, with a sleek, soft skin, and 

 features which are strongly expressive of cheerfulness and content. 



Lichtenstein, who was long among the CafFers, declares that he never saw 

 pne of these people " sneeze, yawn, cough or hawk ;"$ a fact which he found 

 supported by the observations of his fellow travellers and others. This is truly 

 a physiological anomaly. 



If we may judge from the statements of some travellers, the CafFers are as 

 much above the genuine Negro in morals and intelligence as in physical appearance. 

 The tribes resident near the English colony are less cruel and superstitious than 

 some others ; but their appeals to pretended sorcery in punishing crimes and in 

 settling disputes, and the despotic sway of their chiefs, are evidences of a great 

 degree of barbarism. 



It is very remarkable that the CafFers should have nations of genuine Negroes 

 on both sides of them, and yet themselves possess so few Negro characteristics. 

 Among other speculations is that of Mr. Barrow, who believes them to be of 

 Arabic origin. " Their pastoral habits and manners," says he, " their kind and 

 friendly reception to strangers, their tent-shaped houses, the remains of Islamism 

 discoverable in one of its strongest features, the circumcision of male children, 

 universally practised among the CafFer hordes, all denote their affinity to the 

 Bedouin tribes. Their countenance also is Arabic ; the color only difFers, w^hich 



* Wolf. Trans. Roy. Geog. Soc. Ill, p. 200. t Steedman, in same Journal, V, p. 322. 



X Trav. in Africa, T, p. 252. 



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