46 THE PIGMIES. 



much further from Europe than was supposed in olden times ; more- 

 over, these Pigmies appear to us now as forming isolated agglomer- 

 ations far apart from each other. Lastly, in one of these homes 

 at least, we are able to witness at present the decline of the race 

 and its fusion with a neighbouring element, which is constantly 

 increasing in strength and number. 



All these facts recall vividly the past, and the present fate of the 

 Negritos must naturally be relegated to the same causes. They 

 show us that, in days gone by, the Negrillos were more numerous 

 and formed more compact and continuous communities, and that 

 they must have been driven back and broken up by superior races. 

 Their historjr, if better known, would most certainly bear a great 

 resemblance to that of their Eastern brethren. 



What we know of the latter induces to believe that, in the lands 

 where they are still to be found, these Negritos have preceded the 

 races by whom they have subsequently been oppressed, dispersed 

 and almost annihilated. With regard to Negrillos, similar facts 

 must carry with them the same conclusions. We are thus brought 

 to accept as most probable that these small and brachy cephalic- 

 Negroes originally occupied at least a great part of Africa 

 previous to the full-blooded Negroes characterized by dolieoeepha- 

 lism and a larger stature. The latter correspond with the Papua*, 

 while the Negrillos are the Negritos of Africa. 



This comparison does not arise simply from a superficial inspec- 

 tion of the African and Indo-Melanesian Negroes ; it is also 

 justified by the detailed study of skulls which renders evident 

 the striking connection existing between the two great anthropo- 

 logical formations which represent the Negro type at both extre- 

 mities of our continent. ( 1 ) 



How could such a narrow resemblance have occurred between 

 populations which are separated by so vast a space and by such 



(i) Crania Eth) 



