25C» N a; R R A T I V E O F A N 



CHAP. Haves are brought to this market, and of the man- 

 _ _ '_f ner in which they are treated — But I feel that I have- 

 not been fufficiently full upon this fubje(?t ; and I 

 am the more difpofed to bring forward all the infor- 

 mation that I have gained concerning the negroes, be- 

 caufe I flatter myfelf that I fhall be able to bring fome' 

 truths to light, that have hitherto been -unobferved or im- 

 perfe<51:ly related, at leaft to the generality of Europeans. 



In the firfl: place, as to the complexion of a negro^ 

 this, as 1 have obferved before, is I am perfuaded en- 

 tirely owing to the burning climate in which he lives^ 

 and an atmofphere ftill more heated by the fandy defartSj, 

 over which the trade winds pafs before they reach the 

 habitable parts. The Indians of America, on the contrary,, 

 who indeed live under the fame degree of latitude, have 

 this wind refreihed by the Atlantic Ocean, and are cop- 

 per-coloured ; and the inhabitants of Abyffinia, who re- 

 ceive it cooled by the Arabian and the Indian Seas^ are 

 entirely olive. Thus north of the great River Senegal the 

 complexion changes from black to brown amongft the 

 Moors, as it does toward the fouth amongft the CafFrarians^ 

 and the Hottentots ; and I am of opinion, that the woolly 

 texture of their hair is an efFe6l proceeding from the 

 fame caufe. The epidermis or cuticle of the negroes I 

 have feen diffedted more than once ; it is clear and tranf- 

 parent, but between this and the real fkin lies a thin fol- 

 licle, which is perfectly black, which being removed by 

 fevere flagellation, or by fcalding, expofes a complexion 

 not inferior to that of an European. 



1^ On 



