236 



tor there exist tribes, which, appearing distinct 

 among the others, are so much more worthy 

 of fixing our attention. Such are in North 

 America the Chippeways *, visited by Mac- 

 kenzie, and the Yabipaees^, near the Toltec 

 ruins at Moqui, with bushy beards ; in South 

 America, the Patagonians, and the Guaranies. 

 Among these last individuals are found, some 

 of whom have hairs on the breast. When the 

 Chaymas, instead of extracting the little hair 

 they have on the chin, attempt to shave them- 

 selves frequently, their beard grows. I have 

 seen this expedient tried v/ith success by young 

 Indians, who served at mass, and who anxiously 

 wished to resemble the Capuchin Fathers, their 

 missionaries and masters. The greater part of 

 the people, however, have as great an antipathy 

 to the beard, as the Eastern nations hold it in 

 reverence. This antipathy is derived from the 

 same source as the predilection for flat fore- 

 heads, which is seen in so singular a manner 

 in the statues of the Azteck heroes and divi- 

 nities. Nations attach the idea of beauty to 

 every thing, which particularly characterizes 

 their own physical conformation, their natural 

 physiognomy J. Thence it results, that, if Na- 



* Between latitude 60° and 65° north. 



t Humb., Nouv. Esp., T. ii, p. 410. 



J Thus, in their finest statues, the Greeks exaggerated the 



