SOUTHERN AFRICA. 279 
on examination to be an elongation of the nymphx, or interior 
labia, more or lefs extended according to the age or habit of the 
perfon. In infancy it is juft apparent, and in general may be 
faid to increafe in length with age. The longeft that was mea- 
fured fomewhat exceeded five inches, which was in a fubjedt of 
a middle age. Many were faid to have them much longer. 
Thefe protruded nymphae, collapfed and pendent, appear at 
firft view to belong to the other fex. Their color is that of 
livid blue, inclining to a reddifh tint, not unlike the excrefcence 
on the beak of a turkey, which indeed may ferve to convey a 
tolerable good idea of the whole appearance both as to color, 
fliape, and fize. The interior lips or nymphse in European 
fubjedts which are corrugated or plaited, lofe entirely that part 
of their character when brought out in the Hottentot, and be- 
come perfe£tly fraootli. Though in the latter fl-ate they may 
polTefs none of thofe ftimulating qualities for which fome ana- 
tomifts have fuppofed Nature to have formed them, they have 
at leaft the advantage of ferving as a protedion againft violence 
from the other fex, it feeming next to impofTible for a man to 
cohabit with one of thefe wom.en without her confent, or even 
alTiftance. 
Nature feems to have ftudied how to make this pigmy race 
difgufting ; though a certain French traveller has thought fit 
to exculpate Nature on this point, by aHerting the above-men- 
tioned conformation to be entirely the effedt of art. The tefti- 
mony of the people themfelves, who have no other idea but 
that the whole human race is fo formed, is fufficient to contra- 
dict fuch a fuppofition ; but many other proofs might be 
adduced 
