SOUTHERN AFRICA. 279 
on examination to be an elongation of the nymphae, 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 fubje£l of 
a middle age. Many were faid to have them much longer. 
Thefe protruded nymphse, collapfed and pendent, appear at 
firft view to belong to the other fex. Their color is that of 
livid blue, inclining 10 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, 
fhape, and fize. The interior lips or nymphse in European 
fubjedls which are corrugated or plaited, lofe entirely that part 
of their character when brought out in the Hottentot, and be- 
come perfedly fmooth. Though in the latter f|-ate they may 
pofTefs 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 protection againft violence 
from the other fex, it feeming next to impoffible for a man to 
cohabit with one of thefe women 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 aflerting the above-men- 
tioned conformation to be entirely the effed 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- 
did: fuch a fuppofition ; but many other proofs might be 
adduced 
