1.94 
PHYSICAL CHAEACTERISTICS. 
ever, is the spear depressed, and the word “Biibi 
friend,” pronounced in a gentle tone, than the barba- 
rian offers his hand with looks truly expressive of the 
salutation, “I am your friend;” and a further acquaint- 
ance with the native character, their singular laws, and 
social system, removes all prejudice, and raises him 
high in estimation. 
In physical conformation the Edeeyah people are 
for the most part well made and muscular, with an 
average height of five feet six inches, deduced fiom 
actual measurements. The lower extremities are par- 
ticularly powerful and largely developed ; this pro- 
bably gives rise to the appearance as if the body were 
unnaturally long, and the legs from the pelvis down- 
wards shortened; the continual exercise on foot, as 
well as the habit of sitting in their huts with the knees 
drawn up to the chin, must tend to produce this un- 
usual increase. The hands and feet, especially of the 
females, are smaller than in any African race we have 
seen. 
The face of the Edeeyah is more inclined to be 
round, the cheek-bones not so high, the nose less ex- 
panded, the lips thinner, and mouth better formed, 
than in their continental neighbours. The skin, too, 
is not so black, it is rather of an olive or brown shade ; 
the hair is silky rather than woolly ; the countenance 
is open, good natured, agreeable, and the eye expresses 
intelligence. 
How or when they first settled in this island is not 
