VARIETIES OF THE HUMAN SPECIES. 
13.1 
hands and the soles of the feet ; the forehead depressed ; the hairAvoolly 
and curly, forming a true cap on the top of the head, and leaving the in- 
ferior margin almost regular; tlie eyes large and prominent; the sclerotica 
tinged with yellow ; the nose flattened ; the cheek-bones projecting ; the 
lips very thick and protruding forward ; the chin depressed ; the ears long 
and directed laterally; the occiput thrown far behind. The shoulder- 
blades are longer and more pointed than those of any of the Caucasian 
races ; the anterior limbs are singularly elongated ; the lower limbs aie thin, 
the thighs flattened, especially in the internal parts ; the calf of the leg 
IS very small, and placed at a short distance from the cavity at the back of 
the knee, the heel projects far behind, and the sole is excessively flattened. 
It has been shown by 1\I. Soemmering, that the bruin of the Ethiopian 
IS comptiratively more confined than ours, the cranium being always 
smaller in proportion as the face projects forward ; while, on the other 
hand, the nerves which issue from it are larger. The colour of his blood 
IS evidently deo[ier, as well as that of the muscles, the bile, and generally 
of all the humours of his body. Ills perspiration is also more annnonincal, 
and taints linen with a very disagree;ihle odour. The breasts of the le- 
ttudes hang very low, and from the earliest marriageable age assume a long, 
pendant, and pear-like form, which permits them to suckle their infants 
Over the shoulder. “ Elies out aussi le vagin en tout temps large et 
propottionne au membre viril du male, souvent enonne, mais d-peu-pres 
incapable d'une erection complete. La grande facilite avec laquelle 
coti.seqiiemment les Negresses accouebent des I'age tie onze a donze ans 
ou elles sont definitivement reglees, degenere en inconvenient, et nnlles 
femmes ne sont plus sujettes il I’avortement. Dans le foetus, la tete n'est 
pas aussi grosse proportionnellement qii’ello Test dans les autres cspeces ; 
aiissi la fbntanelle du nouveau-iie est tres peu considerable et presque 
ierinee dfcs la naissauce, les os du cr.ane lie dev.ant pas jouer les uns vers 
les autres, quaiid il est question de la delivraiice.’’ 
Every thing in the constitution of the proper Negro denotes an ap- 
proximation towards the animal, where the mere physical impressions 
predominate over, and often almo.st extinguish, the moral or intellectual. 
Jlis sight is piercing, bis sense of smelling extremely subtile, and bis 
hearing very sensitive to musical impressions. The Ethiopian is sensual 
"I his tastes, gluttonous, and excessively amorous. livery other variety 
of the human species is excelled by his race in agility, dexterity, and 
indeed in all those imitative qualities which more or less depend upon the 
•'itiimal frame. He is an adept in dancing and swimming, hut seldom 
rides. He performs the most striking feats of addre.ss, climbs, and leaps 
"'ith an agility surpassed only by the Apes. While dancing, the Negro 
•Imitates every part of the body, and seems indefatigable. He can dis- 
biiguish a remote object, which the gaze of a European could only reach 
by the aid of a telescope; and can detect the presence of a serpent, or 
hunt an animal by the scent. The slightest noise does not escape his 
oars; and the fugitive Negro .slave frequently evades the pursuit of his 
|ria,ster through the superior delicacy of his organs of sense. His touch 
’s Surprisingly acute ; but being thus keenly attentive to the impressions 
uf mete sense, his reflecting powers are but little exercised. The dread 
"f the most cruel punishments, and even of death itself, does not pre- 
'’oiit the Ethiopian from abandoning himself to the passion of the mo- 
iiieiit; and even when writhing under the lash of the overseer, the sound 
'if the tam-tam, or some other execrable music, will inspire him with for- 
^ihide, or bind up the feelings of the past in forgetfulness. The niono- 
loiious notes of some dull chant, picked up by cimnee, are sufiicioiit to 
Support him under the most violent fatigues. A moment of pleasure 
m Sufficient to obliterate the remembrance of a year of pain. Ever de- 
''uted to theafl'ections and feelings of the moment, the past and the future 
‘^I'o nothing in his eyes; his griefs are fugitive, and as he follows the sug- 
Sustions of sense rather than the dictates of reason, he is extreme in 
ull things, — like a lamb when oppressed. — like a tiger when power is placed 
ui his own hands. In a moment of vengeance, he docs not hesitate to 
JUas.sacre one of his wives, or dash hi.s infants upon the earth. Nothing 
I® more terrible than his despair, or more sublime than the devotedness of 
IIS attachments.* 
The genuine Negroes arc subject to certain disorders, such as the yaws, 
"'hich they do not communicate to the other varieties. The small-pox 
Very dangerous in them, and commonly appears before the age of 
uurteen ; but after that period, we are assured that the Negroes are com- 
paratively free from it. Though exceedingly muscular, the prevalent tem- 
Paranient is Ivmpl-.atic ; the pulse appears to be more accelerated than 
'"’>'>ng tlio White races.® 
Whatever opinion may he adopted regarding the cause of the intellectual 
and social inferiority which the Ethiopians exhibit, when contrasted with 
the Caucasian races, or even with several of the Mongolians ; whether 
we consider it as proceeding from their original constitution, or from the 
uncultivated state in which their faculties have always been suffered to 
remain, — the fact cannot he denied. In genenil, the Ethiopian is lazy, 
witliput tlie least foresiglif, deriving no knowledge from the experience 
of the past, w ith few wants hut such as Nature can readily satisfy in a 
tropical climate ; and thus he vegetates in a condition wliich cannot be 
termed absolutely savage, altlioiigh witlioiit tire smallest pretensions to 
be accounted as a genuine civilization. 
The true Negroes are generally divided into petty tribes or small nations, 
despotically governed by cliiefs of the most sanguinary dis[)ositions, nearly 
always at war with eacli other, for the purpose of making prisoners, to 
satisfy tire avidity of tlie execrable slave dealer. Some of tliese tribes, 
according to tlieir geograplncal position, live on fish ; oiliers devote them- 
selves to trade ; and otlicr.s, again, cultivate some kinds of pulse or grain, 
or lead tlie nomadic life of shepherds. Without any established form 
of religious belief, tliey attribute supernatural powers to any remarkaliie 
object wliich strikes their attention. Some adore a Serpent, or anv 
otlier animal, some a Baobab, or any large tree, according to the pecu- 
liar fovni of Fetishism, whicli happens to be countenanced in tlie locality.® 
Polygamy, in tlie widest sense of tlie word, seems to be practised 
througliout the entire races; and seldom do sentiments either of modesty 
or liumanity penetrate into their savage breasts. Blood flows tinliceded, 
and the most inhuman torments and mutilations are inflicted on their van- 
quislied enemies ; sucli as tearing oft’ the lower jaw, or some of the limbs, 
as a tropliy. Wliole tribes wander entirely naked, armed with hows and 
arrows, or wooden javelins pointed witli iron ; and it is only in tlie Euro- 
pean colonies that tliey consent to wear the langouii, or liliie girdle. 
Some of the tribes, wlio liave become more civilized or degraded by their 
commerce witli Epropeaiis, adopt the cotton cloths or stuffs of foreign 
nianufactme. Tlie beautiful natural productions ol' tlie vast and almost 
unknown continent of Africa are cxclianged for ardent spirits, giinpovr- 
der, iron, or trinkets. “Les Etliioiiienncs passent pour ties Inscives ou 
[ilutot dies paraissent ignorer qu'on jmisse icpousser les solicitations d’liii 
lionime, siirtout lorsqii'il est blunc. Cependant il est qiielques nations 
Ntigres ou une soite d’etat social ordonne la fidelith des fernmes envers les 
niaris, et oti I'on piiiiit I’adultere, en enterrant tout vifs les deux coupahlcs.” 
The Negroes do not appear to he equally long-lived witli tlie individu- 
als lieloiiging to tlie otlier races of mankind ; they become decrejiid at 
sixty years of age, even when tliey enjoy, in a free country, the utmost 
extent of tliat domestic liheity wliiclt tliey seem to he cupolile of enjoy- 
ing. Their woolly liair is observed to become grey sooner than among 
tile Wliitc races. 
Before tlie avarice of Europeans liad transported tlie Ethiopian races 
to tile New' World, Africa was tlieir exclusive abode ; licre they con- 
tinue to occupy a vast tract of coast, extending along the Gulf of Guinea, 
from tile river Senegal, and the lOtli or I7th degree of north latitude, as 
far sontli as tlie p.arallel of Saint Helena, that is to say, to about tlie 16tli 
or l/tli degree of sontli latitude. Tlie Ethiopian races scarcely ap- 
pear beyond the Tropics, but probably extend fai into tlie interior of tlie 
continent. They arc lately to he met with on tlie eastcni coast, wliicli 
is iiilialiited by races of Men differing from tliem in many respects. To- 
wards tlie w'cst, wc find tlie Fonlalis, on tlie hanks of tlie River Gambia, 
already' slightly mingled with the Moors ; tlie Gliiolofs or Yalofs, a verv 
black, tall, and robust race ; tlie Sonsous of Sierra Leone ; tlie Mandiiigs of 
tlie Grain Coast ; the Asliantees of tlie Gold Coast, wliose warlike and 
dangerous diameter is mucli celebrated ; tlie Negroes of tlie Coast of Ardia 
and Benin, wlicro tlie greater niimher of slaves are at present piocurod ; 
tlie inbahitants of tlie Coast of Gabon, wliicli are sliunned liy Europeans ; 
and tlie nations of Lnango, Congo, Angola, and Bengiiela, more or less 
civilized from tlieir intercourse witli tlie Portuguese for several centuries. 
V. HOMO CAFFIIARIUS.— CAFFRES. 
Si/n- 11. Cafkii Bory, Ess. Zool. II. &G. 
(^AFiiK. — Less. Mam. 27. 
Kaffkrn. — L iclitenst.F Reise. 11. 
Emio- Afuicaine. — Desmoul. 'I'ah. 
/con. Piiron, Voy.S pi. il. (A native of the Mosamliiquc Coast.) 
Tlie term Caflre, or Injidcl, originally applied by t!ie Mussulmans to 
designate all Negroes who refused to submit to tlie rite ol circiimcisinn. 
' 'rey. Hist. Nat. ilu G. Hum. tome II. 
•iury. Ess. Zool. I f. p. 33. 
•louriial of ail Expedition to oxplorwtlio Course ami Termination of tlie Niger. By Rieharil and John Lander. London, 1832. — Also Annales des Voyages, passim. 
Liciitknst. Rkisx Ri-ise nach dem slidliidien Afrika von IL Lichtenstein. Berlin, 1811. 
® 1'kron, Voy. — Voyage de deconvertes aux Terres Australes, fait pas ordre dn gouverneinent sur les Corvettes le Gcographe, le Naturaliste, et la Goelette le Casuarina, 
■adant les amices 1800 d 1804. Uodigo par Fran 9 oi 3 Peion, et continue par M. Louis do Freycinet. — .Atlas par ,MM.' Lesueur et Petit. Paris, 1824. 
