May 10, 1858.] BARTH ON SOCIETY IN NORTHERN CENTRAL AFRICA. 219 
pointed out. Most decided preference is given, on many accounts, 
to the Niger route over that of the tedious desert caravans. 
The religions of North Africa, and the spread of Islamism (origi- 
nally introduced into Negroland by the Berber race), are, lastly, 
considered. 
Dr. Worthington, f.r.g.s. — I should be glad to be informed by Dr. 
Barth whether he realised as matter of fact an important point often stated, 
that the complexion of the black natives materially alters in mountainous 
countries ? And further whether he has any idea as to the general character 
of the black complexion, and whether when the natives pass from the inter- 
tropical regions their complexion varies on sojourn correspondently with that 
of the country into which they move ? 
Dr. Barth, f.r.g.s. — In some respects I think the level and character of the 
country have really some influence upon the colour of its inhabitants. We find 
the Jolof settled in the delta of the Senegal and the Gambia, and they are the 
blackest race of Western Central Africa. We find the Kanuri , the very 
blackest race of those regions, settled round the Chad. The Jolof and the 
Fulbe or Fulas are the same race. The Fulas, who in general are the inha- 
bitants of more elevated regions than the Jolof, are not so dark as the latter : 
they are besides also far more slender than the Jolof. That certainly may be 
due to an intermixture with the Sissilbe and other tribes. But with regard to 
Africa, it is very remarkable that tribes settled in low lands have generally a 
darker complexion than those settled in high lands. Yet as we find this in- 
termixture of blacker and lighter complexion among tribes settled in the same 
country, I think it is not quite certain that such a difference of colour is in 
some measure due to the level or any other influence of the region which they 
inhabit or have inhabited at a former period. In some respects it may be so. 
In that great amalgamation of various tribes in North Central Africa it is very 
difficult to say what may have been the original colour of each tribe. 
However, we find the black-coloured Negro tribe already distinctly represented 
as the type of a separate race of mankind on the monuments of Egypt. 
Dr. Worthington. — I am glad of this explanation, because it shows that 
colour in a great measure arises from climate. Of course we have varieties. 
We know perfectly well that the Siah Poosh are white, though amongst dark 
Hindoos. The Dendos are perfectly white, although amongst the black inha- 
bitants of Congo. We have black Jews in Hindostan and in Cochin China, 
and we have these varieties of the human complexion constantly arising. It 
would, therefore, seem that complexion is almost an accident dependent on 
local circumstances — an accident of the position in which a man is placed, and 
not the result of a colouring membrane only, as it was commonly supposed to be. 
Mr. Crawfurd, f.r.g.s. — I differ totally from the gentleman who has 
spoken, and also from Dr. Barth. I will give you a few examples. African 
negroes have been settled in various parts of America up to the 30th and 
35th degree, even to the 40th degree of latitude, and they are of the same colour, 
have the same form of features, and are the same people that they were when 
they were brought from Congo and other countries near the Equator. The native 
Americans, from Tierra del Fuego up to Hudson Bay, are all red ; there is no 
difference in their complexion. Climate, therefore, elevation or lowness of 
soil, the level of the Equator or the table land of the Andes, have made no 
difference in their complexion. I will mention another fact. The Chinese 
are a yellow coloured people. They are the same complexion at Canton in 
22° of latitude that they are at Pekin in the 40th degree of latitude. Whether 
the land be mountainous or whether it be on the level of the sea, it matters not • 
the complexion is not altered, nor is the physical form in any degree whatever. 
