64 
The Minor Tribes 
West Coast size and weight. Both sexes, even 
when running to polysarcia, have delicate limbs 
and extremities, and the features, though negroid, 
are not the negro of the tobacconist’s shop : I no¬ 
ticed several pyramidal and brachycephalic heads, 
contrary to the rule for African man and simiad. 
In the remarkable paper read (1861) by Professor 
Busk before the Ethnological Society, that emi¬ 
nent physiologist proved that the Asiatic apes, 
typified by the ourang-outang, are brachycephalic, 
like the Mongolians amongst whom they live, or 
who live amongst them; whilst the gorillas and 
the African anthropoids are dolichocephalic as the 
negroes. The Gaboon men are often almost black, 
whilst the women range between dark brown and 
cafS au lait . The beard, usually scanty, is some¬ 
times bien fo 7 t 7 r 7 iie, especially amongst the seniors, 
but, whenever I saw a light-coloured and well- 
bearded man, the suspicion of mixed blood inva¬ 
riably obtruded itself. It is said that during the 
last thirty years they have greatly diminished, yet 
their habitat is still that laid down half a century 
ago by Bowdich, and all admit that the population 
of the river has not been materially affected. 
The Mpongwe women have the reputation of 
being the prettiest and the most facile upon the 
West African coast. It is easy to distinguish 
two types. One is large-boned and heavy-limbed, 
hoarse-voice.d, and masculine, like the “ Ibos” of 
