204 CRANIA BRITANNIOA. [CHAP. VII.
manners, temperate and of economical liabits, and long-lived. The deaths in the group from all
causes present a very low ratio—consumption being the most prominent, " old age" the
next so. Forty men, ranging from the ages of 22 to 70 years, afforded the following averages,
viz. age 45-8 years, stature 5 ft. 10-3 in., weight 177 lbs., circumference of head 22-6 in., which
latter seemed to be above the ordiuary dimension, but was fuUy supported by further observation
*.
Among the people of WALES we have the greatest right to expect to find remnants of the
ancient Britons. Their country has never been so subdued as to interfere with the continuance
of the primitive families. Great and repeated immigration of other races has taken place, stiU
not to such an extent as to eradicate, or materially to modify the bulk of the population.
The Welshman of Pembrokeshire is shorter than the Irish or Cornishman, his average
statm-e not exceeding 5 ft. 6 i in.; and he is less bulky than the EngHshman; with a tendency
to length of body, at the expense of his limbs. His countenance is roundish, or short and
broad, florid, inclining to swarthy; nose rather short; chin broad; haii-frequently brown or
dark, often curly; the "Celtic eye" occm-s; skull of moderate size, mth an inclination to
brachycephaUsm; forehead broad and rather low. The great peculiarity of character of the
Southern Welsh is their- cunning and suspicion. They do not trust so much to their judgment
as to this quality. They are hard-working and satisfied with their lot of toU, not making any
bold efforts to improve their condition. °
These remarks apply to the north and eastern parts of Pembrokeshire; the southern and
western, caUed "Little England below Wales," are inhabited by a taller race; of lighter
complexion, haii-, and eyes, who do not speak Welsh, have a bolder aspect, and do not, like the
true Welsh, cling to what is caUed « evangelical religion," but are satisfied with the more staid
and usual forms of the established chui-ch t- In the south they are of Flemish extraction and
m the west of Danish or Norse J. These two latter divisions of the population approach
more to people of Anglo-Saxon origin in their appearance, dealings, and morals. They are more
open, candid, and reUable. The Irish have also settled in these districts, and have imbued the
ScancUnavian and Flemish races with their- blood, their brogue, and their names §.
ested in his subject, his discourse becomes more of an intonation,
and he gets more animated in voice and manner. After
a longer or shorter continuance of this intermediate stage, by
degrees he raises his words and evinces a more excited action.
This ascending scale proceeds at length to a high chant or
recitative, in which, at times, the preacher's voice is couverted
into a scream, and is frequently responded to by the murmurs
of the congregation. The terminating scene winds up with a
trembling agitation of the speaker's body, a more rapid and
hurried utterance, deep emphasis in the harsh guttural notes,
and an inordinate responsive excitement among the hearers!
See also Knox, "Races of Man, " 1850, p. 327.
t This latter question is discussed in Mr. Ferguson's
"Northmen," p, 9. The names Miiford and Haverford he
regards as compounded of the Norwegian term/errf, an arm
of the sea, not of the Anglo-Saxon/ordj with Mioll, a proper
name, and hafrar. Old Norse, oats.
§ The population of the fishing village of Llangwm,
amounting to between COO and 700, in the Scandinavian di!
vision, is remarkable for having intermarried amongst themselves
for centuries. They may be said to constitute but one
* We are obliged for much of this information to Mr. Jno.
Grenfell Moyle, M.R.C.S.Engl,, St. Mary's. There are many
old Cornish words in the dialect of the islands. Bri, a mountain,
hence Brehar, now Bryhar; cam, a heap of rocks ;
carreg, a rock j guil, a working for tin ; guen, a plain, or down ;
helak, or helik, a willow-tree ; helek, moory or marshy ; leh,
a flat stone ; carn-leh, a group of flat rocks j logon, shaking,
or rocking-stone; men, mix, fat, a head, the first syllable of
many names; morsa, a place near the sea; tre, a dwellingplace,
or town.
+ The primeval blood of these islands is manifested in few
things more decidedly than in the direction taken by the rehgious
impulse implanted in human nature. The prevalence of
the Roman Catholic form of religion among the Irish is doubtless
a predilection of race. The sectarianism of the Cornish
and Welsh is equally conspicuous. And the manner of a
Welsh discourse stamps both preacher and auditory quite
distinctly. The former commences in a calm and dispassionate
tone, which appears almost indifferent, enunciating his introductory
sentences deliberately, in a low voice, with long pauses
between. As he proceeds he becomes gradually more inter-
CHAP. VII.] ETHNOLOGICAL RELATIONS OF THE PRESENT POPULATION. 205
Among 200 persons, men and women, observed in Eongton, Radnor, and Rhayader, the
index of nigrescence amounted to 57-3 per cent. And, among 100 in Aberystwith, to 60". The
proportions of the three colours of eyes were amongst the former 64i-9 light, 9-1 intermediate,
and 26- dark, and amongst the latter 52- light, 14- intermediate, and 84- dark. Still more
remarkably does the prevalence of dark hair among those having light eyes, or the " Celtic eye,"
stand out. It was 26-8 in the towns of Radnorshire, and 21-5 in Aberystwith. As far as our
observations have gone, the people of central Wales are dark. In the frequency of red and of
black hair, and in the combination of dark hair with light eyes, they resemble the Scotch
Highlanders closely *.
The North Welsh are not tall, although taU persons are by no means absent from among
them. A stature of 5 ft. 4 in., probably rather below the average size, has been required for
the militia, yet a great many do not reach it, and consequently have been rejected. A recent
regulation has lowered the standard to 5 ft. in cases in which the recruits have not arrived at
18 years of age. Although there are robust and sturdy people among them, they cannot be
regarded as a large race. They present two chief types of countenance—the longer and at times
more slender face, not particularly wide across the cheek-bones, and that with heavier features,
which is rounder and has broader cheek-bones. The former appears to be most numerous, and,
like the Irish countenance, is frequently vertically furrowed on the cheeks. The nose varies
with the two types of face, being long and straight, often sinuous in the outline, and at times
slender, in the one, and robust, wide, especially at the tip, and occasionally having an inverted
cui-ve of outline in the other. It is often large and set on in such a way as to be very prominent
in the middle and point, without being aquiline, which is not a common feature. Occasionally
it descends from a depression between the eyes, whilst at other times it is elevated at
this spot. The mouth is frequently heavy, with thick and also prominent lips, especially in those
with depressed noses. Red hair is occasional, but it is of a rather dull colour ; light and brown
hair are not uncommon, sometimes with blue eyes ; but dark and black-haired people are very
numerous. Long dark eyebrows and eyelashes are not uncommon, any more than the rich
blue eye with dark hair. All " Celtic " peculiarities probably prevail as much among the North
Welsh as any other people of the British isles. The index of nigrescence is very high; we
believe it approaches to 70-t. In some persons the head is large, but it is not handsome in form.
The forehead frequently slopes away a good deal, and there is at times an elevated spot behind
the middle of the parietals. The outline of the head varies much, and upon the whole there
appears to be a great resemblance to the diflPerent forms seen in the crania of the ancient
Britons, except in the less frequency of brachycephalism.
To paint the character of the sly, insincere, deceptive and cunning Welshman, i. e. those
unfavourable features which may be considered to distinguish him from his fellow subject of
England, would take up much space. He is a man especially to be addressed through the
feelings rather than the understanding. Hence his peculiar religious proclivities. He does not
admii-e the more sober ritual of the episcopal church, but joins some sect in which there is
greater freedom for excitement in worship.
family. They are a peculiarly active people, almost dwelling on
the sea; strong and healthy, mental disease being rare among
them ; they endure great fatigue ; although uneducated, they
are moral and cheerful. They marry early and have large families.
The women transact all mercantile business, and have
the reputation of fair dealing.
Much of the information respecting Pembrokeshire is
derived from the communications of Mr. Jas. David Brown,
M.R.C.S.Engl., Haverfordwest.
* Dr. Beddoe.
t Observed by our own eyes, it is not to be relied upou with
the same confidence as if it had been estimated by Dr. Beddoe.
2 E