cording to M. de Humboldt, have the corners of the eyes
directed upwards towards the temples.”
“ The noses of the Indians jn the interior of North America,
are generally prominent end aquiline, with the wings not
more dilated than those of white men. The pug-nose, and
the more common form of the noses of the white Americans,
of a concave outline, are regarded as remote from the standard
of beauty. The lips are more tumid than those of the
white Americans, but very far less so than those of the Negro.
The lower jaw is large and robust; the teeth are very strong,
with broad crowns; the ehin is well formed.”
It appears from this account that the. American tribes here
described differ from the Mongoles, in 'having prominent
noses ; bwfc-other nations of aboriginal Americans, and particularly
several tribes in South America, who will be mentioned
in. the sequel of this work, appear to have as flat faces
as. any of the Asiatics.
The cheek-bones appear to constitute one of the most peculiar
features of the Americans. Blumenbach and M. de
Humboldt have made this remark. “ The cheek-bones,”
says the writer before cited, “ are prominent, but not angular,
like those of the Mongole, and stamp a peculiarity, on the
contour of the face,characteristic o f the American Indian.”*
“ The expression of the countenance is austere; often ferocious.”
This is a remark . repeatedly made by the most observant
travellers. “ The females have broader faces, and a
more lively expression.”
The nasal cavities are large in the American head.. This
* These remarks are confirmed by observations on tire Potowatomis, apd other
aboriginal tribes, by Professor Keating, of the Pennsylvanian University, in the
narrative of a late expedition to the Source of St. Peter’s River. In describing
Metea, a Potowatomi chief, this intelligent writes: says, “ Like most of the Potowatomis
whom we met with, he is characterized by a low, aquiline, and well shaped
nose; his eyes are small, elongated, and black-;- they are not set widely apart; his
forehead is low and receding; the facial angle amounts to about eighty degrees.
His hair is black, and indicates a slight tendency to curl; his cheek-bones are remarkably
high and prominent, even for those of an Indian; they aye not however
angular, but present very distinctly the rounded appearance which distinguishes the
aboriginal American from the Asiatic.”—Keating’s Expedition to the. Source of
St. Peter’s River.
, ---:---- ---------------—-----a,ill,..--^ __ __
ebauge in the course of ages ? There is a skull of this* description
in the museum of * Guy’s Hospital, of which an
count is, given in the descriptive catalogue of the*-collection
by Dr. Hodgkin.? It was found in a tumulus near Niagara^
and; is supposed to have,, belonged ‘ to an individual of an extinct
race. The skulls t>£' the flat-head Indians havb'some-
what of the same form, .but their shape is modified by art.