those more favorably known at Màreb and Zhaffàr as speakers of
Ehktli.349 “ For the facies, these Akhdàm differ much from the Arab,
who dwells alongside of them; possessing, on the contrary, the
strongest resemblance to the Abyssinians and the people of the
Samhar [littoral Abyssinians on the Red Sea] ; who, according to M,
Lefèvre [Voy. en Abyss.), ‘present the greatest analogy with the
Hindostanic race.’ ” These Akhdàm are pariahs, reputed “unclean”
by the Arabs, who despise their four castes with inveteracy. The
color of their skin is reddish, like the Himyarites (from dhmar, red),
and their congeners the Habesh; being entirely different to the
lighter complexions of their lords, the Semitic Arabs—although
both types have, from immemorial time, resided in the same climate.
But, amid illustrations that spring up on every side to fortify my
argument of aboriginal populations, I must refrain from further
notice of more than one or two.
M. D’Avezac, and other ethnologues who have studied G-uanche
traditions and Portuguese accounts of the conquest of the Canary
Isles, prove satisfactorily that, despite such furious massacres, the
women were saved in large numbers by the invaders. The result
was naturally an amalgamation, between the female Guanehes and the
Portuguese settlers, that still underlies the present population,350—
into which, importations from Africa have since, copiously infiltrated
Higritian blood of many varieties.- How, the same combination of
circumstances occurred in Cuba.351
Discovered by Columbus, on the 18th October, 1492, this Island,
according to his Journal, contained a somewhat civilized people,
timid and simple, already possessors of the dog ; who were “ neither
black nor brown, but of the color of Canary-islanders, with women
whiter still.” They lived in great fear of the Caribs, from whom
they differed in almost every characteristic;352 and seem to have been
of the same family as the Ygneris of Haiti, and other isles of .the
840 Types of Mankind, pp. 489-92. The discoverer, my old friend and colleague in Egypt
for many years, M. Fulgence Fresnel, is now no more. Bagdad, last spring, was the tomh
of this enthusiastic orientalist,—in Arabic studies never surpassed.
850 The only specimen of this mixed stock that I have seen, was a so-called mulatto,
exceedingly robust and intelligent, native of the Canaries, by name Narcisso; who, in 1851,
flourished at Bangor, Maine ; as my friend A. P. Bradbury, Esq., of that ilk, may remember.
Narcisso’s red complexion and muscular vigor completely bore out the southern specimens
of Dr. Nott [Types of Mankind, p. 874).
851 B e r t h o l e t , Essai historique sur Vile du Cuba, &c., et “ Analyse de l’ouvrage de Ramon
de la Sagra”—Bulletin de la Société de Géographie, July 1846; pp. 6, 12, 20-26.
852 G o s s e , Déformations artificielles du Crâne, Paris, 8vo, 1 8 5 5 ; pp. 102-5; citing De
N a v a r e t t e [Relations des quatre Voyages entrepris par Christophe Colombe, Paris, 1828), and
F e r d in a n d D e n is [Revue de Paris, LV. supplément). For the Caribs, see D ’Or b ig n y ,
L'Homme Américain—Yoy. dans l’Amérique du Sud, Paris, 4to, 1839.
Antilles, whose traditions dated back to the occupancy of Florida. At
St. Domingo, Columbus was particularly struck with the whiteness
of their skin, as well as with their culture and inoffensive habits (no
weapons); circumstances which strongly contrast them with the red-
dish-olive hue and ferocity of the continental Caribs. Their possession
of the dog, too, before Spanish communications, is an interesting
fact; but I do not know whether its species has been compared with
the enormous mastiff’s (apparently) of the Guanehes,353 whose skeletons
turn up, now and then, among mummied human remains at the
Canaries.
This original population of Cuba, by some writers exaggerated
to a million, and more reasonably estimated by Fray Luis Bertran
at about 200,000, had been reduced to 14,000 by a . d . 1517. Las
Casas, Jose Maria de la Torre, and Valdes, show that there were still
some extant in 1533; but Diego de Soto, in 1538, slaughtered the
remainder so effectually, that, about 1553, Gomara says there was no
longer a native alive. Bertholet, however, considers such complete
extinction over-stated; because, while many of the males were transported
to the South American continent, the women were retained
by the Spaniards. Precisely the same destruction of native Antillian
6fb, in order to make way for a bastard race since bred between
exotic Spaniards and imported negroes—occurred on other islands.
Thus, Priaulx observes, “ Haiti, which, at its discovery, contained
1,000,000 inhabitants,—sixty years after, 15,000,—and in 1729, the
aborigines were extinct.” 354
A curious report to the Spanish court ( Cartas de varones de Sevilla),
made by Fray Diego Sarmiento, Bishop of Cuba, 1550-1, proves the
fact whilst deprecating the reason. —“ The Indians diminish and
disappear without propagating themselves; because the Spaniards
and the metis [already numerous in 58 years] marry the Indian women
; and that -Indian male Who, at this day, could procure one 80
years old, is even very lucky. I believe [continues the charitable
Diocesan] that, in order to preserve and restore the population of
this island, it would be well to bring over some Indian females from
Florida, for the purpose of uniting them with the Indians of this
country.” nevertheless there existed still, in 1701, some descendants
of the old stock at Iguani; and Bertholet, quoting Milne Edwards’s
law that, after several generations, the old blood will occasionally
“ crop out,” shows how this explains many ethnic points of Cuban
855 D ’A v f .z a o . Isles de I’Afrique U s h e r , Types of Mankind, p . 3 4 2 P h i c h a e d , Mai. Hist.
1 8 5 5 ; I , p . 2 7 2 .
854 Qumstianes Mosaicas, p . 2 9 8 , n o t e ,— c i t in g P. M a b g a t a u P. d e i a N e d v i e l e , Letlres
Edifiantes, vol. VII