or particles, in the skin of the African, they are less capable of enduring the cold than a white man, whose skin is not thus formed. In cold countries, the negro trembles and withers in the blast, while the white man rejoices in the tempest and the snow; but in the hot regions, the former stretches forth his limbs, his eyes sparkle, and his whole person becomes alive with activity and force, while the latter is enfeebled, flies to some shade, and faints from the effect of the heat.
The great thickness of the skull of the African seems to be a matter of exultation to the race, as in this way they are furnished with a powerful weapon, both of attack and defense, as one blow of this dreadful bone against the head or body of a white man, or of themselves, is found to be decisive, and sometimes even fatal. Instances are known among this people who, to show their power in this way, have actually driven their heads through a common board fence, when the splinters, closing round the neck, held them fast, where they must have died, had they not been cut out by some friendly hand.
The great thickness and hardness of the heads of this people — the African race — is, in another respect, a singular providence in their favor, as a defense against the blows of angry masters, in a state of servitude — it being almost impossible to break their skulls even with a club.
There is still another particular in which they are favored by the Divine goodness, and this is, not being as subject to some diseases — such as the yellow fever, fever and ague, and bilious complaints — as are white men, and in also being generally longer lived.
