[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]

SANTO—PYGMIES I 6 7

some calves. Their feet are short and broad, especially
in front, but the great toe does not stand off from the
others noticeably. Thus the pygmy has none of the
proportions of a child, and shows no signs of de-
generation, but is of harmonious build, only smaller
than other Melanesians.

The shade of the skin varies a good deal from
a dull purple, brownish—black, to coffee colour; but
the majority of individuals are light, and the dark ones
probably inherited their shade from the tall race.

Deformations of the body are not practised, save
for an occasional perforation of the lobes of the ear.
I never saw a perforation of the septum, nor women
with incisors extracted.

It seems as if the small race were better preserved
here in Santo than the tall one. The diseases which
destroy the other tribes are less frequent here, there
are more children and a good number of women.
All this may be due to a great extent to their living
inland and not coming into touch with the unfavour-
able sides of civilization as the coast tribes do, but
even more to the hardy outdoor life in the mountains.
In their country one cannot walk three steps on a
level, and the whole population is expert in climbing,
very sure-footed, thinking nothing of jumping with a
heavy load from one r0ck to another, or racing at full

speed down the steep and uneven slopes.
In character, too, they differ from the tribes near

the water. They seem less malicious and more con-
fiding, and show less of the distrust and shy reserve
of the average Melanesian. They will laugh and