Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-10-09
MISCELLANEOUS.
MEN WITH TAILS.

MEN WITH TAILS.
From the Paris Correspondent of the Jour. of Commerce.
In former letter, mentioned 10 you that COL
Ducouro, who had already penetrated far in Al
Fica was about 10 sci out On new and extensive
exploration of five years, under The special aus
pieces OF the French Government, and al the charge
OF the treasury. The Minister OF Public nslruc-
ton asked OF the Academy OF Sciences some in
slrnciions for him, which was read al the sitting
Of The Goth inst. Al The same time The Colonel
addressed 10 the Academy notice OF the race OF
the Ghanes inhabi,ins The interior OF Africa,
and renowned among the neighboring Tribes as
eoudated or having tails. The matter is SO curl
Gus that have caused 10 be translated for you
what has been published about H. by one OF The
scientific reporters. Lord Monboddo will mol
have erred so much in his primitive stock.
Fa,em the Scientific Report
There exists race oil men, who, according to
the report OF certain travellers, are originally Of
the kingdom OF Gondar, or VI others, who say
they inhabit SoUdan in The South, whose Zooogi-
cal characteristics are remarkable. They have
q tail-ise appencage, formed by The elongaiion
OF the verbal column, and they are the last
link in the human race. The slave merchants
cannot dispose of them without great difficulty /;
so bad is their reputation. The traits which DIS
tinguish them are hideous usliness OF face AID
figure, ungovernable temper, and sto!id intellect
Some OF this race are 10 be found, Also in The
PHILIPPINE Islands, tut they were, doubtless, car
ried hi her by The slave merchants. However
this may be, when a Leyantine is looking out Tor
slaves in the East he is always warned moi 10
purchase one who has tail; he is loid-"Ot all
slaves, this is The leas, profitable" This race Of
men is very tar behind that OF which Fourier
dreamed, aud which was, some day, TO become
lhe type OF manly beauty, morally and physically
ln Mr. in tha
year 1912, saw An individual, oil the species We
have just mentioned, and belonging, he was told
10 The breed OF Ghilanes in the South Though
IL be not the first lime that we have heard The
race OF men spoken Of, who are furnished with
tails, nevertheless the lact is not Sufficiently COM
mon TO take away lis interest. We will, there
tore, enter somewhat 10 detail upon this strange
organic manifestation. IL Inhabited Mecca in
1872" says NJ. Du Couiei, "and being often a,
the house of an Emir with whom was intimate,
spoke 10 him OF the Ghane race, and told him
how much the Europeans doubled OF The exis.
tence OF men with tails, that is 10 say The yer.
,ebral column elongated externally. 10 order TO
convince me Of the reality Of The species, The
Emir ordered before me one OF his slaves called
BsUal, who was about thirty years DID, lpao had
q tail, AID who belonged 10 this tribe. On sur
veying this man, was thoroughly convinced
He spoke Arabic we'll, and appeared rather in-
teliigenl. He told me that in his country, far bc.
yond the Seminar, which he lad crossed, they
spoke different language; this, Tor want OF prac
lice he had entirely forgotten; that OF his com.
patriots, whom he estimated al 10000 or Ill, GOO;
some worsnipped The sun, the moon, or stars,
others The serpent and the sources o; an immense
river, in which they inundated their victims
lprobably the mouth OF The Nile;) that they ale
with delight raw hesh as bloody as possible, and
that they loved human flesh above III things that
after their battles with the neighboing Tribes they
slaughtered and devoured their prisoners
without distinction of age or sex; but thai
the women and children were preferable, the
aesh being more delicate. This Ghiane had be-
come devout MuSsulmaD, and had lived Is
years in the Holy CITY The fundness, the me-
cessity even, for raw flesh (it really was want
for him) did mol tail 10 return upon him; aud his
master, therefore, by precaulion, never failed
when this fl was on him, TO provide him with
an enormous piece OF raw mutton which he con.
snmed ravenously before everybody present.
This eager desire for raw flesh showed itself pc
riodlcaIly, sometimes twice week. Being ask.
ed why h. did not Try 10 correct such a habit, he
answered with great frankncss. Il have often tried
10 overcome this appetite, which received from
my father and III Ither. In my country, great and
small, young and old, live 10 Ibis manner be.
side eating fish, fruits and vegetables II my
master neglected 10 supply This requirement OF
my nature, am sure conls not resist he desire
which possesses me Ut de2Ouring something and
should cause great sorrow by falling on some
person too weak 10 contend with me, an infan,,
for example, Having asked him 10 allow mt
TO see him naked Tor wished 10 sketch him.
he resisted for long time, bu, finally yielded, On
receiving The promise OF an entirely new dress
which was 10 send him. he came privately 10
my house. where he took eff the scanly shirl Of
coarse blue linen which he wore. | was thus
enabled 10 contemplate him q,ite at my ease
and paint his portrait Wtaout exposing him TO
The punishment which would have been inflicted
on him, If be had been detected by his fanalical
and superstitious master. The drawing made
under thess circumstances has been placed under
the eyes Of The Academy"
Here are some extracts FROM tho description
given BY NJ. Du Couret, of the Ghilanes; "The
Ghilanes are peculiar race OF negro, which
have strong resemblance TO the monkey; much
smcler than the usual race-,hey are rarely
more than five feet high They are commonly
i'll made; their bodies are lean and seem weak;
their arms long and slim; their hands and fee,
are longer and hatter than those Of any other OF
the human species; their cheeks project, and
their forehead i, low and receding; their ears
are long and deformed; their eyes are small
black, piercing, ard twinkle constantly; their
noses are large and Dat; their mouth wide, and
FURNISHED With teeth very sharp, strong, and Of
dazzling whileness; their lips are full and thick;
their hair curled. but not very wooly, not thick,
and II remains short. But what particularly
distinguishes them is the prolongation of The
vertebral column. This gives 10 each iudiyi
dual, male or female, tail of two or three
inches long"
Finally, here is the portrait of Bellal, the
name Of the parsonage the author encountered
at Mecca:
HE was Thin and dry, bn, nervous and strong
His skin was bleck.brozsd shining, soft 10 The
touch like velvet His iee were long and fat
his arms and legs appeared feeble, but well sup
piled with muscles. His ribs could easily be
counted. His face was repulsiyely ugly. His
mouth was enormous, his lips thick, his teeth
strong, sharp and very white: his nose broad and
IA; his ears long and deiormed; his forehead
low and very recedine; his hair not very woolly
nor thick, but nevertheless curly. He had no
beard, aud his body was not hairy. He was
very active aud hardy. His height was about five
ieet. His tail was more THAN THREE INCHES
LONG and almcs as flexible as that cfa monkey
bis disposition, setting aside the oddi,y OF his
Eases and habits, was good, and his fidelity was
above all praise"
l. UIsvIrLE. Oct 3.