按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
in might be lowered with block and tackle three stories to the ground。 On January 27； 1887； a Greek； although a Turkish subject； recently died of phthisis in Simferopol。 He was 7 feet 8 inches in height and slept on three beds laid close together。
Giants of History。A number of persons of great height； particularly sovereigns and warriors； are well…known characters of history； viz。； William of Scotland； Edward III； Godefroy of Bouillon； Philip the Long； Fairfax； Moncey； Mortier； Kleber； there are others celebrated in modern times。 Rochester； the favorite of Charles II； Pothier； the jurist； Bank； the English naturalist； Gall； Billat…Savarin； Benjamin Constant； the painter David； Bellart； the geographer Delamarche； and Care； the founder of the Gentleman's Magazine； were all men of extraordinary stature。
Dwarfs。The word 〃dwarf〃 is of Saxon origin （dwerg； dweorg） and corresponds to the 〃pumilio〃 or 〃nanus〃 of the Romans。 The Greeks believed in the pygmy people of Thrace and Pliny speaks of the Spithamiens。 In the 〃Iliad〃 Homer writes of the pygmies and Juvenal also describes them； but the fantasies of these poets have given these creatures such diminutive stature that they have deprived the traditions of credence。 Herodotus relates that in the deserts of Lybia there were people of extreme shortness of stature。 The Bible mentions that no dwarf can officiate at the altar。 Aristotle and Philostratus speak of pygmy people descended from Pygmaeus； son of Dorus。 In the seventeenth century van Helmont supposed that there were pygmies in the Canary Islands； and Abyssinia； Brazil； and Japan in the older times were repeatedly said to contain pygmy races。 Relics of what must have been a pygmy race have been found in the Hebrides； and in this country in Kentucky and Tennessee。
Dr。 Schweinfurth； the distinguished African traveler； confirms the statements of Homer； Herodotus； and Aristotle that there was a race of pygmies near the source of the Nile。 Schweinfurth says that they live south of the country occupied by the Niam…Niam； and that their stature varies from 4 feet to 4 feet 10 inches。 These people are called the Akkas； and wonderful tales are told of their agility and cunning； characteristics that seem to compensate for their small stature。
In 1860 Paul DuChaillu speaks of the existence of an African people called the Obongos； inhabiting the country of the Ashangos； a little to the south of the equator； who were about 1。4 meters in height。 There have been people found in the Esquimaux region of very diminutive stature。 Battel discovered another pygmy people near the Obongo who are called the Dongos。 Kolle describes the Kenkobs； who are but 3 to 4 feet high； and another tribe called the Reebas； who vary from 3 to 5 feet in height。 The Portuguese speak of a race of dwarfs whom they call the Bakka…bakka； and of the Yogas； who inhabit territory as far as the Loango。 Nubia has a tribe of dwarfs called the Sukus； but little is known of them。 Throughout India there are stories of dwarf tribes descended from the monkey…God； or Hoonuman of the mythologic poems。
In the works of Humboldt and Burgoa there is allusion to the tradition of a race of pygmies in the unexplored region of Chiapas near the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Central America。 There is an expedition of anthropologists now on the way to discover this people。 Professor Starr of Chicago on his return from this region reported many colonies of undersized people； but did not discover any pygmy tribes answering to the older legendary descriptions。 Figure 160 represents two dwarf Cottas measuring 3 feet 6 inches in height。
The African pygmies who were sent to the King of Italy and shown in Rome resembled the pygmy travelers of Akka that Schweinfurth saw at the court of King Munza at Monbuttu。 These two pygmies at Rome were found in Central Africa and were respectively about ten and fifteen years old。 They spoke a dialect of their own and different from any known African tongue； they were partly understood by an Egyptian sergeant； a native of Soudan； who accompanied them as the sole survivor of the escort with which their donor； Miani； penetrated Monbuttu。 Miani； like Livingstone； lost his life in African travel。 These dwarfs had grown rapidly in recent years and at the time of report。 measured 1。15 and 1。02 meters。 In 1874 they were under the care of the Royal Geographical Society of Italy。 They were intelligent in their manner； but resented being lionized too much； and were prone to scratch ladies who attempted to kiss them。
The 〃Aztec Children〃 in 1851； at the ages of seven and six years； another pair of alleged indigenous pygmies； measured 33 3/4 and 29 1/2 inches in height and weighed 20 3/4 and 17 pounds respectively。 The circumference of their heads did not equal that of an ordinary infant at birth。
It is known that at one time the ancients artificially produced dwarfs by giving them an insufficient alimentation when very young。 They soon became rachitic from their deprivation of lime…salts and a great number perished； but those who survived were very highly prized by the Roman Emperors for their grotesque appearance。 There were various recipes for dwarfing children。 One of the most efficient in the olden times was said to have been anointing the backbone with the grease of bats； moles； dormice； and such animals； it was also said that puppies were dwarfed by frequently washing the feet and backbone； as the consequent drying and hardening of the parts were alleged to hinder their extension。 To…day the growth of boys intended to be jockeys is kept down by excessive sweating。
Ancient Popularity of Dwarfs。At one time a dwarf was a necessary appendage of every noble family。 The Roman Emperors all had their dwarfs。 Julia； the niece of Augustus； had a couple of dwarfs； Conopas and Andromeda； each of whom was 2 feet 4 inches in height。 It was the fashion at one time to have dwarfs noted for their wit and wisdom。 Philos of Cos； tutor of Ptolemy Philadelphus； was a dwarf； as were Carachus； the friend of Saladin； Alypius of Alexandria； who was only 2 feet high； Lucinus Calvus； who was only 3 feet high； and aesop； the famous Greek fabulist。 Later in the Middle Ages and even to the last century dwarfs were seen at every Court。 Lady Montagu describes the dwarfs at the Viennese Court as 〃devils bedaubed with diamonds。〃 They had succeeded the Court Jester and exercised some parts of this ancient office。 At this time the English ladies kept monkeys for their amusement。 The Court dwarfs were allowed unlimited freedom of speech； and in order to get at truths other men were afraid to utter one of the Kings of Denmark made one of his dwarfs Prime Minister。
Charles IX in 1572 had nine dwarfs； of which four had been given to him by King Sigismund…Augustus of Poland and three by Maximilian II of Germany。 Catherine de Medicis had three couples of dwarfs at one time； and in 1579 she had still five pygmies； named Merlin； Mandricart； Pelavine； Rodomont； and Majoski。 Probably the last dwarf in the Court of France was Balthazar Simon； who died in 1662。
Sometimes many dwarfs were present at great and noble gatherings。 In Rome in 1566 the Cardinal Vitelli gave a sumptuous banquet at which