Genre:

Abstract

Publications abstracted:

D R O'Sullivan Fortnightly Review

Subjects:

Ethnology, Natural Imperialism, Extinction, Darwinism, Comparative Philology

    Describes the Fuegians as 'horrible, ugly, stunted, pot-bellied dwarfs', who, when 'the struggle for food is very intense', will 'take the oldest woman of the tribe, suffocate her in the smoke of fires, made of green wood, and divide her carcass between her murderers'. Comments that 'there is reason to expect that some day a scientific philanthropist will embark from the mainland and feel himself justified in extinguishing painlessly the lives of the whole of them'. Later remarks that because their alphabet 'requires twenty more vowels than we use, this is another reason for rejoicing in the prospect of the speedy extermination of the race'.