mr jambres was calling him to join the ranks - tenors ( 6 ) basses ( 24 ) ( reedy young men with ( stocky , thick-set , white haired sandy hair and watery eyes ) gents with claret-gorged veins ridging their noses ) contraltos ( 32 ) sopranos ( 42 ) ( large-bosomed matronly ( twittery , jittery , highly strung types with handbags as sticks in jumpers and jeans ) capacious as their hairdos ) piano conductor `` the population of blacks in north america increased from about 2,500 in 1700 to about 100,000 by 1775 and as such far outnumbered the southern whites . ''