) 



height. Upon this bier, five or fix bo- 

 dies were extended ; \vhich, in appear- 

 ance, had been depofited there a long 

 time ; but had fuffered no decay or di- 

 minution. They were without covering, 

 and the flefh of thefe bodies was become 

 perfectly dry and hard ; which, whether 

 done by any art, or fecret, the favages 

 may be poflefled of, or occafioned by 

 any drying virtue in the air of the cave, 

 could not be guefled. Indeed, the fur- 

 geon, finding nothing there to eat, 

 which was the chief inducement for his 

 creeping into this hole, did not amufe 

 himfelf with long difquifitions, or make 

 that accurate examination which he 

 would have done at another time ; but 

 crawling out as he came in, he went 

 and told the firft he met of what he had 

 feen. Some had the curiofity to go in 

 likewife. I had forgot to mention that 

 there was another range of bodies, depo- 

 fited in the fame manner, upon another 



platform 



