1896.] Ob.f [OuShing. 



ble sizing, the coatings of color were often relatively better preserved 

 than the woodj^ substance they covered, and enabled us the more readily 

 to distinguish the outlines of these painted objects— when else some had 

 been partially destroyed or altogether missed — and also enabled us to take 

 them up on broad, flat shovels, and to more deliberately divest them of 

 the muck and peat that so closely cliiug to them. 



Some of the things thus recovered could be preserved by very slow 

 drying, but it soon became evident that by far the greater number of 

 them could not be kept intact. No matter how perfect they were at first, 

 they warped, shrunk, split, and even checked across the grain, like old 

 charcoal, or else were utterly disintegrated on being exposed to the light 

 and air if only for a few hours. Thus, despite the fact that after remov- 

 ing the surface muck from the sections, we dug only with little hand- 

 trowels and flexible-pronged garden claws — and, as I have said before, 

 with our fingers — yet fully twenty-five per cent, of these ancient articles 

 in wood and other vegetal material were destroyed in the search ; and 

 again, of those found and removed, not more than one-half retained 

 their original forms unaltered for more than a few days. 



Unique to archfieology as these things were, it was distressing to feel 

 that even by merely exposing and inspecting them, we were dooming so 

 many of them to destruction, and to think that of such as we could tem- 

 porarily recover only the half could be preserved as permanent examples 

 of primitive art. 



I sought by every means at our disposal to remedy these difficulties, 

 but I soon found that the time thus required, and the cost of additional 

 preservatives — if such could, indeed, be found, for ordinary glue, shellac, 

 and silicate of soda, proved to be comparatively inefficient — would 

 increase the cost of our operations considerably beyond my original 

 estimates upon which appropriation had been made. 



In this extremity I wrote to Major Powell, asking for suggestions as to 

 methods for preserving our finds, and at the same time to Doctor Pepper, 

 urging an additional appropriation. I was loath to do this, being well 

 aware that the funds at the disposal of the Department he represented 

 were already overtaxed by the many explorations progressing under his 

 direction in other parts of the world. My relief of mind may be better 

 imagined than described, when I say that as speedily as the mails could 

 bring a letter from Doctor Pepper, he assured me that my operations 

 looking toward the proper completion of our excavations and preserva- 

 tion of our collections Avould be supported to the extent required. It 

 was not until afterward that I learned how a friend whom to know is to 

 honor and revere, a friend to education and scientific research and 

 human need wherever found, Mrs. Phebe A. Hearst, had, as a member 

 of the Department of Archteology and Palaeontology, come to our res- 

 cue. The gratification I feel in announcing the augmented success of 

 our researches, thenceforward, is enhanced by the thought that I may 

 here say how much this success was due to her instant recognition of the 

 promise and significance of our finds. 



