gjj Collections from American Literature. [Oct. I, 



NORTH AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. magc is distinct and entire, and the 



There is now (sajs the yl««7fp</c 3/«- whole hears a near similitude to the 



gazine, ) in the city of New- York, a re- 

 inarkal)lo human mnmmy, or exsicea- 

 lion, found lately in Kentucky. It is Ihns 

 described in a letter from Dr. Mitchill 

 to S. M. ISiRNSinii, es<|. secretary 

 of the American Antiquary Society. 



I offer yon some observations on a 

 curious piece of American antirjuity 

 now in New-York. It is a human body, 



feathery cloaks now worn by the nations 

 of the north-western coast of America. 

 A Wilson might tell from what bird 

 they were derived. 



'Ihe body is in a squatting posture, 

 with the light arm reclining forward, 

 and its hand encircling the right leg. 

 Tlie left arm hangs down, with its hand 

 inclined partly under the seat. The in- 



found in one of the lime-stone caverns dividual, who was a male, did not proba- 



of Kentucky. It is a perfect exsicca- 

 tion; all the fluids are dried up. The 

 likin, bones, and other firm parts are in 

 a slate of entire preservation. I think 

 it enonsli to have puzzled Bryant and 

 all the Aichaiologists. 



In exploring the calcarious chamber 

 in the neighbourhood of Glasgow, for 

 salt-petre, several human bodies were 



bly exceed the age of fourteen, at his 

 death. There is a deep and extensive 

 fracture of the skull, near the occiput^ 

 wliich probably killed him. The skin 

 lias .sustained little injury ; it is of a 

 dusky colour, but the natural hue cannot 

 be decided with exactness, from its pre- 

 sent appearance. The scalp, with small 

 exceptions, is covered with soiTcl or 



found enwrapped carefully in skins and foxy hair. The teeth are white and 



cloths. They were inhumed below the sound. The hands and foet in their 



floor of the cave ; inhumed, and not shrivelled state arc slender and delicate, 



lodged in catacombs. A II this is worthy the iuTestigatioD of our 



These recesses, though under ground, acute and perspicacious colleague^ Dr. 



arc yet dry enough to attract and retain Holmes. 



the nitric acid. It combines with lime There is nothing bituminous or aro- 

 and potash; and probably the earthy niatic in or aiiont the body, like tlio 

 matter of these excavations contains a Egyptian mummies, nor are there ban- 

 good proportion of calcarious carbonate, dages around any part. Except tho 

 Amidst these drying and antiseptic in- several wrappers, the body is totally 

 gredients, it may be conceived that pu- naked. There is no sign of a suture or 

 trefaction would be stayed, and the incision about the belly; whence it seems 

 solids preserved from decay. that the viscera were not removed. It 



The outer envelope of the body is a may now be expected that I should ofi'er 



deer skin, probably dried in the usual sonieopinionas to the antiquity and racO 



way, and perhaps softened before its of this sintjular exsiccation. 



application, by rubbing. The next 

 covering is a deer skin, whose hair had 

 been cut away by a shar;i instrument, 

 resembling a hatter's knife. The rem- 

 nant of the hair, and the gashes in the 

 skin, nearly resemble a sheared pelt of 

 ber.vcr. The next wrapper is of clolh, 

 made of twine doubled and twisted. 

 But the thread docs not appear to have 



I'irst. then, I am satisfied that it does 

 not belong to that class of white men of 

 whi(^h we arc members. 



2dly. Nor do I believe that it ought 

 to be referred to the bauds of Spanisli 

 adventurers who, between the years 

 1500 and 1600 rambled up the Missis- 

 sippi, and along its tributary streams, 

 lint on tills brad I should like to know 



been formed by the wheel, nor the web the opinion of my learned and sagacious 



by the loom. The warp and filling friend, Noah AA'cbster. 



seem to have been crossed and knotted Sdly. I am equally obliged to reject 



by an operation like that of the fabrics tiie opinion that it belonged toany of the 



of the north-west coast, and of the Sand- tribes of aborigines, now or lately in- 



wich islands. Such a botanist as the 

 lamented IMuhlenburgh, could deter- 

 mine the plant which furnished the 

 fibrous material. 

 The innermost tegument is a mantle 



habidng Kentucky. 



4thly. The mantle of feathered work, 

 and tho mantle of twisted threads, sw 

 nearly resemble the I'abric^of the. in- 

 dijrcnes of Wakash and flie Pacific fs- 



of cloth like the preceding; but fur- lands, that I refer this it-dividual to that 

 Dished with large brown feathers, ar- a;ra of time, and that generation of men, 

 ranged and fastened with great art, so which preceded the Indians of the Green- 

 as to be capable of guarding the living Kivcr, and of the place where these 

 wearer frcm wet aud cold. The p!u- relics were fwund. This conclusion ^s 



strengthened' 



