40 MUMMIES— KENTUCKY. 



from decay. The outer envelope of the body is a deer-skin, probably dried 

 in the usual way, and perhaps softened before its application by rubbing. 

 The next covering is a deer's skin, whose hair had been cut away by a sharp 

 instrument resembling a hatter's knife. The remnant of the hair and the 

 gashes in the skin nearly resemble a sheared pelt of beaver. The next 

 wrapper is of cloth made of twine doubled and twisted. But the thread 

 does not appear to have been formed by the wheel, nor the web by the 

 loom. The warp and filling seem to have been crossed and knotted by an 

 operation like that of the fabricks of the northwest coast, and of the Sand- 

 wich islands. Such a botanist as the lamented Muhlenburgh could deter- 

 mine the plant which furnished the fibrous material 



"The innermost tegument is a mantle of cloth like the preceding ; but 

 furnished with large brown feathers, arranged and fastened with great art, 

 so as to be capable of guarding the living wearer from wet and cold. The 

 plumage is distinct and entire, and the whole bears a near similitude to the 

 feathery cloaks now worn by the nations of the northwestern coast of 

 America. A Wilson might tell from what bird they were derived. 



" The body is in a squatting posture, with the right arm reclining for- 

 ward, and its hand encircling the right leg. The left arm hangs down, 

 with its hand inclined partly under the seat. The individual, who was a 

 male, did not probably exceed the age of fourteen, at his death. There is 

 near the occiput a deep and extensive fracture of the skull, which proba- 

 bly killed him. The skin has sustained little injury ; it is of a dusky colour, 

 but the natural hue cannot be decided with exactness, from its present ap- 

 pearance. The scalp, with small exceptions, is covered with sorrel or foxy 

 hair. The teeth are white and sound. The hands and feet, in their shriv- 

 elled state, are slender and delicate. All this is worthy the investigation of 

 our acute and perspicacious colleague, Dr. Holmes. 



"There is nothing bituminous or aromatic in or about the body, like 

 the Egyptian mummies, nor are there bandages around any part. Except 

 the several wrappers, the body is totally naked. There is no sign of a 

 suture or incision about the belly; whence it seems that the viscera were 

 not removed. 



