September 23, 1887.] 



SCIENCE 



147 



■were hidtlen. ]?ut the cave was sealed up with arlobe cement, and 

 the Indians had never attempted to open it. The situation of this 

 cave, which the miners at once turned to \isit, is described as being 



on the west side of the canon of the Gila River, near the bend where 

 it flows westward into Arizona. On opening the cave, they found 

 a. number of human bodies. 



After this discovery, they proceeded more cautiously. The cave 

 was found to be a natural sepulchre, not fashioned by the hands of 

 man, about twentj'-five feet in diameter, and covered with a peculiar 

 dry dust. Along its irregular sides and roof, not a trace of any 

 pictographs could be found ; but near the entrance one body, and 

 at the far end four others, were discovered, and all in a wonder- 

 ful state of preservation. The bodies were wrapped in cloths of 

 peculiar workmanship, some rich in texture. 



The shrouds enveloping the bodies crumbled to dust at the slight- 

 est touch, as would a piece of burned linen or paper ; and only 

 three samples were saved, — one a coarse cloth, a sort of cordage ; 

 another similar but finer ; and the third of a finer thread te.Kture. 



After carefully searching the cavern, and having fully satisfied 

 themselves that its richness was all a superstitious legend, the 

 miners prepared to convey the mummified remains to civilization. 

 Much difficulty and many hardships were encountered during this 

 ^indertaking. The Indians of that district have the greatest super- 

 stitious veneration for the burying-places of the prehistoric races, 

 amounting in some cases to actual worship ; looking upon the dead 

 bodies as departed gods, so do they reverence the mounds and 

 ruins in that locality. The Indians, therefore, protested against the 

 removal of the remains ; and it was only through diplomacy, bribe- 

 r)', and strategy that we have the bodies here to-day. 



A careful e.xamination of these remains leaves no doubt as to 

 their genuineness. They are desiccated human bodies, wonderfully 

 well preserved when we consider their probable ag'e and the fact 

 that I do not find any trace of any embalming process having been 

 used. They are consequently nothing like the Egyptian mummies. 

 The viscera, brain, and every thing is in its proper or normal an- 

 atomical position. Even the sexes can readily be distinguished. 

 The skin is like dried leather or thick parchment. The hair is well 



preserved on the heads and on the eyebrows of Fig. i, and on 

 the pubes. The teeth, nails, cartilages of the ears and nose, are in 

 good condition, and the nipples and mamma; in Fig. 4. 



It is barely possible that the burying-shrouds may have been im- 

 pregnated with some preservative chemicals or herbs, although 

 hardly probable, as these cloths crumbled to dust on exposure. 

 The only reasonable explanation is, that the hot dry air of this 

 region absorbed all the moisture in the bodies, and literally dried 

 them up, skin, muscles, and viscera. The Indians on this coast 

 dry their buffalo and bear meat in a similar manner in the sum- 

 mer for food in the winter. 



Fig. I represents the first body, found sitting in the same attitude 

 at the entrance of the family sepulchre, face towards the east. It 

 is a male body, and the giant of the whole group. His stature is 

 the largest, and will measure five feet six or seven. The frame is 

 well proportioned. The skin has a dirty grayish appearance, parch- 

 ment-like to tile touch, and closely adherent to the bones. He has 

 a luxurious growth of black and rather coarse hair. The eyebrows 

 are jet-black, and stiff like bristles. Very few hairs can be dis- 

 covered on the face. The forehead is well developed ; head meas- 

 ures twenty and one-half inches in circumference. The hands and 

 feet are shapely. The dark lines circumscribing the extremities in 

 this and the following figures are cords, with which they are re- 

 tained in their original positions, and bound to the cases in which 

 they are packed. 



Fig. 2 shows the mortal remains of an elder male, not quite as 

 tall, nor with as large a frame, measuring about five feet three. He 

 was found sitting in his present posture between the other two 

 bodies, at the far end of the cave. The teeth are well preserved, 

 and the tongue is like a dried piece of bark. The cloth surround- 

 ing his extremities is a heavy fabric, through which is woven a 

 yellowish thread. The small piece of cloth adherent to the tibio- 

 femoral articulation is the only part of the finer shrouds that was 

 saved. 



Fig. 3 portrays the mother and the child (a little girl about four 

 years of age). The babe was found as depicted, nestled closely to 

 its mother's breast. This group attracts much attention. They 



Fig. 4. 



are the best preserved bodies in the whole group. The large figure 

 is that of a woman about five feet tall, small hands and feet, and 

 well-proportioned features. The child is well formed, has evidently 

 walked, and reached about four years. Coarsely woven fabric 



