THE ATURES. 133 



The Anterior chamber gives a mean of 32 cubic inches; the highest measure 

 being 36.55 the smallest 23 cubic inches. 



The Posterior chamber gives a mean of 42 cubic inches ; the highest measure 

 being 55.5^ the smallest 30 cubic inches. 



The Coronal region gives 12 cubic inches as a mean; the highest measure 

 being 20.5, the smallest 9.25 cubic inches. 



The mean of the Facial angle is 75 degrees; the largest angle being 80, the 

 smallest 72 degrees. 



If to this series we add the measurements of tv^elve other genuine Peruvians 

 from various localities, the mean internal capacity is increased but a single cubic 

 inch, w^ith but a fractional difference in the Facial angle. It will, therefore, 

 appear in the sequel, that the internal capacity of the cranium in the demi-civilised 

 Peruvians, is much less than that of the barbarous nations. 



It may, morever, be remarked, that the heads of nine Peruvian children in 

 my possession, appear to be nearly if not quite as large as those of children of 

 other nations at the same age: which is the more remarkable as no specimen 

 among the entire series of thirty-five adult skulls, reaches the European average of 

 ninety cubic inches of internal capacity. 



THE ATURES. 



At the sources of the Orinoco,^ among the forest solitudes of one of the 

 remotest European missions. Baron Humboldt discovered the cavern-sepulchre of 

 an extinct, but once powerful tribe, called Atures. As the annexed drawing was 

 made from one of the identical skulls brought by that distinguished traveller, I 

 shall describe this remarkable cemetery in his own words. 



" The most remote part of the valley is covered by a thick forest. In this 

 shady and solitary spot, on the declivity of a steep mountain, the cavern of 

 Ataruipe opens itself. It is less a cavern than a jutting rock, in which the waters 

 have scooped a vast hollow, when, in the ancient revolutions of our planet, they 

 attained that height. We soon reckoned in this tomb of a whole extinct tribe 



* Lat 5° 39' north. 

 34 



