1875.] 323 [Putnam. 



Account of the so-called Mammoth Cave Mummy, received in 1815 by the 

 American Antiquarian Society, from Collins' History of Kentucky, published 

 in 1847, p. 256, and probably written by Mr. Merriam of Brooklyn, N. Y. 



" On my first visit to the Mammoth Cave in 1813, 1 saw a relic of 

 ancient times, which requires a minute description . This description 

 is from a memorandum made in the Cave at the time. In the digging 

 of saltpetre earth in the Short Cave a flat rock was met with by the 

 workmen, a little below the surface of the earth, in the Cave : this 

 stone was raised, and was about four feet wide, and as many long; 

 beneath it was a square excavation about three feet deep, and as 

 many in length and width. In this small nether subterranean cham- 

 ber sat in solemn silence one of the human species, a female, with 

 her wardrobe and ornaments placed at her side. The body was in a 

 state of perfect preservation, and sitting erect. The arms were folded 

 up, x and the hands were laid across the bosom ; around the two wrists 

 was wound a small cord, 2 designed, probably, to keep them in the 

 posture in which they were first placed ; around the body and next 

 thereto were- wrapped two deer-skins. These skins appeared to have 

 been dressed in some mode different from what is now practiced by 

 any people of whom I have any knowledge. The hair of the skins 

 was cut off very near the surface. The skins were ornamented 

 with the imprints of vines and leaves, which were sketched with a 

 substance perfectly white. 3 Outside of these two skins was a large 

 square sheet, 4 which was either wove or knit. The fabric was the 

 inner bark of a tree, which I judge from appearances to be that of 

 the linn tree. In its texture and appearance it resembled the South 

 Sea Island cloth or matting ; this sheet enveloped the whole body 

 and head. The hair 5 on the head was cut off within an eighth of an 

 inch of the skin, except near the neck ; where it was an inch long. 

 The color of the hair was a dark-red ; the teeth 6 were white and 

 perfect. I discovered no blemish upon the body, except a wound 

 between two ribs, near the backbone ; and one of the eyes had also 

 been injured. The finger and toe nails were perfect and quite long. 



1 One arm is now broken off. 



2 This cord may be the soft, five-stranded braid that is with the collection now. 

 8 fragments of these skins still showing the white markings exist. 



* A portion of it is still preserved. 

 6 The hair has all disappeared. 

 6 Many are now missing. 



