Polynesian., 1863-02-21
No. 43.


Canary Islands, to preserve the bodies of their
dead. They, too, may have imagined that the
ghosts of their ancestors were constantly lowering
about the rarOs, the mummified forms which they
once used to animate. But they have vanished
from the world, and left little record behind them
OF their hopes and fears that it is to Egypt alone
that we can refer for information the subject.
There must have been strange scenes there in the
oden days, when the living and dead relations kept
house together, when deceased grandfather might
be handed round at banquet. and a needy child
could borrow money on the security of a parents
corpse. If such practice prevailed now-a-days
what rush there would be along Drury Lane, on
Saturday night. of thirsty sons bearing their
fathers to the pawnbroker's shop. There was no
danger of such an occurrence among the ancient
Egyptians, for they priced their dead relations at
least as highly as their live ones, and were very
unwilling to let them pass out of their hands, The
mummies remained intact for many a century, till
European hands rihed the tombs and carried off
their occupants. Not always, however, with i'm
punity, as the veraeious Radzevl bears Witness
who purchased two embalmed bodies ut Alexan-
drIa and smuggled them on board the ship IN which
he sailed for Europe for furious tempest arose.
and two spectres hOyered around the vessel regard
ing 1t with menacing looks, until the mummies
were cast overheard, when the ghosts disappeared
and the storm sted. Radzevil was severely
reprmanded by the captain for his conduct but the
theologians whom he consulted justified it on the
ground that mummy was necessary for the sick.
For in the Middle Ages it was considered a spe-
ciic against all diseases, and a piece of il hung
round the neck was looked upon as preservative
against numberless evils. So great, indeed, was
the demand for this invaluable commodity, that q
trade in false mummie5 sprang into life, and bodies
We're picked by the score, in order to be sold at
high prices to the eager and credulous foreigner.
As medical science progressed, the belief in the
healing properties of mummes faded away, and
they were looked upon merely as curiosities. Now
and then attempt was made to rival the work of
the Egyptian embalmers, but in general without
any great success Royal Personages were often
thought worthy OF being guaranteed against cur
ruptiOn, and few specimens of ordinary mortals
were preserved for the inspection of the curious.
The College of Surgeons can boast of the body of
Mrs. Van Butchel, and Jeremy Bentham is on
view at University College, dressed in the clothes
he used to wear, while he was yet alive but they
are both of them CHASTITY objects, and offer little
encouragement to persons who are desirous of pos
thumous exhibition. In /" Wilhelm Meister's Ap-
premiership" an account is given of process by
which dead body may be indefinitely preserved,
retaining all the beauty which IL had during life
and offering the appearance Of being locked in a
gentle sleep. After Mignon's death, her body is
subjected to this process, and is then exhibited to
the sorrowing friends who have come to her fune-
raj. "a balsamic substance says the able who
conducts them, " has been forced through all the
veins, and now tinges, in place of blood, these
cheeks too early faded. Come near, my friends,
and view this wonder of art and care. He raised
the veil the child was lying in her angels Dress
as if asleep in the most soft and graceful posture"
Many of the readers of this passage have doubt
less considered it as tancful and unreal any in
the book. but the idea has been worked ont with
signal success by French physician, DR.. Gannal
He has embalmed a number of bodies, many of
which have been examined after the lapse of sew
eral years, and they have been found to retain
life-like appearance that defes the power Of de-
cay. A single ncision is all that is necessary for
the purpose of injection, the preserving fluid is rap
idly forced through the veins, and the body be-
comes firm and elastic. The drying process occu-
pies about six months, but after that time the en-
balmed individual requires no farther treatment,
and is presentbe in any society. An excellent
specimen of the process is at present view at the
Burlington Gallery, being the embalmed body of
Julia Pastrana, who was also exhibited in London
during her lifetime Her story is a very strange
one. She was in all probability the most hideous
woman who ever lived but her ugliness made her
fortune and gained her husband She had the
features of an ape, and her face was covered with
strong black hair, which heightened along the Jaws
into luxuriant whiskers and flowing beard. She
is said to have been discovered in Mexico but lit
tie is known of her parentage, for her first propri
etors were anxious to enhance her market value by
making out tnat She was the missing INK between
man and the brute creation. When Barnum heard
of her fame he sent agent to report upon her ap
pearance, intending to secure her for his museum,
if she was really as frghtul she was said to be.
The agent came, and saw, and perceiving that she
incredibly hideous, at once. with Characteristic
smartness, made her his wife in order to secure
such treasure for himself He exhibited her in
all parts of the world. until two years ago. when
she died at Moscow soon after giving birth to a
little monster who fortunately survived only thirty
FIVE hours. The husband, are thankful to say,
is dead also. Her body. well as that Of her
child, has been preserved by DR.. Sokoov. the pro-
fPssor of anatomy to Moscow. and well deserves
the attention of all for whom female uginesr has
charm. or who have any idea of perpetuating their
own attractions for the benefit of generations to
come.