The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-21

in the withered and dried-up appearance
of the skin. ~ Ua"
In the rooms of the State Historical So
city, at the Capitol building, are four of
these mummies the most interesting spec
linens yet discovered. Those who have
read with interest the results of the labors
of archaeologists in Egypt whose every
discovery of this character is discussed in
the journals and magazines throughout
the world, win be repaid by a visit to the
Capitol building. Were the history of this
strange people known and their records
preserved, the four mummies in the rooms
of the historical society might prove to
be the remains of a family equally royal
and renowned in their own country with
Rameses or Cleopatra in Egypt. That
they form family group is evident. There
are the father and mother and two chill
dren, probably three to five years of age.
Not all the dead of this race were thus
preserved. In an adjoining cave are hun
dreds of human bones, representing the
remains of those who did not rank high
enough in the cliff dwellers' world to be
thus carefully protected from the effac-
ing fingers of time. 1t is, therefore not
improbable that this family was of the
royal blood.
The extraordinary ineness of the en-
balming wrappings is further evidence
of this fact. Unlike the ancient Egypt
ians this wrapping consists, not OF. many
folds, but a single garment carefully
sewed, to shut out the air The embalm-
ing robe in which the remains are shroud-
ed is composed of a groundwork of cord
made of the fiber of the yucca plant, and
closely woven. In this are interviewer
feathers, or ather, the finest down, from
some species of bird. Each feather is
carefully woven in an upright position.
and so closely are they placed that neither
air nor water can penetrate the cloth. TO
make one of these robes with the crude
methods employed, all being done by
hand, must have been a labor of years.
and it is probable they were of almost
priceless value. Tens of thousands of
feathers would be required for each robe.
This feather cloth is evidently indie
structble, showing no signs of decay
1t is of a light brown color, with occa-
sional streaks of white.
OF the mummies, those of the mother
and children are the best preserved. The
woman's long black hair hangs down over
her shoulders, and teeth and skin are In
a perfect state of preservation But the
most remarkable specimen Is that of one
of the children, which appears to have
been about years of age. Were it
not for the peculiar parchmentlike APP
pearance of skin, 1t would seem that the
child had been dead but a few days. Even
the lips have not decayed, and the fact
able, for the closed lids are still intact
Hair and eyebrows are preserved SEEM
ingly as in life. The frontal development
OF the heed of this child Is most remark
able, bullying out over the eyebrows-a
quite unusual case with this people. The
head displays every indication of a more
than ordinary intelligence.
Another remarkable specimen is that
Of a newborn infant, from which the
wrapping has been entirely removed and
in which there is not the slightest trace
OF decay.
They were a diminutive race, the re-
mains of the two adults measuring not
more than four feet In length
These remains were discovered in a tomb
cut IN the solid rock and carefully sealed
at the mouth AS in the tombs of the
royal Egyptians were placed Jewels and
articles Of gold and silver, so in this were
buried evidences of the belief that the
dead would require in the future state
some of the things TO which they had
been accustomed in life. The cliff dwell
ers did not work in the metals, but with
these dead were inferred articles of pot
terry and basket work. and war imple-
ments of stone and flint, to aid them in
their journey to the unknown About the
burial places stone slabs are set In the
ground, and arranged in circles or paral-
kilograms, and on these are inscriptions
chiseled or painted in the picture LAM
guage. These appear also upon the walls
of the tomb mentioned. Here is an oDpor-
tunity for the savants to unravel the Sc
crets Of the dead and he who deciphers