Identifier: annualreportofbu0v1powe (find matches)
Title: Annual report of the Bureau of ethnology to the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution ..
Year: 1881 (1880s)
Authors: Powell, John Wesley, 1834-1902
Subjects:
Publisher: Washington, D.C., G.P.O.
Contributing Library: Brigham Young University Hawaii, Joseph F. Smith Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Consortium of Church Libraries and Archives

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man living can give. But I forbear to enlarge; myintention being merely to manifest my respect to the society for having enrolled meamong its members, and to invite the attention of its Antiquarians to further inquiryon a subject of such curiosity. With respect, I remain yours, SAMUEL L. MITCHELL. It would appear, from recent researches on the Northwest coast, thatthe natives of that region embalmed their dead with much care, as maybe seen from the work recently published by W. H. Dall,* the de-scription of the mummies being as follows: We found the dead disposed of in various ways; first, by interment in their com-partments of the communal dwelling, as already described; second, by being laid ona rude platform of drift-wood or stones in some convenient rock shelter. These layon straw and moss, covered by matting, and rarely have either implements, weapons,or carvings associated with them. We found only three or four specimens in all in ■ Cont. to N. A. EthnoL, 1877, vol. i, p. 89.
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vakhow.) MUMMIES NORTHWEST COAST. 135 these places, of which we examined a great number. This was apparently the moreancient form of disposing of the dead, and one which more recently was still pursuedin the case of poor or unpopular individuals. Lastly, in comparatively modern times, probably within a few centuries, and up tothe historic period (1740), another mode was adopted for the wealthy, popular, or moredistinguished class. The bodies were eviscerated, cleansed from fatty matters in run-ning water, dried, and usually placed in suitable cases in wrappings of fur and finegrass matting. The body was usually doubled up into the smallest compass, and themummy case, especially in the case of children, was usually suspended (so as not totouch the ground) in some convenient rock shelter. Sometimes, however, the pre-pared body was placed in a lifelike position, dressed and armed. They were placedas if engaged iu some congenial occupation, such as hunting, fishing, sewing, &c.With th

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