South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889), Saturday 28 December 1861, page 3


THE OFEN COLUMN.

. Under this heading-and subject to the conditions and regulations published in another column-we offer to our readers a medium for the free interchange of opinions upon topics of public interest, if temperately discussed, and tree from needless personality. The Editor is, however, in no degree responsible for opinions advanced in this part ol the paper.

THE MUMMY.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir-I read with much interest the article which appeared this morning in your columns on the sub-ject of our new museum. It promises to become a most valuable addition to the Institute, and is, as you remark, especially required at the present time for the accumulation of subjects illustrative of the natural history of the colony. By the patriotic spirit of several of our citizens various valuable con-tributions have already been made, and, doubtless, other persons seeing that a nucleus has been created, will assist in rendering the collection more complete. I regret that at present I am not in a position to be a contributor ; I think, however, that perhaps I may render some assistance by offering a suggestion. You may perhaps recollect that recently certain proceed-ings took place in the Supreme Court in reference to the possession of a mummy. A good deal of jocularity occurred on that occasion, but as I happen to be of a serious turn, you will excuse my treating the topic in a different spirit. In a word, sir, I think that " the subject" (to use a surgical phrase) ought to grace our museum. Feeling an interest in the relique, I have from time to time been making enquiries respecting its present destination. I regret to state that these enquiries have been far from satis-factory. It is true that the Hon. Commissioner of Crown Lands has promised that so long as he con-tinues to hold office, the public rights in the body shall be protected. We may, I think, rely with con-fidence upon this assurance so long as Mr. Strang-ways presides over this department of the service. But the duration of Ministers is proverbially uncer-tain, and a new Commissioner may one of these days arise who will regard the petrified native with indif-ference. This may embolden men like Mr. Craig to make fresh attempts, and perhaps the result may be that London, Paris, or Vienna will possess what ought to be in the Adelaide Museum. I hope that a timely notice of the danger may be the means of averting it ; and with the view of gaining to the Australian public a valuable curiosity, I have written these lines.

Yours, &c.

A VOICE FROM THE CAVE.