A HEADLESS SKELETON.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 53, 5 October 1878, Page 3

A HEADLESS SKELETON.

Particulars havo come to hand this week (writes tin; I'. ]). Telograph of June 8) reporting the finding of a headless tiunin.li skeleton in tin; bush, at a place known as Chinaman's Peaks, between thirty ami forty miles from Clermont, on the Craven Road. Acting upon information roceivod from Mr. li. Boyd, Mr. .Sub-inspection Dyas proceed, on the 30th ultimo, to the place above indicated; and on the following clay Mr. Boyd,, who had accompanied him, pointed out the remains, which lay within thirty yards of the public road, and were those of a hum measuring about 5 feet 5 inches, and slightly built. Tho skeleton—for sttch it was, there being Only the bony frame-work held together by integuments—lay on its back, in a composed attitude, as if the man had laid down to rest, and quietly passed away. Save that the hands were clenched, there was no sign of a struggle. The bead was missing, and part of the toes on the left foot had apparently been eaten off; but there was no further sign of mutilation. The body was dressed in the following articles : —A pair of dark tweed trousers, strapped with moleskin, u dark tweed vest, a flannel shirt, and over it n regatta shirt, together with a pair of socks, bleached white—liko the bones. On searching the locality, Mr. Dyas found the head lying about a hundred yards from the body the right car, with a quantity of dark brown hair, still adhering to ' (ho skull; while at a spot about thirty yards distant bo found an old hat, and iilso a single boot, and observed, on taking up the former, that there, was a little dark hair atto«hod to it—the hair proving, on comparison, to be similar to that on the skull. The hat and boot had .ip-

parently been washed down i gully for a short distant-'-. 1..;-;!;., portions of clothing torn to shreds wore found scattered about within a radius of thirty j irda ol the body, and all around were seen the tracks of native dogs. On minute inspection, it was found that the body it self, though not disturbed from its tint rigid posture, had been dragged about live yards after death. The situation was plain enough. The man had lain down and died, perhaps, from thirst, for water is scarce there in the dry season, and the native dogs had evidently removed the head, bitten off the toes of the left foot, and torn portions of the clothing; and ' presuming, as wu inu-t do from the bleached condition of the remains, that death had supervened before the late heavy rains, the torrents which followed would spread the loose fragments of clothing and hair scattered about, besides washing away the heavier articles mentioned. The ibsence of all marks of violonce, excepting'those traceable to canine marauders, led Mr. Dyos to infer that the man owed his exit from the world to no foul play. At tho same time he is inclined to believe that he was not the first to search tho body : for one of the trowsers' pockets of the deceased shows signs of rust, as if a pocket knife had been there dining the ram, at which time, be it remembered, the man was evidently tlead. The rusty pocket, however, was found to have been out open, and a pocket knife, its blade broken, was picked up some little distance from the hotly. Mr. Dyas found no clue, after a minute search, to the identification of the deceased, and with the assistascc of Mr. Boyd he buried him on tho spot. Ho brougot away a small portion of the clothing; and at an official inquiry, opened by the Police Magistrate, the facts of the case were stated iu evidence.