HUMAN CURIOSITIES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 413, 13 March 1880, Page 2

HUMAN CURIOSITIES.

Two very queer specimens of humanity have recently been discovered in Morgan county, Kentucky. They are two boy» named James and Henry Elam, aged respectively eight arid twelve years. These boys talk rationally, are ordinarily intelligent, but are peculiar in having no hair on their heads or bodies. Their skin.is covered with heavy scales, like fish.. At the elbows, knees, and foot- joints/ the skin is very thick, resembling that of an alligator. They never perspire, but turn quite blue.wlieri heated. They take to water as naturally as fish, but, strange to say, they can't swim. They cannot walk barefooted, their feet cracking open, and have to wear shoes all the time. Their eyes are large and round, not almondshaded, and the lids are very red. .They never wink, keep their eyes opeu.and ay always in motion when aslegjj. TljJ features are said to be very regular. They have to keep greased when not in the water. the body becomes dry the skin cracks open. Their heads are covered with scales in lieu of hair. The boys handle snakes with impunity and delight, and frequently quarrel over a single reptile, but are satisfied when each has one. The snakes have no antipathy to them, but follow them like a dog does his master. The mother of these monstrosities has borne eight children. The eldest, a daughter of sixteen, is beautiful alike in form and feature, and the other children are not at all peculiar.; She cannot account for nature's freak in these cases.

An American expedition has been at work since August, 1878, in search of the remains of Sir John Franklin. The only facts that are known respecting it are that the party reached the north-west corner, of Hudson's Bay last summer, and it was on its way on sledges towards King William's Land early in April, 1879. The circumstance of the detention of the party in apparent inactivity on the shores of Hudson's Bay gives rise to the supposition that the discovery of Sir John franklin's remains was not the only object in view.