seen before, though experts to whom I have shown it say that it is
certainly South American of a very early date, and like the ornaments,
probably pre-Inca Peruvian. It is full of rich colours such as I have
seen in old Indian shawls which give a general effect of crimson. This
crimson robe clearly was worn over a skirt of linen that had a purple
border. In the box that I have spoken of were the ornaments, all of
plain dull gold: a waist-band; a circlet of gold for the head from which
rose the crescent of the young moon and a necklace of emeralds, uncut
stones now much flawed, for what reason I do not know, but polished and
set rather roughly in red gold. Also there were two rings. Round one
of these a bit of paper was wrapped upon which was written, in another
hand, probably that of the father of the writer of the memorandum:--

"Taken from the first finger of the right hand of a lady's mummy which I
am sorry, in our circumstances, it was quite impossible to carry away."

This ring is a broad band of gold with a flat bezel upon which something
was once engraved that owing to long and hard wear now cannot be
distinguished. In short, it appears to be a signet of old European make
but of what age and from what country it is impossible to determine.
The other ring was in a small leathery pouch, elaborately embroidered
in gold thread or very thin wire, which I suppose was part of the lady's
costume. It is like a very massive wedding ring, but six or eight times
as thick, and engraved all over with an embossed conventional design of
what look like stars with rays round them, or possibly petalled flowers.
Lastly there was the sword-hilt, of which presently.

Such were the trinkets, if so they may be called. They are of little
value intrinsically except for their weight in gold, because, as I have
said, the emeralds are flawed as though they have been through a fire or