Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-06-17
[PROPRIETORS.

China. says that this surprising geological phe-
nomenon Is very common IN many parts of
China, and is used there FOR the most dif.
Ierent purposes, even for the melting of metals.
In Canton, he says. there are many houses in
which such fire is continually kept burning,
and used for Illumination and cooking. The
only trouble in procuring ii is to bore hole
IN the ground, when, by approaching a light
to the opening, the gas gn'tes aud you have
fire varying in intensity according to the size
Of The hole. The Chinese convey this gas into
their rooms hy means of bamboo canes. and
use it for illumination. This light is entirely
smokeless and is similar to our gas lights.
Mr.. Panther cites an occular witness, Mr..
Touperte, who says that the poor in the win
ter often bore holes the sand about foot
deep. ignite them with handful Of straw,
and then warm themselves at them. These
holes from which gas issues. the Chinese call
Hong tsing, literally Fire Wells. aia ,.sf.
Rare and Valuable Works.
The following extract Of letter published
in the Louisville Courier, states some inter.
esting facts .4y.s s4. ..,....,... &C..
The Hon. Elisha Whiltlesey. Comptroller
OF the U. 5. Treasury, and who is more tam-
iarly known throughout the country as "Fath-
er Whittlesey." is not an "old fogy," although
ol an "anterior era" While member or
Congress he was working man, and as chair
man oi the Committee on Claims. certain days
were specially set apart and designated as
"Father Whittlesey's days He has made
an Indelble mark against constructive mileage
exposed Judicial plunderings, and set his face
against all official petty larcenies. Still, Eli
sha Whlttlesey is OF an anterior era, and the
lavorite conslgnee, ard recipient of the curious
specimens ofthe arts, intelligence and civili-
zation OF an age. SO far anterior, that no hu-
man record "runneth to the contrary
Not toLg since he received from Mr. Brown,
OF the American Legation at Constantinople. a
beautiful writing desk. made of the cedar of
Lebanon, taken from the Catacombs of The
bes where it was deposited, as appears by the
hieroelyphics thereon. only short time after,
God said let there be light. and there was
light" He reteived variety of seeds. grains,
plants and grape roots from the hand of our
''hrst parents" and ifrhese seeds and roots are
not $50 old that they can't" they may germi,
nate and bring forth fruit some twenty, some
fifty and some an hundred fold
Heretofore he has received from the "Celes.
tal Empire" from South America and other
ST.
geniousy manufactured tools and implements,
illustrative of,he religious, social and industrial
condition Of People, whose origin is fixed at o
period long anterior to the construction of the
"heavens and the EARTH" as mentioned in Hoy
Writ. He also received from these oriental
and sunny lands. specimen birds of beautiful
plumage. minerals relics, seeds and plants,
which have been distributed throughout the
country, and deposited in museums for preser-
walton and exhibition.
And few days since, Mr.. Whittlesey re-
ceived box from Santiago de Chile, filed with
rare and curious specimens. Among them was
a jar, and some copper implements and stone
for sharpening them, which were found in a
cave near the village Of San Jose, on the river
Maybe Chile. The cave was discovered by n
party Of laborers. while digging canal. In
1t was large quantity ofhuman remains, which
crnmbled TO dust on exposure to the air Jars,
tools. and implements, Of which those sent were
specimens, are found with these bodies The
Jars are from quart to four and five gallons
capacity, OF beautiful models and. ornamented
with figures Among the tools or implements
Is copper "chopping knife" the blade like
those now used "down East in making ash
or mincemeat; but the handle is surmounted
with birds foot very handsomely and truth
fully wrought The tools and impleme nts are
OF Inca manufacture, having been buried in this
cave great many years. and are exceedingly
curious and interesting, specimens Of skilful
workmanship, and also instructive as showing
the extent to which Inca manufacturers "pene
traied the interior" of the savage and british
tribes. This box Of curiosities was sent to Mr..
Whttlesey by S. Ledyard Phelps, formerly Of
Chardon, Ohio.
ANOTHER LAMBERT.-John Schafer, Of
Montgomery county, N. Y, who died few
days ago. aged sixty.two, is described as fol-
lows, by Rev. Mr.. Rinehart: "The deceas-
ed was the largest man we ever saw. The
Coffin was sufficiently large to contain FIVE men
of ordinary size measuring in width three feet
four inches in the clear and 3 feet in height.
Three men could have worked in it at the
same time with convenience. It required men
to take him from the bed on which he expired.
This was done by raising platform, removing
the headboard Of the beadstead. and taking him
out endwise. They could not get the coffin in
to the house: but by takiEg off the door-facing
Of an old vacated house that stood in the yard.
they gotitinto that. and carried the corps thrher
on three empty bags. A wagon and four hor-
ses stood prepared, and ten men placed the
coffin and its contents upon it In letting the
coffin down into the grave they had two lines
doubled. one at each end, and one large well
rope in the middle, and seventeen men to let
down this great sprinkle Of mortality 10 it's last
home on earth. His weight was unknown.
A Canay Scotchman.-Two Irishmen. who
had gone to see the gaeat Exhibition. were
standing one morning in one Of the streets Of
the City. arguing stoutly whether it was the
sun or the moon that was shining family
through the dense mist with which the atmos-
phere was clouded. r5lasla 4t ltaf
"Shure ii's the moon. Barney" said one, in
n tone of great earnes'ness. 4-os 6sfae4i 90
: 'Och! by jabers. PA" said the other, "you
have lost your raison entirely, for it is not the
moon anyhow. but the reflection ofsome of the
mighty fine things in the wonderful Exhib-
tIon." 4 ~ fss Z. rs s...f -.-t. ,ssfs4,s
At that instant. a canny Scotchman from the
townof Fenwick,a who had also gone to see
the Worlds Show. happened to pass, and Pat
thus accosted him: ft,nsi
-Shure. sur. we are strangers. and
make bould to axyeif yon is the moon or the
blessed sun we see stbruggling through the
log aboveusf 3di ri s31asss5. II s,li' h, v17s.
= deed; sir. I'm no vera sure" replied the
Fenwick worthy. "for though gat a Bit ink
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