The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-09-17

NOTES AT KONTREAL-NTERESTIN CURI.
oSITIES OF HIsT0RY, &C.
An attendant at the Scientific Convention
at Montreal, writes to the Boston Traveller
as follows:
THE NATURAL HISTORY ROOMS.
The rooms of the Natural History Soci-
ETY., under whose auspices the Scientific
Association meets, are in Little st. James
street. The collection of curiosities is
much better than that of the Boston Soci-
ETY., rs whole, but inferior in some of its
classes. There is a fine young whale
which, if it had not unluckily been caught,
would have been aohaler by this time.
The collection OF birds is fully equal to that
of the Boston Society, and some of them
are so much like life that ono almost expects
to hear the songs break forth.
Among the curiosities of history, no.
ticed scarf once worn by the unfortunate
Mary Queen ofScots. 1t is of most elabor-
ate workmanship-the stitching unlike any
thing with which I am acquainted at the
present time; also the figure of Christ, in
embroidery, taken from robe worked by
Queen Isabella of Costile and Aragon-
beautifully done. Time has not taken
away the bright hues of the floss.
In the same cabinet is a piece of the boat
which Malcolm III steered across the lochs
of Scotland; also short sword from the
field of Culloden, where the hopes Of
Charles Edward went down in darkness
and blood. There also, arc urns from
Pompeil-the ashes of the dead still in
them-of the dead who, centuries ago, per-
formed their part in life. There, too, side
by side, are bullets from Plattsburgh-
those fired by the British, and also by the
Americans in 1914. Those from the Bri-
tish moulds are much the largest. Once
they were sent with deadly aim and winged
opccd by opposing forces each at the other,
but now they are side by side, representing
the peace between the nations.
What silent cloquence is in these balls.
The great past, laden with all the incidents
OF time, full ofthe glory, tho majesty and
beauty Of the departed ages comes back.
behold the lovely Queen of Scots; see
the boat Of Malcolm on the deep; and the
claymores clang, the shout of the High
land clan, arc in my ears; I enter the
Alliambra and behold the beautiful mosaics
Of its marble floors, and stand in the
presence of the Cavaliers Of Spain; as go
further back to the old Roman times, and
march with the victorious legions along the
Appian way, stepping upon this fragment
of marble before me, crushed by the hoof
of centurian's charger from the polished
pavement. Or I stand beside the sacred
graves, where the dust of the great depart
ed is gathered in burial urns. Here it is,
fine powder which breath of wind may
scatter far and wide! Once it was solid
bone, clothed with fleshy garments and
nerves that grasped the sword or swayed the
sceptre.
History has its lessons-grcat, glorious,
sublime lessons, teaching the nations. The
birds, the reptiles, the relics before me, are
but broken fragments gathered from the
feasts Of nations but in them now there is
life-giving principle, eloquent for the present
and future.
1t is worth our while, at times, to turn
from the busy, hurrying present, 10 what
has gone before us-to be transported by
a relic down the steps of time to prini.
tive years. When we return from such
wanderings the present is more of reality.
A noticeable feature in the Natural
History rooms, is tho great variety of hats
collected from all nations. There is the
Mexican broad.brim, Of plated straw and
small high crown, ten inches high and
three IN diameter at the top of the cone;
the African sloucb, Of rushes, nicely braided
but sadly crumpled, as ifinnumerable bricks
had been carried in it; the Chinese, spread
ing out like shield of the old North Bri.
tons, the counterpart Of that borne by
Bruce at Bannockburn, as pictured in tue
old books; the japanese, something like
the Chinese, but the prototype of one Of
Waterman's dish covers: the brass helmet
of an English trooper, in vogue two centu.
ries ago; the modern hat, of felt and fur
all Of them hanging in row upon the
walls. The customs and characters of the
people who wore them are manifest. They
represent national traits of character. A
great deal might be made out of that row
of hats, ifsone but had the time and space
for il.
! OTHER THINos,
Among other curiosities is deer's head
grown iuto tres. The poor buck, perhaps
in a fit Of desperation committed suicide by
running his head against the oak, and
percLance the poor fellow got hung up
I noainst his will. but bv sone mean. r.