The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-09-07
Editorial Correspondence.

For $25 the summer tourist can buy a
return ticket from Richmond to Nan
tucket over the line of the Pennsylvania
Railroad, MA New York, then the Sound
steamers to Fall River, Old Colony Rail
road to New Bedford, and the Nantucket
steamer from the last-named point. i
Warrington.
If the tourist desires it, he can stop in
Washington. Of course, if he does so, he
will visit the Capitol. This great build
ing covers three acres of ground, and is
400 feet high from the foot of the steps
to the figure of Liberty on the top of the
dome. This height is exceeded by St.
Paul's in London (4o4 feet), St. Peters
in Rome (434 feet), the Strasburg Cathe
dral (466 feet the Cathedral of Antwerp
(472 feet, and some other structures in
Europe, and is equalled, we believe, by
the Porcelain Tower of Marking The
Antwerp Cathedral is the loftiest struc-
ture in the world except the Great Pyra-
mid in Egypt (479 feet). The Library
of Congress is in the Capitol and con-
tains nearly 100000 volumes, the largest
collection of books in the United States.
A copy of every book published in the
United States has to be deposited in this
library.
The Smithsonian Institution
interested us, however, more than the
Capitol. The collection of stuffed ami
mails on the first floor is very large, and
there are models and skeletons of num-
Der of extinct animals. Birds without
number, of every plumage, are seen in
the cases; eagles, swans, pelicans, pleas
ants, wild turkeys, owls, ducks, parrots,
pigeons vultures, famingoes, etc., etc.,
etc. There are gorillas, chimpanzees,
balloons, monkeys, tigers, leopards, bears,
deer, hy@nas, wolves, bisons, etc., in
countless variety. The finest specimen
is, perhaps, the model of that gigantic
extinct deer, the Great Irish Elk, whose
remains abound in the Irish peat-bogs,
and which measured nearly II feet be-
tween the tips of its horns. Side by side,
we have an opportunity of comparing
our American buffalo" with the great
extinct bison and the extinct aurochs
(Bos pr'n'ige1aius) of Europe. Here also
we may see the great Ceyvus Canadensas
or American Elk, which is hardly infe
rior to the Great Irish Elk, and the Musk
Sheep, now extinct in Europe, with rep
reservations of some of those monstrous
animals whose remains were found by
DIR. Falcover in the tertiary formations,,of
the Siwalik Hills in India.
On the upper floor is the collection of
implements of the prehistoric world and
of the American Indians, the Eskimos.
and the Pacific Islanders. The collec-
ton OF stone implements Of the Neolithic
or Polished Stone Age is unusually com
plete, and there are also several cases
containing the paleolithic flint imple-
ments from the river drift of Europe.
with many fints and bone implements
from the caves of the Reindeer" period
In Europe. Here also are few speci-
mems of fine stone implements evidently
recent from the auriferous gravels of
California, found in the heart of Table
Mountain, at the depth OF several hun
dred feet from the surface, under four or
FIVE beds Of lava, and attributed by Prof.
Whitney and Prof. o. G. Marsh to the
Pliocene Epoch
There are also representations (models)
in the Smithsonian collection of the
famous cuff Dwellings Of New Mexico
and Arizona-besides great many other
curious things too numerous to mention.
Washington is splendid city. The
street cars run in every direction, and
the fare is only cents or 8 cents. Good
board can be obtained for $1.25 day,
and room at the rate of so cents or 81
day according to your fancy in the
neighborhood Of the Patent Office, where
there are number of fair restaurants
which furnish dinner for 80 cents. We
were particularly struck with the pala-
tial residences, which are constructed on