The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-09-23
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. D. c., Sept. 10, 1882.

w WASHINGTON, ID. u, sept. IL, 1857.
One of the interesting places of
Washington is the Smithsonian In
stitution and the adjoining National
Museum. The former is the legacy
of an English chemist and miner
alogist, James Smithson, who died
in 1929. He bequeathed to the Uni
ted States 100000 with which to
establish at Washington an institu-
ton to be named after himself and to
be devoted to the increase and diffu-
sion of knowledge among his fellow
men. Congress, accordingly, though
not until 1856, organized the Institu-
ton and placed in its charge all OBJ
jects of natural history, geology, and
mineralOgy belonging to the United
States, and appointed a corps OF Off
GERS to manage it. At first its stock
consisted only of the articles which
had been collected during the Wilkes
exploring expedition, but it has
steadily grown, receiving fresh acqui-
sitions from each exploring or sur
veying trip undertaken by the Gov
as we'll as from the indus
trial exhibitions of the country. At
the close of the Centennial Exhibit
ton thirty-three different countries
donated their exhibits to the United
States to be placed in the Smithson.
ian Institution.
BY many, this Institution is be
lieved to be merely a museum of
stuffed animals; but the exhibit of
animals, though good, and in the
case of some of the smaller species
exceedingly so, is by no means the
only one. In the AnthrOpological
Hall, for example, there is much food
for interesting observation and study.
Esquimaux, Indian, Chinese, and
japanese curiosities are displayed in
large numbers. Miniature represen-
tations Of Esquimaux huts and the
habitations of Laplanders, cliff, cave,
and lake-dwellers, are given with
careful accuracy and completeness of
detail. Three thousand year old
mummies from Egypt and others of
more recent date from the Northwest
Coast and Peru grin from their cases
upon the passers-by. While the Ca
prom collection of japanese carving
in ivory, gold, and silver, presented
by the Tycoon of Japan to General
CaprOn, and by him loaned to the
Institution, contains much to charm
the fancy of the artistic beholder.
The ivory figures are so carefully
carved that even the microscope fails
to reveal false line or curve. An
other object of more than ordinary
interest is skrunken head from the
AmazOnian Indians. This is a war
trophy and is a genuine head reduced
to the dimension of four inches at its
greatest diameter. The method OF
preparation is as follows: When a
chief has killed an enemy he cuts the
skin around his neck, loOsens it and
slips it off over the skull. He then
removes the flesh and sOaks the skin
for ten or twelve hours in an infusion
of herbs. When it is well soaked, he
fills it with small, heated pebbles and
shakes it so that the pebbles shall
touch every part. Then he soaks ii
again and repeats the process until
he has reduced it to The regulation
size-for they have a fashion in these
things as we haYe in our customs
and then passes a string through the
lips or nose by which to hang it to
his belt. 1t is very similar to the
custom of scalping, except that it is
much more elaborate and perhaps
more satisfactory since it preserves
his opponents features in miniature.
Another interesting object, and one
which would be apt to escape the no.
tice of the casual observer, is pecu.
liar gem called the jodith. This stone
is found in its natural state only in
China and Japan, but has been dis
covered in Mexico and Central Amer
lea cut and carved. 1t is very hard
being imperYiOus to steel, and rank
ing in this respect only fourth or fifth
from the diamond. This specimen is
from Mexico. But to enumerate all
the interesting curiosities of the In.
stitution would be to furnish a cata-
logue rather than letter. There are
many others of equal interest to those
that l have mentioned which are
well worthy the attention of visitors
and should be carefully studied.
The National Museum was estab-
lished by Congress in 1912, and was
transferred to the care of the Smith
sonian Institution in 1858. 1t is in
tended to serve the purpose OF re-
cording and penetrating the GUS
toms and modes of life of man, his
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