The Indianapolis journal., 1884-02-12
LETTER FROM ERNEST MORRIS.
The Rooms of the American Geographical
SOciety-0Id Books and Atleses.

Special Correspondence of the Indanadolis Journal
New YORK. Feb. S-For three days it has
rained; nevertheless l have said good-by to a
host of friends, made arrangements to continue
my letters to the World and finished up all
business, and am now loa6ng and enjoying my
self amid old books at the rooms of the
American Geographical Society. know of no
better place to loaf-to smoke a cigar or meet
congenial spirits At No. IL West Twenty ninth
street. in large four-story brown stone
building are the rooms of the Ameri
can Geographical Society. On entering tie
Office, which is in the basement you are met by
an attendant who answers all questions politely.
Ascending broad fight of stairs you enter the
large parlors handsomely carpeted, the walls
adorned by large mirrors, maps, and pictures;
chief among the latter is a full-length painting
in oil of Stanley. In the center of the parlor is
the great globe by Maltby, of January, 1883.
Near the window hangs the large map of South
America used by Humboldt in 1888, and with his
authOgraph attached. Leaving the parlors and
passing through a marble hall you ascend to the
third floor where you enter the library in charge
OF MIR. Leopold Lindau, gentleman to whom
am indebted for much kindness and courtesy.
Here traveller or lover of old books
can spend many days. full descrip
ton of the library, and especially
It's treasures, is impossible so let us only glance
at some of its old books and maps. This library
contains $1,000 geographical works, besides
books of travel, maps, etc, and although not as
large as many other foreign societies, certainly
contains the most complete collection of old
aliases. beginning with that of Oateiluis. printed
in Amsterdam in 1870 This library is also rich
in collections of voyages beginning with those
of Hakluyt in 1898; also those of Purchas in
1924 Among the thousands of volumes that in
terested me was ''Ptoemaei Geographic" pub
hshed in 1903 and containing the first map of
America, which is called Terra Sancti Crocis,"
or Land of the Holy Cross. Over this old work
spent much time, and was much surprised to
see that on his map of Africa the Nile was made
to rise in the lakes discovered or re-discovered
by Speke and Grant in 1857.
Verify, there is nothing new under
the sun. All the books are nicely
arranged and classified no matter upon what
subject (geographical), or what map you wish to
see you can Immediately put your hand upon
it. Quite a contrast to the Astor library where
l spent exactly half an hour in attempting to
find a book, and when asked an attendant
and, by the by, these all appear to be young
boys-n the book was in, was met with surly
reply; Don't know" A stranger is not favora
bly, impressed with the attendants. On the long
table of the society are all home and foreign
publications, such as magazines, reports, etc
1t is quiet, cozy place, and / recommend it to
all who are in search of geographical knowledge
/ sail on February L. on the steamer Muriel for
Trinidad from there go to Georgetown, British
Guiana, which will be my address; thence to the
interior. ERNEST NORRIS.