, 1885-12-26
VALUABLE sourA AMERICAN cualos
what a Correspt edent Gathered Togethe
While In tho Land of the Incas.

While In tho Land of the IncAs.
called on Mr.. W. L. Curtis this loom
ing and took a look at his South Amer.
lean curiosities, which he collected while
travelling as the secretary Of the South
American trade commission. They are
many and very valuable. Looking
through them Is like paying a visit to a
hrst-class museum, and TO hear Mr.. Curtis
tell their stories Is better than the most
delightful book Of travels. Among them
are robes OF furs and feathers; articles H.
Illustrative OF south American art, wonder.
ful carvings. South American antiquities,
the origins OF which nave almost been
lost sight of. and a thousand and one
curiOs. from silver earrings worn by the
lneas hundreds OF years ago, the mum
mics eyes made Into a necklace which
has been described by the press, down to
curious blossoms which look for nll the
world like walnut carvings. and which
are known AZ the volcano flowers.
HIRE ROSES OF OSTRICH FEATHERS.
Among the most valuable articles OF the
collection are three robes of ostrich feath-
ers from Patagonia, These robes never
get into the market OF the world, and |
don't suppose there Is another one In the
United States except these. They are the
,ize OF large buffalo robes, and are made
Of the breasts OF young ostriches. 1t takes
from fourteen to twenty breasts to make
a single robe. The skins are OF two differ
emit ~oolors, alternate patches of love and
white. Taken from the young ostriches,
they are far softer, more downy and fluffy
than the finest article upon a lady's hat,
and passing ones hand over one Is like
caresslng silk plush OF a wonderful rich
ness.
In Africa the ostrlches are plucked and
then allowed to run for another season.
In Patagonia they run wild. The Indians
aunt them, and after catching them by
throwing a boias-or d weapon composed
Of W heavy leaden balls attached to
gether by a string in such a way that
II wraps itself around the running
ostrich's legs and hurls 1t to the earth
they cut their throats. These robes are
made by the Indians, and are sold by them
for whatever they will bring. They are
so rare that but few OF them get into the
market. Mr.. Curtis estimates the value
OF each Of his to be at least $3.50.
ILLUMINATED PAGES OF A MIssAL.
At Lima Mr.. Curtis obtained some
illuminated pages Of an old monks
mlssal. Each of these pages was as large
as a full page. They are OF parchment,
and the book from which they were taken
Is a foot thick. They have been beauti-
fully painted and Illuminated by the
monks OF the fourteenth and fifteenth
centuries. One was a frontispiece, con.
talning a highly-colored picture OF Christ
going into Egypt, with u brilliantly
Illuminated border OF black and gold.
Another was the first page made up OF a
painting, which must have taken months
10 do, and the third was a page giving a
verse OF a hymn as sung in Latin, with
the queerest shaped notes OF music upon
It, Mr.. Curtis tells me he found the book
from which these leaves were taken, to-
gether with a great stack OF its like, in
the dust and rubbish behind the altar OF
the great cathedral at Lima, the largest
cathedral In this hemisphere, and n build
ing bigger than the capitol here.
After ~rummaging about looking al
'iicm. Mr.. Curtis offered the monk in
charge $40 for one Of them, and on his re.
fusal raised the price until he at last Of
iered 500. The monk still refused, say.
ing that he could give one at no price
" hatever, and Mr.. Curtis left the church
IA Mr.. Curtis went away n dirty monk In
a cowl. with d~issipated features, who had
been standing by and overheard his con.
versation, Junk after him and told him
he thought he could get him one OF those
missnls II he would keep his mouth shut.
and he would bring one to the hotel that
Night. AT the appointed time the monk
came, but without the missal. He said
that he had been watched SO closely thai
he could not steal It, but had been able t.
tear a few pages ont, and with this he
ashed the ones Of which l have spoken
from under his gown. Mr.. Curtis rightly
estimates them at far beyond their weight
IN gold.
RELICS FROM PERUVIAN GRAVES.
From the desert OF Peru Mr.. Curtis la.
a number OF relies, This desert is mad,
up Of magnetic sand of wonderful curative
properties. II has for centuries been tht
burying-placo OF the Peruvians and theiI
mummies, some hundreds, aud some,
suppose, thousands Of years old, lie buried
within 1t. No one pays any attention tc
them, and any n can go about and dig
up mummies at VIII. With each body
was buried some OF the things the person
used upon earth. The women all have
uniting needles buried with them, and
some OF these with cotton still upon them
gnd their handles beautifully carved, Mr.
Curtis has In his collection. Clay Jug
Tor cooking OF various kinds he also ex.
4gmed himself Silver and copper pin,
bout six inches long. like those tn,
.ldies put In their back hair, are found II
aany graves. These were used for fast
ming the cloaks OF the women, and Their,
we're also hoop earrings OF silver OF all
lies and shapes.
4 necklace Of monkeys teeth cam,
rom one grave, and another curiosity
vas a pair OF copper tweezers for pulling
out the whiskers OF the men, which werl
about an inch and a half long, and
solid silver frying pan big enough for tn,
largest sized b~uckwheat cake was an
other. This pan Mr.. Curtis bought OF
p~awnbroker, as well ms some other silveI
articles, beautifully carved. and OF tn,
finest workmanship, He tells me tina
South America Is practically pauperized
and that the best OF articles find theil
way into the pawnshops, there to be sole
Tor about their worth as old silver or ole
gold-Washington Cor. Cleveland Leader
Mems snits and furnishing goods to b,
sull without reserve At Polack's.
30 to Mast 4 and examine his stock he
iire you purchase.
Remeniber thar Rfner 4
E.h.,ea1s bnuSffo Fbp .Yns-.