Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-01-20
SIR SAMUEL BAKER.
HIS WONDERFUL STORES OF SKINS
SKULLS, AND ART TREASURES.
Thr Walls Of His Home Decorated with
Memorials of the Chasc-nuain: Curl
Dasie- of the Drawing Room
Lady Bakers BOadoir.
fLondOn Letter

The house at Sanford Orleigh commands
one of the faireSt prospects IN South Devon
EmhUwere-! in "a wooden knoll, from the ter
race walSs the river Teign may be traced
vending It's course through the fertile val
ley to fei.nmouth am. to the sea, which
forms the horizon Of this lovely landscape.
The interior of the house is at once n vast
museum of skulls and skins II the larger
fauna Of the great continents which have
fallen victims 10 the ungrr!nG aim II Sir
Samuel Bakers rife. and a repository II
sInguarly choice collection of all the arts in
faion"e. porcelain, lacquer, and the metals
III Europe After passing two figures in
complete suits of japanese armor, which
stand sentinel within the GA s-incased p)r-
toe. ore enters the hall. IL Is adorned,
among other memorials Of the chase, with
the ini- hty head Of iierce-lo0kins AmrTi-
can bison, and with the Uranium OF species
Of the bovine tribe whose mildrr aspect
bellies its NOR savage character, fo- the pre-
served head belonged to an Animal which
sorel and nearly killed Sir Samucr' ophew
Oh the west coast Of Africa.
The hall, indeed, might easily lie mistaken
for the drawing room, furnished 1t is with
luxurious Coucbes, handsome cabinets, hrulzes
and ornam,n tS, together with tie soft hang
iDgs and CARPETS o. syhGrltlC age. Ice
walls are decorated with 4 perfect forest of
antlerS ani horns Of almost every deer, ante
loi,e and Wild goat eA;an; Gae head IS
noticeable more as a trophy t!an ornament.
II Is that of a croc die, Whose gaping and
serrated jaws en- he more appalling vixen
you hear that tie string Of wooden beads
hanging beneath on a nail WAS taken from
tho interior Of TIE slam monster, and was al
that remain a of young Arab girl who had
been SNAPPED up ri the rivers brink. Anon:
the many bronze~. perhaps none surl IS e IN
elegance that representing Benten--a
national E"ddess-repasinG on a water
spout which issues from the mouth
OF n dragon. 1t would ie diff
cult To- excel some 81 the antique
Japanes, kettles Ecre arranged. e.
pccially one of Hiroshima hammered rome
work, ornamented with gold and silver
figures in exquisite design and another Of real
old gold lacquer, literally worth its weight in
sovereiSns. and perfectly indcstructibie by
the hottest water In the embrasure OF the
window in the billiard room adjoining stand
the skull and tu, Ks OF an African elephant
killed by Sir Samuel and Transported by
him fully 500 mi es 10 the Mediterranean,
and against III, janis II the n:artcl-I 5ece
are still two finer tiiskS. Outstret, he'd upon
thu walls hang the skins Of four full-crown
tigers. ami ai,o that OF n lioness fun of shot
holes. \ rug Of aa'c3oIe skins, cunningly
sewn t.lseiher, VIII, h covers one Of the
benches. WAS the gift q; Mite a, king OF
Cgan Ia: while over Ih' rantelpiece Is
framed piece Ct ia, aneSc work IN silk, adj
mirably depicting a cavalry encounter.
In the drawing-ranm are cabinets inlaid
with ivory aud with precious stones and
marbles, filed with old Sevres and Dresden
china, while plates and groups are On every
side Services in Limoges, having been sent
To Japan TO lie painted over glaze, occupy
many shelves and inches; but pre- -eminently
costly are the cups AMI jar, in old Satsun n,
one especially most tenierly executed. which,
illustrating twenty four Chinese fables on
its bowl, is a marvel Of pictorial art. Under
"A glass case is an exquisite carving in ivory.
over 100 years Old. 4 small table in lacquer,
by Total, having some peacocks engraved
thereon with an instrument pointed with a
rats tooth. is a piece 81 perfect rs 20 have
attained historical renown. Sir Samuel viii
also show You a pink vase Of Partisan enamel
with its date, ll09. forming part OF Its
delicate design hut not least among
his idols-for he delights in his col
lection with the enthusiasm Of a connois-
seur-iS n little teapot Of pottery,
oyeriaid with copper, into which figures of
silver and god have been punched, and 50
unique is it that the Jarane>e minister
admitted that be had never seen its like.
At the head Of the staircase is Lady
Bakers daintily furnished boudoir, replete
with all things elegant and beautiful, and
therefore characteristic If its usual oocu-
pant The walls of Sir Samuel Bakers study
are decorated with excellent rtplicGS of some
of RaphaeI's and Murillo'S masterpieces
together with SEA pieces rcqrss' nting has
cra:ld!ather'S victory over the French. and
with family portraits. This cosy room all rls
n comfortable re-rcl; for the enjoyment
of cisarett. snl for cha, with your host,
with whom sport VIII Ct course b. an inter
estinS topic. and viii certainly lead up In an
examination If his battery of guns. and
..srecial!y 81 IN. little Fletcher" TO which
such frequent reference * made in his
pnhIiShel works This handy wgsnon,
weighing only eight ami three-qUartcr
,ounis. has always le'u his In>eparahls
..nr:r,.aninn and almost formed an extra
BON. -; m, as ne declares.