Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-11

great exhibit from
Chicago there is no
grDup OF objects
which more thoroughly impresses the COM
mon beholder than this creation which
Mr.. Walter Hough. the assistant curator of
the department of ethuoIogy. has but Just
now completed. after many days of study
and toll In the east hall. among the vari-
Gus tableaux showing the rise of man. this
new collection occupies several cases on the
main aisle. For many years Mr. Hough
has made careful study Of the interesting
subject. having collected many relics in it's
line during his travels in the old continent
but not until the confusion OF the recent
reorganization had passed did the -oppor-
tunity appear when ne could get together
In series the many torches lanterns and
lamps distributed among the various de-
partments and combine them with the new
acquisitions.
In the long series which has led I'D to our
present lighting systems America appears
at both ends of the string Just as the
American arc light is the highest conception
OF The daylight maker. the torch of the In
dian has been found to be the crudest effort
ever made by man TO count the inches be-
lore MS nose in the DARKNESS. These torches
were nauSht but fat pine twigs. twisted to-
gether and set on fire by sparks created by
the friction Of two pieces Of bark or board
But as the savage brOiled his meat on
wooden splits over his bonfire he noticed that
the fat clinSing to the wood caused IL 10
flame more brightly. 50 he made the first
step toward candle making by greaSing pine
wood and afterward by sticking torches
through the bodies of fish or birds a custom
which stin prevails among the natives of
the northwest coast and the Esquimaux OF
Alaska.
The Primitive Candle.
In the South Sea Islands the savages
string oily nuts on sticks which are kept
burning during their religious performances
and the Malays go further by using bundles
OF resin wrapped in palm leaves while the
early English and Scandinavians dipped
PUSHES in heated fat and afterward wrapped
cloth fiber in rolls of wax-hence the growth
OF the tdllJW and wax candle. The first use
OF the candle In China and Japan. however,
Is lost III obscUrity. The use of the candle
IN most countries may be dated from the
mtrOduC tiJn.Of domestic animals and honey
bees into the territory
Likewise. the lamp is fouUd in its crudest
FORM among the aborigines of this country
ne EsGuimaux found on the beach a stone
With d natural depression In 1t, which he
nlled with seal fat. and used a moss wick
Ihl5 Is also repeated among the earliest
tribes OF other countries. the next step In
the direction of a SlObUiar vessel for oil
being the irregular earthen saucer while
IN America tUrnips have been found hol-
lowed cut Tor this purpose. and among the
pennsylvania Dutch the primitive form
crops up today in the use of the tin pan,
with tallCw wick. Mr.. Hough traces the
Roman ancestry, beginning with the rough
clay bowls filed with oil. with a wick hang
ing against the side. Then the potter one
day pInched corner in the soft undried
vessel. and found that to be a good resting
place for the wick, and this protuberance
was also found useful a handle so two
Were made-One on either side. A more
modern generation shows the spout sep
ardte from the rim of the vessel, there be
ing hole connecting with the oil inside
Then the handles grew curled. like a little
= nd IN lN- tba. u
lamp which for centuries was in vogue
throughout the east. lighting the lusty war
riorS To bed when they came in late, and,
percEance, heating the curling irons of
Cleopatra.
Artistic Forms of Lamps.
The Italians continued TO improve the
Idea by the manufacture of the same shapes
In iron. The Roman artists soon learned to
combine necessity with ornamentation, and
Ju1SinS from the beautiful specimens of
their work in Mr.. Hough's collection. where
may be found artistic vessels shaped in all
sorts Of symbOlcal forms, some represent
Ing hun an faces, shells. birds. fish. etc, Ii
appears that the modern artist is unable to
excel the grace Of these ancient designs.
But the greatest feature of the Old collection
Is group Of bronze lamps from the luxuF-
louS dwellings, OF the POmpeians. The
POmpeiiaHS and r. mans both used scented
oils IN tseir lamps, which. when lighte I,
hliei tEeir apartments with delightful doors.
One Of these IL a swinging lamp of elaborate
design, the tripod stand being supported by
teet fashioned after those of a frog. which
hold up tree. from whose branches little
lamp swings by chains. with a tweezer and
prickc. suspended beside it,
Another design shows a stand formed by
a bronze s.Grk battling with snake of the
same metal. whose head is reared high in
the air holding a small lamp and the uten-
sis fOI picking the wick. The Romans also
made lamps of brass. designed after the
ancient patterns. with a spout and handle.
From fN<. combs shown nf ba
lights with "hi1h tine Christians of the
nfth century lighted the dark quarry cav
erns in which they were forced to live.
These are of bronze and carthenware. fash
Toned somewhat Ike the lamps of earlier
days, with tine same nozzle and handle, the
only difference being that the Ornamental
ton consisted of designs in which some
symbol OF Christianity wrought. The
Roman lamps still later vary in the number
OF spouts. having from one to a dozen. in
different ages In this series of Roman
lamps alone Mr.. HOush has 100 specimens.
The Lantern Form.
Tbs lantern. being conceived as a means of
projecting the candle from the wind may
be considered next in order OF development.
one Of the most interesting forms of this
contriFaEce is a Eouri. bsrelf full Of small
holes This was hueI with large freG.es
and used On board a vessel az a light for
the compass Another freely lamp OF later
d..tG comes .-'fn iHe ~ est indies. It stands
about eighteen inches hIgH and is Construct
et H. three stories. each Ike a cage with
vertical Hi-Ser . bamboo Stats ana small
door TIE brilliant tropical E~..ies are i'm
prs. il these. being fet daily, ana T.
ta.UIg- their I~i.iiaure "a long time Al old
E''ri.sH horn lJft-or1, SUCH as She town
vaf-l-Elt ll rr-.i i'm The old co Iutry. - a
hu-. Hlar., ,s itGi.T. hIyin- q ,or ...I r,of
ana a1 i-pl ring N the top Tho if.-rfti..1
oi horn PLACES, which preceded glass, is at
tTl.vtrj a. -.- good King AlIrei who st
U? marry cl-..-s with which to Measure the
tine Hs sf.l. in prayer.