The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-14

solution. Without following In detail Mr.
TEACHERS analysis Of the evidence. we note
that he arrives at tho conclusion reached
In 1893 by Muhoz in his Historic del NuerO
Iundo That writer said OF Guanahani
| in my opinion IL II the same island that s
now called Waiting" Such Ia Mr.. Thatcher a
conviction. On page COZ, we read; Most
students who have been readers rather than
invest gators OF the first voyage OF Colum-
bus have been content with the charming
story Of Washington Irving. or with the
authoritative voice OF Alexander Won Hum
| boldt. To-day. the careful student reads
the original Spanish OF Eavarrete. and
verifes It's statements concerning the land
| fall by what competent sailors who have
visited the locality have 10 tell OF the bahama
group The chapter dealing with this
particular subject ends as follows. "The
route sailed by Columbus from his landfall
on the morning OF Oct. IL, 1892. until he
touched the shore Of Cuba is here outlined
with probable accuracy II ever mortal
hand shall hold the original Journdl Of the
Admiral, many new and clearer readings
may be found. But until then. availing
ourselves of the three methods OF investi-
CATION above noted. we may declare that
the Waiting Island Of to-day ia the true
Guanahan which hrst knew the foot Of the
European discoverer. and thus pointed
the way to q new stage and new scenes.
on which were to be enacted old plays and
the temperance of ancient history
The first quarto volume Of this work, COM
prising $40 pages, ends, as We have said,
with the first landfall We shall lock for
ward with lively interest 10 the completion
OF the most exhaustive and memorable
study of Columbus that has seen the light
Sir a. II. Layard's Aut ObiOEraphy.
Everybody interested in Assyrology
is familiar with I.ayards -Nineveh and Its
Remains" and Monuments OF Nineveh."
which we're published in 1910 and 1853 re-
specuvely. Many persons also have seen
his Early Adventures in Persia. Babylonia
and Susiana." which appeared in 1887
In the two volumes now published by the
Scribners - Sir Henry Lavdrd. Autobio-
ordphy and Lettsrs We have the authors
own story OF his life down to the period
dealt with in his EARLY Adventures. and
also description of his subsequent official
career at Constantinople under Sir STRAIT
ford Canning. a'terward Lord Stafford
de Radcliffe. At the beginning of his eH-
cavations in the Assyrian mounds, his con-
nected autobiography comes to an end.
We learn from the preface. however, that
he has left an account Of his two important
embas sizes to Madrid and Constantinople he
was at the former capital during the Revo-
luton of 1901 and at the latter during
the Russo-TIrkish War Of ls77-7S but he
expressed the desire that this work should
only be published when those who might
be offended by it should have passed away.
As that time has not yet arrived. IL has been
deemed e1pedient to terminate the book
before lis in 1869. on The eve Of his departure
from Madrid The gaps left in his own
story up TO tina, date have BEEN TO some
extern bridged by extracts from his cor
respondence, and the sketch of his career
as Member of Parliament from ls5? TO
1869 is made the subject of a separate chap
ter from the pen Of uis friend and colleague
Sir Arthur Otway We should add that
these volumes have been edited by the
Hon William NJ Bruce and are published
with the authority of Lady Layard
How interesting these volumes are will
be evident when We recall the principal
4
Austen Henry Layard was born in Paris.
on March 5,lsl7. and died in London on July
5, 1915. He won distinction as traveller,
archRologist. politician. dplonatist and
student Of the fine arts. Before he was
, ~ he had. with the scantiest means, and
without the aid of railways, travelled widely
in France, Switzerland and northern Italy
and had visited Denmark, Sweden and
| ST. Petersburg: had made friends with
! Cavour. then also young man. had seen
ben jamin Disraeli in boxing gloves. and
| been admitted TO the intimate circle OF
| Henry Crabbe Robinson. Before he was
IS he had accomplished the most adven-
| furious and perilous of his many travels,
and, as the guest and friend of the chief
Of the Baktiyaris, had taken part in the
armed resistance OF those tribes to the
tyranny OF Persia. He WAS not the pioneer
in Assyrian excavations, for in 1912 Botta.
French Consul at Mosul, conducted some
extensive excavations at Khorsabad.
Two years earlier. indeed, Layard. trav-
cling along the banks Of the Tigris, had
been struck by the ruins of Nimrud. pointed
out by tradition az the site of Nineveh.
and had felt an irresistible desire to ex-
anime the remains. Not until 1915, how
ever, could he obtain the requisite means
and facilities for research; he then, with
the help Of some Arabs, began secretly
to dig In the mounds supposed 10 contain
the ruins, The work done at that time
was inconsiderabe. but his excavations
we're resumed In 1s48 and 1871. and his
energy and perseverance were rewarded
by the discovery Of the remains Of four
palatial edifces. The most remarkable
discoveries were made in the Northwest
Palace. supposed to have been built by
Sardanapalus. The walls had been lined
with large slabs of gypsum. or alabaster,
covered with bas reliefs and cuneiform
inscriptions. Many Of these slabs were
sent to England by Layard. together with
gigantic, winged, human-headed bulls and
lions, and eag,e-headed deities. They were
placed in the British Museum, of which they
have since remained one of the chief at
fractions. Layard at first conducted his
search at his own expense. but later he was
literally assisted by Lord Stratford de Red
olitfe, then British Ambassador in Con-
stantinople, and. eventually, as the value
Of these specimens Of the Assyrian art
began to be known. the House of Commons