to return, was very much esteemed * to have been made A.D. 983. Whitemansland is supposed to be This discovery is said men were tolerably well acquainted with the coast of America, from Labrador to Massachusetts, and had a vague that part of the coast tradition that it extended much farther south, and that this of North America, which extends southward from Chesa- southern region was peopled by a race of men differing in peake Bay, including North and South Carolina, Georgia, many respects from the Esquimaux. We may also admit, and Florida.t when we take into consideration that swarms of freebooters "As the distance of Whitemansland is described as constantly cruizing in the Northern Seas, and along the whole sex dagra sigling vestur fra Irlandi' (six days' sailing west-western coast of Europe, that during a violent gale from the wards from Ireland), it is probable that Ari had sailed from north-east, several vessels may have been driven across the Ireland."+ It is, in Atlantic, as far south as Florida. Vinland is now known as the states of Massachusetts and fact, obvious that the merest accident might in that age have Rhode Island, and Markland, Nova Scotia.§ led some enterprising adventurer a few degrees further south, and given rise to a series of events resulting in the final conquest of the tropical regions of America by the sea Besides these curious statements there are others bearing upon this question. It is said "that the Esquimaux children taken in Mark-faring Scandinavians.”* land declared that beyond their country lay another, the Coming, now, to the second part of the inquiry, viz., what inhabitants of which wore white dresses, and bore flags on was the origin of the aboriginal races of America, and who long poles."! were the builders of the mounds in that part of the world, we find ourselves in the region of doubt. Ethnologically speak. ing, there seems some good grounds for supposing that all the races of America are of one stock, although presenting many physical variations. Professor Huxley thus speaks of the Mongoloid type in America, and I think many ethnologists will be content to accept his conclusions as the soundest, under the present insufficient state of our knowledge on this perplexing part of the inquiry. He says:-"To the northeast, the Mongoloid population of Asia comes into contact with the Tchuktchi, who are said to be physically identical with the Esquimaux and Greenlanders of North America. Humboldt, whose authority cannot well be rejected, fully admits the Scandinavian discovery of America. But it does not require to stake the argument upon his opinions, for the dates of the Sagas and other works containing the statements are sufficiently convincing, eg., Adam of Breman's accounts of Vinland (Vineland) was written in the 11th century, compiled from authentic accounts furnished him by Danes, being, in fact, communicated to him by the Danish King. Svein Estrithson. Are Frode's account of Vinland, written in the same or following century, and of the eminent Icelandic chief, Ari Marson, are of his own ancestors, who, in the year 983, was driven to a part of America, situate near Vinland ** [as stated above]. "These people combine, with the skin and hair of the Asiatic Mongoloids, extremely long skulls. The Mongoloid There is evidence also of the New World having been habit of skin and hair is also visible in the whole population extensively known in succeeding centuries, prior to the 15th, of the two Americas; but they are predominantly dolichocein which Columbus achieved his great undertaking. For in-phalic, the Patagonians, and the ancient mound-builders pre stance In 1121, Bishop Eirek sailed from Greenland in quest of Vinland. In 1285, Athalbrand and Thorwald, sons of Helgi, discovered a new land west of Iceland. In 1290 Rolf was sent by King Eirek in search of the new land, and took several men with him from Iceland for that purpose. In 1295, death of Rolf, surnamed the Discoverer.tt I must note, en passant, that Finn Magnusen has proved that Columbus visited Iceland previous to his sailing for the New World, in the year 1477, which is supposed to have placed him in a very favourable opportunity for seeing the Icelandic accounts. This is, however, an open question. After considering the whole of the evidence herein put forth, I fully agree with the general conclusions thus stated by Mallet: "All that can be said, with certainty, is that the North * "Landnama book," p. 133, et seq., "The History of Maritime Discovery," vol. I. pp. 214, 215. "The Eyrbyggja-Saga," trans. by Sir Walter Scott, in "Mallet's Northern Antiquities," 1847, P. 534. +"Antiquitates American," p. xxxvii, and p. 208 et seq., J. Wilson's "The Last Solar System of the Ancients Discovered," vol. II., PP. 237-240. The Wars of the Gaedhil with the Gaill," translated by J. H. Todd, D.D., Rerum Britannicarum Medii ævi Scriptores, p. 301. "Guide to Northern Archaeology," by the Earl of Ellesmere, p. 115; "Torfæus's Historia Vinlandia Antiquæ, ""Mallet's North. Antiq.." p. 250. "Thorfinn's Saga," cited in Mallet, p. 265. ¶ "Cosmos," vol. I. **"Antiq. Americanæ." See also, The History of the Swedes," by Eric Gustave Geijer, translated by J. H. Turner, London, p. 36, "Seven Years' Residence in the Great Deserts of North America,' by Abbé Em. Domenech, vol. I., chap. iii., p. 41 et seq. (As some of my readers may reject this work as unreliable, I would beg to refer them to a vindication of his character, by Max Müller, in his "Chips from a German Workshop," vol. I., pp. 313, 314): Domenech was, however, led to partly believe in the authenticity of O'Connor's spurious "Chronicles of Eri,' "Deserts of N. Am.,", vol. I., p. 7; The Ancient Colony and Church of Greenland," a Review of Gronlands Historiski Mindesmærker, in "The Sacristy," vol. I., pp. 70, 77, 1871. "Guide of North Arch.," p 19. ++"Guide North. Arch.," p.115; "Mallet's North. Antiqs.," p. 263. #+ Guide North. Arch.," p. 113: "Mallet," p. 267. senting remarkable brachycephaly."‡ I have taken the liberty of italicizing these last sentences, in order that my readers may bear them in mind when I come to the latter part of the question. (To be continued.) DISCOVERY AT LEITH.-Some workmen in the employ ment of Messrs. M'Donald and Grant, contractors for the new bridge across the harbour at Leith, have just discovered, while excavating thirty feet below the upper part of the old stone pier on the east side of the harbour, a few ancient coins and an old brass relic of peculiar form, about three and a half inches long, and weighing a little more than an ounce. Through the centre there is a square hole, and at each end there is a figure of a man's head. It is not known when the pier was built. The coins and relics have been sent to the Museum, Leith. EXCAVATIONS AT EPHESUS.-H.M.S. Caledonia is at present at Smyrna, engaged in taking on board the marbles, etc., recently brought to light at Ephesus. They are intended to be placed in the British Museum. Wales, has so far forgotten himself as to accept the very doubtful "North. Antiq.," pp. 266, 267. Mr. Owen, the biographer of voyage of Madoc, son of Owen Gwynedd (as stated in the Triads), as quite true, and thinks he must have reached America in the 12th although it speaks of the rebellious proceedings of Madoc; nor does century. The fact is not mentioned in the " Brut y Tywysogion," Stephens, in his "Literature of the Kymry," notice a Triad of such importance as it is, if true. It is, also, not credited in "The History Libri holds the following view, "It is by carefully examining the of Maritime Discovery," vol. I., p. 215. The learned M. Guglielmo unintelligible inscriptions the Norsemen left on rocks, and not by the reading of treatises on geography and navigation, that we have been led to think that the Scandinavians, several centuries before Columbus, had landed on the shores of North America."-See his Introduction in Sotheby's catalogue of his books, Part I., A—L, p. vi. "History of Mankind," by Prichard, vol. II., bk. viii, 1826. "The Geographical Distribution of the Chief Modification of Mankind."-Ethnological Journal, January, 1871, p. 408. FORMER PUBLIC THANKSGIVINGS AND queen, and very many other lords and peers of the realm, ROYAL PROCESSIONS TO ST. PAUL'S and temporal, for the THANKSGIVING THAT WAS DUE UNTO and in company of the more substantial men, both spiritual GOD," &c. AND WESTMINSTER ABBEY. Henry returned to England on the 6th November followTHE following brief accounts of public thanksgivings,ing, and gave strict orders that no ballad or song should be gathered from a variety of sources, may serve to show the made or sung, more than of Thanksgiving to God for his hearty recognitions of the goodness of God in his providen-happy victory and safe return; but without words either disgracing the French or extolling the English. At his tial dealings with our favoured country, that have taken place entrance into London, the City presented him with "a in the brightest periods of its history. Thousand Pounds, and Two Basons of Gold worth Five Hundred Pounds more."* It is elsewhere stated that "And the morrow after Si 1236.-Queen Eleanor proceeded in great state through the City to the coronation, at which time there were exhi-mond and Jude daye, tydynges came to the new mayer of bited elaborate pageants.* 1298.-On the occasion of Edward I.'s victory over the Scots, pageants were again exhibited.† 1357.-Edward the Black Prince led King John and the captive Lords of Bordeaux through the City, and retained them till the following spring. Upon sending this news to his father, he forthwith caused a general thanksgiving to be observed throughout "all England, over eight daies together." 1392.-When Richard II. passed through the City, after the citizens, by submission and the Queen's intercession, had obtained the restoration of their Charter, a thanksgiving was held.‡ 1399.-Henry IV. proceeded to St. Paul's Cathedral, to acknowledge his thankfulness to God upon his accession. KING HENRY V. A public thanksgiving was held on Sunday, the Feast of St. Edward the King and Confessor, in the third year of King Henry V. (A.D. 1416), after the great victory obtained by the English at the battle of Agincourt. After the great business of the day was over, and God had given that renowned prince the victory, he ordered the 114th and 115th Psalms to be sung on the field of battle, by way of acknowledging that all success and all blessings come down from the Father of lights." It appears that the whole victorious army fell down upon their knees, as one man, on the field of conquest, and shouted with one heart and with one voice, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy name, give we the glory, for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake." Solemnly grand, indeed, must have been the sound of this thanksgiving! Mr. H. T. Riley, in his "Memorials of London, in the 13th, 14th, and 15th Centuries," states that-" After Mass of the Holy Spirit devoutly and with due honour celebrated, with solemn music, in the chapel of the Guild Hall of the City of London, according to the ordinance thereon made and approved, in the time of John Wodecok, late mayor of the same city," &c. Nicholas Wottone, Lord Mayor, and the " aldermen, together with an immense number of the commonalty of the citizens of the City aforesaid, went on foot to Westminster and made devout thanksgiving with due solemnity in the Minster there, for the joyous news that had then arrived. But, however, after being ardently athirst in expectation to hear some encouraging news of the success of the royal expedition, it was not long before a trustworthy report of the truth arrived to refresh the longing ears of all the City, how that our said Lord, our Illustrious King, the Lord giving his aid therein, had by such grace gained the victory over his enemies and adversaries, who had united to oppose his march through the midst of his territory of France towards Calais. . . . . . . And because that in the course of events such sorrows and apprehensions of adversity had been succeeded by the joyous news which gave the first notification of this victory; therefore the said mayor and aldermen, and commonalty, in the presence of our lady the . Strype's Glory of Regality," by A. Taylor, p. 251. Ibid., p. 236; Hone's "Ancient Mysteries," p. 234. Hone, p. 234. the sodyne battelle. And then was grete solempnites and processions was done ther for, with prelattes, prestes, frieres, came to Dover, Cantorbery, and soo to London; and there and other sage men of the cytte. And after that the kynge the mayer, aldermen, comyns, rydynge worshyppully ayenst hym in rede gownes and whyte hoddes, and browte hym to Westmyster." KING HENRY VI. 1445.-On Henry VI.'s marriage with Queen Margaret, when she approached London, the mayor, aldermen, sheriffs, and the crafts wearing their respective cognizances, went forth to meet her, and brought her in great state through the City, where were sumptuous and costly pageants, with verses, by Lydgate, and resemblance of divers old histories, to the great comfort of the Queen and her attendants.‡ 1455.-On the Queen's visit to Coventry, at Badlake, in that city, there was a Jesse over the gate, showing two speeches made by Isaiah and Jeremiah, in compliment to the Queen, and comparing her to the root of Jesse.§ 1458. This year peace was made between the Yorkists and Lancastrians, and upon the publication thereof, a solemn procession was made in St. Paul's, at which the king was present with the crown upon his head. Before him, hand in hand, went the Duke of Somerset and the Earl Salisbury, the Duke of Exeter and the Earl of Warwick, and so on until all were duly marshalled. Behind the king came the queen, led by the Duke of York. KING EDWARD IV. 1474.-King Edward was received with great solemnity upon his entry into Coventry, by the mayor and commonalty, on the 24th of April. There was a magnificent exhibition of pageants.|| KING HENRY VII. 1486.-In this year the pretended Warwick (Symnel) was ordered by King Henry to be led on horseback through the streets of London, in order that the most ignorant of the multitude might see the grossness of the imposture. Besides this, Henry went to St. Paul's to offer up thanks for the Divine assistance granted him in quelling this revolt. 1487. On the 25th November, Elizabeth, queen to Henry VII., proceeded by water to Greenwich to her coronation. On the morrow her progress through the city of Westminster was magnificently welcomed by singing children, some arrayed like angels, and others like virgins, to sing sweet songs as she passed along.** 1502.-Prince Arthur was married to "the Kynge of Spayne's thurd daughter, Kateryne," on the 14th November, "at Sent Powlles Churche. And a halpas made of * Quoted from a history written in the time of Charles II., without title page and author's name. Nicholls, for the Camden Society, 1852, p. 14. + Chronicles of Grey Friars of London, edited by John Gough Hone, p. 235. Ibid., p. 235. "Pageant of the Sheremen and Taylors," cited by Hone, pp. 235, ་ 74. 236. History of England," by Sir J. Mackintosh, LL.D., vol. ii., p. **"Glory of Regality," p. 276; Hone, p. 237; "Rutland Papers," edited by W. Jerdan, Camden Society, 1842, p. 2, et seq. tymber from the west dore to the qwere dore of twelve foote brode and four foote of hyghte. And in the myddis of the same marryd. And the fest holden in the byshoppe of Londones palles. And the day of hare reseving in to lond was made many reche pagenttes: furst at the bregge at the condyd in Graschestret, the condet in Cornelle, standarde in Cheppe, the crosse new gylted, at the lyttyll condyd and at Powles west dore, ronnynge wyne, rede claret and wythe, and all the day of the marrage. And at the same maryge the kynge made fifty-seven knyghttes. And the iijde day after, alle the corte removyd unto Westmyster by watter. And the mayer with alle the crafttes wyth them in barges, with trompettes, shalmes, and taberttes in the best maner and there the kynge helde ryall justes, turnayes, and banketts six dayes after. And thene returnyd to Rychemonde. And the same day ther the mayer helde hys fest at the yelde halle." * On Sunday, May 21, 1514, Henry VIII. went to St Paul's in marvellous state to receive the sword and cap of maintenance sent by the Pope to him. On that occasion, the whole immediate neighbourhood was crowded with spectators, estimated at 30,000. QUEEN ELIZABETH. Another great national Thanksgiving day worthy of note is that which took place on Tuesday, 19th November, 1588, at St. Paul's. Stowe has narrated it, and Nicol, in his "Progress of Queen Elizabeth," Vol. II., also a few other contemporary writers. The day was kept holy day throughout the realm, with sermons, singing of Psalms, bonfires, &c., for joy and thanksgiving unto God, for the overthrow of the Spaniards, our enemies, on the sea; and the citizens of London assembled in their liveries that day, had a sermon at St. Paul's Cross, tending to that end. The 24th of November being Sunday, her majesty, having attendant upon her the Privy Council and nobility and other honourable persons, as well spiritual as temporal, in great number, the French ambassador, the judges of the realm, the heralds, trumpeters, and all on horseback, did come in a chariot-throne, made with four pillars behind, to have a canopy on the top, whereof was made a crown imperial, and two lower pillars before, whereon stood a lion and a dragon, supporters of the arms of England, drawn by two white horses from Somerset House to the Cathedral of St. Paul's, her footmen and pensioners about her; next came after her the Earl of Essex, master of her horse, leading her majesty's horse of state richly furnished; after him a great number of ladies of honour; on each side of them the guards on foot in their rich coats, and halberts in their hands. When she came to Temple Bar, Edward Schets Corvinus, an officer of her Privy Chamber, gave her majesty a jewel containing a caopon or toadstone, set in gold, which she graciously accepted, saying that it was the first gift she had received that day. The same day her highness received a book, entitled "The Light of Britain,' ," from Henry Lite, of Litescary, the author. When the queen arrived at the west door of St. Paul's, she dismounted from her chariot throne, between the hours of twelve and one, when she was received by the Bishop of London, the Dean of St. Paul's, and others of the clergy (upwards of fifty in number), all in rich copes, &c. Her majesty then on her knees made hearty prayer to God, which prayers being finished, she passed under a rich canopy through the long west aisle to her travers in the choir, the clergy singing the Litany. Her majesty was then brought to the north wall of the Cathedral, towards the pulpit-cross, where she heard a sermon by Dr. Pierce, Bishop of Salisbury; after which she returned through the church to the bishop's palace, where she dined, and returned to Somerset House by torch light."—Add. MSS. 6307. * "Chronicle of the Grey Friars of London," p. 27. KING CHARLES II. day took place in honour of a great naval success. In the year 1666, on August the 14th, another Thanksgiving This is noted by Mr. Pepys, in his Diary," Vol. III. p. 255"Comes Mr. Foly and his man with a box of great variety of carpenter's and joyner's tooles, which I had bespoke, which pleased me mightily, but I will have more. Pory tells me how mad my letter makes my Lord Peterborough, &c. of Westminster's sermon, and a speciall good anthemne So to the chapel, and heard a piece of the Dean before the king, after the sermon." QUEEN ANNE. The great success obtained over the French, in 1702, occasioned her majesty Queen Anne to appoint the 12th of November for a day of public thanksgiving, on which day her majesty went in grand procession to St. Paul's Cathe dral, whither she was attended by both Houses of Parliament, &c.* Queen Anne went in state from St. James's to St. Paul's on the day appointed for a public thanksgiving, September 7, 1704. Another public thanksgiving occurred August 23, 1705. This day being appointed by her majesty's proclamation to be observed throughout this kingdom as a day of public thanksgiving to Almighty God for His goodness in giving to her majesty's arms, in conjunction with those of her allies under the command of his Grace the Duke of Marlborough, after their having forced the French lines in the Spanish Netherlands, a signal and glorious victory over the enemy's forces within those lines. Her majesty went to the Cathedral Church of St. Paul's with great solemnity, to return thanks to God for these His signal mercies and blessings.† In the year 1713, peace being concluded between Great Britain and France, the same was proclaimed in London on the 7th of July, on which occasion both Houses of Parliament attended a general thanksgiving at St. Paul's, majesty being ill of the gout; and at night fireworks were exhibited on the Thames, and in various parts of the city and suburbs. KING GEORGE III. her A grand national thanksgiving, on his majesty's recovery from a severe illness, took place at St. Paul's, April 23, 1789, when the king and queen and the royal family went. A sermon was preached by the Bishop of London from these words :-"O, tarry thou the Lord's leisure; be strong, and He shall establish thy heart." There were 167 members of the House of Commons in St. Paul's that day. Mr. Wilson, of St. Paul's Churchyard, gave a signal instance of gallant spirit. A thousand guineas had been offered for his house and was refused. over the French on the 1st of June, 1795, took place at St. A day of public thanksgiving for Lord Howe's victory Paul's. 66 Another, also, for Lord Vincent's victory over the Spaniards, on February 19, 1797. His majesty is expected to arrive at St. Paul's by 12 o'clock." The Times of November 27, 1797, states that, "Orders have been given for the necessary preparations to be made for his majesty's going to St. Paul's on the 14th of December next. The procession will be the same as that observed after the king's recovery; and the flags of France, Spain, and Holland will be carried as trophies of victory over the three great naval Powers of Europe, and afterwards be deposited in the cathedral.” The following is an estimate of the cost incurred by this grand ceremony : * "Chamberlain's Hist. of Lon.," p. 274. + Lon. Gaz., Aug. 23-27, 1705. ... ... Between Buckingham House and St. Paul's there are about 1000 houses in the line of procession, in each of which was spent for refreshment, upon an average, 67., and loss by stop of business, 41. In each house, upon an average, there were fifty persons, who, in coach hire, or other extra expenses, spent 2s. 6d. each ... In the streets there were 15,000 persons, who each lost a day's work, of the average of 2s. 6d. Fitting up St. Paul's, and public and private city feasts Refreshments to 20,000 troops in and about London, at Is. per head ... ... ... £10,000 6,250 of a gaudily-painted and profusely-gilded state chariot, with its leathern springs, and its hump in the back, the sword case, whose emblazoned panels proclaim its owner to be du sang royal. You wait, to see a prince, maybe the heirapparent to the Crown of England, descend, to honour with his presence the assembly of courtiers and wits drawn together by his favourite and host. Curiosity satisfied, you break from the motley crowd elbowing each other round the doorway, almost blinded by the flare and suffocated by 12,500 the fumes of the numerous links, glad to finish the evening in the quiet comfort and genial company of the club you 2,000 frequent. It cannot be denied that whatever has the power of re1,000 calling to our minds such a scene of the days of our greatgrandfathers, is not without interest to the antiquary. And as these link extinguishers, with their standards, sometimes in the form of an arch, with an aperture or ring in the centre, from which to suspend a lamp, are all of wrought iron, frequently graceful in design, and always with a solidity and strength characteristic of and appro priate to the architecture they adorn, they merit attention in an artistic point of view, and are altogether not unworthy of being preserved. I am not aware whether this is being done, not having seen one in our museums, although the contemporaneous "chair" and state carriage are to be seen at South Kensington. £31,750 November 27, 1798, was a day appointed for a general thanksgiving for the successes obtained by his Majesty's arms at sea, and in particular for the late victory of Admiral Lord Nelson over the French fleet. It was duly observed throughout the metropolis. December, 5, 1805.-A day of general thanksgiving was observed with the utmost solemnity in every part of the empire. All ranks, from the highest to the lowest, vied with each other in their patriotic gifts, remembering the last signal of our departed hero, that, “England expects every man to do his duty." A general thanksgiving was duly observed at St. Paul's Cathedral, on Thursday, July 17, 1814. January 18, 1816, was appointed for a day of general thanksgiving to Divine Providence on the establishment of peace in Europe. This day was selected for the ceremony of lodging the eagles taken from the enemy at the battle of Waterloo, in the Chapel Royal. is a very florid specimen at 18, Cavendish Square, W. (Dr. Among the examples which I can call to mind just now, There are also some good ones at Nos. 11 and 14, in the same Burrows'), which has most of its foliage still remaining. square. Several in Harley Street; among many others in the neighbourhood of Berkeley Square, there is a very good though old specimen of the arched form to be seen at the residence of the Earl of Powis in the square. In Portman Square and Great Cumberland Place, some good ones are to be found; and at No. 16, Manchester fixed to the ordinary railing, close beside the pillars of the Square, is a very modern one, remarkable by being simply that it was an actual necessity when placed there. But most of these are at present in a very decayed state, for owing to their painting being neglected, oxidization has so eaten their substance, that the poor old extinguishers are themselves almost extinguished, and are seen hanging from their standards looking like decayed fuschias, ready to fall. If the later specimens do not soon disappear from the effects of old age, it is quite certain that in the course of the demolitions and modernizations constantly taking place, they must eventually all disappear and become things of the past. And now the grand day of rejoicing is at hand, it is hoped that the prayers and best wishes of the nation will be pre-portico, and for its absence of ornamentation, thus proving sent with the "Royal Mother" and her children on this most jubilant occasion. LINK EXTINGUISHERS. IN passing through many of the streets and squares of London, especially those which were formed during the 17th and 18th centuries, and in which were built those solid and substantial residences of the aristocracy of the time, one often meets with an interesting memento of, if not of the dark ages, certainly of an age of greater darkness | than the present C.H. and H.O. illuminated period. I allude to the Link Extinguishers, the tapering hollow cones projecting, base outwards, from the standards to which they are fixed, on each side of the entrances. At the first glance at one, without an effort one can picture the scenes enacted when they were necessary. My Lord This or That, your great man, your royally patronised painter, poet, or politician-say a Reynolds, a Goldsmith, or a Fox-gives a ball, holds an assembly, receives or is received; you see my Lady So-and-so, bepatched and bepowdered, carried up to the door in her "sedan," the bearers escorted by a couple of "link-boys," who, their engagement over, extinguish their flambeaux by means of the convenience at hand, and after a chat with the chairmen, postboys, jarvies, and other hangers-on, start off through the cold, dark, and dirty streets, hoping to pick up another job to finish the half-consumed torch which each clasps under his arm. The expectation, perhaps, soon realised in the person of some poor, lone, and late guest, who, anxious to save the cost of a light, is found lost in the darkness when even near his host's mansion-some poor "Oliver," perchance. You hear a distant rumbling, and soon behold, emerging from the darkness, the clumsy form Let us hope, however, that this will not be the case, but that when any person has the power to preserve one of these This idea link extinguishers, it will be used to do so. particularly recommends itself to architects and builders when restoring some of the old mansions of the West End, and above all to the owners themselves, who, by preserving one of these now rare curiosities, would preserve a lasting and not uninteresting record of a phase in the social condition of the 17th and 18th centuries. C. S. THE GOLD COUNTRY OF OPHIR, AND Dr. Petermann has just issued a lithographed circular, dated the 3rd inst., and headed as above, giving an interesting account of the discovery actually made by the now famous German explorer, Carl Manch, of the remains of one of the ancient cities which for many years past have been reported to exist in the interior of Southern Africa, at no great distance from the east coast. This important intelligence is conveyed in a letter from that traveller, dated 13th September, 1871, and written by Zimbabye, in 20° 14′ S. lat., and 31° 48′ E. long.-under 200 geographical miles due west of the port of Sofala, and little more than 100 miles north of the River Limpopo. Here Herr Manch has found the ruins of buildings with walls 30 feet high, 15 feet thick, and 450 across, a tower, and other erections formed exclusively of hewn granite, without mortar, and with ornaments which seem to show that they are neither Portuguese nor Arabian, but are of much greater antiquity, not improbably of the age of the Phoenicians, or Tyrians and King Solomon. Dr. Petermann is inclined to the opinion, very prevalent among scholars, that here in south-castern Africa is the Land of Ophir of the Bible, whence the Tyro-Israelitish " navy of Tarshish," of Kings Hiram and Solomon, "came once in three years, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks" (1 Kings x. 22). On this archæological question it will be sufficient to remark that, even admitting that Herr Manch has now and on former occasions actually discovered the regions which produced the "gold of Ophir," it does not at all follow that that precious metal was the natural production of the country whence it derived the appellation by which it is known in history, and may formerly have been known in the markets of the world. I drew attention to this distinction as long ago as 1834, in my "Origines Biblica," and since then on repeated occasions; especially in the columns of the Athenæum for November 14, 1868, when I explained how the gold of Ophir would have been so called, because Ophir was the principal country from which it was last exported; and I instanced "Turkey rhubarb, "Mocha" coffee, "Leipzig" silks (among the Circassians), "Leghorn" hats, &c., and in particular the semi-fossil copal of Zanzibar, the digging up of which is described by Capt. Burton in his work noticed by you on the 27th ult. (Athen. No. 2309), and which as I explained, is "carried from Zanzibar to Bombay, where its origin is altogether lost sight of perhaps is designedly concealed; and this Zanzibar copal comes to England under the name of Bombay' gum-animé, it being said to be the produce of India, washed down by the rivers to the coast!" The Arabian country of Havilah is, in Gen. ii. 11, described not only as a gold-producing country, like Ophir and Sheba, with which it is joined in Gen. x. 28-29, but as likewise containing 7 and 8 which articles are in our Authorized Version called "bdellium" and the "onyxstone," but may possibly be "gum-animé " and "diamonds"! Brought, like the gold of " Ophir,' "from the east coast of Africa to those maritime districts of Arabia by the south-west monsoon, which at the present day carries the gum-copal of the same region to the port of Bombay, they obtained their names from them, instead of the countries of which they were the natural produce." The country containing the remarkable ruins now visited by Herr Manch is more than 4,000 feet above the sea level, well watered, fertile, and thickly inhabited by an industrious and well-disposed agricultural and pastoral people, of the tribe of Makalaka, growing rice and corn, and possessing horned cattle, sheep, and goats. The traveller had heard of other ruins, with obelisks, pyramids, &c., situate three days' journey north-west of Zimbabye, which he purposed visiting. He has discovered gold sand near Zimbabye, which he intends to collect and wash. IMPORTANT DISCOVERY AT JERUSALEM. THE following communication appeared in the Times of the 14th instant : to give a brief account of an important discovery which has "I trust you will grant me space in your valuable columns been made at Jerusalem by my friend Mr. C. Schick, and which will, I think, be of interest to many of your readers. It will be remembered that Captain Warren, R.E., while conducting the excavations made at Jerusalem by the Palestine Exploration Fund, explored a remarkable rock-hewn passage leading southwards towards the Temple area from the subway at the Convent of the Sisters of Sion. Mr. Schick has found a continuation of this passage, or rather aqueduct, as it is now proved to be, towards the north, and has traced it from the convent to the north wall of the city, a little east of the Damascus gate. At this point the aqueduct has been partially destroyed by the formation of the ditch, cut in solid rock, which lies in front of and communicates with the well-known caverns; it is, therefore, older than these, and can hardly be assigned a later date than that of the Kings of Judah. Mr. Schick was unable at the time to follow up his discovery, but the Palestine Exploration Fund have taken the matter in hand, and hope to find the source from which the water was derived. In my notes to the Ordnance Survey of Jerusalem, p. 79 (published 1866), I pointed out the possible existence of an aqueduct in this position connecting the large pool north of the so-called Tomb of the Kings' with the subway at the convent, and should future researches prove this view to be correct, we may possibly identify the aqueduct with that made by Heze. kiah when he stopped the upper watercourse (accurately, source of the waters) of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David' (2 Chron. xxxii. 30). It may also be the 'conduit of the Upper Pool,' mentioned in Isaiah and the Second Book of Kings. The existence of the aqueduct lately discovered is a strong argument in favour of the belief that the City of David occupied a portion of Mount Moriah, and it may possibly enable us to identify the Pool, or some source near it, as the Upper Gihon, and Sil vaur as Gihon in the Valley. "Mr. Schick has also discovered a second series of caverns a little east of those previously known, and has made a sketch of the great aqueduct, more than fifty miles long, which formerly supplied Jerusalem with water. A full account of these discoveries would, I fear, be too long for insertion in your paper, but I may add that a detailed description of them will be given in the next quarterly statement of the Palestine Fund." C. W. WILSON, R.E. Junior United Service Club. BOOKS RECEIVED. Debrett's Illustrated Peerage and Titles of Courtesy, cloth. gs. A Catalogue of English Coins, including Irish and Anglo-Gallic James H. Dormer, Stretton-on-Dunsmore, Rugby. NOTE. The interesting report of the 59th anniversary meeting of the Newcastle Society of Antiquaries will be published in our next impression. THE late Thomas Millard, Esq., of Ivy Bower, Gloucester, has left 8000l. to the President and Fellows of Trinity College, Oxford, and to the South Kensington Museum all his old coins and medals. |