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 WESTERLY. R. I. 
 
 BESIDE THE MAIN TOPIC THIS BOOK TREATS OF 
 
 4 
 
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Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library 
 Gift of Seymour B. Durst Old York Library 
 
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 SEYMOUR DURST 
 
 When you leave, please leave this book 
 
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 Except a loaned book." 
 
SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. 
 
 Reader, pray lend me your attention, 
 While with much brevity 1 mention 
 Some of the wonder? of creation, 
 Scattered throughout each clime and nattos* 
 Of eveiy other quadruped 
 The elephant stands at the head ; 
 All other beasts that roam the field, 
 To him in bulk and strength must yield, 
 Then comes the huge rhinoceros, 
 With elk, and gnu or horned horse ; 
 The tali giraffe and buffalo, 
 And camels which o'er deserts go ; 
 The llama, zebra, deer, and goat, 
 And swiftly-bounding antelope ; 
 And monkeys so much like a man, 
 Especially the orang-outang 1 
 Lions, tigers, leopards rare, 
 The grizzly and the polar bear ; 
 Panthers, hyenas, wolves, and foxes, 
 Such as are kept in cage or boxes ; 
 Sable, ermine, marten, lynx, 
 Beaver, otter, muskrats, minks. 
 And birds there are in every land, 
 From Alpine rocks to desert sand : 
 The ostrich, eagle, vulture, hawk, 
 And crane with legs too long to walk ; 
 Likewise swans, both black and white, 
 And paroquets with plumage bright; 
 And every kind of singing-bird 
 That eye hath seen or ear hath heard : 
 All fish that in the ocean swim, 
 From monstrous shark to herring trim ; 
 Whale, walrus, porpoises, and seals, 
 And spurious ones, like snakes and eels I 
 The ichneume and crocodile, 
 Found near the banks of Egypt's Nile ; 
 Serpents and reptiles, insects, all, 
 That walk or swim, or rly or crawl ; 
 Choice specimens of antique art 
 From Pompeii's long-buried mart; 
 Or mummy, long in darkness hid 
 In catacomb or pyramid ; 
 Or works of yet more modem dates, 
 From foreign climes or our own states— 
 As marble statue, plaster bust, 
 Armor of steel unsoiled by rust ; 
 Portraits of great and noble men — 
 Columbus, Franklin, Howard, Perm, 
 Or of the great illustrious one, 
 Our own beloved Washington 
 1 
 
2 
 
 SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK* 
 
 All these, and hundreds yet untold, 
 Which scarcely could be bought for gold. 
 Are near at hand, and. would you see 'em, 
 Go to the "American Museum." 
 There P. T. Bazinum t s generosity 
 To gratify your curiosity, 
 Has gathered all — and any day, 
 If but two shillings you will pay. 
 You're freely welcome to walk in, 
 And each strange creature to examine. 
 
 Uncle Find-out had two nephews, who, losing their parents hi infancy, 
 became the inmates of his abode, subject to his guardianship and protection. 
 He was a man most exceedingly kind in point of disposition, beloved by al? 
 who had the pleasure of his acquaintance, and admired and beloved by none 
 more sincerely and deservedly than by the members of his own family, which 
 consisted of himself, an old bachelor, the two nephews already alluded to. hi* 
 faithful Tom, and Maggy the housekeeper. Uncle Find-out loved Ins neph- 
 ews and they in return loved him ; who could help it ? — for he was a good- 
 - hearted, kind old gentleman, and made everybody about him happy. He was 
 In the habit of visiting the city of New York occasionally, and, as the time for 
 doing so had arrived, he concluded his nephews would be pleased to accom- 
 pany him to the empire city, to behold the sights to be seen there, as well as 
 ?o witness the tricks upon travellers., so expertly performed in a thousand dif 
 ferent ways. He accordingly accosted his nephews, who had just entered 
 his snv.fr, old fashioned parlor : " Well, boys, what say you for a journey to 
 New York with your uncle to-morrow V — ** To-morrow never comes, uncle, 
 go they say," replied the elder, whose name was Charles. The other one, 
 Alfred, reproved his brother for supposing his uncle would propose anything 
 he did not intend to carry into effect, and, turning to his uncle, replied, " My 
 brother and I will be most happy to accompany you, dear uncle, and I trust 
 we shall convince you how highly we value your kindness by our good con- 
 duct, not only during our stay in New York, but also upon our return to our 
 rural hermitage on the banks of the Passaic." Charley asked his uncle if he 
 would go with them to the various places of amusement. Uncle Find-out re- 
 plied that he intended they should see all the places of amusement where 
 boys ought to go, but that they must bear in mind that there were some 
 places he should decline taking them to. The boys nodded a cheerful as- 
 sent to the remarks of Uncle Find-out, and Alfred then said, " You will per- 
 haps take us to the 'Museum' under the control of Mr. Barnum." — " To be 
 isure I will, and there you will see ' all the world in Bingham' in that ark of 
 the city that has something of everything in it worth looking at. Bat, boys, 
 Drst of all, let me know what is the meaning of the word ' museum.' " Char* 
 fey replied that it was used to describe a building set apart as a repository for 
 vuch things as related to the arts and sciences, or, in other words, a cabinet 
 ji curiosities. 
 
 *' You are right, my boy. Originally it was the name given to an institu- 
 tion founded by Ptolemy Philadelphus, about two hundred and eighty years 
 before the birth of Jesus Christ, for the promotion of learning and the support 
 of learned men. We learn from Strabo that the museum formed a part of the 
 palace, and that it contained cloisters or porticoes, a public theatre or lecturo- 
 room, and a large hall where the learned men used to dine together. The 
 museum was supported by a common fund supplied from the public treasury, 
 and the whole was under the superintendence of a priest, who was appointed 
 by the king, and, after Egypt became a province of the Roman empire, by 
 the Csesars. Botanical and zoological gardens appear to have been attached 
 to the museum ; other additions were also made by Claudius." 
 
 The time to go to rest having arrived, the boys 'took leave cf their uncle 
 
SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 3 
 
 with a hearty " Good -night," and a kiss printed warmly upon the good man's 
 cheek j and up stairs they ran to their slumbers — impatient enough, you may 
 be sure, for the morning light, and ardently praying for a bright, clear day for 
 their journey. 
 
 The boys had their wish : the morning broke in upon their slumbers with 
 a bright sun and a cloudless sky. Breakfast was soon disposed of. Down 
 to the steamboat they went with their uncle; the bell for starting rang ; the 
 paasengers hurried on board ; the captain called out, ,4 All aboard !" and in a 
 minute old Dame Steam assured them they were onward for New York. A 
 couple of hours passed merrily on, when the mighty city with her steeples in 
 the distance, her shipping in the foreground, flags flying, guns firing. Trinity 
 bells ringing* and a host of people with happy faces, met their astonished 
 gaze. Landing at Pier No. 1. the party made the best of their way through 
 the motley groups of coach and cab men, boarding-house runners, dec, &c. 
 " Coach, sir?" — " Cab, sir?" — Take your luggage, gemmen?" — " Our card, 
 sir V — " The Globe, sir V — u Astor House the best, sir" — " It ? s no such thing, 
 sir ! the Irving's the best!" — " The Times, Herald, Tribune, Ned Buntline's 
 Own, sir, four for six cents !" and a thousand other cries, led the boys to sup* 
 pose that the city was a Tower of Babel. A few minutes more, and the 
 party arrived at the Museum. The musicians were playing the national air, 
 ** Hail Columbia, happy Land !" Large transparencies adorned the exterior 
 of the buildings, representing the largest man in the world, Mr. Hale, being 
 eight feet high, and weighing five hundred and eight pounds ; Miss Eliza 
 Simpson, the giantess, also eight feet high, and weighing three hundred and 
 thirty-seven pounds : the fairy queen " Titania," twenty-four inches in height ; 
 the M Great Western," in his varied characters : and all these, with hundreds 
 of thousands of curiosities, to be seen within the walls of this magnificent 
 museum. 
 
 Having received their tickets of admission the party proceeded to Boom 
 No. 1 — and didn't the boys stare with all the eyes they had ? They saw so 
 much to look at, that if their heads had been full of eyes they would not have 
 had eyes enough to see all that was iherc staring them in the face. At the 
 top of the room was a case of beautiful birds, among which was the green 
 stork of the East Indies, the scarlet flamingo of South America, the pouched 
 stork, or adjutant, of the Indies. Uncle Find-out informed them that the 
 flamingo was from three to four feet high, purple-red on the back, and rose- 
 colored wings ; that they formed lines for the purpose of fishing, and, when 
 they reposed on the shore, the same disposition to be in files or troops re- 
 mained ; that they appointed a sentinel for their common security, who, upon 
 alarm, makes a braying cry similar to the noise of a trumpet, which is the 
 signal for departure from danger. The tongue was considered a delicacy 
 among the Romans. They build their nests in the form of a sugar-loaf, about 
 twenty inches high. In consequence of their long legs, they straddle over 
 their nests, their legs hanging down on each side and resting on the ground. 
 " Is there anything particular in ihe pouched stork V — " The feathers from 
 beneath the wing form the beautiful light plumes which the French call mar- 
 nbcaus. The flamingo is found in Senegal and India. When standing in 
 loner rows upon the shore, they have the appearance of soldiers in full feather." 
 
 He then called their attention to the albatross, the great petrel, cormorant, 
 booby, gamut, and frigate pelican. This* last, he informed his nephews, was 
 called the man-of-war bird, from the rapidity of its flight, being met with fre- 
 quently four hundred leagues at sea, and was the active warrior against the 
 flying-fish. These birds attack the boobies, and, striking them upon their 
 bodies, force them to disgorge the product of their fishing, which they dexter- 
 ously seize before it falls in the water. The latter bird takes the name of 
 booby from its stupidly submitting to the attacks of both men and animals. 
 
 The case opposite the latter next attracted the attention of our wondering 
 admirers. It contained a beautiful variety of ducks, from various parts of 
 
SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 Frigate or Man-of-War Eird, Pelican, and Flamingo.— (See page 3.) 
 
 North America, Europe, and the cape of Good Hope. Their uncle then drew 
 their attention to a fine specimen of the joints from the Giants' Causeway in 
 Ireland. From this they turned to a native rock crystal, weighing two hun- 
 dred and twelve pounds, found in a silver-mine about five hundred miles from 
 the city of Mexico ; and also to a case of imitation diamonds, after those in the 
 
 possession of vari- 
 ous crowned heads 
 in Germany, Rus- 
 sia, Portugal, <5tc, 
 with their relative 
 sizes and values — 
 and oh! didn't they 
 wonder that such 
 an immense value 
 § should be put upon 
 such diamonds ? 
 
 The riext attrac- 
 tion presenting it- 
 self to their notice 
 was the camelop- 
 ard, or giraffe. Un- 
 cle Find-out told 
 them that it was a 
 native of Africa : 
 when full grown, 
 its height is about 
 twenty-two feet- 
 its s*.m is a beautifully-spotted brown upon a white ground. Its favorite food 
 is the leaf of the ac acia and ash trees. 
 
sights and Wonders in new york. 
 
 5 
 
 He then called them to look at the case of plovers, widgeons, geese, goos- 
 anders, *&c. ; but Alfred called to his uncle and his brother to look at the beau- 
 tiful infant sleeping with humming-birds hovering around her. Oh. what 
 lovely birds !" exclaimed one. " What beautiful plumage !" cried the other. 
 From this their attention was drawn to a variety of beautiful engravings of 
 Queens Adelaide and Victoria, Prince Albert, the duchess of Kent, &c, all 
 of England ; but our heroes thought much more of the likeness of General 
 Tom Thumb and of P. T. Barnum, Esq., the indefatigable manager, who so 
 unceasingly caters for the amusement, gratification, and instruction, of his 
 young visiters, and who, in his journeyings with Tom Thumb, visited and 
 conversed with all the principal crowned heads of Europe — and they concluded 
 that his Museum was worth all the kings, queens, and nabobs, of the world. 
 
 Walking on, they came to a case of splendid pheasants, of all colors and 
 degrees of beauty — fowls of every variety, including a skeleton of one of 
 those birds. " Well, I declare!" cried Charley, "who would suppose that a 
 bird was so curiously formed ? W hat a number of small bones ! how ex- 
 quisitely put together !" 
 
 Alfred called to his brother to come and lcok at a picture representing a re- 
 ligious procession in the church of the Madeleine, in Paris. They both ad- 
 mired this picture. The mechanical panoramic pictures next attracted their 
 attention. The first was a " Vue du Pont Neuf a Paris'' — steamers in mo- 
 tion, carriages passing, omnibuses proceeding to their respective stations — 
 all beautifully represented. The second, a steam-engine in operation. The 
 third, a scissors-grinder at work. The fourth, stone-cutters sawing a block 
 of marble. The fifth, a railroad bridge, with cars passing over. The sev- 
 enth, opera-dancers, with all gayety and beauty. The eighth, the musical 
 concert of monkeys. They noticed the delicacy of the principal performer's 
 touch, the motion of his fingers, the beating of his foot to the tune ; the leader 
 beating time, and accompanying the music with his voice: and the boys ex- 
 pressed the greatest delight at the beauty and regularity of the movement 
 that put these pictures in operation. 
 
 From these view r s they turned to examine the hoopoe birds, the glossy 
 pheasant from the Himeleh mountain, and the fire-back pheasant from the 
 same place. The color of the feathers on the back they discovered looked 
 exactly like fire ; and Uncle Find-out agreed with them that it was a most 
 beautiful specimen. From this their uncle called their attention to the great 
 northern divers of 
 North America, tur- 
 key-buzzards, gulls 
 of every species — 
 toucans, and other 
 birds, including do- 
 mestic fowls, when, 
 holy fathers ! what 
 a noise saluted Un- 
 cle Find-out's ears! 
 " What are these ? 
 Uncle, uncle, do tell 
 us!" "Shut up your 
 potato-traps ! — you 
 young rogues,you'll 
 frighten Miss Fan- 
 ny Elssler out of 
 her wits!" "Who's 
 Miss Fanny Elss- 
 ler, uncle ?" — "Oh, 
 you'll see, by-and- 
 
6 
 
 SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 by." — " But, pray, do tell us what birds are these V — " They're birds of para- 
 dise, boys, and are found in the island of New Guinea." — " Oh, what beau- 
 tiful colors ! Look at that one with the rich crimson and green feathers, and 
 those elegant streamer black feathers flowing so gracefully from the tail of 
 the gTeen-tufted one. What an elegantly-shaped bird it is, uncle !" — " Yes, 
 and the ancients supposed that they lived on dew, had no feet, and waited 
 through the air. 
 
 " Look here, my boys ; here is a specimen of the cock of the rock, from 
 South America, and a very fine bird it is." At length they came to the last 
 case of birds, containing mocking-birds, larks, fly-catchers, field-fairs, &c, 
 when, highly delighted with what they had seen, Uncle Find-out, taking the 
 lead, introduced them into Room No. 2. 
 
 Thefe they beheld the portraits of all our great men, from Washington 
 downward — generals, orators, statesmen — who have left names deeply en- 
 graven in the hearts of a brave and great nation ; patterns and examples wor- 
 thy of imitation by those who will have to play their parts in the great drama 
 of life. 
 
 Also the wax profiles of some thirty Mexican generals, enclosed ki a hand- 
 some frame. 
 
 Mrs. Pelby's celebrated groups of wax figures then came in for a share of 
 deep and thoughtful consideration by the whole party. 
 
 And first, the Intemper- 
 ate Family. The group 
 composes one family: the 
 old man at the table, with 
 the bottle in his pocket, is 
 the father of the dying 
 man ; both are drunkards. 
 The fruits of the poison- 
 ous bottle are too clearly 
 depictured in the misery, 
 poverty, and wretched- 
 ness, around the unfortu- 
 nate group. " Look well, 
 my boys, on that picture 
 of w t o — remember an un- 
 cle warns you — see that you touch not, taste not, handle not, the contents of 
 the intoxicating bottle, lest your condition should be as unfortunate as the one 
 you are now gazing upon." They shuddered, and passed to the other side, 
 to the groups representing the Last Supper of onr Lord with the disciples. 
 
 Uncle Find-out informed 
 his nephews that the mo- 
 ment selected by the artist 
 was where Jesus says — 
 "One of you shall betray 
 me." He then drew their 
 attention to the countenan- 
 ces of the disciples, and re- 
 quested them to point out 
 the one that appeared the 
 most faithful delineation of 
 the betrayer of Jesus. In 
 a few minutes the two boys 
 recognised Judas, and each 
 — exclaimed, " That, uncle, 
 is the man !" — and he quietly nodding assent, they passed on to the groups 
 representing the trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate. " There, my children," 
 exclaimed Uncle Find-out, " is a solemn representation of the Son of God, 
 
SIGHTS AXD WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 7 
 
 Standing as a prisoner, bound as a criminal, the object of Jewish hatred and 
 revenge. I need not pass any further remarks upon it; you are sabbath- 
 school scholars, and well i 
 know the history of this 
 trial, of one of the best of [ 
 beings, the friend of sin- (j 
 ners." 
 
 ■ Oh, yes," cried Char- 
 ley ; u our teacher has often 
 talked with us upon the j 
 Redeemer and 'his suffer- 
 ings." 
 
 "Yes, brother; and he 
 •always used to beg of us 
 never to forget what Jesus 
 had done for us, poor •chil- 
 dren of the dast/' 
 
 Here Uncle Find-out 
 purchased, for six cents, a 
 pamphlet describing all the 
 wax statuary, and also containing a copy of the death-warrant oy our 
 Savior." 
 
 *' Let us turn, children, now, to a more pleasing subject. Behold the new- 
 born babe of Bethlehem, whose birth made heaven echo, and angels shout, 
 * Glory to God in the highest — peace on earth — good-will to men !' " 
 
 This is a beautiful t 
 scene, uncle," exclaimed 
 the boys. 
 
 M Yes it is, my boys. ! 
 Can you recite any pas- 
 sage of Scripture that will 
 ■suit the representation be- 
 fore you V 
 
 " 1 And she brought form 
 her first-born son, and 
 wrapped him in swad- 
 dling-clothes, and laid him 
 in a manger.' '* 
 
 u Very good, Alfred. I - 
 am glad you have fixed 1 
 upon a passage so appro- 
 priate. Do you remember the cause that compelled the mother to shelter 
 the babe in a manger VJ 
 
 "Oh yes, sir. Because there was no room in the inn." 
 
 In passing from these interesting subjects, their attention was drawn to a 
 magic dial, which, to all appearance, presented no evidence of any connexion 
 between the hand of the dial and the machinery in the base. This excited 
 their surprise ; and after some reflection, they concluded they both would 
 have to find that out when they had more time and ability than at present 
 At any rate, it was passing strange to them, and as hard to find out as dou- 
 ble-rule of three, tare and tret, or vulgar fractions. 
 
 Having taken a view of Che last objects in the room, their uncle \ed them 
 to room No. 3, when their attention was called to the great polar bear, of 
 Greenland, the black bear and cub, of North America, and the badger, of 
 Europe. Alfred was tickled almost to death at the sight of such strange- 
 iookicg creatures. 
 
I 
 
 SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK, 
 
 Their uncle thea 
 Informed them, the 
 white bear inhab- 
 ited the icy regions 
 of the north; that 
 It fed upon fish ancl 
 other marine ani- 
 mals; that it was 
 Hjiil not essentially car- 
 Hjg nivorous, or a flesh- 
 feeding animal, but 
 could be brought to- 
 live upon bread , 
 was an expert 
 swimmer and di- 
 ver? and that the 
 inside of its mouth 
 v/ as entirely black. 
 That > the _ black 
 bear lived in for- 
 $itE8i&£^^ gs= ^* f ** e ~~~' ests, and fed upon 
 fruits and flesh ; was skilful in fishing, and lived in the hollows of Hving trees* 
 Alfred then noticed a rather curious animal — a common sheep, with an un- 
 common fleece, eighteen inches long, from Connecticut. 
 
 In this room, also, were several specimens of the horns of the stag, moose, 
 &e. ; also a hornet's nest, of large size ; a very beautiful gazelle, noted for the 
 beauty of its eye, an inhabitant of the north of Africa ; a fine fox ; and many 
 other things of less note ; when, at length, their attention was called to the- 
 great African lion ; a zebra,, beautifully striped ; a cougar ; a gnu, or horned 
 kcrse : a sloth: and a wolf. 
 
 Th/2 Gnu. 
 
SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 9 
 
 Uncle Find-oat, to inquiries relative to the lion, informed bis nephews that 
 tne lion was of the cat-species,, and the strongest of animals feeding' upon 
 flesh. Such was the power of his foot, that a single blow was enough to 
 crush in the sides of a horse ; and he could knock down the strongest man 
 with a blow of his tail. He coald clear thirty feet at a bound, and drag with 
 ease the largest bullock. His roar was like distant thunder. His flesh was 
 eaten by the Hottentots; and a tribe of Arabs* between Tunis and Algiers, 
 lived almost entirely upon it. That the American lion, another species of the 
 rat, was better known by the name of the cougar, one of which was also 
 before them. 
 
 He said that the zebra was a most elegant animal, scarcely tameable ; his 
 skin beautifully soft, adorned with riband-like stripes. In the female, these 
 srripes wore alternately black and white, and in the male, brown and yel- 
 low. His voice resembled the hunter's horn. Numerous troops of them 
 were often seen grazing on the extensive plains of the Cape of Good Hope. 
 
 Having viewed these different specimens, they next entered upon the bat 
 and armadillo tribes, among which were the leather-winged bat of North 
 America, and the great-eared bat of Europe; the armadillos, of South Amer- 
 ica, curiously armed with hard, shelly plates, and very beautiful specimens of 
 these curious animals. The great vampire bats of Java attracted much of 
 their attention, and the more so, from the fact, that their uncle informed them 
 they were in the habit of suckinsr the blood of other animals while they were 
 asleep. That there were several species, also, of them, in the United States. 
 
 Uncle Find-out being somewhat fatigued, sat himself down, and told his 
 pephews they cculd amuse themselves, while he rested himself a little. They 
 accordingly proceeded to examine the following: The nine-banded armadillo 
 of South America ; the Brazilian weazel, of South America ; the cast ant- 
 e£ter. male and female ; the Patagonian cavy ; the pouched rat, of Florida ; 
 
10 
 
 SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 the sea-otter, of South America ; the chamelion, cf Africa ; the lynx, of North 
 Amenca ; the Guinea-pigs, of South America, which they considered very 
 beautiful indeed ; the crested cavy, of South America ; the musk-rats of North 
 5 A sea -° tters ^ f* North and South America ; the rackoon and opossum, 
 ci is ortri Amenca ; the crested porcupine; and, for the first time, the real 
 firiped pig, presented by Mr. Justice Merritt, winch, barring the stripes, was 
 evidently a descendant of swinish royalty ; the bay lynx, of North America ; 
 the three-toed sloth; the Canadian porcupine f the*Brazilian porcupine. The 
 J ava musk, a very delicate little animal, was occupying their attention, when 
 their uncle, clapping his hand upon their shoulders, aroused them from their 
 contemplations, and called their attention to the Brazilian and royal Bengal 
 fcger, a rhinoceros, with horn perfect,, and a large African elephant. 
 
 In answer to some inquiries, Uncle Pind-out said, the tiger alluded to was 
 more fierce than the lion, and equalled him in size and strength, as well as 
 ferocity ; his hair was rough and yellow above, with transverse black stripes j 
 that he was an inhabitant of the jungles, in India^ and committed the greatest 
 ravages — 
 
 That the African elephant inhabited Africa, from Senegal to the Cape of 
 Good Hope ; that it was more fierce than the Indian elephant, its tusks much 
 longer, and that the female had them as long as the male — that in Siam there 
 was a species of white elephant,, which was held in great religious vener- 
 ation — that the mammoth and mastodon were extinct species of the same 
 class — that the rhinoceros was remarkable fbr the thickness of his skin, and 
 that several species were known in India and Africa. 
 
 At length the boys read the following : u General Tom Thumb's carriage- 
 and horses/' and they almost wished they had been as small as the general , 
 and when their uncle gave them a little history of the general's travels, and 
 the number of ladies' kisses he had received, they wondered a bit of the ger*- 
 
SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 11 
 
 eral was left. Their uncle agreed with them, for he declared it beat " all 
 natur'' to see how the " gals" and old maids ran after him. 
 
 After looking at some passenger-pigeons, a red-breasted crow, scarlet ibis, 
 of South America, the white ibis, of Java, the European jays, and the beau- 
 tiful Peruvian jay, they at length came to the cases containing a great variety 
 
 of very curiously-formed fish, 
 among which was the black- 
 bodied chactodon, of South 
 America ; the golden chacto- 
 don. of South America ; the 
 zebra chactodon ; the electri- 
 cal eel, of South America. 
 " And now, boys, this curious 
 fish has the power of giving 
 such a severe shock, of an 
 electric nature, that both men 
 and herses are knocked down ; 
 and water, as well as met- 
 als, transmits the benumbing 
 shock. The electric appa- 
 ratus extends all along the 
 
And uncle cried, * Alfred, what monstrous ugly tiling is this with a long 
 tail?" 
 
SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 13 
 
 " That is called the Devil-Fish, and you may well call it ugly, for it is as 
 ugly as the old fellow himself, that we hear so much talk about." 
 
 After looking at a great variety of other fish, such as the sturgeon, pike, 
 John-dory, skate, flying-fish, and the dolphin, the young folks got among 
 the monkey tribes; 
 
 among which were ^/ ^t®$iP^ /jf i 
 
 the striated and tarn- <~/"j£r^, 
 arind monkeys, the 
 black orang-outang 
 of Africa, the blue- 
 faced baboon, and 
 the whiskered mon- 
 key ; — and here the 
 boys roared with 
 laughter, as the mon- 
 key's peculiar fash- ^§ 
 ion of wearing whis- 
 kers corresponded so ^ 
 completely with the ** 
 present style of the 
 don whiskerandoes, 
 that the boys natu- 
 rally concluded that 
 it was, to say the 
 least, a very apish 
 fashion. 
 
 " And what great 
 thing is this ?" they 
 cried. 
 
 "That is the great 
 leather turtle, taken 
 at Sandy Hook in 
 181]," replied the 
 uncle. 
 
 " And what have 
 we here? oh, uncle, 
 is not that a beauti- 
 ful model of a Brit- 
 ish forty-four gun 
 frigate ?" 
 
 u Indeed it is, and 
 shortly you will see 
 it in motion." 
 
 " Uncle, let us go 
 now to the saloon." 
 
 "With all my 
 heart," he replied. 
 
 Upon entering of which, Uncle Find-out called the boys to notice a flag 
 that was hoisted by order of General Washington, 25th November, 1783, 
 at the Evacuation of New York. After the expiration of sixty-four years, 
 it was unfurled to the breeze, at the laying of the comer-stone of the Wash- 
 ington Monument, 19th October, 1847. 
 
 " Never forget the stars and stripes of your country, my boys. Do you 
 hear?" 
 
 " Yes, sir. As long as we live we will never forget the flag of our coun- 
 try, nor our uncle, who taught us to love it." 
 "Ah ! you young dogs — chips of the old block — thank Heaven for that." 
 
 2 
 
14 
 
 SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 "And uncle, what do 
 you call that ?" 
 
 " That is an Egyptian 
 mummy, of great antiqui- 
 ty. That body was once 
 alive, as we are now. 
 Two thousand years ago, 
 perhaps, it underwent the 
 Egyptian process of em- 
 balming, which preserved 
 it from decay and decom- 
 position." 
 
 Uncle Find-out next in- 
 formed them that the fero- 
 cious-looking animal rep- 
 resented below was the 
 sea-lion of the Falkland 
 Islands, and that it was 
 extremely savage in its 
 nature. 
 
 u This animal appears 
 to be a seal, is it not, 
 uncle ?" 
 
 " Yes, it is the common 
 seal, or sea-calf, of North 
 America." 
 
 " True ; I remember the 
 fur of some seals is used 
 for caps, coat-collars, and 
 other purposes." 
 
SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 15 
 
 "Bless me ! what have we here ? The hand and part of an arm, as I'm 
 alive." 
 
 " Yes ; that is the arm of the celebrated Tom Trouble, the pirate, who was 
 taken after a severe action, in which he lost the forefinger of his hand. He 
 died in prison, at St. Thomas, while under sentence of death. He was 
 afterward nailed to a plank, and exposed in the harbor, when, strange to say, 
 his whole body became bleached and preserved, similar to this arm, which 
 was cut off by an American seaman, and brought to New York. Here, also, 
 is a human body, found in 1814, at Glasgow, in Kentucky, in a saltpetrous 
 cave, nine feet under ground. A very curious specimen, and in fine con- 
 dition." 
 
 " I suppose the saline properties preserved the body, sir." 
 " No doubt." 
 
 " And here is the foot and hair of another one, found in a copperas cave, 
 on the Cave Branch of Cumberland river, Tennessee." 
 
 " This looks very different from the other. The color is much darker — 
 more the color of liver." 
 
 " Yes," said Charley ; " but the hair does not seem to have undergone much 
 alteration." 
 
 " Oh ! uncle, did you ever see a Neptune's cup before ? — made out of 
 sponge, too ! Isn't that curious ? I guess master Neptune must be a curious 
 fellow, and pretty old, too." 
 
 " Dame Nature has many curious whims, my boys, and that is one of 'em, 
 I suppose. Now then, for the cabinet of fossils, minerals, &c." 
 
 ' Indeed these are beautiful. Only look at the perfect impressions of fish, 
 leaves, lizards, and shells. Strange such tilings should be so marked in 
 gtones, and petrified substances." 
 
 " What beautiful shells ! — the pearl and nautilus shells. The latter is found 
 in the Indian ocean and Mediterranean sea. In calm seas it is seen in its 
 
16 SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 beautiful shell, sailing along, with a portion of its body hoisted for sails, and 
 using its feet in the place of oars. 
 
 tl And here are some very elegant corals, from India and Florida, among 
 which is one very similar to the human brain. These are the ingenious 
 work of marine insects, and in some parts of the ocean form complete reefs, 
 called coral reefs, which cause impediments to navigation." 
 
 " And here, my nephews, are specimens of marble from various parts of the 
 world ; also, of different varieties of coal, porphyry, agates, and other val- 
 uable stones. You can examine them carefully. From them you can fonn 
 some idea of the extraordinary substances this good old world produces, and 
 also to what perfection man's ingenuity can bring them. Many relics of an- 
 tiquity are still to be seen in various parts, decorated with the marbles, and 
 so on, of similar quality and beauty to these specimens. 
 
 " And now, my 
 young folks, here is 
 a boa-constrictor — 
 a serpent that is of 
 immense strength. 
 He reaches some 
 forty feet in length, 
 and can crush an 
 ox or a horse, and 
 then swallow him 
 whole. He then 
 lies in a quiet state, 
 until forced by hun- 
 ger, which is about 
 _ a month from the 
 H time he seized his 
 ~ last prey, when he 
 watches his oppor- 
 tunity of seizing 
 another victim." 
 
 " Let us go on, 
 uncle, for I am a 
 bitter enemy to all snakes, and all such detestable-looking creatures." 
 
 " Only look, uncle, at this beautiful temple. Such, I suppose, are common 
 
 in China." 
 
 " Yes, and contain 
 the hideous objects of 
 their idolatrous wor- 
 ship. Here is a statue 
 of the Virgin and 
 Child, carved from a 
 single tusk of an ele- 
 phant at Rome — very 
 creditable to the tal- 
 ent of tbe operator. 
 And this is a hat 
 made by a poor luna- 
 tic, out of the splints 
 of a broom, during his 
 tedious confinement: 
 just notice how neatly 
 it is made." 
 
 "And here, uncle, 
 is a piece of the 
 
SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 17 
 
 keel of the ship Endeavor, in which Captain Cook eailed round tho 
 world." 
 
 u He sailed in that vessel, I believe, three times round the globe ?" 
 "He did." 
 
 11 Here we have the bald and sea eagles, of North America — noble birds ; 
 the crest of the coat-of-arms of the United States, of which we ought to be 
 proud; — notice the brilliant plumage of these macaws, parrots, and other 
 birds; — the red-headed parrot of South America; the blue and yellow 
 macaw of the same 
 country; the violet- 
 colored parrot of 
 Surinam; the Ethi- 
 opian paroquet of 
 
 A frica ; the common flllilKBl^/ * vHA 
 
 peacock, and the 
 white peacock of 
 Asia, with their Jjfijlll 
 spread tails. 
 
 " Now, then, for fjj 
 a few minutes to 
 look at the Indian 
 curiosities — weap- 
 ons of war, clubs, 
 canoes, daggers, &c. 
 — among which is 
 the dagger used by 
 Osceola, the cel- 
 ebrated Seminole 
 chief, in Florida. 
 
 " And here is the 
 coat-of-mail worn 
 by the army of 
 William the Con- 
 queror, upon his in- 
 vasion of England." 
 
 "Yes, dear uncle; 
 and here is the head 
 of our Savior, sculp- 
 tured in porphyry. 
 Is not that very 
 striking? And here, 
 brother, is an an- 
 cient Swiss cross- 
 bow, that will send 
 a bullet through a 
 thick plank at a dis- 
 tance of a hundred 
 yards." 
 
 " Suppose we go 
 now to the cosmo- 
 rama exhibition; a change will be very agreeable, after looking at so many 
 curiosities." — "With all our hearts, sir — novelty is always pleasing." 
 And so they took a view of the city of Paris — the palace and garden of Ver- 
 sailles; the rock of Gibraltar; the island of St. Helena, with Bonaparte's 
 house; the city of Athens; the island of Malta; the mansion-house, London; 
 Jerusalem from the mount of Olives ; the People's square at Rome ; the cas- 
 tle of seven towers at Constantinople ; and the tomb of Hyder Ali Khan at 
 2* 
 
18 
 
 SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 . Seringapatam, In the East Indies. Mr. Barnum has two hundred different 
 cosmoramic views, which are changed every week. When old Uncle Find- 
 out introduced his nephews to Miss Fanny Ellsler, of orang-outang celebrity , 
 she received them with all the customary marks of Borneoan politeness; and 
 as she acted her part so well and did her best to render the boys' visit agree- 
 able, it is hoped that they will keep her in remembrance. The following 
 is an orang-outang, with a chimpanse. 
 
 On leaving the orang-outang, they left the apartment, and in passing to 
 the lower rooms of the establishment, the attention of the boys was called by 
 their uncle to the marsupial tribes, among which are the opossum and 
 the kangaroo. He informed them that the greater number of the former 
 
 thFi'MVPi inhabited America ; 
 
 and the remainder 
 of the species, with 
 the kangaroo, were 
 found in New Hol- 
 land: that the opos- 
 3 sum was about the 
 ?size of a cat, but its 
 | coat gave it the ap- 
 * p e ar ance of gre ater 
 f size ; its head bore 
 \ some resemblance 
 , to the fox, with long 
 > inanimate eyes and 
 'broad and translu- 
 cent ears like the 
 ' rat ; its tail round 
 and nearly a foot 
 long; that on the 
 ground the opossum 
 was slow ; that he 
 
 climbed trees with great dexterity ; that his food consisted of birds, which 
 he watched for in the foliage; that he suspended himself by the tail, which 
 *yas flexible and muscular, and in this position waited his prey for several 
 
SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 19 
 
 hours at a time ; that the female was provided with a pouch, which served 
 to lodge her young during the period of suckling, and from the peculiarity 
 of this organization, they had obtained the name of marsupialia, or pouched 
 animals; — that the kangaroos were remarkable for the smallness of their 
 forepaws, and the length of their hindlegs and tail, upon which they sat 
 vertically as on a tripod ; by the assistance of those great paws they leaped 
 very well, clearing a space of twenty feet at a bound ; that they inhabited 
 New Holland; and that the giant kangaroos stood about six feet high. 
 
 Their uncle then called upon them to notice the ostrich, and informed them 
 that diis bird was 
 
 noted for its im- 
 mense speed, hav- 
 ing baffled, in many 
 instances, the fleet- 
 ness of the swiftest 
 horse ; that this bird 
 laid its eggs in the 
 sand, which were 
 hatched by the heat 
 of the sun ; that its 
 feathers were very 
 valuable, and were 
 in great demand, 
 among the fashion- ' 
 able circles, in every 
 portion of the globe ; 
 that the coronets of 
 the nobility of for- 
 eign courts were 
 
 ornamented with ' =n ^^-^^ss»s^^^^^^^^^s^^^ 
 the most elegant and expensive feathers of this description, and which, not 
 unfrequently, were valued at one hundred dollars a plume. 
 
 From this curious bird, they reviewed the cases of shells, found in nu- 
 merous foreign parts, 
 many of which were 
 of the most costly 
 character and choice 
 variety ; some of 
 them most elegantly 
 variegated; others of 
 a transparent white- 
 ness; and many of 
 the richest colors 
 and shades. 
 
 And they con- 
 cluded that it would 
 require several vis- 
 its to the museum, 
 in order to effect a 
 careful 'examination 
 of even the numer- 
 ous specimens of this ( 
 department of the 
 establishment. 
 
 Taking their leave, the whole party hastened to the musical and vocal 
 performances in another part of tliis extensive building, higldy delighted with 
 what they had seen.— the good old Uncle Find-out making his nephews 
 
20 
 
 SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 promise him that, let what would come, they would always patronise the 
 American Museum in the city of New York. — And you may be sure they'll 
 be ready enough to do so, if it was for nothing else than to please their 
 uncle, and I'll be bound they'll need no coaxing. If you doubt it, just ask 
 them when they come out from the performance, — and if they don't say yes, 
 and to please themselves too, all I can say is, the "critters" will beat "all 
 natur" and your humble servant into the bargain. Upon retiring to the hotel 
 where they boarded during their stay in the city, the boys were desirous of 
 hearing something more of General Tom Thumb. Their uncle was dis- 
 posed to gratify them, and accordingly informed them that the general's real 
 
 name was Charles P. Stratton ; that he was bom at Bridgeport, Connecticut, 
 on the 4th January, 1832 ; that at the present time he was only twenty-eight 
 inches high — free from all deformity in shape, and perfect and elegant in his 
 proportions — and weighed only Jifteen pounds; that his complexion was 
 fair, hair light, cheeks fresh and rosy — had large, beautiful dark eyes, a fine 
 forehead, a handsome mouth, and great vivacity of manner ; — that when exhib- 
 iting, he represented the characters in which he appeared most admirably, 
 among which his personations of Napoleon Bonaparte and Frederick the 
 Great were perfection itself, and elicited thunders of applause ; — that he was 
 the universal favorite of the ladies, and during his performances the museum 
 was filled almost to suffocation ; and such was the press to see him, that hun- 
 dreds had to retire until a more favorable opportunity presented itself. He 
 was visited by thousands; On the 18th of January, 1844, he went with Mr. 
 Barnum, his parents and preceptor, in an open barouche, preceded by a 
 brass band, down Fulton street, in order to go on board the ship Yorkshire, 
 in which vessel he sailed for the purpose of visiting her majesty Queen Vic- 
 toria, the royal family and nobility of England — Louis Philippe and the 
 royal family of France, and the French noblesse. Upon his arrival in Eng- 
 land, his course was a march of triumph. He several times visited her 
 majesty Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, Queen Adelaide, &c, and received 
 from the queen and other branches of the royal family, many costly presents, 
 
MARRIAGE OF MR. ROBERT HALES AND MISS ELIZA SIMPSON, 
 
 THE QUAKER GIANT AND GIANTESS, 
 
 Afl IT OCCURRED 
 
 The Stage of the American Museum, Feb. 17, 1849. 
 
22 
 
 SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 consisting of diamond-rings, breastpins, watches, snuff-boxes, &c , and was 
 called " the pet of the palace." He travelled through England, Scotland, 
 and Ireland, and in February, 1845, Tjfoceeded to Paris, and appeared in 
 the great procession at the Champ Elysees. He visited the palace of the 
 Tuileries several times, and was loaded with presents from Louis Philippe, 
 the queen, princess Adelaide, the Comte de Paris, &c, and his levees were 
 attended by the beauty and fashion of France, during his residence there of 
 four months. Pie visited the king and queen of the Belgians ; aud from 
 Bordeaux he proceeded to Spain, and was presented to Queen Isabella, the 
 queen mother, and the court then assembled at Pampeluna. While in Lon- 
 don, he appeared before the emperor of Russia, the king of Saxony, r.r.d 
 Ibrahim Pacha. His career has been a most brilliant one, and he bus real- 
 ized an independent fortune. 
 
 He then gave them a concise history of Mr. Ba.rnum. This gentleman 
 (he informed them) was born at Danbury, Ct., July 5, 1810; at the usual 
 age he entered a store as a clerk, and afterward opened a store on his owe 
 account. He subsequently became the publisher of a newspaper; then 
 removed to New York, and engaged in various travelling exhibitions; and 
 in 1842 bought the American Museum, to which he has made great and 
 expensive additions, as has been stated ; in 1844 he went to Europe with 
 the general, visited the crowned heads, and returned with half a million of 
 dollars. He informed them that Mr. Barnum had also built a splendid 
 mansion, or villa, near Bridgeport, Ct., in the oriental style, with outhouses 
 and other suitable buildings ; and that this magnificent structure is of a com- 
 posite order, of the Byzantine, Moorish, and Turkish styles of architecture. 
 Its entire front is one hundred and twenty-four feet, the wings being thrown 
 off irregularly, with domed conservatories at each extremity; the main 
 building consists of three stones, each having broad piazzas supported by 
 colonnades of graceful pillars, surmounted by minarets of the most elegant 
 appearance. Upon entering the great hall, about its centre springs a noble 
 winding staircase, with a carved balustrade of black walnut, which, grad- 
 ually contracting, winds to the observatory in the central dome; the niches 
 of the staircase are embellished with marble statuary imported from Flor- 
 ence ; opposite to the base of the staircase, large sliding-doors open into a 
 very beautiful drawing-room, the walls of which are covered with a rich 
 fresco paper, the principal panels of which represent the four seasons: the 
 ceiling is of rich arabesque mouldings of white and gold ; the mantels of 
 Italian statuary marble ; a royal Wilton carpet, of gorgeous pattern, covers 
 the floor ; the furniture is of rosewood ; the curtains, drapery, statuary, man- 
 tel ornaments, clocks, &c, are of unique elegance ; while the pier-glasses at 
 each end, and the large folding-doors opening into the hall and dining-room, 
 of plate-mirror panels on each side, apparently multiply infinitely this beau- 
 tiful apartment. Throwing open these doors, you enter the dining-room, an 
 elegant, square room; the walls are painted in dark English oak, the rich 
 panels of which represent the three fine arts, Music, Painting, and Poetry, 
 the ceiling has richly-gilded mouldings ; the furniture is of black walnut, 
 including a cabinet of rare and beautiful porcelain, among which is a harle- 
 quin dessert-service, every piece of a different pattern, lettered with the 
 initials "P. T. B. v Uncle F. then gave the following description of the 
 Chinese library : The walls are covered with Chinese landscapes in oil; 
 the bookcase and furniture are Chinese, with one exception — a superb mar- 
 quetry cabinet of brass and tortoise-shell, a fine specimen of the middle ages. 
 Contiguous to this apartment are the rooms of the family, consisting of bed- 
 rooms, dressing-rooms, bathing-room, and conservatory ; the second story is 
 occupied with sumptuously-furnished rooms, a picture-gallery filled with rare 
 paintings and engravings, and forming a passage to the bijou apartment of 
 the villa, Mr. Bariiuni's private study, the walls and ceiling of which arc 
 
84 
 
 SIGHTS AND WONDERS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 hung with tho richest orange satin, with curtains and furniture of corres- 
 ponding elegance ; adjoining this is a bathing-room with plunge and shower 
 baths of hot and cold water. The principal room in the third story is 
 designed for a music and dancing saloon, and opens into the upper front 
 balcony, from which is a commanding and beautiful prospect of Long Island 
 sound and the surrounding country ; and a still finer view is obtained from 
 the richly-stained windows of the observatory, which is sixty feet in circum- 
 ference, and fitted up with peculiar and effective taste. 
 
 This splendid villa has seventeen acres of ground around it, a considerable 
 portion of which is laid out in gardens and pleasure-grounds, ornamented 
 with trees and flowery shrub? of every description ; the ornamental trees 
 are carefully planted to the best advantage ; the grounds are interspersed 
 with flower-beds of every device ; and the effect of the whole is greatlv 
 heightened by the splendid fountains, and the elegant iron fence with which 
 it is enclosed. The name of the villa is Iranistan : " iran" is the Persian 
 name for eastern country; " stan," as in Hindostan, signifies place. 
 
 When Mr. Bamum was in Paris, he was present at the sale of a Rus- 
 sian nobleman's personal effects, at which sale he purchased the gold and 
 silver plate, among which was a tea-service of gold, of great value and 
 beauty ; also a large collection of rich porcelain, and other articles of great 
 costliness. 
 
 Uncle Find-out further stated, that in consequence of the great facilities 
 enjoyed by Mr. Barnum for famishing instruction and amusement for the 
 public, (he having agents travelling in Europe and all parts of the world, 
 selecting and forwarding the richest specimens of all that is novel and cu- 
 rious), he has taken the new Museum in Philadelphia, — a most mag- 
 nificent building, Jive stories high, recently erected by Dr. Swaim, on the 
 corner of Seventh and Chesnut streets, — and fitted it up in a style superior 
 to that of any establishment of the kind in the world. 
 
 The citizens of the quaker city now pride themselves on having the 
 greatest and best assortment of natural curiosities ever exhibited in one 
 museum, and as interesting entertainments as are furnished in any city. 
 
 Mr. Barnum deserves their everlasting gratitude for opening this splendid 
 establishment; and Philadelphians and their visiters will reward him for his 
 eminent exertions ; while the ladies and children, in particular, will enjoy the 
 most pleasing performances, which are chaste and entirely free from any 
 immoral influences. 
 
 Mr. Barnum (continued Uncle F.) is an advocate of the principles of 
 teetotalism, and is a blessing to the country round about by his persevering 
 efforts in the cause of temperance. His heart and purse are alwaj's open to 
 the worthy unfortunate ; and the gratitude and prayers of the widow and 
 orphan, assist him in living up to the singular but appropriate motto — 
 " Love God and be merry." 
 
 Thus you see, my boys, what persevering industry will do. Prosecute 
 faithfully, as Mr. Barnum has done, the duties that fall to your lot ; be vigi- 
 lant, active, and industrious, as he has been ; and, with the smiles of Fortune, 
 you will find your highest hopes crowned with success. That this may be 
 the case, will ever be the ardent wish and prayer of your affectionate uncle, 
 
 Timothy Find-out. 
 
4 
 
i 
 
WESTERLY PUBLIC LIBRARY. 
 
 ABBREVIATED REGULATIONS. 
 
 The Library is open for the delivery of books every day 
 from 9:30 A. M. to 6 P. M., except on Sunday, the legal 
 holidays, and such other days as the President of the Board 
 of Trustees may direct ; it is also open Monday, Thursday 
 and Saturday evenings until 9 o'clock. 
 
 Two books may be borrowed on one card. One of thest- 
 may be fiction, or both may be non-fiction. 
 
 Books may be kept two weeks, except some new and 
 popular books, which may be kept but seven da} r s. Maga- 
 zines are lent for seven days only. 
 
 Non-fiction may be once renewed for two weeks from 
 the date on which the request for renewal is received. 
 
 Fiction, magazines, and seven -day books are ndt renew- 
 able. 
 
 , A fine of two cents a day (including Sundays and holi- 
 days) must be paid on each work overdue. 
 ' No took shall be lent out of the household of the (bor- 
 rower. 
 
 Books will not be transferred from one borrower to 
 another at the Library. 
 
 Mutilating or injuring books or other Library property is 
 punishable by law. 
 
 Persons will please give notice of change of address.