Part 1

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TEN THOUSAND WONDERFUL THINGS

COMPRISING

WHATEVER IS MARVELLOUS AND RARE, CURIOUS ECCENTRIC AND EXTRAORDINARY

IN ALL AGES AND NATIONS

ENRICHED WITH

_HUNDREDS OF AUTHENTIC ILLUSTRATIONS_

EDITED BY

EDMUND FILLINGHAM KING, M.A.

LONDON GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS, LIMITED

BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL MANCHESTER AND NEW YORK

1894

STANDARD WORKS OF REFERENCE.

_UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME._

LEMPRIERE'S CLASSICAL DICTIONARY.

WALKER'S RHYMING DICTIONARY.

MACKAY'S THOUSAND AND ONE GEMS OF ENGLISH POETRY.

D'ISRAELI'S CURIOSITIES OF LITERATURE.

BARTLETT'S FAMILIAR QUOTATIONS.

CRUDEN'S CONCORDANCE TO THE BIBLE.

THE FAMILY DOCTOR.

PREFACE.

A BOOK OF WONDERS requires but a brief introduction. Our title-page tells its own tale and forms the best exposition of the contents of the volume.

Everything that is marvellous carries with it much that is instructive, and, in this sense, "Ten Thousand Wonderful Things," may be made useful for the highest educational purposes. Events which happen in the regular course have no claim to a place in any work that professes to be a register of what is uncommon; and were we to select such Wonders only as are capable of familiar demonstration, we should destroy their right to be deemed wondrous, and, at the same time, defeat the very object which we profess to have in view. A marvel once explained away ceases to be a marvel. For this reason, while rejecting everything that is obviously fictitious and untrue, we have not hesitated to insert many incidents which appear at first sight to be wholly incredible.

In the present work, interesting Scenes from Nature, Curiosities of Art, Costume and Customs of a bygone period rather predominate; but we have devoted many of its pages to descriptions of remarkable Occurrences, beautiful Landscapes, stupendous Water-falls, and sublime Sea-pieces. It is true that some of our illustrations may not be beautiful according to the sense in which the word is generally used; but they are all the more curious and characteristic, as well as truthful, on that account; for whatever is lost of beauty, is gained by accuracy. What is odd or quaint, strange or startling, rarely possesses much claim to the picturesque and refined. Scrape the rust off an antique coin, and, while you make it look more shining, you invariably render it worthless in the eyes of a collector. To polish up a fact which derives its value either from the strangeness of its nature, or from the quaintness of its narration, is like the obliterating process of scrubbing up a painting by one of the old masters. It looks all the cleaner for the operation, but, the chances are, it is spoilt as a work of art.

We trust it is needless to say that we have closed our pages against everything that can be considered objectionable in its tendency; and, while every statement in this volume has been culled with conscientious care from authentic, although not generally accessible, sources, we have scrupulously rejected every line that could give offence, and endeavoured, in accordance with what we profess in our title-page, to amuse by the eccentric, to startle by the unexpected, and to astonish by the marvellous.

INDEX TO ENGRAVINGS

PAGE

ABYSSINIAN ARMS, 509

---- LADIES, 492

---- ORNAMENTS OF, 493

---- LADY TATTOOED, 496

ALTAR-PIECE OF SAN MINIATO, 601

AMULET WORN BY EGYPTIAN FEMALES, 452

AMULET BROTCHE, 332

ANCIENT METHOD OF KEEPING A WASHING ACCOUNT, 3

---- NUT-CRACKERS, 236

---- SNUFF-BOXES, 210

ANGLO-SAXONS, SEPULCHRAL BARROW OF THE, 27

APTERYX, THE, OR WINGLESS BIRD, 308

ARCH, A BEAUTIFUL, IN CANNISTOWN CHURCH, 433

---- OF TRAJAN AT BENEVENTUM, 445

ARCHITECTURE FOR EARTHQUAKES, 324

ARMLET, AN ANCIENT, 425

ARMOUR, ANCIENT, CURIOUS PIECE OF, 341

ASH, THE SHREW, 397

AZTEC CHILDREN, THE, 37

BAGPIPES, 505

BANDOLIERS, 560

BANNERS AND STANDARDS, ANCIENT, 584, 585

BASTILLE, STORMING OF THE, 195

BEAU BRUMMELL (A), OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY, 61

BECTIVE ABBEY, 392

BEDESMEN IN THE TIME OF HENRY VII, 593

BELLOWS, A PRIMITIVE PAIR OF, 637

BELL SHRINE, AN ANCIENT, 348

---- OF SAINT MURA, 412

BIBLE USED BY CHARLES I. ON THE SCAFFOLD, 271

BILLY IN THE SALT BOX, 181

BLACKFRIARS, PARIS GARDEN AT, 465

BLIND GRANNY, 70

---- JACK, 23

BOAT, A BURMESE, 668

BOOK-SHAPED WATCH, 328

BRACELET, A MAGICIAN'S, 345

BRAMA, THE HINDOO DEITY, 556

BRANK, THE, 2

BRASS MEDAL OF OUR SAVIOUR, 241

BRITANNIA TUBULAR BRIDGE, 173

BROOCH, ANCIENT SCANDINAVIAN, 401

BRICKS OF BABYLON, 613

BRIDGE OVER THE THAMES, THE FIRST, 428

---- A CHINESE, 440

---- CROMWELL'S, AT GLENGARIFF, 648

BUCKINGER, MATTHEW, 53

BUCKLER OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY, WITH PISTOL INSERTED, 30

BUNYAN'S (JOHN) TOMB, 157

BURMESE PRIEST PREACHING, 266

BUST, AN ANCIENT ETRURIAN, 677

CAMDEN CUP, THE, 250

CANDLESTICK, A REMARKABLE, IN FAYENCE, 592

---- OF MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS, 436

CARFAX CONDUIT, 333

CARRIAGE, A TURKISH, 656

CASCADE DES PELERINES, 135

CATACOMBS AT ROME, 87

CAVE, PORT COON, 516

---- THE TIGER, AT CUTTACK, 361

CHAIR BROUGHT OVER TO AMERICA BY THE PILGRIM FATHERS, 186

---- DAGOBERT'S, ANCIENT, 421

---- HENRY VIII.'S, 488

---- THE DUCHESS OF LAUDERDALE'S, 401

CHAPTER-HOUSE, A, IN THE TIME OF HENRY VII., 600

CHARLEMAGNE, CROWN OF, 377

CHIEFTAIN, ANCIENT SCOTTISH, 500

CHINESE METHOD OF FISHING, 316

---- PUNISHMENT OF THE KANG, OR WOODEN COLLAR, 134

CHRISTMAS, PROCLAIMING THE NON-OBSERVANCE OF, 19

CISTERN OF MAJOLICA WARE, 597

COFFEE POT, IN STONEWARE, A CURIOUS, 649

COIN, THE FIRST, WITH BRITANNIA ON IT, 468

COLLARS, ANCIENT STONE, 665

COLUMN AT CUSSI, 533

COMB, A CURIOUS INDIAN, 657

CORAL REEFS, 74

CORPSE BEARER DURING THE PLAGUE, 284

COSTUMES, ANCIENT, 18, 71, 78, 86, 212, 213, 220, 296, 297

---- GERMAN, OF THE 16TH CENTURY, 548

COSTUME, FOREIGN, IN 1492, 543

---- OF A GERMAN NOBLE, 536

COUTEAU-DE-CHASSE, 633

CRADLE OF MOSS, 325

---- HENRY V., 416

CROSBY, SIR JOHN, HELMET OF, 520

CROSS OF CONG, 457

---- MUIREDACH, 369

CUCKING STOOL, 1

CUPID OF THE HINDOOS, THE, 552

CURFEW BELL, THE, 33

CURIOUS FIGURES ON A SMALL SHRINE, 203

DAGGER OF RAOUL DE COURCY, 263

---- AN ANCIENT, 673

DAGOBERT, ANCIENT CHAIR OF, 421

DANCING NATIVES OF NEW SOUTH WALES, 225

DARNEY (JENNY), A HARMLESS ECCENTRIC OF THE YEAR 1790, 187

DERVISHES DANCING, 669

DIAL AND FOUNTAIN IN LEADENHALL STREET, 553

DINNER PARTY IN THE 17TH CENTURY, 609

---- TABLE, AN EGYPTIAN, 537

DIOGENES IN A PITHOS--NOT TUB, 524

DOG-WHEEL, THE OLD, 101

DRINKING CUP, A CURIOUSLY SHAPED, 413

---- EARLY GERMAN, 460

---- VESSEL, A DECORATIVE, 336

---- GLASS, ANCIENT, 153

DROPPING WELL OF KNARESBOROUGH, 143

DRUID'S SEAT, THE, 464

DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS, OR ORNITHORYNCHUS PARADOXUS, 273

DYAK WITH HEADS, SKULL HOUSE, AND HOUSE OF SEA DYAKS, 276, 277

---- WAR BOAT IN BORNEO, 540

DYAKS OF BORNEO, WAR DANCE OF THE, 541

EAST INDIA HOUSE, THE FIRST, 206

EDDYSTONE LIGHTHOUSE, 109

EGYPTIAN TOYS IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM, 130

EMBROIDERED GLOVE, PRESENTED BY MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTLAND, TO AN ATTENDANT ON THE MORNING OF HER EXECUTION, 263

EXTRAORDINARY CATARACT, 224

---- SITUATION FOR A TREE, 313

---- TREE, 183

FASHIONABLE DISFIGUREMENT OF THE TIME OF CHARLES I., 213

FAWKES HALL, OLD MANOR HOUSE OF, 380

FETE OF THE FEDERATION OF THE NATIONAL GUARDS OF FRANCE, 1790, 289

FIGG (JAMES), THE CHAMPION PRIZE-FIGHTER OF 1733, 113

FISH, SHOOTING, 432

FISHERMAN, BULGARIAN, 497

FLOATING CITY OF BANKOK, 309

FONT AT KILCARN, THE, 417

FRENCH ASSIGNATS, FAC-SIMILE OF THE FORMS IN WHICH THEY WERE ISSUED TO THE PUBLIC, 254

FULLERTON'S (COLONEL) DEVICE FOR PASSING A MOUNTAIN TORRENT, 194

FUNEREAL JAR, 481

GARDEN, EGYPTIAN, 349

GARRICK'S CUP, 232

GATE, THE, ON OLD LONDON BRIDGE, 561

GAUNTLET OF HENRY, PRINCE OF WALES, 661

GIANT TREE, 229

GLAIVE, A, 504

GRACE KNIVES, 641

GRAVES OF THE STONE PERIOD, 364

GREAT WALL OF CHINA, 233

GREY MAN'S PATH, THE, 528

GUN, A CELEBRATED, 568

GUY, THOMAS, PORTRAIT OF, 605

HACKNEY COACHMAN OF THE TIME OF CHARLES II., 258

HACKNEY COACH, THE EARLIEST, 211

HEAD-BREAKER, A, 665

---- ORNAMENT, ANTIQUE, 393

HEART OF LORD EDWARD BRUCE AND CASE, 246, 247

HELMET, AN EARLY ENGLISH, 632

HELMET OF SIR JOHN CROSBY, 520

HENRY V., CRADLE OF, 516

---- VII., BEDESMEN IN THE TIME OF, 393

---- VIII., CHAIR OF, 488

---- I. (KING) DREAM OF, 26

---- VIII.'S WALKING STICK, 30

HINDOO ADORATION OF THE SALAGRAM, 588

HOLY-WATER SPRINKLER, 532

HOOPS, LADIES', IN 1740, 6

HUDSON, JEFFERY, THE DWARF OF THE COURT OF CHARLES I., 472

IMPLEMENTS USED IN BUDDHIST TEMPLES, 621

INCENSE CHARIOT, AN ANCIENT, 513

INSTRUMENTS OF TORTURE:--THE EXECUTIONER'S AXE; THE BLOCK ON WHICH LORDS BALMERINO AND LOVAT WERE BEHEADED; THE SCAVENGER'S DAUGHTER; SPANISH BILBOES; MASSIVE IRON COLLAR FOR THE NECK; THUMB SCREW. BRAND FOR MARKING FELONS: IMPRESSION OF BRAND; PUNISHMENT FOR DRUNKARDS, FORMERLY IN USE AT NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE; THE WHIRLIGIG, A MILITARY METHOD OF PUNISHMENT; PILLORY, STOCKS, AND WHIPPING-POST FORMERLY ON LONDON BRIDGE, 60, 90

IRRIGATION, TURKISH MACHINE FOR, 681

JAMES I., CURIOUS JEWEL WHICH BELONGED TO, 456

---- II., AND THE CHURCH OF DONORE, 557

JEWEL PRESENTED BY MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS, TO EARL HUNTLEY, 243

JOHNSON'S (DR. SAMUEL), RESIDENCE IN INNER TEMPLE LANE, 48

---- OLD STAIRCASE IN, 49

JOY (WILLIAM), THE ENGLISH SAMPSON, 177

KING'S STONE, THE, 461

KNIGHT'S COSTUME OF THE 13TH CENTURY, 480

LAMPS, ANCIENT ROMAN, 437

LOCOMOTIVE, THE FIRST, 96

---- THE PRESENT, AND TRAIN, 97

LORD OF MISRULE, 15

LOUIS XII., IVORY SCEPTRE OF, 476

LOUIS XVI., EXECUTION OF, 255

LUTHER'S (MARTIN) TANKARD, 150

LYNCH'S CASTLE, GALWAY, 581

MAGICIAN'S MIRROR, 344

---- BRACELET, 345

MAY-POLES, 101

MAIL, ANCIENT SUIT OF, 484

MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS', CANDLESTICK, 436

MEDMENHAM ABBEY, 429

MILITARY HATS IN THE OLDEN TIME, 75

MILL AT LISSOY, 469

MIRROR, A MAGICIAN'S, 344

MONSOONS, 180

MONSTROUS HEAD-DRESS OF 1782, 242

MONUMENTS, WAYSIDE, 588

---- ROCK CUT, OF ASIA MINOR, 444

MORAYSHIRE FLOODS, 126

MOSQUE OF OMAR, 317

---- ST. SOPHIA, 104

MUMMERS, OR ANCIENT WAITS, 14

MUMMY CASES, 409

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, HINDOO, 684

---- ---- A CURIOUS BURMESE, 628, 629

---- ---- EGYPTIAN, 405

NAORA, THE, 636

NEBUCHADNEZZAR, MASK OF, 105

NECKLACE, ANCIENT JET, 529

NELL GWYNNE'S LOOKING-GLASS, 237

NEWTON CHURCH, DOORWAY OF, 473

NEWTON'S (SIR ISAAC) OBSERVATORY, 10

---- HOUSE, ST. MARTIN'S STREET, 11

NORMAN CAPS, 44

NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN WAR DESPATCH, 45

OLD LONDON BRIDGE, GATE ON THE, 561

---- ---- SIGNS, 120

ORNAMENTS ABYSSINIAN FEMALE, 493

---- ANTIQUE HEAD, 393

---- FEMALE, OF THE IRON PERIOD, 400

---- EGYPTIAN FEMALE, 448

---- PERSONAL, OF EGYPTIANS, 453

---- OF FEMALE DRESS IN THE TIMES OF THE ANCIENT BRITONS, 79

PAGODA, THE GREAT SHOEMADOO, 572

PAILOOS, CHINESE, 625

PAPYRUS ROLL, FROM A SPECIMEN IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM, 82

---- SYRIAN, WITH AND WITHOUT FLOWERS, 83

PARIS GARDEN AT BLACKFRIARS, 465

PASS OF KEIM-AN-EIGH, 329

PENN'S (WILLIAM) SILVER TEA SERVICE, 202

PENNSYLVANIA JOURNAL, FAC-SIMILE OF THE HEADING OF THE LAST NUMBER, 1765, 63

PEST HOUSE DURING THE PLAGUE IN TOTHILL FIELDS, 573

PETER THE GREAT, HOUSE OF, AT ZAANDAM, 545

PLOUGHING, ANCIENT MODE OF, 66

POISON CUP, THE, 485

PONT DU GARD, THE GREAT AQUEDUCT OF, 312

POPE'S CHAIR, 577

POPULAR AMUSEMENTS IN 1743, 56

PORCELAIN FIGURES, 517

POTTERY IN CHINA, THE ART OF, 321

POWERSCOURT FALL, PHENOMENON AT, 305

PREACHING FRIAR, 221

PRE-ADAMITE BONE CAVERNS, 199

PRIESTS OF SIKKIM, 664

PRINCE RUPERT, HEAD QUARTERS OF, DURING THE SIEGE OF LIVERPOOL, IN 1644, 292

PULPIT OF JOHN KNOX AT ST. ANDREW'S, 270

PUNISHMENT, ANCIENT INSTRUMENT OF, 680

PYRAMIDS OF EGYPT, 131

QUEEN ELIZABETH'S STATE COACH, 198

---- ---- SIDE SADDLE OF, 340

RAFFAELLE, TOMB OF, 569

RALEIGH'S (SIR WALTER) ANCIENT RESIDENCE AT BLACKWALL, 161

REVOLVER, A, OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY, 30

RING, FORMERLY THE PROPERTY OF CHARLES I., 263

RINGS, CALCINATED, 408

---- SARDONYX, WITH CAMEO HEAD OF QUEEN ELIZABETH, 372

---- A TOAD STONE, 424

ROCK OF CASHEL, THE, 352

RUINS OF CLONMACNOIS, 612

SACK-POT, OLD ENGLISH, 521

SAINT GEORGE, TOMB OF, 281

SAINT GEORGE'S HALL, GIBRALTAR, 7

SALAGRAM, HINDOO ADORATION OF THE, 589

SARDONYX RING, WITH CAMEO HEAD OF QUEEN ELIZABETH, 373

SCEPTRE, IVORY, OF LOUIS XII., 476

SCHOOL, A CHINESE, 525

SCRIPTURAL ANTIQUITIES:--DRUM, OR TIMBREL; DRUM IN USE IN THE EAST; HARP; LUTES; INSCRIBED STONE; SANDALS; DISTAFF; ROMAN FARTHING; STONEMONEY-WRIGHTS; HAND MILL; EASTERN WINE AND WATER BOTTLES, 217

SELKIRK (ALEXANDER) AND THE DANCING GOATS, 22

SEPULCHRAL VASE, 320, 608

SHAKESPEARE'S JUG, 576

SHIELD, ANCIENT DANISH, 420

SHRINE OF ST. SEBALD AT NUREMBERG, 604

SILVER LOCKET IN MEMORY OF THE EXECUTION OF CHARLES I., 263

SNAKE CHARMER, 300

SOUTH STACK LIGHTHOUSE, 240

SPANISH DAGGER OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY, 263

SPIDER, THE TRAP-DOOR, 384

---- NEST OF THE, 385

ST. WINIFRED'S WELL, 304

STAMP, MEDICINE, ANTIQUE ROMAN, 449

STANDARDS, EGYPTIAN, 396

---- ASSYRIAN, 584, 585

STEAM BOAT, FAC-SIMILE OF THE FIRST, 301

STICKS, OLD WALKING, 388

SWORD BREAKER, ANCIENT, 672

---- AN EXECUTIONER'S, 676

---- CURIOUS ANTIQUE, 596

---- THE HAWTHORNDEN, 353

---- THE SETON, 357

SUMMERS' MAGNET, OR LOADSTONE, 41

TEMPLAR'S BANNER, CALLED BEAUSEANT, 565

TEMPLE AT SIMONBONG, INTERIOR VIEW OF, 620

THRASHING CORN, ANCIENT METHOD OF, 67

TILBURY FORT, WATER-GATE OF, 190

TOILET BOXES, EGYPTIAN, 381

TOMB, ANCIENT GREEK, INTERIOR VIEW OF, 617

---- A CHINESE, 508

---- OF RAFFAELLE, 569

TOMB OF CAECILIA METELLA, 477

TOPE, THE SANCHI, 389

TORTURE CHAMBER AT NUREMBERG, 616

TOWER OF THE THUNDERING WINDS, 93

TRAJAN, ARCH OF, AT BENEVENTUM, 445

TREATY STONE AT LIMERICK, 564