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American Notes and Queries:

A MEDIUM OF INTERCOMMUNICATION

FOR

LITERARY MEN, GENERAL READERS, ETC.

Copyrighted, 1891, by the Westminster Publishing Co. Entered at the Post-Office, Philadelphia, as Second-class Matter.

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TRANSPLANTING TEETH.

In a re-perusal of Watson's Annals, I

THE WESTMINSTER PUBLISHING COMPANY, find the following, Vol. I, page 179, which

619 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa.

Communications for the literary department should be addressed: Editor AMERICAN NOTES AND QUERIES. All checks and money orders to be made payable to the order of The Westminster Publishing Company.

sounds oddly enough to readers of the present generation:

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"I have seen a printed advertisement of 1784, wherein Dr. Le Mayeur, dentist, proposes to transplant teeth; stating that he has Successfully transplanted 123 in six months. At the same time he offers two guineas for every tooth which may be offered to him by persons disposed to sell their front teeth or any of them.' ***** They were, in some cases, two months before they could eat with them. Tooth brushes were not even known, and the genteelest then were content to rub the teeth with a chalked rag or with snuff, some even deemed it an effem"Snowing" Worms-The Great Pyramid of Egypt inacy in men to be seen cleaning the teeth

CONTENTS.

NOTES:-Transplanting Teeth-By Turf and Water, 229.
Seal Hunting off Norway-Good Old (or new?) Etymol
ogies-Edmond About's "Roman Question," 230.
QUERIES:-Whip-Poor-Will Superstition-Ground-hog Day--

Death Watch Superstition-Cock Lane Ghost-The
Thirsty Woman of Tutbury-Bay, a Color-New Cæsar,
Washington? 231.

REPLIES:-The Sleepy Disease, 231. Old "Liberty Bell"-
Pronunciation of "Wound"-"Old Probabilities," 232.

at all."

Norristown, Pa.

ELLWOOD ROBERTS.

BY TURF AND WATER.

As having a connection with delivery of

Kea's's Rhymes: Slough, Bough-Palm-eaf Hats-Rind title to land by "turf and twig," which has

Tents-St. Lambert-"Earth with her Ten Thousand Flowers, 233. Seeing Stars in Day-time-"Preserved Fish-Spade Guineas-Cold Harbor, 234. COMMUNICATIONS:-A Quaint XVIth Century Sermon, 234. Stephenson Antedated-Tip-Cat, 235. Remarkable Cures: Bone-setting a la Chinoise; Lowell's Wife Singularly Cured; Earthquake Cure-The Napoleons and their "Ms," 236. Snake Poison Cure-Manners, the Result of Language-Gold in a Meteoric Stone, 237. B. Franklin's "New England Courant-Christopher Columbus's Wife Origin of "Bangs"-Duel and Literature, 238. When will the XXth Century Begin?-Breed ing Pearls-Absurd Names-Toll Free, 239. Egypt How Names Grow-History of Corps Badges, 240. TO CORRESPONDENTS:-A. D. U., Camden, N. J.

Glenvarloch.

been discussed in AMERICAN NOTES AND QUERIES at different times, it may be worth mentioning that Watson's Annals, Vol. I, Page 86, alludes to another form of the same custom, as follows:

"When New Castle and the lower counties were delivered by the Duke of York's agent to William Penn, it was done formally by delivery of turf and water!-a fit subject for a historical painting. The Duke's deed of sale is dated August 20th, 1682."

Norristown, Pa.

ELLWOOD ROBERTS.

SEAL HUNTING OFF NORWAY. The ensuing description of "seal hunting" along the Norwegian coast islets of Bohus Bay, may interest some of your read

ers:

The women-folk at times appear to have graced this exciting sport with their presence. Such at least is the inference that may be drawn from Carlen's "Rosen på Tistelön," from the first volume of which I note the description referred to. She says at p. 94; "Finally the party was ready and embarked, for ere sunrise the marksmen must lie hidden on the islands skirting the coast, along whose precipitous sides the seals clambered in order to sun themselves."

After arriving at a suitable place the party disposed itself in silence to await a chance shot at a seal, but "Gabriella (the heroine) with the most troublesome effort, only checked herself from a cry of joy, when she, beside the rest of the company, observed on a great rock close to the sea, an enormous male seal, that comfortably rolled itself to and fro and really seemed to enjoy the first rays of the rising sun." A stranger seal hunter, however, at a great distance, shot the seal, and "when it saw even in its

agony the enemy approach, it flapped itself quickly along the rock into the sea. The youthful stranger, however, arrived at hand before his prey disappeared below the surface of the water and flung with great force a small harpoon into its side." "Den unge främlingen hann emellertir fram innan bytet försoann under vattenytan och slungade met kraft en liten harpunen i dess sida." Ibid, p. 103.

The seal was given full play of the short line fastened to the harpoon, which he quickly unreeled and then began the interesting but vigorous strife. After some effort to hook himself fast to projecting crags, the young huntsman was drawn down into and beneath the sea. The struggle was soon terminated by the seal bleeding to death and being hauled ashore by the daring hunter. He explained his failure to shoot the seal to death at once, "that by so doing he would have lost the best part of his enjoyment, i. e., to let himself be dragged around in the water"-p. 104. Perhaps a more satisfactory explanation was in his asserted fact: Att tranen aldrig blir så klar och ren, som när djuret sjelft får arbeta blodet ur kropen

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GOOD OLD (or New?) ETYMOLOGIES. (Vol. viii, p. 209, 78; Vol, vii, p. 161, etc.) The following etymologies, as given recently in our town by a lecturer, who makes a business of lecturing on the "Origin of Words," and who claims to be a graduate of Eton and Oxford, may suit the above heading or your XIXth Century Jottings.

East and yeast our professor derived from a root est, to foam. "The east wind brought the sea foam to them" (i. e., our Saxon forefathers). Yeast is the foamy West, from A. S. verb wésan, to weep; because the west wind brought Nature's tears, the rain drops.

stuff.

He said our language was derived (sic) from the Sanskrit, and illustrated his statement thus:

Sanskrit LI, a helmet, the root idea meaning a cover; hence

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"Snowing" Worms.-The Lancaster, Pa., Daily Examiner, for March 1, contains the following:

"To-day's snow storm produced a singular phenomenon. Some observant person saw what he imagined to be 'life' among the snow. In other words he thought he saw something moving in the snow.

"A microscopical examination revealed. the presence of thousands of amber-colored worms, about one-fourth of an inch in length. Some of the snow in the yard of Mr. H. C. Demuth, East King street, revealed, under the glass, the presence of these worms; and, when placed on a sheet of paper they crawled about in great shape. We have heard of them in other yards than that of Mr. Demuth. Where did they come from? How did they get there?'"'

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The Sleepy Disease (Vol viii, p. 211).— This peculiar ailment,-known also by the names of "African Lethargy", "Negro Lethargy", "Lethargus", "Nelavan " (which I guess to be a native name), and

Echo answers: "How did they get "Sleeping Dropsy ", (owing to the edema there?"

Есно.

The Great Pyramid of Egypt.-When and why was the Great Pyramid of Egypt built? MARTIN.

and the enlargement of the lymphatic glands with which it is more or less accompanied),

is an endemic disease very common, and very fatal, among the negroes along the coast of West Africa. It might be described as

HISTORY OF THE OLD LIBERTY BELL.

Placed on its

consisting of three stages marked respectively by heavy headache, a morbid and gradually increasing somnolence, and emaciation, in Philadelphia, in 1751. Cracked by a "Cast in England for the old State House the latter culminating in death in from three stroke of the clapper before being properly to six months. No treatment, hitherto de-stroke of the clapper before being properly vised, has proved effective, the reason being tower of Independence Hall in June, 1753hung in 1752. Recast and hung in the that the cause of this singular affliction is still a mystery. The only internal clue dis- at noon, Monday, July 8th, 1776 (not July 'Proclaimed Liberty throughout all the land' covered in the post-mortem examinations 4th). Removed to Allentown, Pa., by the that have been made is that the membrane of American troops when they evacuated Philathe brain and spinal cord between the dura delphia (to prevent it being cast into cannon and the pia mater is congested with blood. balls by the British) in 1777. Restored to M. N. its original position at the close of the RevoI would say in answer to the above query lution, where it remained until 1828. Broken that the "Sleepy Disease" is technically again while ringing out a fire alarm one murky known as "Narcolepsy." The Louisville, morning in the fall of 1828. (Ky.) Medical News, of Sept., 1880, says: original timbers, in the vestibule of Inde"We have encountered two cases of Nar-pendence Hall, where it may now be seen, colepsy', the sleepy disease. One was a in 1872." Lieutenant of Calvary in the Confederate Army; his narcolepsy dating from childhood. Before the war he was a dry goods merchant, and often fell asleep while selling goods, or in the midst of a conversation. In a few seconds, or minutes at most, he would awake, apparently unconscious that he had slept. An enormously obese man of great intellect was the second case. * * * * If talking when the sleep came on, these gentlemen would, on waking, resume where they had left off."

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Old "Liberty Bell" (Vol. viii, p. 211). Long continued and constant use is the only reason that can be given for the "exact cause of the crack in Liberty Bell.'" It was originally cast in England in 1751, cracked upon being tested, and recast here in 1753. In 1776, it sounded out the glad tidings of the Declaration of Independence. "For full fifty years, as nearly as can be ascertained, our Liberty Bell-for so it should be universally denominated-continued to celebrate every national anniversary, and then it cracked, it had performed its mission and was mute forever.

ELHEGOS.

OLD "LIBERTY BELL."-I have the following, which was printed on a card for sale or for distribution at the Centennial Exhibition of 1876:

Knoxville, Iowa.

J. W. W.

Pronunciation of "Wound" (Vol. viii, p. 203).—I cannot admit that "woond" is an affectation of modern date. It is a long half century since I was at school. I was specially taught that "woond" (for a hurt) was the test of an educated person, while "wownd" was the mark of ignorance and vulgarity. As the past participle of the verb to wind, "wound" was correct. I am not rich in old pronouncing dictionaries. Fulton and Knight, Edinburgh, 1811, give "woond" and "wownd" respectively, as above. Craig, London, 1849, gives "woond" and omits the participle. I do not consider that my practice carries any weight, but I have all my life said "woond," though I have been surrounded with "wownd." I look upon the general return to "woond" as a correct and sensible change. The limited utility of the word in poetry, counts for little. Many words are of limited use in rhyme. Several are impossible in that re

spect.

DOLLAR.

"Old Probabilities" in Epithets of Noted People (Vol. viii, p. 215).—Is not your correspondent mistaken in applying "Old Probabilities" to Professor Cleveland Abbe? While Professor Abbe is one of the principal scientists in the Weather Bureau, my recollection is that the sobriquet "Old Probabilities" was applied to General Albert J.

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Palm-leaf Hats (Vol. viii, p. 198, etc).— The enclosed appears in the American Agriculturist for March, over the signature F. I. Nicola, Guayaquil, Ecuador. It may be of interest in this connection:

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St. Lambert (Vol. viii, pp. 186, 196).—I have five copper medals about the size of the old fashioned half cent. Three of them have on the obverse a mitred bust of St. Lambert.

"Before leaving Callao for a journey to All are of different types and all show a Ecuador, I had been told that I would find young man. The inscriptions are: S. Lamat Payta, on the Peruvian coast, an inter- bertus, Sanctus Lamber., and Sanctus Lamesting industry that of the manufacture of bert. The reverses are different busts of the Madonna with: S. Maria, Santa Maria Panama hats. I went ashore and attempted to buy one, but ransacked the forlorn adobe (sic) and Sancta Maria. Another piece has town in vain for one of these highly-prized no devices, and merely the legends: obv. The American consular agent inS. Lambertus; rev., Mandata. hats. The fifth formed me that the industry had once flour- specimen shows another variety of bust, with ished there, but had disappeared altogether, mitre and halo, S. Lambertus, 1635. Rev., Guayaquil having become the centre of the the Madonna and child. Capit. Leodien. S trade. Two days afterward, I was at Guaya-M. (Capitolium Leodiensis. Sancta Maria. quil and had no difficulty in buying for eight "Chapter-House of Liege. Holy Mary.") dollars a hat which would have cost seventy- with the why and wherefore of these tokens, I hope some correspondent will oblige me five dollars in New York. These hats are no longer made at Panama, but in a few and also explain the connection of St. Lam Indian villages on the coast of Ecuador. The bert, bishop of Maestricht, with Liege. Does material is supplied from a plant about five the one date mark any particular event? feet high looking like a palm. It has fan- What does Mandata refer to? shaped leaves about three feet in length. The veins in the leaf are removed and the fibers plaited by hand-a laborious process for which stolid Indian patience is required. The coarsest hats can be made in a few days, but the finest involve three or four months of hard labor. The fiber is bleached in the sun after having been treated with boiling water. The Indian women use a wooden block in shaping the hat, and beginning at the centre of the crown gradually round out the brim. These Quayaquil hats

DOLLAR.

"Earth with her Ten Thousand Flowers " (Vol. viii, p. 212).-The hymn beginning with this line was written by Thomas Rawson Taylor, an English Congregational clergyman, who died of a pulmonary affection in 1835, in the twenty-eighth year of his age. He was also author of the more familiar hymn, "I'm but a stranger here." His Memoirs, in which were incorporated his most noteworthy hymns, were published in England the year following his decease, by

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