236 BULi-ETIN 139^ UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



German immigrants coming to the United States brought with them 

 their household belongings and set up the domestic life here in accord- 

 ance with customs of the old country. The weight of conservatism 

 and the settlement in masses in certain localities have caused many 

 usages and customs to persist to the present among the Germans. In 

 eastern Pennsylvania, for example, the crusie called schmutze lamp, 

 fat lamp, was in use not long ago, and probably some ultra conserva- 

 tives still enjoy its antique illumination. The German crusie was 

 usually without drip catcher. It was of iron and of good workman- 

 ship. Later crusies of tin became common. Sometimes the crusie 

 was hung on a rack by which it could be raised or lowered, or turned- 

 wood stands or stands of tin were made on which to set the lamp. 

 Two types of Pennsylvania Dutch tin table lamps had common use. 

 One of these consisted of a support set in a pan and a globular res- 

 ervoir open at the top and having a wick tube in the center. The 

 other had an oblong reservoir with wick tube at one end and a wide 

 flat wick holder at the other. It seems strange that this lamp was 

 patented, the date being February 4, 1851, Spout lamps were not 

 favored. 



SPANISH 



Subsequent to the Spanish discover}" and conquest the devices 

 for illumination current in Spain were brought to America. The 

 indigenous population in some cases adopted the candle, probably 

 because it was a cult object, but the lamp did not assimilate with 

 their habits of life. The simple lamps of saucer and crusie form, 

 such as were first introduced, were retained in Spanish America for 

 centuries. In Yucatan "the darkness of the night is rendered only 

 the more visible by the httle earthern vessel, lampara, with its cot- 

 ton wick and feeble flame." ^^ 



In Mexico small lamps of tin with one wick tube are still sold in 

 the markets. Small tin lamps of crusie type are also sold in the 

 tinners' shops. 



Peruvian miners wore a crusie in the hat while working in the 

 silver mines of Cerro del Pasco. ^^ These were probably introduced 

 from England. 



PORTUGUESE 



The remark on Spain also applies to the Portuguese possessions in 

 America. Eubank describes a crusie with ratchet tilting device in 

 use in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, The lamp burnt grease or oil, and 

 every drop of the fuel could be consumed by tilting it forward notch 

 by notch. It was made of copper, with a curved iron supporting 



" J. H. McCarthy, Chautauquan, October, 1887, p. 25. 



"Heradon and Gibbon. Exploration of the Amazon, vol. 1, 1854, p. 113, pis. 19, 20. 



