REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 69 



cellent education in Michigan, in the course of wliicb lie learned to read, 

 write, and speak the English language with great readiness. On com- 

 pleting his course of education, he was brought to Washington as an 

 assistant, and placed in charge of the large ethnological hall in the sec- 

 ond story of the building, his duties being to keep everything in order 

 and to act as a guide to visitors. These he performed with efficiency, 

 himself constituting an extremely interesting exhibit — that of a native 

 Indian, well educated and instructed, and able to explain the special 

 objects and applications of many articles manufactured and used in his 

 own country. 



I regret to say that this interesting assistant was attacked by con- 

 sumption, and for greater convenience of careful treatment, he was re- 

 moved to Providence Ilospital on the 2d of March, where he died on the 

 8th of May. 



Among the deaths of those deserving special notice in this report 

 is that of Mr. AVilliam Q. Force, who for many years had charge of 

 the meteorological department of the Institution. He was the son of 

 General Peter Force, of Washington, at one time mayor of the city, and 

 well known for his devotion to the study of American history. His col- 

 lection of books in this department was the largest in the country, and 

 was purchased by the government for the Library of Congress. In tlic col- 

 lection of these books and in the preparation of the "American Arcliives" 

 Mr. William Q. Force was the principal assistant of his father. He also 

 edited and i^ublished the "Army and Navy Chronicle and Scientific 

 Eepository," and several works relating to history and statistics. He 

 graduated at Columbian College in 1839, studied law, and in lSo7 took 

 charge of the meteorological department of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 discharging the duties of the position for eleven years with marked 

 fidelity and ability. He resigned on account of an attack of illness, 

 which caused a i^ermanent derangement of his nervous system, and he 

 devoted the remainder of his life to literary i^ursuits and to quiet and 

 unobtrusive deeds of charity. 



He held several important positions of honor and trust in connection 

 with religious and educational enter])rises and establishments, in all of 

 which he was noted for his scrupulous honesty, puriry, and fidelity. In 

 all the relations of life he was a noble example of a man wholly actuated 

 by Christian principle, and whose practice conformed rigidly to his pro- 

 fessions. 



Berendt manuscripts. — The long-continued labors of Dr. Carl Her- 

 mann Berendt, in Mexico and Central America, relating to the eth- 

 nology and jihilology of the native tribes, jirosecuted to a certain degree 

 under the auspices of the Institution, have been detailed in its iirevious 

 reports at various times within the last twenty years and more; and it 

 is with great regret that I have to announce the death of that gentleman 

 in tlie city of Guatemala on the 12th of April, 1878. 



He left his valuable manuscripts and rare books with Mr. B. Wester- 



