REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 95 



procured on tlu> voyage of the Ve(i<(, the pliotograplis, luodols, and specimens result- 

 ing tVoni tlie explorations of (iustav Nordenskijold in (Jolorailo two yciirs ago, 

 and the objects brought from Nicaragua and Costa Rica by Dr. Carlos Bovallius. 

 These gentlemen were in charge and arranged a very creditable display. 



Norway exhibited a full-sized model of a viking boat. The original was taken 

 from a tumulus on the east coast of Norway in 1880. 



The display of Denmark was composed of two parts, viz, one illustrating the life 

 of the Eskimo of Greenland, the other the grade of civilization of Iceland in the 

 middle ages. The collection was well presented, and showed in a small way the 

 Eskimo man and wonum, their houses and utensils, methods of transportation, and 

 some of their arts. The wood carvings, textiles, and model of the house of the Ice- 

 landers were very interesting. 



The documents under the efficient charge of Dr. Zaragoza were of the highest 

 interest, and included priceless letters of Columbus and other discoverers and con- 

 querors, with manuscripts of the early explorers and priests. 



The exposition was visited by many of the Americanists after the meeting at 

 Hnelva, among whom may be mentioned Dr. Hamy, Baron de Baye, M. Adam, 

 Charles Read, and others. The orator, Castelar, was a close student of the collec- 

 tions, and the intelligent interest displayed by many scientific men at the Spanish 

 capital was very gratifying. 



On the whole, the exhibition was u<jt well attended, as its patronage was largely 

 drawn from Madrid and the immediate vicinity, there being also little advertising 

 and no excursion rates offered by the railroads. This, however, does not detract 

 from the commendation which should be given to the Spanish Government for the 

 enlightened idea and the consummate ability with which this idea was carrieil out 

 by the delegate general, Senor Don .Juan Navarro Reverter, Rev. Padre Fita, and 

 their colleagues. 



When it comes to describe the sister exhibition, setting forth the state of European 

 culture at the era of the discovery, there is a great difficulty in merely indicating 

 the priceless rarities disiilayed. No one imagined that after the many spcdiations 

 which the Iberian Peniusula has suffered, so inany art works survivefl. 



When inquiry was made for the relics demonstrating the splendor of Old Spain, 

 the church alone could respond with the evidences of her traditional fostering and 

 conservation of art. 



Thus it hajipens that the exhibit largely comprised ecclesiastical objects from the 

 more important churches of Spain. Without doubt not above one-fifth of the j)re- 

 cious relics existing among the churches and religious institutions were repre- 

 sented iu Madrid, due to the poor communications in Spain and no general anti- 

 quarian interest among the people. 



There is a saying that "tapestries are like weeds iu Spain." Mr. Charles H. liead, 

 of the British Museum, from whose admirable <lescriptiou of the exposition I shall 

 more thau once ([uote, says: ~ 



"The most striking feature of this part of the exhibition, and that which dis- 

 tinguishes it from any other, is the extraordinary display of Flemish andSjtanish 

 tapestries and carpets and Persian and Arab textiles with whicli the walls of 

 every room on the upper floor are lined. Most of the Flemish tapestries from the 

 Escorial aud the other royal palaces are already well known, both from their being 

 generally shown to visitors and from the excellent photographs published by M. 

 Laurent, of Madrid. But in addition to these, many from private collections and 

 from religious establishments, some of them fully as important as those of the royal 

 collections, have come to light and are now seen for the first time. The most strik- 

 ing case of this kind is probably that of the Cathedral of Zamora. The authorities 



* Read, C. H., Report to the British Museum on the Historical Exhibition at 



Madrid. London, 1893. 



