390 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



My first knowledge of this eminent man was at the min- 

 eral springs at Ballston, in 1796, when he appeared with 

 an equipage and servants ; and although a young man, he 

 arrested the attention of all by his high conversational 

 powers. I met him next in London, in 1805, where he 

 displayed the same superiority, only intensified ; next in 

 Boston, at the table of his brother, Francis Cabot Lowell. 

 During my present engagement, we passed an evening at 

 his house in Boston, when he told me that he had read 

 every article of the "American Journal of Science," includ- 

 ing the mathematical papers, which I considered as a strong 

 mark of his approbation. He had been recently in Cuba, 

 for his health, and there he learned that the Caribs prefer 

 to inter their dead on the sea-shore, next to the tidal wave, 

 and he thought that practice might account for the famous 

 fossil skeleton of Guadaloupe, which has figured so much 

 in geology. I thought the suggestion valuable. It is sup- 

 posed- that the Charibs thought that their friends might pass 

 by water to another world. Mr. Lowell met in Cuba a 

 distinguished English botanist who had visited the island 

 on purpose to see tropical plants in their native climates, 

 but was deterred from exploring rural scenes from fear of 

 yellow fever. 



Saturday, February 1. In the morning a walk to Mr. 

 Alger's foundry, where we saw the boring of large cannon 

 for the United States. We then rode to Cambridge in a 

 close-covered sleigh, as it snowed rapidly. Made calls at 

 President Quincy's, Prof. Lovering's, Mr. Sparks's, Mr. 

 King's, Mr. Worcester's, &c. Mr. Worcester occupied the 

 Dr. Craige house, which was General Washington's head- 

 quarters in 1775 and 1776. Tea at Mr. Jeremiah Mason's, 

 sitting around the table with his lovely family, Mrs. Mason 

 and daughters, with the noble head, a magnificent man, 

 both physically and mentally, and, withal, most kind and 

 gentle in manners and disposition ; his conversation enlight- 

 ened and instructive. 



