LIFE IN WASHINGTON 231 
for that year, speaks of him as one of the pioneers in 
comparative philology. Beside an extensive knowledge of 
modern European languages he had an unusual acquaint- 
ance with those of the Orient, both ancient and modern. 
Becoming interested in the North American Indian 
tongues, he gained a wide knowledge of them. Miss Lucy 
says: ‘‘He was perhaps the most intimate personal friend 
of our household from 1850 till the time of his death,” 
among those who were not working in the Natural 
Sciences, ‘‘.and indeed there was no friend of whom my 
parents were more fond.” His sisters, Miss Susan and 
especially Miss Jane, who was for many years associated 
with the Smithsonian Library, are affectionately remem- 
bered by the surviving habitués of the Institution of that 
day. 
Another special friend of the house in 1857-8 was 
Robert Kennicott, of Illinois, a youth of twenty-two, 
but already an enthusiastic naturalist and always bubbling 
over with fun and wonderful plans for the future. He, with 
Dr. William Stimpson, August Schénborn the artist, and 
some other resident students, formed under Stimpson’s 
leadership a club for mutual housekeeping. Stimpson 
was the only one who had any money; he was under 
salary working up the collections of the North Pacific 
Exploring Expedition of Ringgold and Rodgers, and 
Schénborn was making exquisite silver point drawings 
of the crabs. Stimpson hired a cottage, the club was 
formed under the name of the Megatherium Club, and 
the members lodged and took their meals there under 
the auspices of a colored “Aunty.” To reduce the cost 
of living they kept hens, and when, as occasionally 
happened, there was a surplus of eggs, the young fellows 
concocted a bowl of egg nog and indulged in vocal music 
