CATALOGUE. 



27 



A SLAVER'S TREASURE CHEST, about 350 years old. 

 36 inches long, 19 inches wide and 19 inches deep. Wor- 

 thy of a place in any museum ; price, $50.00. 



From the Newport Daily News, March ip, 1885. — " Mr. S. 

 Jacob, of Bellevue Avenue, has temporarily deposited with the 

 Historical Society for public examination, the treasure chest of 

 one of Newport's slaving vessels. It is a massive affair, weigh- 

 ing some four hundred pounds, and yet with no mean preten- 

 sions to beauty of workmanship and adornment. The lock is 

 not the least of its features of interest. The strength of the 

 chest is suggestive of the fears of its former owner that his 

 ship might be overhauled by one of its dreaded Newport rivals, 

 by courtesy termed privateers but elsewhere sometimes called 

 pirates. Possibly itself has one time been filled not with 

 milled dollars merely, for the purchase of flesh and blood, but 

 with gold and silver chalices and candlesticks, rifled from the 

 churches of the Spanish main. Its full history will probably be 

 given at the next meeting of the society, but meanwhile it is 

 well worthy a special visit during the librarian's hours, from 10 

 to 12 and from 2 to 4 daily. Such a marked illustration of a 

 civilization and of public morals now fortunately past, and of 

 the methods by which Newport achieved its former prosperity, 

 should not be allowed by our moneyed men to leave the city, 

 as so many of our most valuable memorials have already done. 

 Whoever sees this treasure chest will agree with us that it 

 should be purchased and presented to the society for perma- 

 nent preservation." 



SAGO PALM.— A bunch of the seed, about six feet long ; 

 brought from the Island of Martinique, W. I. It resem- 

 bles a bunch of bananas, the seed being cones intersected with 

 leaves and curious fir. A curiosity that has attracted an im- 

 mense amount of attention from scientific people. Price $35. 

 Specimens of the cones, 25 cts. each, by mail 30 cts. 



OLD STYLE OE WHALE HARPOONS, LANCE AND 

 Spade. These are becoming quite rare, and are much 

 sought after for collections ; to parties in want of them I shall 

 be pleased to quote price per piece or in set. 



