146 The American Geologist. March. i899 
(lition was precarious, and doubtless he fully realized that he 
was Hearing his end. But in letters written even a day or so 
I)efore his death, possibly on the very last day, not a word 
escaped him as to the outlook. He dropped dead, without 
further premonition, on Sunday, August 7th, 1898, just a fort- 
niglit previous to the Boston meeting where he would have 
been so heartily welcomed. The funeral was held at Albany, 
on the 15th instant, the services being in the Roman Catholic 
cathcchal. though the remains were interred in the Protestant 
cemetery. 
When, a year previous to his death, the International Con- 
gress of Geologists held its seventh trieiuiial session in St. 
rVtersburg, the place of special honor was accorded to James 
Hall, as "ancien ]M-esident honoraire." He was the one chosen 
to represent the United States at the reception given by his 
imperial majesty, Nicholas H, to delegates from the twenty- 
four nations included in the congress. Again and again he 
was called on for speeches at the numerous banquets that were 
given by the cities and provinces through which excursions 
were made. Hall invariably spoke in English, deeming that 
language as worthy of recognition, though French was the 
official language of the congress. His speeches were short, 
appropriate, and always received with applause, especially by 
the Russians, for whose benefit they were translated, and with 
whom he was a universal favorite. 
It was the writer's almost dail}' privilege to note with 
national pride the multiplied attentions paid to our veteran; 
and also to observe his ready response to greetings from the 
mujiks or the nobility, and his equaly affable answers to the 
queries of students or savants. It was a very long journey 
for a man of his years, even with every facility, and the un- 
wearied kindness of his daughter, Mrs. Josephine Hall Bishop 
uid her two sons, who accompanied him. The trip from Xew 
^"ork to Moscow alone is 5,003 miles. Tlien there was the e:-:- 
■ursion to the Ural mountains, across the Asiatic boundarv 
and l)ack again, covering 1,900 miles by rail, with numerous 
side-trips by droskev, boat, or a-foot. Then came the voyage 
of 1,000 miles down the Kama and \^olga: the sight-seeing 
at Nijni-Xovgorod : the session of the international congress 
at. St. Petersburg; followed by the extended excursions 
through southern Russia, and home again to America. 
