Queer questions and ready replies

by Samuel Grant Oliphant

And in the remembrance of our nation.”

In 1877, however, while excavating near the cathedral in St. Domingo, the vault was opened and a leaden coffin found containing human bones, and inscribed in Spanish, “Illustrious and renowned man, Christopher Columbus.” It is therefore thought that the body carried to Havana was not that of the great admiral.

231. What was the last writing of Columbus?

It is contained in a final codicil to the will of 1498, made at Valladolid on the 19th of May, 1506. By this the old will is confirmed, the mayorazgo is bequeathed to his son Diego and his male heirs, failing these to Fernando, his second son, and failing these to the male heirs of his brother Bartholomew: only in case of the extinction of the male line, direct or collateral, is it to descend to the females of the family; and those into whose hands it may fall are never to diminish it, but always to increase and ennoble it by all means possible. The head of the family is to sign himself “The Admiral.” A tenth of the annual income is to be set aside yearly for distribution among the poor relations of the house. A chapel is founded and endowed for the saying of masses. Beatriz Enriquez is left to the care of the young admiral in most graceful terms. Among other legacies is one of “half a mark of silver to a Jew who used to live at the gate of Jewry, in Lisbon.” The codicil was written and signed with the admiral’s own hand. Next day (May 20, 1506) he died.

232. Which is the “Sucker State”? Why so named?

This is a cant name given to the State of Illinois, the inhabitants of which are very generally called suckers throughout the West. The origin of this term is said to be as follows: The Western prairies are, in many places, full of the holes made by the “crawfish” (a fresh-water shell-fish, similar in form to the lobster), which descends to the water beneath. In early times, when travellers wended their way over these immense plains, they very prudently provided themselves with a long, hollow reed, and, when thirsty, thrust it into these natural artesians, and thus easily supplied their longings. The crawfish well generally contains pure water, and the manner in which the traveller drew forth the refreshing element gave him the name of “sucker.”

233. What was the “Bug” Bible?

What is known as the “Bug” Bible was printed in 1551, and contained a prologue by Tyndall. Its name is derived from the peculiar rendering of the fifth verse of the ninety-first Psalm, which is made to read, “So that thou shalt not need to be afraid for any bugs by night.”

234. How is celluloid made?

A roll of paper is slowly unwound, and at the same time saturated with a mixture of five parts of sulphuric acid and two of nitric, which falls upon the paper in a fine spray. This changes the cellulose of the paper into fine pyroxyline (gun cotton). The excess of acid having been expelled by pressure, the paper is washed with plenty of water until all traces of acid have been removed; it is then reduced to pulp, and passes on to the bleaching trough. Most of the water having been got rid of by means of a strainer, the pulp is mixed with from twenty to forty per cent. of its weight of camphor, and the mixture thoroughly triturated under millstones. The necessary coloring matter having been added in the form of powder, a second mixture and grinding follow. The finely divided pulp is then spread out in thin layers on slabs, and from twenty to twenty-five of these layers are placed in a hydraulic press, separated from one another by sheets of thick blotting paper, and are subjected to a pressure of one hundred and fifty atmospheres until all traces of moisture have been got rid of. The plates thus obtained are broken up and soaked for twenty-four hours in alcohol. The matter is then passed between rollers heated to between one hundred and forty and one hundred and fifty degrees Fahrenheit, whence it issues in the form of elastic sheets. Celluloid is made to imitate amber, tortoise-shell, coral, malachite, ebony, ivory, etc., and besides its employment in dentistry, is used to make mouthpieces for pipes and cigar-holders, handles for table-knives and umbrellas, combs, shirt-fronts and collars, and a number of fancy articles.