306. Which was the “Battle of the Herrings”?
This name is given by historians to an engagement which took place Feb. 12, 1429, in which Sir John Fastolfe, an English general, at the head of 1,500 men, gained a victory over 6,000 Frenchmen near Orleans, and brought a convoy of stores in safety to the English camp before that place. The stores comprised a large quantity of herrings.
307. Which is the “Land of the Incas”?
Peru. The Incas were the ancient sovereigns of the country. Manco Capac, the first Inca, appeared according to the traditions, with his sister, Mama Oello, on Titicaca Island, a spot ever after held holy. These two, claiming to be children of the sun, were regarded as deities, Manco Capac proceeded northward, and, founding Cuzco at the spot where his golden staff sank into the ground, introduced civilization and art. A powerful kingdom arose and gradually absorbed the neighboring tribes.
308. What Presidential administration has been compared to a parenthesis?
“The administration of Van Buren,” said a bitter satirist, “is like a parenthesis: it may be read in a low tone of voice or altogether omitted without injuring the sense”!
309. Which was the first Bible printed in America?
The first Bible printed in this country was John Eliot’s Indian Bible, whose title was this: “Mamusse Wunneetupanatumwe Up-Biblum God naneswe Nukkone Testament kah wonk Wusku Testament. Ne quoshkinnumuk nashpe Wuttineumoh Christ noh osc∞wesit John Eliot.” This was printed in 1663. The Indian language in which it was made is extinct, and it is said that only one man now living—namely, J. Hammond Trumbull, LL. D., of Hartford, Conn.—can read it. The next Bible printed here was Saur’s, in German, in 1743; the first English Bible printed here was at Boston, in small quarto, in 1752.
310. What names are given by the Hebrews to the books of the Bible?
The Jews, or Hebrews, take the names of the sacred books from the first word with which each begins; but the Greeks, whom our translators generally follow, take the names from the subject-matter of them. Thus, the first book is called by the Hebrews, Bereshith, which signifies “In the beginning,” these being the first words; but the Greeks called it Genesis, which signifies “production,” because the creation of the world is the first thing of which it gives an account. Exodus, which signifies in the Greek “The going out,” was so called from the account which it gives of the Israelites going out of Egypt; but the Hebrews call it Velle Shemoth, that is, “These are the names,” which are the words with which it begins. Leviticus they call Vayicre, that is, “And he called”; Numbers they call Vayedavber, that is, “And he spake”; Deuteronomy they call Elle-haddebar, that is, “These are the words”; etc., etc.