uments which appear to resemble newspapers, with other matters of
intense interest to the antiquarian! There can be no doubt that
all these are genuine Amriccan relics belonging to the tribe called
Knickerbocker. The papers thrown on board our balloon are filled with
fac-similes of the coins, MSS., typography, &c., &c. I copy for your
amusement the Knickerbocker inscription on the marble slab:--

This Corner Stone of a Monument to

The Memory of

GEORGE WASHINGTON

Was Laid With Appropriate Ceremonies

on the

19th Day of October, 1847

The anniversary of the surrender of

Lord Cornwallis

to General Washington at Yorktown

A. D. 1781

Under the Auspices of the

Washington Monument Association of

the city of New York

This, as I give it, is a verbatim translation done by Pundit himself, so
there can be no mistake about it. From the few words thus preserved, we
glean several important items of knowledge, not the least interesting of
which is the fact that a thousand years ago actual monuments had fallen
into disuse--as was all very proper--the people contenting themselves,
as we do now, with a mere indication of the design to erect a monument
at some future time; a corner-stone being cautiously laid by itself
"solitary and alone" (excuse me for quoting the great American poet
Benton!), as a guarantee of the magnanimous intention. We ascertain,
too, very distinctly, from this admirable inscription, the how as well
as the where and the what, of the great surrender in question. As to the
where, it was Yorktown (wherever that was), and as to the what, it
was General Cornwallis (no doubt some wealthy dealer in corn). He was
surrendered. The inscription commemorates the surrender of--what? why,
"of Lord Cornwallis." The only question is what could the savages
wish him surrendered for. But when we remember that these savages were
undoubtedly cannibals, we are led to the conclusion that they intended
him for sausage. As to the how of the surrender, no language can be
more explicit. Lord Cornwallis was surrendered (for sausage) "under the
auspices of the Washington Monument Association"--no doubt a charitable
institution for the depositing of corner-stones.--But, Heaven bless me!
what is the matter? Ah, I see--the balloon has collapsed,