PRIMITIVE AND ANCIENT DEVICES FOR RAISING WATER.
The subject of raising water interesting to philosophers and mechanics-Led to the invention of the steam engine-Connected with the present advanced state of the arts-Origin of the useful arts lost-Their history neglected by the ancients-First inventors the greatest benefactors-Memorials of them perished, while accounts of warriors and their acts pervade and pollute the pages of history-A record of the origin and early progress of the arts more useful and interesting than all the works of historians extant-The history of a single tool (as that of a hammer) invaluable-In the general wreck of the arts of the ancients, most of their devices for raising water preservedCause of this-Hydraulic machines of very remote origin-Few invented by the Greeks and Romans-Arrangement and division of the subject
Water-Its importance in the economy of nature-Forms part of all substances-Food of all animals -Great physical changes effected by it-Earliest source of inanimate motive power-Its distribution over the earth not uniform-Sufferings of the orientals from want of water-A knowledge of this necessary to understand their writers-Political ingenuity of Mahomet-Water a prominent feature in the paradise of the Asiatics-Camels often slain by travelers, to obtain water from their stomachs-Cost of a draught of such water-Hydraulic machine referred to in Ecclesiastes-The useful arts originated in Asia-Primitive modes of procuring water-Using the hand as a cupTraditions respecting Adam-Scythian tradition-Palladium-Observations on the primitive state of man, and the origin of the arts
Origin of vessels for containing water-The calabash the first one-It has always been used-Found by Columbus in the cabins of Americans-Inhabitants of New Zealand, Java, Sumatra, and of the Pacific Islands employ it-Principal vessel of the Africans-Curious remark of Pliny respecting it -Common among the ancient Mexicans, Romans and Egyptians-Offered by the latter people on their altars-The model after which vessels of capacity were originally formed-Its figure still preserved in several-Ancient American vessels copied from it-Peruvian bottles-GurguletsThe form of the calabash prevailed in the vases and goblets of the ancients-Extract from Persius' satires-Ancient vessels for heating water modeled after it-Pipkin-Saucepan-Anecdote of a Roman dictator-The common cast-iron cauldron of great antiquity: similar in shape to those used in Egypt in the time of Rameses--Often referred to in the Bible and in the Iliad-Grecian, Roman, Celtic, Chinese and Peruvian cauldrons-Expertness of Chinese tinkers-Croesus and the Delphic oracle-Uniformity in the figure of cauldrons-Cause of this-Superiority of their form over straight-sided boilers-Brazen cauldrons highly prized-Water pots of the Hindoos-Women drawing water-Anecdote of Darius and a young female of Sardis-Dexterity of oriental women in balancing water pots-Origin of the canopus-Ingenuity and fraud of an Egyptian priestEcclesiastical deceptions in the middle ages
On wells-Water one of the first objects of ancient husbandmen-Lot-Wells before the delugeDigging them through rock subsequent to the use of metals-Art of digging them carried to great perfection by the Asiatics-Modern methods of making them in loose soils derived from the EastWells often the nuclei of cities-Private wells common of old-Public wells infested by bandittiWells numerous in Greece-Introduced there by Danaus-Facts connected with them in the mythologic ages-Persian ambassadors to Athens and Lacedemon thrown into wells-Phenician, Carthagenian and Roman wells extant-Cæsar and Pompey's knowledge of making wells enabled them to conquer-City of Pompeii discovered by digging a well-Wells in China, Persia, Palestine, India aud Turkey-Cisterns of Solomon-Sufferings of travelers from thirst-Affecting account from Leo Africanus-Mr. Bruce in Abyssinia-Dr. Ryers in Gombroon-Hindoos praying for water-Caravan of 2000 persons and 1800 camels perished in the African desert--Crusaders
Subject of Wells continued-Wells worshiped-River Ganges-Sacred well at Benares-Oaths taken at wells-Tradition of the rabbins-Altars erected near them-Invoked-Ceremonies with regard to water in Egypt, Greece, Peru, Mexico, Rome, and Judea-Temples erected over wells-The B