The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700

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William Walker, Captain ( - )

Identified as "Captn Walker" on the first page of the catalogue in ff.172-3 in Sloane 1968. Linked manuscripts: as Collector (minor) - Sloane 1968, British Library,
Linked manuscript items: as Collector (minor) - "A Cataloge of Rarities Belonging to William Walker," British Library Sloane 1968, London
 References in Documents:
A Cataloge of Rarities Belonging to William Walker (donated to Sir Hans Sloane (18th-c)

This is a list of items in William Walker's collection, at least some of which was acquired by Hans Sloane. The "Catalogue" can be dated after 1736, the latest acquisition date specified in the document.

The manuscript is ruled and the lists runs over two columns of content per page, with a separate ruled column for the numbers attached to the items. There are four lists: the original numbered list in hand A and, continuing immediately after in the same hand, a very sort, un-numbered list. These comprise the opening of 1v and 2r, with one item from the un-numbered list spilling over into column one of 2v. In column one there follows the third, un-numbered list in a different hand (handC), and this list is labeled "addend." The fourth, un-numbered list, in the same hand but lighter ink, begins in the second column of 2v. There are also additions to list one, in handC.

In list one there are some instances of underlining, which appear to have been added later. There is also, across all four lists, a series of markings attached to various items, mostly occurring to the left of the entry. There are four types of marking: 1) an em-dash 2) a black plus sign 3) a check mark 4) a red "x" All of these markings were added after the composition of the four lists. It appears that the marks were added in at least three passes. The first was probably the dashes. Then, in several cases, it is clear that the dashes were turned into plus-signs by the addition of a vertical line (in several instances the two strokes are clearly made with different ink). It appears that the check-marks were a third pass, and the red "x" a fourth pass. The red "x" marks are certainly Sloane's. It is not clear who was responsible for the other markings. Hand C is probably also Sloane's.

For items 12 through 21, which are on the outer edge of the verso of the page, wear and soiling along the page edge have obscured much of the marking, and what remains is unclear.

It appears that at least some of the added marks are Sloane's, probably used in a process of comparison between this list and either another list or objects in his collection.

A Cataloge of Rarities Belonging to William Walker (donated to Sir Hans Sloane (18th-c)

All these I believe belongd to me only in ye Garret laygarret lay in the neighbourhood of the others but the Capt. will tell you these where were captn Walker's.

A Cataloge of Rarities Belonging to William Walker (donated to Sir Hans Sloane (18th-c) A Cataloge of Rarities Belonging to Will: Walker N.1 — a Piece of Sea Flote of a bout 600℔ weight in a Confused forme Suppos’d to be Amber grease. + 2. a Large Cattamount skin Stuffed very Curious. + 3. a Case bottle filled with snakes Scorpions Santepees, & sundry other venomous things Collected with much pains, & preserved in Speritts. × 4. An Elephants Tale. — 5. Sundry Guinea Baggs. +✓ 6. an Indian Womans Flap win beads which they wear before them having no Cloaths in the hot Countrys. +✓ 7. Indian Bows & arrows, from different Indian Countrys. ×+✓ 8. Sundry Quaaccoo Bills very curious ×— 9. a Hornetts neast very surprizing —✓ 10. Indian Pipes +? +✓ 11. Indian Speers. 12. Indian Hambmers of stone. 13. Indian Hatchetts, Ditto. 14. Indian whetstones. +— 15. Racoons Pisles. ++— 16. a Small River Turtle dryed. 17. Serpentine wood which will not Consume in Fire. in ye box. 18. Humming Birds neasts. 19. Bark of a Tree in Immetation of lace +— 20. a Piece of a Spaniards rib Bone taken out of him alive & he recovered + 21. a Bay Bug Improperly named a a a Great Curioisity from Mexico in ye nature of a Spanish fly, but as big as a betle. +— 22. Turantelo’s toothe. +✓ 23. The taile of a fish in Immetation a whip very Curious. +✓ 24. Fishes Jaws. × 25. a Pipe smoked in 17 years. ✓ 26. an Indian Jarr very Curious. over +✓ 27. an Old Wife fish Stuffed. +✓ 28. Sundry Porcupines Quills. — 29. Sundry Sea Shells. + 30. a Vyall win a Snake, & caterpillar Tobacco worm + 31. Lead Stone, & Sundry oars. — 32. a piece of Rock ye Indians had use to make Potts & Kettles in Old times — 33. The Stones desected from a Shee Muskquasly —✓ 34. Indian Painted Callabaslies. ×+✓ 35. Dryed squashes ×— 36. Spermacetti whales teethe. ×+— 37. Geapon Tea. +✓ 38. a Capashears Knife from Guinea 39. a Pistol win a Brass stocke belong belonging to ye famous Pyrot Anstis. + 40. Rattle snakes teethe +✓ 41. a Root against ye bite of Rattlesnakes ×— 42. Sundry Rattles of snakes. ✓ 43. Indian Punke. +✓ 44. Indian Tuckwood they burn with for the Gout. —✓ 45. Punk Immetating Leather —✓ 46. Bark ye Indians use in room of Candles +✓ 47. Curious Indian Paddles +✓ 48. a Piece of stone cut by the Indians in Shape of some Instrument of musick found at Mount hope a plowing ye Ground on a Spott where King Phillip formerly lived, & made before ye Indians had any use of tools. being antiq. N. Amer + 49. a Large Black Scorpion dryd. ×—✓ 50. Sundry Guinea dears feet. 51. an Old wife Fish very large ×— 52. a Crocadil's Egges — 53. a Curral Rock in shape of a Turtle ×— 54. The House of a Fish taken from A Curral Rocke. A tubulous sponge ×— 55. an Other more Curious. a sponge in form of a funnel 56. Some India Locusts. over ×— 57. Indian Necors in the Codds. ×— 58. a Large Sea Feather ×— 59. a Herrin-Hogs head. — 60. a Sea Porcupine very large. ×+ 61. a Penguins Egg. —✓ 62. a large Santepee in a Vyal ×+ 63. a Gume worme Ditto. lumbr. lat. ×— 64. a Sharks Jaw. ×— 65. 2 Drum Fish or small needle fish ×+ 66. Sundry Swords of Soard fish of Different si s z es. ×— 67. an Allegater stuff’d. +✓ 68. Buffelows cods. — 69. a Jewel of an Indian Queen a Great piece of antiquity. — 70. a Stone in Shape of a Tode & of a Turtle. +✓ 71. a ps piece of wood Representing a Negro Boys head. his 1 logwood Knob. × 72. a Ball taken out of ye maw of an Ox. + 73. Stones in Shape of mens teeth. +✓ 74. a Poyson’d Indian Arrow. 75. a wild catt Skin Stuffed. — 76. a Bone taken out of ye head of a Shark +✓ 77. a Guanau skin Stuff’d. +✓ 78. the bill of a Scuttle Corloo. very curious +✓ 79. the Drum bone of ye Ear of a Mannatee 2000℔ ye mannatee is Suppos’d to be ye Quickest Creature to hear, in the world. +✓ 80. a Toad fish skin Stuffed. +✓ 81. a Barracuta’s Jaw Bone. ✓ 82. a Curious Callabasly. + 83. Oars, & Cristol Rocks. + 84. a Guinea Spoon Curious. + 85. a Large Scorpion in Speritts. + 86. a Locust (Improperly named) from Mexico in a Vyal with Sperits a very great Curiosity. — 87. I piece of uncommon Rock taken out of the maw of a Turk’y at Conanicott: 1730. over — 88. a Powder horne made out of ye tooth of a Sea Horse Carved, & Antique. 89. Mannatees Strops ✓ 90. Turtles dryed. — 91. a piece Silver oar +✓ 92. an Indian Burch Cannoa Twenty Feet in Length very Curious. × 93. an Eagle Claw +✓ 94. Hippacoquana from Carrolina 95. a Tooth of Fly the noted Pyrot. +— 96. a Parrot fish. + 97. a Natural Rock Olive from Turkey Annually Petrefying as they Grow both tree & Fruit. +✓ 98. Pummy stones. — 99. a Horse Shee Fish ×— 100. a Very large Lobsters Claw — 101. Several young dog fish in a Vyel of sperits with the Eggs to them taken out of ye Belly of ye Dam at Sea. 1736. ×— 102. Sundry Star fish or five Fingers. 103. a Flying Fishes wing. +✓ 104. a Natural piece of Rock vain’d Exactly like a ps piece of Casteele Sope. —✓ 105. Sundry pieces of Curious Rocks. + 106. Brought the Grub of a Curious & uncommon Butterly in a a a Basket, & it flew out of its nest at sea June the 29th 1736. I have Saved the Fly, & nest. ++ 107. a Curious Fly dry’d. Libellae + 108. Indian Corne of Divers Coulers +— 109. Guinea Pepper.