The Whitby Museum at Pannet Park is a delight, notonly for its geological treasures, curious creaturesfound in the alum shales, and the ship models kept from its days as a great ship building and tradingport, but also for the curiosities that its mariners brought back from all over the world. It comes as no surprise to find a Samurai sword from Japan.
Scarborough's seamen shared their broad interests. Local printer John Cole in 1821 saw the head of awalrus at Mr Wilsons music shop and dresses made fromskins by Eskimo Indians. The next year, he saw thehead of a New Zealand chief brought back in CaptainThompson's ship out of Hull. Scarborough museum inits early days received gifts of the mocassin of a North American chief, a Madagascar chief's scarf, and the armlet of a "caffre chief". An elk's head, elevenfoot from tip to tip, and an elephants tusk came fromthe boulder clay on the Bridlington coast in 1823. (John Rushton)
