garden, trimming of fruit-trees, or in observing the habits and flight of his bees.  When his service and attention were not required out-doors, he busied himself with his books, papers, and mathematical instruments, at a large oval table in his house.  The situation of Banneker’s dwelling was one which would be admired by every lover of nature, and furnished a fine field for the observation of celestial phenomena.  It was about half a mile from the Patapsco River, and commanded a prospect of the near and distant hills upon its banks, which have been so justly celebrated for their picturesque beauty.  A never-failing spring issued from beneath a large golden-willow tree in the midst of his orchard.[615] The whole situation was charming, inspiring, and no doubt helped him in the solution of difficult problems.

There is no reliable data to enlighten us as to the day of his death; but it is the opinion of those who lived near him, and their descendants, that he died in the fall of 1804.  It was a bright, beautiful day, and feeling unwell he walked out on the hills to enjoy the sunlight and air.  During his walk he came across a neighbor, to whom he complained of being sick.  They both returned to his house, where, after lying down upon his couch, he became speechless, and died peacefully.  During a previous sickness he had charged his sisters, Minta Black and Molly Morten, that, so soon as he was dead, all the books, instruments, etc., which Mr. Ellicott had loaned him, should be taken back to the benevolent lender; and, as a token of his gratitude, all his manuscripts containing all his almanacs, his observations and writings on various subjects, his letter to Thomas Jefferson, and that gentleman’s reply, etc., were given to Mr. Ellicott.[616] On the day of his death, faithful to the instructions of their brother, Banneker’s sisters had all the articles moved to Mr. Ellicott’s house; and their arrival was the first sad news of the astronomer’s death.  To the promptness of these girls in carrying out his orders is the gratitude of the friends of science due for the preservation of the results of Banneker’s labors.  During the performance of the last sad rites at the grave, two days after his death, his house was discovered to be on fire.  It burnt so rapidly that it was impossible to save any thing:  so his clock and other personal property perished in the flames.  He had given to one of his sisters a feather-bed, upon which he had slept for many years; and she, fortunately and thoughtfully, removed it when he died, and prized it as the only memorial of her distinguished brother.  Some years after, she had occasion to open the bed, when she discovered a purse of money—­another illustration of his careful habits and frugality.

Benjamin Banneker was known favorably on two continents, and at the time of his death was the most intelligent and distinguished Negro in the United States.

FULLER THE MATHEMATICIAN.