July, 191 2. • Chinese Pottery. ii 



buy them all. . . 'These vessels were worth as much as 5, 6, and 

 even 10,000 scudi each; but they were not permitted to demand for 

 them more than one Giulio (about a half Paolo).' In 161 5 Carletti 

 met with a Franciscan who was sent as ambassador from Japan to 

 Rome, who assured him that he had seen 130,000 scudi paid by the 

 king of Japan for such a vessel ; and his companions confirmed the state- 

 ment. Carletti also alleges, as the reason for the high price, 'that the 

 leaf cia or tea, the quality of which improves with age, is preserved 

 better in those vessels than in all others. The Japanese besides know 

 these vessels by certain characters and stamps. They are of great age 

 and very rare, and come only from Cambodia, Siam, Cochin China, 

 the Philippines, and other neighbouring islands. From their external 

 appearance they would be estimated at three or four quatrini (two 

 dreier) . . It is perfectly true that the king and the princes of 

 that kingdom possess a very large number of these vessels, and prize 

 them as their most valuable treasure and above all other rarities . . . 

 and that they boast of their acquisitions, and from motives of vanity 

 strive to outvie one another in the multitude of pretty vessels which 

 they possess.' 



"Many travellers mention vessels found likewise amongst the 

 Dyaks and the Malays in Borneo, which, from superstitious motives, 

 were estimated at most exaggerated figures, amounting sometimes to 

 many thousand dollars. 



"St. John relates that the Datu of Tamparuli (Borneo) gave rice 

 to the value of almost £700 for a jar, and that he possessed a second jar 

 of almost fabulous value, which was about two feet high, and of a dark 

 olive green. The Datu fills both jars with water, which, after adding 

 plants and flowers to it, he dispenses to all the sick persons in the coun- 

 try. But the most famous jar in Borneo is that of the Sultan of Brunei, 

 which not only possesses all the valuable properties of the other jars 

 but can also speak. St. John did not see it, as it is always kept in the 

 women's apartment; but the sultan, a credible man, related to him that 

 the jar howled dolefully the night before the death of his first wife, and 

 that it emitted similar tones in the event of impending misfortunes. 

 St. John is inclined to explain the mysterious phenomenon by a prob- 

 ably peculiar form of the mouth of the vessel, in passing over which the 

 air-draught is thrown into resonant verberations, like the Aeolian harp. 

 The vessel is generally enveloped in gold brocade, and is uncovered only 

 when it is to be consulted; and hence, of course, it happens that it speaks 

 only on solemn occasions. St. John states further that the Bisayans 

 used formerly to bring presents to the sultan; in recognition of which 

 they received some water from the sacred jar to sprinkle over their fields 



