136 THE WOODLANDS ORCHIDS 



that not a solitary Dyak was ever taken in. The failure was 

 attributed, of course, to some minute divergence from the 

 pattern. Manufacturers tried again, still more carefully. 

 They sent jars to be copied in China, whence the originals 

 came, evidently, at an unknown period. But it was no use ; 

 the Dyaks only looked somewhat more respectfully at these 

 forgeries before rejecting them. For many years the attempt 

 was made occasionally. Rich Chinamen tried their skill. 

 But at length everybody got to understand, though no one 

 is able to explain, that those savages possess some means of 

 distinguishing a jar of their own from a copy absolutely 

 identical in our eyes. 



Mr. Williams had tried elsewhere without success, I 

 fancy, before visiting Brunei, the capital. But he had good 

 reason to feel confidence there. The Malay nobles would 

 buy his jars without question, and compel their Dyak 

 subjects to accept them at their own price ; such was the 

 established means of collecting subsidies. In fact, the 

 nobles were overjoyed. But the Sultan heard what was 

 afoot. He possesses several of these mystic objects, and he 

 makes no inconsiderable portion of his revenue by selling 

 water drawn from them to sprinkle over the crops, to take 

 as medicine, and so forth. For his are the finest and holiest 

 of all — beyond price. One speaks upon occasion, giving 

 him warning when grave troubles impend. Sir Spencer St. 

 John says he asked the Sultan a few years afterwards 

 ' whether he would take _^2ooo for it ; he answered he did 

 not think any offer in the world would tempt him.' 



The Brunei monarch was shrewd enough to see that 

 passing off false jars could not be to his interest. The 

 Pangarans argued in vain. There's no telling where it 

 would end, he said, if the idolaters once began to feel 

 suspicious. * Let your Englishman take his wares among 

 the Kayan dogs. He may swindle them to his heart's 



