560 FOURTH BULLETIN OF [1846. 



in the greatest abundance. The Chinese manufacture pearl shells into a great 

 number of trinkets and toys, as beads, seals, knife handles, spoons, boxes, &c. 

 They also inlay them in lacquered ware to 'represent flowers, trees, &c., where the 

 play of colors is very rich. But the Japanese excel in tliis work. The shells are 

 brought in the rough .«fate by the junks and foreign vessels, and sell from nine to 

 twelve dollars per pecul. When exported the price is a little in advance. 



Musk. — The genuine is much prized, and is rare and costly, on which account 

 it is often much adulterated. It is found on a species of antelope, the mochus 

 mochifera, inhabiting Thibet, Siberia, and China. In tliis market musk is found 

 in tlie bags, about as large as a walnut, in whicli it grows on the animal. The price 

 varies from forty-five to isixty dollars a catty, according to the quality. It is used 

 for perfumery and medicine. The musk-ox of North America produces this sub- 

 stance of an inferior quality, and that which comes from Russia is very inferior. 



Beeswax. — Considerable quantities of beeswax arc imported into Canton from 

 Europe and the Indian Archipelago, and in some measure it has superseded the pro- 

 duct of the tallow-tree, (the stillingua sebefera.) It is used in Canton for cases 

 or envelopes for the tallow of the stillingen in the manufacture of candles used in 

 their temples. It is worth about five dollars per pecul. 



Coral. — Coral is brought from all the islands of the Indian Archipelago, and is 

 wrought by the Chinese into many ornaments. It sells at from forty to sixty dol- 

 lars per pecul, according to the color, density, and size of the fragments. It is 

 made into buttons and beads used among the Chinese as insignia of office. 



Elephants' Teeth. — These are brought from Africa, Siara, Burmah, &c. The 

 largest and best weigh from five to eight to a pecul, and decrease in size to twenty 

 five in a pecul. The Chinese manufacture a great number of fancy articles from 

 them, such as card cases, boxes, miniature ships, junks, &.c. A Chinese will work 

 a month on a card case and then sell it for three dollars. The figures are sketched 

 first with a pencil, and with a number of small steel instruments the ivory is cut 

 and scraped away so as to leave the figures in full relief. From a quantity of ivory 

 worth three dollars, they will make a toy worth one hundred dollars. The ivory is 

 softened previously to cutting, as is often supposed by foreigners. The largest 

 teeth are valued at ninety dollars a pecul, and the cutting at seventy dollars. Tha 

 principal part is brought from Burmah and Siara. 



Fish-maws. — These are the stomacks of fishes, and are used as an article of luxu- 

 ry among the Chinese. These are of a cartilagenous nature. They are brought 

 in junks from the India islands. The price is from thirty-five to seventy dollars 

 per pecul. It is used for food, as a tonic and aphrodisiac. 



Glue. — This article has become an article of export from China, being sent to 

 India, and even beyond the capo, but is inferior in quality to American or Euro- 

 pean. It sells from eight to ten dollars per pecul. 



Shark's Fins. — The fins of the shark are sought for from the Indian ocean to the 

 Sandwich islands to supply this market. The chief supply is from Bombay and 

 the Persian gulf. They are fat and cartilaginous, and when cooked, esteemed by 

 the Chinese as a stimulant and tonic. They should be well dried, and kept from 

 any moisture. About five hundred pieces are contained in a pecul. The price is 

 from fifteen to forty-five dollars a pecul. 



Skins. — These were formerly one of tho most profitable articles that could bo 

 taken to Canton. But their high prices and tho introduction of woolen goods has 

 naturally lessened their importation. Seal and otter are the most in request, the 

 latter selling as high as forty dollars askin. Beaver, fox, and rabbit are in demand, 

 but the supply is limited. Many skins are brought to Pckin from Siberia by the 

 Russians. 



Stock-fish. — These are dried fish brought from Germany, cured without tha use 

 of salt. In appearance, when preserved, they resemble codfish. Tho quantity 

 brought is small. Tho price is about four dollars or five dollars a pecul. 



Tortoise shell. — This is tho crustaceous covering of the testudo imbricata, found 

 on the shores of most of the Indian islands. The common namo is hawk-bill 

 tortoise. Tho shell is thicker, clearer, and more variegated than that of any other 

 species, and constitutes tho sole value of tho animal. It is heart form, and consists 

 of thirteen inner, with twenty-five marginal divisions. Tho middle side pieces are 

 thickest, longest, and the most valuable. Tho others are denominatod " hoof." 



