96 SANDAL WOOD. 



fell immediately upon the lower ; (the process is 

 very simple ;) the upper stone is then taken oft', 

 and the sheet of lead removed. Their method 

 of glass-blowing, cotton-cleaning, and spangle- 

 manufactory, were also seen ; and we were readily 

 permitted to view the various processes employed 

 without any interruption. A walk about the 

 streets of the suburbs I always found full of interest, 

 as throwing much light upon the peculiar cus- 

 toms and manufactures of these extraordinary and 

 industrious people. 



It is well known that sandal-wood is esteemed 

 by Europeans, on account of its being a valuable 

 article of merchandize to China : the Chinese 

 are particular, however, in their choice of the 

 wood ; they prefer it when the pieces are about 

 the diameter of the arm,* straight, smooth, of a 

 dark colour, with a faint and agreeable smell, 

 not the rank odour that some of the wood pos- 

 sesses. The yellow wood is inferior in the 

 market ; and the very light yellow and white 

 woods are too ^^oung, and almost, if not 

 totally, unsaleable. The Chinese name for 

 it, is Tan-heong ; (Taan, or Tan, being the 



* If larger, but not rotten, in the heart, and also of good 

 quality, it will be cut into pieces of the above-mentioned 

 size, and rounded. 



