i."24« THE OCEAN 



masts, the main-mast being disproportionately larger 

 than the others ; each of which carries a single huge 

 square-sail made of mats of split bamboo, extended 

 by horizontal rods of bamboo, on which the sail 

 is rolled up when reefing is necessary. The largest, 

 though sometimes of twelve hundred tons, have but 

 one deck, but the immense hold is divided into com- 

 partments, allotted to the several adventurers and 

 their goods. Mr. Earl describes one which he met 

 with in Banca Straits, in somewhat unfavourable 

 style. "While wind-bound," he observes, "a Chinese 

 junk passed close by us. A considerable number 

 of the crew were standing on the high thatched 

 habitation erected on their quarter-deck, and per- 

 ceiving a Chinese passenger whom we had on board, 

 they all hailed together to demand the state of the 

 markets ; but they asked so many questions at once, 

 that our friend became quite bewildered, and the 

 junk passed astern before he could decide to which 

 he should first reply. Even if he had spoken, the 

 junk -people could not have profited by his efforts, 

 for they continued bawling until quite out of hearing. 

 This junk, which was about two hundred tons' bur- 

 then, carried two immense mat-sails, with a number 

 of small yards extending along them, giving them 

 the appearance of bats' wings. She passed us quicldy, 

 on account of the current being in her favour ; but 

 although the breeze was strong, she went slowly 

 through the water, and might be deemed little better 

 than an unwieldy hulk."* — The inflated ideas which 

 the Chinese maintain of their own perfection are 



* Lastern Seas, p. 129. 



