PORCELAIN CLAY IN BORNEO. 29 



Empire, which are said to produce rubies and sapphires 

 superior to those of Ceylon, neither of these or any 

 other precious stones have yet been discovered in 

 1 Borneo. A beautifully resplendent sand, the particles 

 of which resemble amethysts and topazes, and which is 

 used in the adulteration of gold dust, may perhaps be 

 thought to indicate the vicinity of other gems : it is 

 found at Lingah, a branch of the great Batang Lupar 

 river, not far from its mouth. 



The above metals and minerals are, I believe, all 

 that are as yet satisfactorily proved to exist on the 

 island, though, doubtless, many more remain to be yet 

 discovered. Copper, it is said, has been produced by 

 the Dyaks of the Sambas territory; but the ore has 

 not hitherto been examined by Europeans. Besides 

 the metals and minerals, many coloured earths and 

 valuable clays are in abundance. In the neighbour- 

 hood of Sarawak is found a white clay of great purity, 

 such as is used in the manufacture of the finest porce- 

 lain. It is used by the native goldsmiths for the. 

 purpose of making the crucibles in which they melt 

 the gold dust. In proper hands a profitable manu- 

 factory might, perhaps, be established for the purpose 

 of making coarse China ware, so much valued by the 

 Dyaks, from it ; but as this is bought at a very low 

 price, and in very large quantity, at Singapore, it 

 would be difficult, on account of the higher price of 

 labour, to compete with the manufacture of China. 



