Ban 



eliildren of the king ; and on fuch occafions, it is hung 

 round and richly decoi-ated with coftly tapeilry an-.l pieces 

 of cloth. The Pafcebaan 13 likewifc the fceiie of liorfe- 

 Taces and fimilar excrcifcs, in wliich the courtiers appear on 

 horfeback, magnificently apparelled, to contend with the 

 king or his fons ; but they always take care to yield the 

 palm of vietory to their royal competitors. The mofque 

 or temple (lands at the end of a plcafant lawn, is of alqnare 

 form, with five roofs above one arothcr, decieaui^g in fize 

 and at lall terminating in a point, and furrounded by a wall. 

 The fpire ferves, like the minarets in Turkey, to announce 

 the hours of prayer. Neither Chriilian nor Pagin may 

 enter this temple upon pain of death. 



The chief authority at Bantam, on behalf of the com- 

 pany, is veiled in a fenior merchant, with the title of conf- 

 inandant, who manages the trade, coniifting cliiefly in pep- 

 per and fome cotton yarn. To the commandcry of Ban- 

 tam belong the two refidences or faftoi its which the Dutch 

 company poflcfs in the foutheni part of the illand of Suma- 

 tra ; whence they derive annually a confiderable quantity 

 of pepper. At Bantam all heavy goods rre wtio-lied by 

 than, each containing x\\ve.s plcols, and thefe lafl. are eilima- 

 ted at 1251b. Stavoiinus and fome of his companions were 

 admitted to an audience by the Bantam king. His drefs 

 confilied of a long Moorifh coat, made of (luff interwoven 

 with gold, and mannfaclured at Surat, called foepjes, which 

 hung down almofl to his feet, and the flceves of which 

 were fattened by a row of fmall gold buttons. Under this 

 coat, he wore a white (liirt, and a pair of drawers reaching 

 down to his heels, of the fame fluff as the coat. His head 

 was covered with a round and fomewhat fliarp-pointed cap, 

 of a violet colour, laced with iilver. Behind his chair (lood 

 one of his female life-guards, armed with a large gold kris, 

 in a flieath of mafTy s;old, which (he held in an elevated 

 pofition : two female flaves were feated on each fide of him 

 on the ground ; one held his tobacco-box and his betel-box, 

 both of whici\ were of gold, and when he wanted either, 

 it wns handed to him, wrapped in a filk-handkerchief : the 

 other prefented a golden-fpitting pot to his majefty, when- 

 ever he had occafion for it. Pipes and tobacco were pre- 

 fented to the guefts, as loon as they were feated, and the 

 table was furniflied with all kinds of Indian food, varioufly 

 drefTed. One lingular practice is mentioned, which was 

 that of the king's frequently belching during his meal, and 

 it was followed by all the company. This cuflom, which is 

 an etiquette of the court of Bantam, was defigned to (liew 

 that each perfon's appetite was good and the food agree- 

 able, which was pkafing to the king. Bantam is fituated 

 in S. lat. 6"^ 20'. E. long. 105° 24'. Stavorinus's Voyages, 

 vol. i. p. 57 — 89. Staunton's Erabafiy to China, vol. i. 

 p. 296 — 298. 



BANTAiM-CoiiJ, in Ormlltolo^y, a variety of the Ph asianus 

 Gallits, or the galliis pufiUm, tibiis pennatis, pennis poilieis 

 clongatis, in the Linnaean fyftem. It much refembles, fays 

 Buffon, the rough-footed cock of France. Its feet are 

 covered with feathers, but only on the outfide ; the plu- 

 mage of the legs is very long, and forms a fort of boots 

 Vv'hich reach a conliderable way beyond the claws. It is 

 courageous, and refolutely fights with one ftronger than 

 itfelf. Its iris is red ; and it is laid, tijat moil of this breed 

 have no tuft. 



BANTAM-/Fo>-;f, a kind of Indian painting and carv- 

 ing on wood, refembling Japan work, only more gay, and 

 decorated with a great variety of gaudy colours. 



Bantam-work is of lefs value among connoifleurs, though 

 fometimes preferred by the unfliilful, to the true Japan 

 work. Formerly it was in greater ufc and efteem than 



BAN 



at prefent ; and the imitation of it much praflifed hy mir 

 japanners. 



There are two forts of Bantam as well as of Japan work ; 

 as, in the latter, fome are flat, lying even with the black, 

 and others high, or embo.Tcd ; fo in Bantam-work, fome 

 arc fiat, and others in-cut, or carved into the wood, as wc 

 find in many large fcreens ; with this difference, that the 

 Japan artiils work chiefly in gold and other metals, and 

 the Bantam generally in colours, with a fmall fprinkling of 

 gold here and there. 



As to the flat Bantam-work, it is done in colours, mixed 

 with gum-water, proper for the thing defigned to be imi- 

 tated. The method of performing the carved or in-cut 

 kijid is thus defcribed by an ingenious artill. The wood 

 is firfl^ to be primed with whiting and fize, fo often till the 

 primer lie near a quarter of an inch thick ; then it is to be 

 water-plained, i. e rubbed with a fine wet cloth, and, fome 

 time after, bruflied very fmooth, the blacks laid on, varnilhed 

 tip with a good body, and polifhed well, though with a 

 gentle hand. This done, the defign is to be traced out 

 with Vermillion and gum-water, exa&Iy in the manner 

 wherein it is intended to be cut ; the figures, trees, build- 

 ings, &c. in their due proportions. Then the graver is ap- 

 plied, with other tools of proper ihapes, differing according to 

 the workman's fancy. With thefe he cuts deep or fliallovr-, 

 as is found convenient, but never deeper than the v.hiting 

 lies-; the wood being never to feel the edge of the inftru- 

 ment. Lines or parts of the black are Hill to be left, for 

 the draperies and other out-lines, and for the diftinc'tion of 

 one thing from another ; the rule being to cut where the 

 white is, and leave the black untouched. The carving 

 being finiflied, they then ufe the pencil, with which the 

 colours are laid into the cut-work. After this, the gold is 

 to be laid in thofe places which the defign requires ; for 

 which purpofe, a ftrong thick gum-arabic water is taken, 

 and laid with a pencil on the work ; and, while this remain* 

 wet, leaf-gold is cut with a fliarp fmooth-cdged knife, in 

 little pieces, fliaped to the bignefs and figure of the places 

 where they are to be laid. Thefe being taken up with a 

 little cotton, they dab them with the fame clofe to the 

 gum-water, which affords a rich luftre. The work thus 

 finiflied, they clear up the black with oil, taking care not 

 to touch the colours. The European workmen, in lieu of 

 leaf-gold, ordinarily ufe brafs-duft, which is lefs bright and 

 beautiful. Park. Treat, of [apan. 



BANTAYAN, in Geography, a fmall ifland of the Eall 

 Indies, belonging to the group of Philippines, fituate north- 

 eaft of Zebu, near cape Burulaque. It is encompaffed by four 

 or five of a fmaller fize ; and the inhabitants employ them- 

 felves in fifhing and making cotton hofe. 



BANTEIA, or Bantia, in Ancient Geography, a town 

 of Italy, in Apulia. Plutarch, in his life of Marcellus, fpeak» 

 of this place in his account of the march of this general 

 againft Hannibal: and Horace (Od. iv. lib. 3.) calls the 

 defiles in its vicinity " faltus Bantinos." 



BANTELN, in Geography, a town of Germany, in the 

 circle of Lower Saxony, and principahty of Calenberg j in 

 v.hich is a carpet manufafture. 



BANTI, Brigida Georgi, laBlogjaphy, an opera finger 

 of the firft clafs. In 1777, fiie was engaged by the proprietors 

 of the pantheon, to fupply the place of the Agujari ; a mca- 

 fure adopted merely on ipeculation, upon hearing from Parit 

 of the effetts of her fine voice in that capital. 



She was the daughter of a gondoliere at Venice, and for 



fome time a piazza perfoiTncr in that city. After thi» 



exercife of her natural vocal powers, (lie lung her way to 



Lvons, where flie performed in coffcc-houfes for fuch fmall 



4 E z doiiatioui 



