Page:Hakluytus Posthumus or Purchas His Pilgrimes Volume 12.djvu/448

 from other places. Flaxe they have not, but are supplied with abundance of Cotton, the seed whereof was brought thither foure hundred yeeres since, and hath so liked the  soyle, that the whole world, as may seeme thence might have sufficient. Of Silke-workes wee say no more. Of Hempe, and of some other Herbs, they make many clothes, especially for Summer use. They milke not their Sheepe; they sheare them, yet make no cloth of the Wooll (notwithstanding, woollen-clothes brought thither by Merchants is well sold) but light Summer clothes for blankets and other sleight uses. The North parts, though neerer the Sunne then some Regions in Europe, are colder, the great rivers and lakes frozen over, of which we can give no reason, but the neighbouring Mountaines of Tartaria: against which they are furnished with choice Furres.

All sorts of metalls are there found. They make besides Brasse and Copper, another shining like Silver, as cheape as the yellow Brasse. Of molten Iron they make Kettles, Caldrons, Bells, Mortars, Ordnance, and other things. Their Gold is cheaper then with us. Silver they use for money, distinguished not by stampe but weight, in all bargaining using the ballance, which is made the more incommodious for the differing goodnesse of the Silver, and frequent allay and fraud. In some places are Brasse farthings. Plate and Gold vessells are used by the greater, but nothing so much as in these parts. The women spend much Gold and Silver in their head-tires. The vulgar use earthen dishes, called, I know not why, porcellane; the best whereof is made in the Kiamsin Province of a yellow earth. It endureth without riving hot meates, yea as woodden dishes here with a wyre, they sowe the rifts and make them hold liquor. They make Glasse, but therein are short of the Europeans.

Their houses are of Timber commonly, even the Kings Palaces, the walls which serve for partitions of roomes being sometimes of Bricke, but the roofe sustained by Timbers: which together with their shipping argues their