It is curious how valuable finds are sometimes made many miles from the locality where the object was made. It is the same in our own country, for we dig and find a bronze from ancient Rome, brought over by the conquering armies of the Romans when Britain was brought under the Imperial sway. Our armies have probably left relics behind them in the past as in the present, for it is no uncommon thing for reminders of the Crusaders and others to be found even in Africa. One of the most remarkable finds was a large bronze jug and cover now in the British Museum; on it are the arms of Richard II of England, and two mottoes in Lombardic letters: "HE THAT WILL NOT SPARE WHEN HE MAY, HE SHALL NOT SPEND WHEN HE WOULD" is one; the other reads: "DEEM THE BEST IN EVERY DOUBT TILL THE TRUTH BE TRIED OUT." This splendid jug was found in Ashanti; the date of its manufacture was about A.D. 1400. The South African curios in brass are very limited; they consist chiefly of collars and armlets worn by the women of Basutoland and Bechuanaland, and by the Kaffir women who have also girdles of brass cleverly formed. Although by no means numerous and of limited variety, a few objects of native workmanship are worth securing if only to compare the way in which natural ingenuity has at different times helped the craftsman and enabled him to work even metals without any instructions from nations more advanced in their use. XVI CONTINENTAL COPPER AND BRASS [Illustration: FIG. 78.--BRONZE OVIFORM EWER.] [Illustration: FIG. 79.--BRASS EWER WITH ARTISTIC HANDLE.] CHAPTER XVI CONTINENTAL COPPER AND BRASS Italian bronzes--French art--Dutch brasswork--German metal-work.