8. That the way of making _Porcelane_ is this: (_Which is the rather inserted here, because it agrees so well with an Account, we received a while since from a very Curious and intelligent Person of Amsterdam._) There is in the Province of _Nankin_ a Town, call'd {250} _Goesifols_ whence they draw the Earth for _Porcelaine_, which is found between the Rocks of Mountains. This Earth they beat very small, and stamp it to a very fine Powder, and then put it into Tubs fill'd with water; where the finest part sinks to the bottom. Afterwards 'tis kneaded in the form of small Cubes, of the weight of about 3. _Catti_ (a _Catti_ being 20 Ounces.) These pieces thus wrought are sold to the people, that commonly in great numbers fetch them, coming from the Town _Sintesimo_ (otherwise _Jontiou_) in the Province of _Kiansy_, being about 50 miles distant from _Wotsing_, neer the City _KIANSY_; which people transport them to their homes, and there bake them in this manner: They heat their Ovens well, for the space of 15 daies successively, and then keep them so close, that no Air may get in; and after 15 _other_ daies are pass'd, they open the Oven in the presence of an Officer, who takes every fifth vessel of each fashion for the service of the Emperor: Which done, the rest is sold to those of _Ucienien_, whence it is transported all over the Country. So that the Earth is not prepared, in _Nankin_, where 'tis found, because the people of that Province have not the skill of working it, as the other above-mention'd; who also alone have the Art of coloring it, which they keep as a great Secret, not teaching it to any, but their Children and next Kindred. 9. That _Musk_ is nothing else, but the Testicles of a Beast like a Dear, found in the Province of _Honan_; and that, when tis good and unmixt, as it comes from the Animal, they sell it even in _Nankin_ and _Pekin_, for 30. or 35. _Teyls_ (that is, about so many Crowns) the _Catti_. Many other curious informations might be borrow'd from this Author, concerning the Customs, Studies, Exercises of the _Chinese_; of the number of the people of each Province; of the Natural productions of the Earth and Rivers there; of the Structure and Antiquity of their Wall; of the Magnificence of their Porcelain Tower &c.; but, remitting for these things to the Book it self, we shal only add a piece of Oeconomy, used by the _Holland_-Merchants in their Commerce with _China_, which is, that they dry abundance of Sage-leaves, role them up, and {251} prepare them like _The_, and carrying it to _China_, as a rare drogue, get for one pound of it, fourtimes as much _The_.