18 Primitive Boilers. [Book I. The bottles of the. the Indians do without touching it with their lips." Negroes of Africa, are made of woven grass of the same shape. Earthen gurgulets for cooling liquids are made in this city. The gourd was not merely imitated by primitive potters and braziers, but when the arts were at their zenith, its figure predominated in the most elaborate of vases. The preceding remarks show, that the forms of many of our ordinary vessels of capacity, did not originate in caprice or by chance, but are derived from nature; that the pattern which man has copied, was furnished him by his Maker; and that with all his ingenuity, he has never been able to supersede it. PERSIUS in his third Satire, alludes to the transition from primitive earthenware and brazen vessels to those which luxury had introduced in his days: Now gold hath banished Numa's simple vase, And the plain brass of Saturn's frugal days. Now do we see to precious goblets turn, The Tuscan pitcher, and the vestal urn. Drummond, 105. VESSELS FOR HEATING WATER. Although not strictly connected with the subject, we may observe that the gourd is probably the original vessel for HEATING water, cooking, &c. In these and other applications, the neck is sometimes used as a handle, and an opening made into the body by removing a portion of it, (see illustration No. 4,) its exterior being kept moistened by water while on the fire, as still practised by some people, while others apply a coating of clay to protect it from the effects of flame. In some parts where the calabash or gourd is not cultivated, cocoa shells are used in the same manner. KOTZEBUE found the Radack Islanders thus heating liquids. "On my return, I fell in with a company sitting round a fire and boiling something in cocoa shells."b A primitive Sumatran vessel for boiling rice is the bamboo, which is still used-by the time the rice is dressed, the vessel is nearly destroyed by the fire. When in process of time, vessels for heating water were formed wholly of clay, they were fashioned after the gourd. Figures of ancient saucepans both of metal and fictile ware, greatly resemble it, and so do some of those of modern times. The common earthenware PIPKIN is an example. 66 This useful implement has come down from very remote ages, and apparently with slight alteration in its figure. (See figure in No. 4.) In some parts of Europe, its form approaches still nearer to that of the gourd. It is used over all the eastern world. Dampier observed in Tonquin, women sitting in the streets with a pipkin, over a small fire full of chau," or tea, which they thus prepared and sold.d Fosbroke enumerating the household utensils represented in Egyptian sculptures, remarks, No. 4. Gourd, Cauldron, and Pipkin. we meet too with vessels of the precise form of modern saucepans."e An interesting circumstance is recorded in Roman history in connection with one of these vessels. Marcus Curius Dentatus, who was three times Consul, was as a Fryer's India and Persia, p. 47. b Voyage Discov. ii, 109, and iii, 152, and Fryer's India, 7. Marsden's Sumatra, 60. d Dampier's Voyage. Lon. 1705. ii, 31. For. Topog. 83. Chap. 3.] Iron and Brasen Cauldrons. 19 remarkable for his frugality as his patriotism. During the time that he swayed the destinies of his country, the ambassadors of the Samnites visited him at his cottage, and found him boiling vegetables in an earthen pot or pipkin; they attempted to bribe him with large presents; but he characteristically replied, "I prefer my earthen pots to all your vessels of gold and of silver." To this Juvenal alludes, when contrasting the frugality of former times with the luxury of his contemporaries : When with the herbs he gathered, CURIUS stood And seethed his pottage o'er the flaming wood; The highway laborer now would scorn to eat. Sat. xi, 105. The common cast iron bellied kettle or CAULDRON, furnishes another proof of the forms of culinary vessels having undergone little or no change, while passing through so many ages: its shape is precisely the same as that of the SITULA or POT, sculptured on the obelisk of Heliopolis, (See its figure in No. 4, and Dr. Shaw's Travels, 402, 413.) Others with ears and feet, are delineated in the Theban sculptures. In the tomb of Rameses the Third, is a graphic representation of an Egyptian kitchen, showing the processes of slaying the animals-cutting the joints-preparing ingredients for seasoning-boiling the meat-stirring the firemaking and baking bread, &c. &c. The cauldrons of various sizes are similar in shape to ours. Wilkinson's An. Egyp. ii, 351, 383, 385. There is reason to believe that boilers of this form were common to all the nations of the ancient world; that the 'pottage' by which Jacob defrauded Esau of his birthright; and the 'savoury meat,' which Rebecca cooked for Isaac, were prepared in them. To one of these, Job referred; " out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or cauldron." xli, 20. And Elisha also, when he said to his servant. "Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets." 2 Kings, iv, 38. It is often mentioned by Homer, in whose writings it forms a conspicuous object: And soon the flames encompassing around its ample belly. Iliad, xviii, 427. Cowper 66 a Such were the boilers of Argos, (respecting which arose the saying, cook from Elis-a cauldron from Argos-tapestry from Corinth, &c.) and of the Spartans, in which they prepared their famous 'black broth.' A figure of a Roman cauldron, in which the priests boiled their portion of the sacrifice, is given by Misson, in the first volume of his Travels, plate 4. It has a bail, three studs or feet, and is of a spherical shape resembling ours, but ornamented with figures round its sides. The same shaped boilers were common among the Gauls, who probably derived the knowledge of making them from the Phenicians. The art of tinning culinary vessels, which they are said to have invented, (Pliny, Nat. Hist. xxxiv, 17,) was most likely obtained from the same source.b The Celtiberi are said to have been expert workers of iron. Their "most ancient iron pot," had ears and feet, and was shaped like those of the Egyptians. (See its figure in 'Scottish Gael.' p. 316. The cast iron cauldrons of the Chinese are also examples. These are made very thin; and what is singular, their mechanics have the art of soldering them when cracked, with portions of the same metal, by means of a blow-pipe and small furnace. They are the principal article of furniture in the dwell Plutarch, says they were turnips. Pliny, b. xii, 1, says, the Gauls were first induced to invade Rome, by one of their countrymen, a smith, who had long worked in that city. He carried home, figs, raisins, oil and wine, which "set the teeth of his countrymen watering." Holland's Trans. "During our short stay this morning in the village of Fan-koun, I had an oppor 20 Cauldrons. [Book I. ings of the poor. The kettles of the Chinese says Mr. Bell, (who lodged one day in a cook's house near Pekin,) " are indeed very thin, and made of cast iron, being extremely smooth both within and without." Fuel is scarce and they used bellows to heat them. These we have no reason to suppose have undergone any change from the remotest times, and they are in all probability of the same form as the celebrated cauldrons of antiquity. That those of the Scythians, the ancient Tartars and Chinese, were similar to those of the Greeks, is asserted by Herodotus. Scythia is barren of wood, they have the following contrivance to dress the flesh of the victim: having flayed the animal, they strip the flesh from the bones; and if they have them at hand, they throw it into certain pots made in Scythia, and RESembling the leSBIAN CAULDRONS, though somewhat larger." Herod. iv, 61. 66 "As The boilers of the ancient Mexicans and Peruvians, had the same general form. See plate 31 of Frezier's Voyage to the South Sea, in 1712, '13, '14. As these people had not the use of iron, their vessels were of earthenware, copper and its alloys, silver, and even of gold. In the temple ple at Cusco, were boyling pots and other vessels of gold." Two enormous cauldrons were carried by the conquerors to Spain, " each sufficient wherein to boyle a cow." (Purchas' Pilgrimage, 1061, and 1073.) The negroes of Africa, made theirs of the same shape. (Generale Histoire, tom. v, Planche 88.) Large cauldrons were common of old; they are frequently mentioned by Homer, Herodotus, &c. and in the Bible. Mahomet, in the 34th chapter of the Koran, speaks of large cauldrons belonging to David. Some of those represented at Thebes, appear sufficiently capacious to contain the cooks that attend them. Croesus boiled together a tortoise and a lamb in a large brasen cauldron, which had a cover of the same metal; hence the reply of the Delphic oracle, to the demand of his ambassadors to be informed what Croesus was at that moment doing: E'en now the odors to my sense that rise Herod. i, 47. The question naturally arises-why such uniformity in the figure of this utensil ? and what has induced people in distant times and countries to make it resemble a portion of a hollow sphere or spheroid, instead of forming it with plane sides and bottom? It is clear there was some controlling reason for this-else why should the fanciful Greek and Roman artists, have permitted it to retain its primitive form, while all other household implements, as lamps, vases, drinking vessels, and tripods, &c. were moulded by them into endless shapes Brasen cauldrons we know were highly prized. They were sometimes polished, and their sides richly ornamented, but still their general form was the same as those of more ancient people. In this respect, both Greeks and Romans left them as they found them. The reason is obvious. When a liquid is heated in a cylindrical or other vessel having perpendicular sides, it easily boils over;' but when the sides incline inwards at the top, as in these cauldrons; it cannot well be thrown out by ebullition alone; for the heated waves as they tunity of seeing a tinker execute what I believe is unknown in Europe. He mended and soldered frying-pans of cast iron, that were cracked and full of holes, and restored them to their primitive state, so that they became as serviceable as ever. He even took so little pains to effect this, and succeeded so speedily, as to excite my astonishment." Van Braam's Journal of the Dutch embassy to China, 1794-5. Lon. 1798. ii, 78, and Chinese Repository, Canton, 1838. iv, 38. a Travels from Petersburgh to diverse parts of Asia. Lon. 1764. i, 312. Chap. 3.j Cauldrons. 21 rise are directed towards the centre, where their force is expended against Seven tripods, never sullied yet by fire; Iliad, ix, 150. Cowper. They were among the goods which Priam took to redeem the body of Hector. He also took ten talents forth of gold, All weighed; two splendid tripods; CAULDRONS four; The prizes at the funeral games on the death of Patrocles, were 'Capacious CAULDRONS, tripods bright.' In the 17th century, they were considered suitable presents to a Persian Emir-" At length he came, and was presented by the caravan-Bashi with a piece of satin, half a piece of scarlet cloth, and two large copper cauldrons." Tavernier's Trav. Lon. 1678. 61. These unobtrusive vessels are now used without exciting a thought of their worth, or of the ingenuity of those to whom we are indebted for them; although they have contributed infinitely more to the real comfort and innocent gratification of man, than all the splendid VASES that were ever made. These have always had their admirers and historians. Volumes embellished with costly illustrations, have been written on their forms, materials, ages and authors; but no modern Hamilton, has entered the kitchen to record and illustrate the origin, improvement, modifications and various uses of the cauldron. This vessel, like a despised but necessary attendant, has been the inseparable companion of man in his progress from barbarism to refinement, and has administered to his necessities at every stage: yet it has ever been disregarded, while literary cuisiniers have expatiated in numerous treatises on the virtues of meats prepared in it. Endless are the essays on sauces, but the history of the more useful sauce-pan is yet to be written. An account of this vessel and of the cauldron, would place in a very novel and instructive light, the domestic manners of the world; and an examination of the various modes of heating the latter, would bring to view many excellent devices for economizing fuel.a VASES used by oriental women to convey water from public wells and fountains for domestic purposes, are often referred to, by sacred and profane authors. Figure No. 5, represents a female of Hindostan, bearing See the ancient Peruvian furnace in Frezier's Voyage to the South Seas, by which three cauldrons were heated by a very small pot of lama's dung, or of the plant icho; which were used for want of other fuel. 22 Water Pots, [Book I. one, the shape of which, closely resembles the have them of copper or brass, as well as of earthenware, but they are all shaped alike. This is not a little singular, because a deviation from a globular to a cylindrical form, would enable their mechanics to make those of metal at much less expense. They therefore adhere to the pri mitive model, because of its superiority over others, or from that adhesion to ancient customs which forms so prominent a feature in Asiatic character. In the early ages it was the universal custom for young women to draw water. The daughters of princes and chief men, were not exempt from it. Isis and Osiris are sometimes represented with water vessels on their heads. There are several interesting examples in the Old Testament. Homer, as might be expected, frequently introduces females thus occupied. When Nestor entertained Telemachus, he bade No. 5. The handmaids for the feast prepare, The seats to range, the fragrant wood to bring, And limpid waters from the living spring. Odys, iii, 544. Pope. Soon from the fount, with each a brimming urn, (Eumæus in their train) the maids return. lb. xx, 193 and 202. Fountains and wells became the ordinary places of assembly for young people—especially, "at the time of the evening, the time that women go out to draw water." Gen. xxiv, 11. Several of the Patriarchs first beheld their future wives on these occasions; and were doubtless as much captivated by their industry and benevolent dispositions in relieving the wants of strangers and travelers, as by their personal charms. It was Beside a chrystal spring that Ulysses met the daughter of Antiphates. Travelers have often noticed the singular tact with which Asiatic women balance several of these water pots on their heads without once touching them with their hands. "The finest dames of the Gentoos disdained not to carry water on their heads, with sometimes two or three earthen pots over one another, for household service; the like do all the women of the Gentiles." Fryer's Trav. 117. At one of their religious festivals, Hindoo women, "have a custom of dancing with several pots of water on their heads, placed one above another." Sonnerat, i, 150. A very pleasing instance of female dexterity in carrying water, is recorded by Herodotus, v, 12. As Darius, king of Persia, was sitting publicly in one of the streets of Sardis, he observed a young woman of great elegance and beauty, bearing a vessel on her head, leading a horse by a bridle fastened round her arm, and at the same time spinning some thread. Darius viewed her as she passed, with attentive curiosity, observing that her employments were not those of a Persian, Lydian, nor indeed of any Asiatic female; prompted by what he had seen, he sent some of his attendants to observe what she did with the horse. They accordingly followed her-When she came to the river, she gave the horse some water |