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water_n	fish_n	great_a	sea_n	3,519	5	6.8793	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52346	An embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham, Emperor of China deliver'd by their excellencies, Peter de Goyer and Jacob de Keyzer, at his imperial city of Peking : wherein the cities, towns, villages, ports, rivers, &c. in their passages from Canton to Peking are ingeniously describ'd / by Mr. John Nieuhoff ... ; also an epistle of Father John Adams their antagonist, concerning the whole negotiation ; with an appendix of several remarks taken out of Father Athanasius Kircher ; English'd, and set forth with their several sculptures, by John Ogilby Esq. ...; Gezantschap der Neerlandtsche Oost-Indische Compagnie aan den grooten Tartarischen Cham, den tegenwoordigen keizer van China. English	Nieuhof, Johannes, 1618-1672.; Goyer, Pieter de.; Keizer, Jacob de.; Kircher, Athanasius, 1602-1680. China monumentis. Selections. English.; Ogilby, John, 1600-1676.; Schall von Bell, Johann Adam, 1592?-1666.; Nederlandsche Oost-Indische Compagnie.	1673 (1673)	Wing N1153; ESTC R3880	438,428	416

suffer to pass by them unregarded In the Day this Creature lives upon the Land and in the Night in the Water When it is gorg'd with eating and is fall'n asleep with his Mouth full of Meat a small Bird call'd Trochicus and in Italian The King of Birds comes to him as he lies with his Mouth open and cleanses his Teeth with picking and scraping wherewith the Crocodile is so highly pleas'd that he opens his Throat as wide as is possible that so the Bird may scoure the same for which kindness it bears it much friendship The Chineses eat the Flesh thereof with great delight It is reported that Termus King of Egypt swam amongst them stark naked having his Body only anointed with the Grease of them In the River Chaoking is a Fish call'd The Swimming Cow which comes often out of the Water and fights at Land with the tame Cows to their great hazard till its Horns grow weak by staying out of the Water which may be discerned by their turning yellow then with all speed it returns into the Water where the Horns grow hard again Near to Caocheu there is to be seen a strange kind of Creature in the Sea having a Head like a Bird and a Tail like a Fish In its Belly are found some Precious Stones Between this City and the Island Hainan are taken a sort of Crabs which as soon as they are out of the Water become petrifi'd and immediately turn into Stones The Portuguese and Chineses make great use of them for the Cure of Agues In the Province of Suchue near the City of Chunking are great store of Land-Tortoises of several sizes some very large and others very small which the Inhabitants keep in their Houses for their Pleasure But in Quantung near to Hoeicheu there are caught in the Sea such very large Tortoises that they look like little Rocks at a distance The Land as well as the Sea-Tortoises engender after the manner of the Adder-Snake the Male getting upon the Female They lay Eggs like Hens Eggs but lesser and more oval It is said of them that they live under Ground in the Winter without eating They are afraid of the Eagle which makes a prey of them taking them up and letting them fall till they break They make but little noise yet louder than the Snake Whether they are to be reckon'd amongst Flesh or Fish is still to be determin'd Some account them amongst Fish and eat them in Lent others think the contrary because they have Feet and draw Breath The Land-Tortoise Shells are very hard and like Ebony nor will they bend like those of the Sea but they are full of Knobs upon the top and most of them of fine Colours yellow and brown as if they were Painted with Crosses Stars and other Figures They thrust out their Heads and Feet which when they draw in as they can at pleasure they seem to be immovable They differ very much in bigness some being no bigger than a Man's Fist. In Virginia are Tortoises of three and four Foot long with two Heads which are very malicious and given to biting In the Island Mauritius are some Tortoises so large that they will carry four or five Men standing upon them Their Shells are of so capacious an extent that ten Persons may sit in one of them But the Sea-Tortoises are much larger than those of the Land Iohn de Lery writes That there was one taken by their Fleet which gave eighty Persons their Bellies full Their Shells are much smoother and flatter than the other and very curiously wrinkled In hot Water they will bend into any shape which the other cannot do by reason of its hardness so that Artificers make Combs and Boxes of them In stead of Feet they have Fins wherewith they swim as other Fish but they lie much upon their Backs and swim sleeping upon the Water The Flesh of this Creature is luscious and tastes like Veal being interlarded with yellowish Fat The Female lays her Eggs by Night and buries them in the Sand which are hatch'd in six Weeks by the heat of the Sun CHAP. XVII Of some things more than Natural and strange Pools IN the last seven Chapters I spoke of great and admirable things yet such as are not beyond the ordinary Course of Nature but in this I shall treat of some more wonderful which are hard to be credited though the Chineses do firmly believe the same In the Province of Xensi near the City Vucung is a Hill call'd Taipe whereupon if a Drum be beaten presently followeth Thunder Lightning and stormy Weather insomuch that the Magistrates have forbidden all Persons upon pain of Death to beat any Drum there The River Tan has red Fish with whose Blood as the Chineses write and fancy whosoever anoint their Feet they may wade over this River without sinking adding further That if the Water of this River be but stirr'd all the Fish presently rise and swim upon the top of the Water and make it look as red as Fire from whence in probability it had its Name for Tan signifies Red. In the Province of Xantung near the City Niuyang is a Spring in high esteem amongst the Inhabitants for they verily believe that whosoever drinks of 〈◊〉 it makes them long-liv'd In Suchue near the City Chingtu is the most large and extensive Mountain Chingching upon which according to the vain belief of the Chineses the immortal Men meet to Converse In the Province of Huquang upon Mountains of an incredible heighth and bigness inhabit none but wild and unciviliz'd People Near to Liencheng a City of Quantung lies a great Hill call'd Uhoang where grows a sort of Fruit whose like is not to be found any where else for you may eat as much as you please but you must carry none away and while you endeavor so to do you can never find the way down In the Province of Iunnan near the City Chinkiang is to this day a great Stone to be seen where Simulo who possess'd the Kingdom of Mung gave Audience to the Ambassadors of another King who upon the delivery of their Message not satisfying him he arising in anger and taking his Sword naked into his Hand struck with it so violently upon the Stone that the Blow pierc'd above three Foot into it and with threatning words said to the Ambassadors Go and acquaint your King what Swords I have This hapned in the Reign of Iliaouvus the Founder of the Race of Hana which incorporated the powerful Kingdom of Mung to the Kingdom of China Near the City Munghoa in the Province of Honan lies the Mountain Funghoang which tooks its Name from the Phenix because it died upon the same after it had sung there a while most deliciously The Chineses relate That there is a general Assembly of Birds once every year upon this Mountain to lament the Death of the said Phenix of which time the Inhabitants taking notice climb up by

Delicacies they are in a manner diaphanous or transparent I have three of them in my Study they are somewhat of a yellowish Colour of an Aromatical Composition and being mix'd with any sort of Meat whatsoever give it a grateful taste the Matter whereof these Nests are built they produce out of their Stomachs which fixing upon the Rocks they curiously form with a Liquor they find issuing from the Clefts But of this see more in Father Daniel Bartolus his History of China and Father Philip Marinus his History of China Fol. 42. CHAP. IX Of the Fishes of China THere is in the Province of Quantung the so much admir'd Animal by the Chineses call'd Hoangioyu that is The Saffron-Fish which in the Summer Season is wonderfully transform'd to a Bird of the same Colour and like other Fowls flying over the Mountains seeketh its Nutriment but when Autumn is ended returning to the Sea it is chang'd into a Fish which the Natives esteem as a great Delicacy for its most pleasant taste They report of a Fish in the same Province which they call The Swimming Cow that it often cometh Ashore and fighteth with the Land Cows but continuing long out of the Water the Horn waxeth soft and becoming of no defence the Fish is compell'd to return again to the Waters to recover the hardness of the Horn. The Author of the Atlas saith That there are a kind of Bats in the Province of Xensi which are as big as a Hen or Goose and much sought after by the Chineses as a singular Dish their Flesh being much preferr'd before the most delicate Meats that can be made of Hens See what I have said before concerning Bats in the Empire of the Mogor In the Province of Quantung is found a Sea-Monster with four Eyes and six Feet which liveth by feeding on Oysters and vomits up things like Pearls it resembleth the Creature call'd a Sea-Spider and is not much unlike a Tortoise In the Province of Quangsi in the Cleft of a Mountain are Fish that have four Feet and Horns which the Chineses call The Delight of the Dragon and esteem it an Offence worthy to be punish'd with Death to injure them They say also That there is in this Tract of Land an Animal which resembleth a Bird in the Head and a Fish in the Tail which they call Rondoves that is Swallows I have one to shew in my Study which will turn it self unto that part from whence the Wind bloweth The same Author likewise reporteth That in this Province are found Crabs which when they have left the Water and come into the Air immediately are turn'd into a hard Stone yet retaining their form CHAP. X. Of the Serpents of China THere are in this Empire Serpents of so prodigious a size that as Martinius in his Atlas relateth in the Province of Quangsi there are some thirty Foot long unto which if their Bulk answereth one would believe that greater cannot be The Flora Sinensis reporteth of the Serpent call'd Gento That it devoureth whole Stags yet is not very venomous it is of an Ash-colour its length from eighteen to twenty four Foot Being hungry it rusheth out of the Thickets and seizeth its Prey Erected upon his Tail he maintains a Fight with Men or wild Beasts and oftentimes will seize upon a Man by leaping from a Tree and kill him by its violent windings about him The Chineses preserve his Gall to cure the Diseases of the Eyes Marcus Paulus Venetus testifieth the same of the Serpents of Carrajam which are so great that some are in length ten Paces in thickness ten Palm a Geometrical Pace consisting of five Foot the length of this Serpent must be fifty Foot and so it exceeds the Serpents of Quangsi twenty Foot but if the common Pace which is three Foot then they are equal But thus Marcus Paulus There are bred in the Province of Carrajam very great Serpents some in length ten Paces and in thickness ten Palms having in stead of Feet Claws like those of a Lion or Falcon they have great Heads and fiery Eyes staring as wide as Sawcers and bunching forth like Footballs their Mouth and Iaws so wide that are able to swallow a Man with large and sharp Teeth being terrible to behold they are taken after this manner The Serpent in the day-time lieth hid in Caves of the Mountains and in the night-time goeth forth to hunt the Dens of Beasts for Prey which he devoureth fearing neither Lions Bears or any other Creature and having satisfi'd his Hunger returneth to his Cave with the weight of his Body ploughing exceeding deep Furrows the Earth being Sandy in which Tract the Huntsmen fix strong Stakes pointed with sharp Iron which they conceal with the Sand and when the Serpent cometh forth to seek his Prey or returneth back as he creepeth along the Sand giveth way and the Iron Spikes pierce his Breast goring his Entrails where being fastned and sore wounded the Huntsmen kill him and sell his Gall at a great Price it being Medicinal the Flesh they sell for Meat and Men feed freely on it Thus far Marcus Paulus Venetus And though these may be reckon'd amongst Dragons yet art they without Poyson of which there are divers others as Martinius relateth in the Province of Chekiang There are also other Serpents in China full of incurable Poyson call'd Cabra de Cabelo that is The Hairy-Headed Serpent of whose Stone we have made mention In the Empire of the Mogor there is another sort swoln with deadly Venom and exceedingly valu'd for the excellent Antidotes that are compounded of them Let this Serpent be steep'd in a large Vessel full of rich Wine so that his Head may come out at a Hole made in the middle of the Cover then put Fire under it till the Wine be ready to boil and the Poyson of the Serpent breathe out and is all dissolv'd into Smoke the Head being cut off the Flesh is the most precious Antidote against all Poysons There are Tortoises discover'd in the Chinesian Ocean as the Atlas testifieth that afar off appear like Rocks The Flora Sinensis says That there are found Tortoises in the Kingdom of Honan some green and some blue there are also others that to mend their Face have Wings added to their Feet CHAP. XI Of the wondrous Stones and Minerals in China THe Author of the Atlas Sinicus and other Writers say That Nature hath here sported her self in Stones and the Oeconomy of Minerals as well as Animals In the Province Huquang at the Mountain Xeyen especially after the fall of Rains are found Stones which they call Swallows because they so exactly resemble that Bird that they want nothing the Physicians distinguish them into Male and Female and use them in their several Compounds The Chinesian Genealogists report That there is a Stone found in the Province of Xensi of an inestimable Price for that it increaseth and decreaseth with the Full and Wane of

they return'd and sat down as before And when all was taken away every one drew out a piece of Money which together was to be divided among the Musicians and Attendants This Collection or Gathering they laid at the Governor's Feet to be by him dispos'd of The Ambassadors likewise Presented them with six Toel of Silver and some Silk-Stuffs which the Governor at first refus'd but at last at their Entreaty accepted it This City of Namhun is very large well situated and fortifi'd with Walls and Bulwarks and divided by the River over which is a Bridge for the conveniency of passage from one part to another It is also full of Idol-Temples and brave Structures We saw here several Houses whose Doors were inscrib'd with the Letters of the Name of our Saviour Here is also the Emperor 's Custom-house where they receive his Dues for all Goods Exported or imported their Bills of Lading being usually accepted on their Words saving the double diligence and charge of Searchers and discomposing their Goods as in Europe There is no better Mold in all China for the making of any Earthen Ware than is about this City Not far from hence is a River by the Chineses call'd Mekiang which signifies Ink-Water whose blackness it much resembles The Chineses much esteem of the Fish taken in this River which are commonly very white considering the darkness of the Water It is very troublesom Travelling by Land in those Parts because of the high Hills and rugged Ascents but the most troublesom Mountain of all to Travel over was that which the Inhabitants call'd Muglin which one of the Governors levell'd at his own Charge and is now very passable either for Horse or Foot for which the Inhabitants erected to his Honor a stately Temple Presenting rich Offerings and costly Perfumes to the Idol there residing We were four Days preparing for our Iourney from Namhun to Nangan because of the troublesom and almost inaccessible Mountains At last having got all things ready we set forward upon the eighth Instant with some of the Emperor's Presents But before we began our Iourney we sent the Mandorin of the young Vice-Roy of Canton before to provide Lodgings and other Necessaries at Nangan for their further Iourney and some of their Followers were order'd to stay till next Day to look to such Goods as could not be carried the Day before with the Ambassadors There was likewise order given that each Carriage should have a yellow Flag with the Emperor's and Ambassadors Names written upon them to save Strangers Inquisition and for their greater ease and accommodation they were carried over the Mountains in Horse-Litters And in regard the Ways were dangerous and much molested with Robbers and Highway-men the Governor appointed them a Life-Guard of 150 Horse to conduct them safe over the Mountains so that what with those that carried the Goods and this Guard we made a Regiment of at least 600. The next Day being the ninth such as were left behind at Namhun set also forward The Ambassadors Lodg'd upon these Mountains in a Village call'd Susan about half way over but found no body in the Place except an Officer with some Soldiers that kept Watch there who could hardly furnish us with a little Rice Hogs-flesh and strong Drink the Inhabitants having forsaken their Houses frighted by the Hollanders The next Day early in the Morning they took Horse and rode from thence and about Noon came to that strange and narrow Mountain which lies betwixt the Provinces of Quantung and Kiangsi and separates both these Provinces from each other Upon this Mountain we saw several fair Idol-Temples very curiously built This Mountain though no better than a Wilderness yet is very delightful by reason of the variety of Woods and Valleys We made so much haste that Day that we got by Night to Nangan the thirteenth Chief City of the eighth Province of Kiangsi But before I proceed I shall relate unto you the number of the great and small Cities and the Con●dition Qualities and Humor of the Inhabitants of this Province of Kiangsi Toward the East and South-East this Province has for Frontiers the Provinces of Chekiang and Foking South and South-West Quantung and Quangsi toward the West Fukang and toward the North Nanking Toward the South appear in this Province mighty broad and high Hills for the Mountains of three Provinces as Kiangsi Quantung and Fokien joyn and meet all in one here And upon these Mountains live a wild and barbarous sort of People who maintain themselves most by Plundering and Stealing from the Chineses This part is full of Gold Silver Lead Iron and Tin-Mines and environ'd with very steep Mountains replenish'd with several Lakes and running Rivers 'T is a very fruitful Soil and exceeding populous insomuch that the Province is not sufficient to contain the Inhabitants and therefore many of them leave their native Country and for want of convenient Dwelling-places Seat themselves in other Parts of China where they use some mean Handicraft Trade or else turn Soothsayers or Iuglers to which they are naturally much addicted They are generally possess'd with a belief of the Pythagorean Doctrine of the Transmigration of Souls for they hold it a mortal Sin to kill any living Creature or to eat any thing that is dead In this Province of Kiangsi are thirteen Chief Cities which Command over 67 small ones and through the midst of it from South to North runs the River Can from whence spring several Navigable Streams so that you may take Shipping from or to any part thereof The thirteen principal Cities are these Nanchang Iaocheu Quanglin Nankang Kienkiang Kienchang Vucheu Linkiang Kiegan Xuicheu Iuencheu Cancheu and Nangan 1. Nanchang Commands over seven lesser or inferior Cities as Nanchang Fungching Cinhien Fungcin Cinggan Ning and Nuning 2. Iaocheu Commands also over seven Cities as Iaocheu Yukan Loping Feuleang Tehing Gangin and Vannien 3. Quanglin Commands likewise over seven Cities as Quanglin Ioxan Ieyang Queiki Ienxan Iunfung and Hinggan 4. Nankang Commands over four Cities as Nankang Tuchang Kienchang and Gany 5. Kieukiang Commands over five Cities as Kieukiang Tegan Xuichang Hukeu and Pengce 6. Kienchang Commands also over five Cities as Kienchang Sinching Nanfung Quanchang and Luki 7. Vucheu Commands over six Cities as Vucheu Cunggin Kinki Yhoang Logan and Tunghiang 8. Linkiang Commands over four Cities as Linkiang Sinkin Sinjin and Hiakiang 9. Kiegan Commands over nine Cities as Kiegan Taiho Kiexui Iungfung Ganfo Lungciven Vangan Iungsin and Iungning 10. Xuicheu Commands over three Cities as Xuicheu Xangcao and Sincuang 11. Iuencheu Commands over four Cities as Iuencheu Fueny Pinghiang and Vancai 19. Chancheu Commands over twelve Cities as Chancheu Utu Sinfung Hingque Hoeichang Ganynen Ningtu Xuikin Lingnan Xeching Changning and Tingnan 13. Nangan Commands over four Cities as Nangan Nankang Xangyen and Cungy According to the Chinese Account there are in this Province 1363629 Families and 6549500 Fighting Men. Thus much

conducted them from Canton to Peking in the Name of the Emperor to the first Feast at Providore Lipu's House which was most Noble and Splendid To the same Banquet or Entertainment were also invited the Ambassadors of the Great Mogol Suytadsen and Lammas Our Ambassadors sate on the same side of the Table with him of the Mogol and the other two over against them with their Followers next unto them The Dinner consisted of two Courses The first Table was full of Fruits and dry'd Sweet-meats and the second of boyl'd and Roasted Mutton Beef and other Meat For each of the Ambassadors and for two of their Followers a particular Table was cover'd with thirty Silver Dishes full of rare Fruits and Sweet-meats The Emperor's Controller who likewise appear'd at this Feast representing the Person of his Majesty sate alone upon a broad Side-board with his Legs across like a Taylor on his Shop-board next him sate two other great Lords who took order to see the Ambassadors well entertain'd The Servants who brought the Meat to the Table and waited all Dinner-time were no ordinary Persons but of good Quality and cloth'd all in Cloth of Gold Before the Ambassadors sate down they were oblig'd to turn themselves toward the North and bow three times as if the Emperor had been present and as they had done when they were before the Imperial Throne The Banquet being taken away the boil'd and roasted Meats were brought to the Table but only in three Dishes and so ill dress'd that we hardly durst venture to taste of the Cookery of the Tartars Dinner being almost ended the Emperor's Steward call'd his Servants and gave them all the Dishes which stood before him only he reserv'd one Dish being a roasted Rib of a Camel of which he eat so heartily as if he had been fasting all that Day This splendid Treatment finish'd the Ambassadors according to the Custom of the Country were to put up what they left into their Pockets to carry home It was a pleasant Sight to see how these greasie Tartars stuffed their Pockets and Leather Drawers of their Breeches with fat Meat that the Liquor dropt from them as they went along the Streets so greedy were they in eating and carrying away that they were more like Peasants than Courtiers After Dinner the Waiters brought up several Gold and Silver Pots full of Zamsou and pouring it out into woodden Dishes or Cups gave round to the Company drinking of it lustily themselves They told us that this Drink was distill'd from new Milk and came out of the Emperor's Cellar and that this great Favor and Kindness was done to us because we came from so remote a Country and so we must drink away Sorrow And though this Liquor was almost as strong as Brandy yet the Ambassadors were forc'd to pledge the Steward several times and to take what was left home with them but they gave it away to the Soldiers and others who stood at the Gate who were better pleas'd with it This Dinner being thus ended the Ambassadors as formerly must once more in thankfulness for this their splendid Reception return to the Emperor's Palace to perform their Obedience which being likewise dispatch'd they retir'd to their Lodgings sufficiently weary with the Ceremony of that Day The next Day being appointed for the second Treat came the Under Tatang or Rix-Providore to visit the Ambassadors in their Lodgings and ask'd them among other Questions whether it were true That the Dutch could live under Water for three Days and three Nights together for thus had our Enemies especially the Portuguese Iesuits reported of us as also as has been said before that we had no Country but liv'd as Pyrats on the Sea The Ambassadors satisfi'd him in every thing and told him That they came thither to settle a continu'd Trade and Commerce in China as they did in several other Kingdoms wishing that their Business might be effected To all which the Tutang reply'd That he desir'd nothing more and would endeavor to further and promote the same with all his power Thereupon the Ambassadors acquainted his Highness That as yet they had done very little in their Business To which he answer'd That at present it could be no otherwise but if so be they would once more come and Salute the Emperor before they were admitted as Friends and Subjects he would then assure them that the Hollanders should be allow'd to Trade freely in all the Emperor's Dominions that they needed not to put themselves to any great Charge and that a few Presents would effect their Desires The Ambassadors having been thus kindly and nobly receiv'd and treated upon the first day as has been said went the next day at Noon to the second Imperial Banquet where likewise repair'd the Ambassador of the Great Mogol who sat over against our Ambassadors with some other Mandorins and Prime Persons of the Empire They observ'd in short That the second Providore was more kind and open-hearted to the Mogol Ambassador and to the Moors and other Guests than to them whereat they very much wondred and ask'd the Interpreter what the cause might be who intimated That this great Lord had not yet been Presented by them as he ought Concerning which Omission the Ambassanor took speedy order little suspecting such neglect for they knew not but that Pinxenton and the Canton Mandorins had Presented all the Grandees as they ought according to their Qualities having receiv'd enough from them for that purpose at Nanking but mistrusting that they were trepann'd as well by the Servants as by the Masters they enquir'd civilly how all their Presents had been dispos'd of which they in plain terms refus'd to give an Account of alledging That they durst not name those Persons of Honor to whom they were Presented lest it should come to the Emperor's knowledge for this reason and because our Business with the Emperor was not yet dispatch'd as it ought the last Banquet was deferr'd till the 14. of October Upon that Day the Ambassadors appear'd with all their Followers to partake of the last Treatment And now the second Providore having been likewise Presented by them they were receiv'd by him with all manner of seeming Respect and Affection so great an alteration had the same wrought upon him that his Carriage and Language were both of another piece and colour all soft and melting Having sat about an hour at the Table and drank once or twice about they were afterwards Presented in the Name of the Emperor with these following Presents after this manner On the side of the Hall where the Ambassadors were receiv'd and Treated stood two long Tables upon which the Gifts were spread in great order First of all they deliver'd the Present for the General Iohn Maatzuiker which the Ambassadors receiv'd kneeling with both their Hands after which they and all their Followers were call'd by Name and had each their Presents deliver'd to them likewise upon their Knees Lastly

Belly Cholick Flux c. but Persons of a hot Constitution ought to use it moderately it being apt to inflame the Blood Most of the Provinces of China abound as well in all manner of Eatable as Medicinal Herbs We will descend a little to Particulars In the Province of Xensi near to the chief City Kingyang grows a Herb call'd Kinsu which for its resemblance to a Tuft of yellow Hair the Chineses call The Golden or The Gold Thred of Silk-Worms it is of a bitter taste and rather of a cooling then warming Quality it cures all manner of Scurf of the Body Here also grows another Herb call'd Quei good against Melancholy and occasioning joy and gladness of Heart if taken inwardly Near to Cingcheu in the Province of Quantung lie some Islands wherein grows an Herb call'd Lungsiu which makes Horses strong and swift if they eat of the same Also near the same City grows The Herb of a thousand years so commonly call'd but they farther affirm of it That it is immortal and never dies The Water wherein the same has been infus'd being drank makes white Hair black and is very good to prolong Life There are besides these several other incomparable Herbs which are us'd amongst them for the cure of Distempers of all sorts In the Kingdom of Tanyeu grows a certain Herb very high amongst the Rocks which will not burn when flung into the Fire and there kept for some time only it will turn a little red but as soon as out of the Fire presently recovers its pristine and natural colour yet although it resist Fire it immediately turns to Dirt being put into Water In the Province of Quantung near to Kiunchen grows the Herb Chifung so call'd because it shews which way the Wind blows the Seamen say they can discover by the same what stormy Weather they shall have before they go to Sea In the Province of Quangsi near to Chincheu the Inhabitants make a kind of Cloth of a certain Herb call'd Yu which is esteem'd far before Silk and much dearer But in the Province of Queicheu near to Liping they make Cloth of an Herb very like Hemp and call'd Co which is very commodious in Summer The Chinese Physicians say That upon the Mountain Tiengo grow above a hundred sorts of Simples all of very soveraign Vertues But amongst all others China is famous for an Herb call'd Thea or Cha and whereof the Natives and other neighboring People make their Liquor call'd Thea or Cha taking its Name from the Herb. There is a very great difference in the manner of preparing and using this Liquor between the Chineses and those of Iapan for that the Iapanners beat the Leaves to a Powder and mingle it with boiling Water in a Cup which they afterwards drink off But the Chineses put the Leaves whole into a Pot of boiling Water which having lain in steep for some time they sip off hot without swallowing down any of the Leaves but only the Quintessence thereof extracted Others prepare it with Milk and a little Salt mingled with Water which is not so well approv'd but however prepar'd it is not only drunk in China and other Parts of India but is much us'd likewise in divers other Countries and the general consent of all People that they find much good by it enhances the Price and makes the same be sold here at a very dear Rate In Xensi near the City Hacheu is great store of Hemp but no Flax grows in all the Empire In Kiangsi near the City Kienchang grows a sort of Rice so far exceeding the rest for goodness that the Emperor himself sends for his own Stores from thence and for its excellency the Chineses call it Silver-Cron In Xensi near the City Kingyang grows another sort of Rice us'd by the People to purge the Body and cause Urine In the Province of Chekiang upon the Mountain Tienno near the City Hangcheu grow Mushroms in great abundance which are dispersed into all Parts of the Country and will keep good a whole year either dried or Pickled This Country produces abundance of Cottons the Seed whereof was brought thither about five hundred years since And though this Fruit doth likewise grow in other Parts at present as in Arabia upon the Islands of Cyprus Maltha in Sicily and in Egypt I think it not amiss since it is one of the most profitable Commodities for Trade in China to give this brief Description thereof It grows upon a Stalk almost three Foot high cover'd with a reddish Bark and full of Prickles dividing it self into several Branches The Leaves are not much unlike those of the Vine and divided into three Parts which for bigness may be compar'd with those of the Mast-Tree It bears a Flower which is yellow on the outside and red in the middle from which proceeds a round Fruit about the bigness of an Apple wherein when it is ripe the Wool lies conceal'd which is afterwards gather'd sold and dispos'd of to several Uses The Leaves of the Cotton-Tree are generally alike onely here and there some are smoother softer and more even than others In some places of China Beans may be seen growing upon Trees a sort of which near the City Changchang are reputed good against Poison The Province of Quantung produces abundance of Osiers which seem to be no other than Ropes twisted together by Nature of which there are whole Mountains full in this Province which are put by the Inhabitants to divers Uses and in regard they are very tough and will not easily break they make sometimes Cordage thereof for Vessels but their best use is to make soft Mattresses upon which most of the People the Grandees and the Emperor himself lay themselves naked when they go to sleep Very neat and clean is this Furniture and withal very cool in the Summer and though the Mattresses be only spread one the bare Floor yet they look upon it as a fit place to lie on having been no otherwise accustom'd The whole Island of Hainan is full of these Osiers especially of the best which the Portuguese call The white Rota Of Flowers THere are several rare and well scented Flowers which grow in these Parts that are unknown to those of Europe In the Province of Suchuen near to Chungking grows a certain Flower call'd Meutang in high esteem amongst them and therefore call'd The King of Flowers It differs very little in fashion from the European Rose but is much larger and spreads it Leaves farther abroad It far surpasses the Rose in beauty but falls short in richness of scent It has no Thorns or Prickles and is generally of a white colour mingled with a little Purple yet there are some that are yellow and red This Flower grows upon a Bush and is carefully cherish'd and Planted in all Gardens belonging to the Grandees for one of the most choice Flowers In the Province of Huquang near the City Tan is a great Cataract

without by means whereof there are such great and swarming Herds continually kept in the Streets that they are hardly passable yet they are always kept very clean great numbers of People being continually employ'd in taking away the Filth In the Province of Peking there are some Cats with very long Hair as white as Milk and having long Ears like a Spaniel The Gentlewomen keep them for their Pleasure for they will not hunt after or catch Mice the reason perhaps being for that they are too high fed Yet they have store of other Cats which are good Mousers In the Provinces of Iunnan and Suchue are the best Horses And in the Province of Xensi upon the Mountain Holan three hundred Miles large are many wild Horses Their Horses are generally but of a mean stature yet well set broad Buttock'd and strong for Service Near Siven are yellow Mice very large whose Skins are in much request amongst the People In all Parts of China especially in the Province of Quantung are abundance of Stags Bucks Hares c. In Xantung are many ravenous Wolves And in Xensi abundance of Bears the Fore-feet whereof are held in great esteem by the Natives Near to the Chief City Linyao lie some Mountains upon which are bred wild Oxen and Creatures like Tygers with whose Skins the Inhabitants make their Clothes In the Province of Suchue near the City Po is a Creature call'd The Rhinoceros It is of a swarthy hue like the Elephant the Skin is full of Wrincles and so hard withal that it can scarcely be pierc'd with a Sword It has a Snout like a Hog but sharper and above the Nostrils stands the Horn which is generally black now and then there is one white but very seldom and that is sold much dearer than the other and indeed one is larger than the other according to the age of the Beast There are great store of Tygers in the Province of Chekiang mischievous and fierce according to their Nature But upon the Mountain Kutien are some that will not hurt a Man In several Parts of China also are Elephants bred but the best are in the Provinces of Nanking and Iunnan I shall only add a few words concerning them so much hauing been already said by several Authors Their bigness is various At Constantinople was one seen which from the Eyes to the furthermost part of the Back was eleven Foot and from the Eyes to the end of his Snout eight Foot long In heighth some are twelve others thirteen and fourteen Foot They are generally black but some Chinese Writers affirm that the King of Nazaringa had a white one Their Skin is like Net-work but so extraordinary hard that it will turn the Edge of a Sword yet it is harder upon the Back than the Belly For the chewing of their Meat they have four Teeth within besides those that stick out before which stand crooked in the Male and down-right in the Female The nether Iaw-bone is only mov'd in chewing the upper always rests In that part where the Nose is plac'd in other Creatures the Elephant has a long Trunk or Snout which reaches to the Ground and has a Slit at the end This is both pliable and slippery which they make use of in stead of a Hand for they can take up any thing with it either moist or dry and put it into their Mouths In the Province of Iunnan the Hill Nalo is full of wild Tygers and Leopards and so also is the Mountain Xepao In the Province of Quangsi they are much fiercer than Lions and very hot and eager in the pursuit of Men Women and Children But Nature has in some sort provided a means whereby to avoid the cruelty of this Beast for it is always accompanied with a small Creature which with continual Barking gives notice of its coming upon which noise every living thing endeavors to get out of the way by flight or otherwise The People of Bengala stand in very great dread of this Beast The Tyger and Rhinoceros as Bontius writes are great Friends to one another conversing much together the reason whereof the Islanders of Iapan told me was as they suppos'd and which is not improbable because the Tyger is altogether a devourer of Flesh which must of necessity occasion a weak Stomach whereas the Rhinoceros feeds only upon Green therefore the Tyger follows him for his Dungs sake which he eats for a Cure when he is out of order as the Dogs Grass and the Cats Nip or Cats-mint In the Province of Quangsi are very large Hogs with great and strong Bristles of a Foot and a half long which by a particular and strange motion of the Body they know how to dart toward any one and that not without great prejudice of those they hit In the Province of Xensi is found the Creature call'd Xee from whom proceeds the Musk and which is very strange if at any time it be carried out of the Kingdom of Lu into the adjacent Kingdom of Laos it dies immediately as a Fish out of the Water In the Kingdom of Gannan is a certain Creature call'd Tese which in shape comes very near to a Man having long Arms he is black and hairy upon the Body swift of Foot and laughs aloud like a Man but is of so voracious a nature that whomsoever he meets with he instantly devours In the Province of Suchue lies a Mountain call'd Toyung upon which are Monkies or Baboons which for bigness and shape are very like a Man These Creatures are more than ordinarily addicted to Venery so that they often attempt to surprise Women on purpose to satisfie their beastial lust and have their wills on them The Indians call them Wild Men and the Indian Women are in such fear of them that they dare not come near those Woods where they frequent Of Fowl IN the Province of Xantung are Hens and fat Capons to be had very cheap as also great abundance of all sorts of Fowl as Pheasants Partridges c. In the Province of Xensi about Mincheu are Cocks and Hens having Wool upon them in stead of Feathers In the Province of Quantung are an innumerable company of Ducks which the Inhabitants take great delight to breed and increase They never suffer the Duck to sit upon her Eggs to hatch them but put them into an Oven moderately heated or else bury them in a Dunghil and so hatch the young ones In the Province of Huquang near to the City Hanyang may be caught great store of Geese There are several other sorts of Fowls and Birds in other Provinces whereof we have already made mention in the former part of the Description of China Of Fish IN the Province of Xantung the Pools and Rivers do so abound with Fish that for the value of a Peny you may buy ten Pound weight thereof In the Province of Kiangsi is a great abundance of all manner of Fish especially of Salmon and the like In the

Province of Huquang are caught many dainty Lampreys in the River Lofeu Near to the City Kiagan is the Pool Mie in which is bred a sort of Fish as sweet as Honey In the Province of Chekiang near the City Canghoa lies the Mountain Cienking upon which is a Pool famous for the yellow or Gold-Fish that is in it It is but a small Fish about a Fingers length with a forked Tail but is in very great esteem at the choicest Tables so that the Grandees have them commonly in their Fish-Ponds for their Pleasure and Use. In the Province of Honan near to the Chief City Namyang runs the River Tan wherein at the beginning of Summer but never else are taken red Fish before and after which time they are not to be had in regard they hide themselves Near to the Island Hainan are caught Whales after the same manner as the Hollanders and English take them in the North about Greenland whereof they make Oyl which serves for several uses Of these commonly some are a hundred and twenty Foot long the Head whereof is reckon'd for a third part of the whole Body Upon the top of the Snout are two round Holes by which means they will take in a great quantity of Water and spout it out again with a mighty force In stead of Eyes they have two thin Skins which stick out and are three Yards long and a Foot and a half broad and cover'd over with Stuff like unto Flocks On each side of the Head it hath an Ear which is much smaller without than within whereby they are very quick of Hearing It hath a very large Mouth with Lips of so great a thickness that they have sometimes five or six thousand weight of Fat upon them The Tongue which is about eighteen Foot long and ten broad rests upon eight hundred small and great Pegs or Teeth which are all cover'd with Stuff like Horse-hair to preserve the Tongue from being hurt as it lies upon them They feed upon Fish and the Froth and Scum of the Sea There was once one taken that had forty Cod-Fishes in her Belly The Tail is at the end almost twenty eight Foot broad and two thick The Male hath a Pizzle about fourteen Foot long They bring forth but one at a time and that in the Harvest which stays by the Female under the protection of her Fins till it is grown of a large size It stands in great fear of the Sword-Fish which is a mortal Enemy unto it and who with its sharp Saw endeavors to rip open the tender Belly of this Prodigy of Nature The manner of killing them has been sufficiently described by others and therefore I shall forbear to trouble the Reader with a Relation thereof Of Creeping Creatures NEar Fungciang is found a sort of black Snakes whose Flesh is made use of in the Composition of Medicines that are prescrib'd as Antidotes against Poyson In the Province of Honan near the City Hangang are Snakes with white speckled Skins whose Flesh having for a convenient Season been infus'd in Wine makes the same a very soveraign Remedy against Lameness In the Province of Huquang is a sort of Snake which Physically us'd is very good against the Scurf and Itch. Of Vermine THE Province of Xensi is subject among many other Inconveniences to this that it hath more want of Rain than the other Northern Parts and this occasions every where such infinite swarms of Grashoppers that they continually devour the growth of the Fields notwithstanding all the Care and and industrious Diligence of the Inhabitants to prevent the same And this is the true cause why there is very seldom any green Grass to be seen in that whole Province But these very Vermin supply the Defect they cause by becoming good Food insomuch that of these Grashoppers the People make a delicate Dish for their Tables The whole Country of China hath great numbers of Silk-worms but in no part are they in so great abundance as in the Province of Chekiang the Inhabitants whereof spend the greatest part of their time in tending looking after and taking care to increase them In the Province of Xantung the Trees and Fields hang sometimes full of Silk which is not spun by the fore-mention'd Silk-worm but another sort and consisteth of long Threds of white Silk which being carried by the Wind upon the Trees and Houses is gather'd together Of this sort they weave Stuffs but it is far courser then that which is wove of the former but this is recompensed by its durableness for it is much stronger In China are also found several strange Creatures which live as well upon the Land as in the Water namely in the Province of Huquang in the River of Siang lives a certain Creature like a Horse only in stead of Hair it has Scales upon the Body and Claws like a Tyger It is of a very fierce and cruel Nature and will fasten upon any thing when it comes out of the Water whether Man or Beast In Quantung near the City Hoeicheu is a Creature which is neither Fish nor Fowl but between both for all the Summer it is a Bird of a yellow Colour and therefore call'd Hoangcioya and keeps upon the Mountains but in the Winter it turns Fish again and betakes it self to the Water The People eat of it with great delight and satisfaction Near the City Caocheu in the River Co are abundance of very mischievous Crocodiles they are by the Indians call'd Caiman having an Hide as hard as Iron and only soft upon the Belly This Caiman has a broad Forehead and a Hog-like Snout with a very wide Mouth Its Teeth are large white and strong fix'd in both the Iaws whereof only the uppermost moves for the lowermost is fix'd and immovable It has no Tongue but only a Ski● that cleaves to the lower Iaw being much like a Tongue It has large round black Eyes The Legs are strong and the Feet Arm'd with sharp Nails The Tail is as long as the rest of the Body It is said that he can live four Months without eating but at last being hungry he howls or cries out like a Man These Serpents are very swift of foot but cannot so well wind and turn by reason of their stiff Back-bones They are not onely found here but in other parts of India Africa Asia and America especially in the River Nyle in Egypt They live upon Fish or Flesh and when they come Ashore they prey upon Cattel When they Couple the Male lays the Female upon her Back otherwise by reason of the shortness of his Feet he could not Copulate The Female lays sixty Eggs of the bigness of a Goose Egg and is hatching of them sixty days There is no Creature to be found that from so small a beginning grows to such a largeness for some are thirty Foot long They are at enmity with the Tyger Serpents Scorpions c. but at amity with Hogs which they

Way of Life 3. Then one of the Divine Persons of the most Holy Trinity call'd the Messias by contracting and hiding his Majesty and accommodating himself to Humane Nature was made Man Wherefore for the declaring these joyful Tidings he selected an Angel and was born of a Virgin in Iudea A great Star also proclaim'd this Felicity so that Kings seeing its brightness came and offer'd Presents that the Law and Prophesies of the twenty four Prophets might be fulfill'd He Govern'd the World by one great Law founded the Divine and Spiritual Law without any thundring Words and confirm'd it with the Seal of a true Faith He pronounc'd the eight Beatitudes turn'd Mundane things into Eternal open'd the Gate of the three Theological Virtues and gave Life by destroying Death He descended into Hell in Person and brought Confusion to the Devil and his Angels He wafted Good Men to Heaven in the Ship of his Piety and gave Salvation to the Souls of the Iust. These things finish'd about Noon by his wonderful Power he ascended into Heaven leaving twenty seven Tomes or Volumes of his Doctrine to open a Way for the Conversion of the World He Instituted Baptism by Water and the Spirit for the washing away of Sins and cleansing the World He made use of the Cross that he might take in all without exception stirring up all by the voice of Charity commanding to worship towards the East that they might proceed in the Way of a Glorious Life 4. His Ministers or Priests for outward Ornament sake nourish their Beards but shave the Crowns of their Heads that they may shew they are inwardly inclin'd to no Evil They use no Servants In Prosperity and Adversity they shew wonderful Humility making themselves equal to the meanest They heap not up Riches but make them all common They observe Fasts as well for mortification of their Passions as observation of the Divine Precepts They bear all awful Reverence to their Superiors who are equally as themselves retir'd from the World Seven times a day they Pray as well for the Living as the Dead and one Day in seven they keep Holy to purge their Souls from Sin and restore them to Purity And because this infallible and well-grounded Law is so excellent it is a very difficult thing to appropriate to it a congruous Name for the Effects of it are to illuminate and find out all things with the clearest perspicacity whereupon as necessary it was intitled Kim kiao that is The Great and Perspicuous Law 5. The Law where there are no Royal Persons is neither extended nor dilated yet Persons Royal without the Law are not worthy of Esteem The Law therefore and Princes concording and as it were meeting in one forthwith the World is illuminated In this famous Time a King nam'd Tai cum veu huamti with singular Prudence and Sanctity Governing China there came out of Iudea a Man of very great Virtue stil'd Olo puen who brought as it were from the Clouds this true Doctrine And driven by the Winds by the help of Hydrographical Maps having sustain'd many Dangers and much Labor at length in the Year Chin quon jeu sie that is 636. he arriv'd at the King's Palace When the King heard thereof he commanded the famous Colao call'd Fam Kien Lym that he should ride to meet this new Guest towards the West that is towards the Suburbs of the City and should bring him to the Palace with all Kindness and Respect then he directed him to declare his Doctrine there when at once he search'd out the Truth of the Law whereof being satisfi'd he seriously commanded the same to be Preach'd and Publish'd with Efficacy and Reverence through his whole Kingdom And in the Year 12 Cin quon 7 which is 636. he wrote back in this manner The tenour of the Promulgation is as follows The true Law hath no determinate Name nor have the Saints any limited Place where they remain they run to all Parts that they may instruct the World being intent with might and main to do good and succour the afflicted People Out of the far distant and remote Kingdom of Tancin or Iudea Olo puen a Man of most eminent Virtue brought and presented his Doctrine and certain Images to our Princely Palace Whose Intentions to instruct us we having examin'd to the bottom do find his Doctrine most excellent without any exterior clamour and taking its original from the Creation of the World This Doctrine consists not in multitude of Words nor doth it lie only in a superficial Foundation for Truth but brings Profit and Salvation to Mankind Wherefore it is meet that it be divulg'd through our whole Empire He commanded also the Mandorin call'd Nim Fam to build a large Church and to officiate therein The Author Kim Lim praises this King for enervating the Strength of the Monarchy of Cheu Olad iu that is the Head of the Sect Stai iu or Tansu He departed in a black Chariot towards the West that is out of China But where the Great Tam is made famous with Tao the Holy Gospel is brought into China A little after the King caus'd the Effigies of the same Olo puen who as we said first Preached here the Gospel carefully and exactly to be Painted and so to be fastned to the Wall This most excellent Figure shines at the Gates of the Church and his Memory will always be refulgent in the World 6. According to Geographers who mention those Western Parts and by the Historians of the Kingdoms of Han and Guei the Kingdom of Tancin that is Iudea on the South is bounded by the Red-sea on the North it hath the Mountains of Pearls on the West Boco das fullas which what it is is hard to conjecture but I guess it to be Carmel bounds it lastly on the East it borders on this Place Ciam fam and The Dead Water This Land casts forth Ashes yet hot with Fire perhaps he means the Asphaltick Lake produces Balsamum little Gems and Carbuncles by which he seems to mean Egypt with the Coast of the red-Red-sea where the things aforesaid are found There are neither Thieves nor Murderers but the People live in Peace and Quietness They admit of no Religion into the Kingdom but the Gospel nor do they confer any Dignities but on Persons meriting the same by Virtue Their Buildings are very large In a word the Kingdom is famous for Poetry Order and good Manners 7. Docao or Caozum Cum the Son of Tai cum came to the Government in the Year of our Lord 651. Our Author Kim Lim speaks thus of him Cao vim otherwise Caozum a very great Prince not at all degenerating from the Virtues of his Grandfather was pleas'd with Honor to continue his good Intent and also to improve whatever his Father had begun He commanded Churches to be built in all Provinces at the same time also enobling Olo puen with the Title of Bishop of the Great