boats which traverse the province must pass immediately under its walls. 4. Chang-cheu, on a fine river, and not far from the sea, carries on an active trade with the eastern islands, and is much frequented by the Spaniards from Manilla. Near this part of the coast is the small island of Emoy (We-mwi or Hyamen), containing a magnificent temple in honour of Fo, and possessing an excellent harbour. It was much frequented by European traders in the earlier part of the last century. A little farther S. is the group of islands called P'heng-hu, or Pescadores; mere rocks and sandbanks, wholly unproductive, but possessing harbours invaluable to the natives of Formosa who have none.

This province, lying between the Tropic of Cancer and 28° N. lat., is warm but healthy, and in a very flourishing condition. Mountainous, but well wooded and carefully cultivated, it is rendered highly productive and capable of enjoying every advantage of its maritime position. Its inhabitants manufacture almost all the articles for which China is celebrated; and its mountains, besides jewels, contain veins of the precious metals. The working of them is, however, prohibited. Its trade with the Indian Archipelago is very extensive. In the age of the Cheu dynasty (in the middle of the tenth century), it formed a separate state, called Ts'he-min, the Seven Barbarians; and a variety of dialects still prevails among its inhabitants. Opposite to the shores of Fo-kyen is the fine island of Thai-wan or Formosa (the Beautiful), between the 23d and 27th parallels of N. lat., divided by a chain of mountains into two parts, of which one only has been conquered by the Chinese. The eastern side, which is furthest from the main land, is still in possession of the natives, apparently of Malay origin and quite distinct from their continental neighbours. A rich soil, abundant streams, and a genial climate, would render this island almost a terrestrial paradise, were it not visited by frequent earthquakes, and deficient in wholesome water. Notwithstanding this, it is rich and populous, so that the Chinese think it necessary to garrison it with 10,000 men. T'hai-wan, the capital, which has given its name to the whole island, and is represented as equally remarkable for the splendour of its shops, the regularity of its streets, and the multitudes that crowd them, is protected by a fortress of some strength, erected by the Dutch, and called Zelandia. The harbour is deep and spacious, but accessible only by some narrow and shallow channels. The best anchorage is among the Pheng-hu, or Fisher's Isles (Ilhas dos Pescadores), a small group lying between Thai-wan and the coast of China. The mountains on the northern and eastern sides of the island are inhabited by indigenous tribes, little civilised, belonging, as it appears, to the two great Polynesian families, the eastern Negroes and the Malays. The latter, if not all, of these mountaineers, depend for their subsistence solely on the chase, and delight as much in tattooing themselves as the South Sea Islanders. Stags abound in the forests, and supply the inhabitants of the more elevated spots with clothing as well as with food. Their religion is a system of idolatry, which appears to be similar to that of those islanders, since they all observe the same remarkable sepulchral rites.

CANTON.] Kwang-tong (Canton), though not the largest, is one of the most important among the southern provinces. It forms the south-western boundary of Fo-kyen, and lies between that province and Tong-king. Kyang-si, Hu-kwang, and Kwang-si, are its boundaries on the N. and W., as is the Chinese sea on the S. and E. It contains ten cities of the first class, among which the principal are Kwang-cheu and Chao-cheu. 1. The

former called by Europeans Canton, in lat. 23° 8′ N., and long. 113o 3′ E., is the capital of the province, and for nearly two centuries has been almost the only place in the empire accessible to Europeans. A fine river, near which it is placed, affords a ready communication with the many canals which convey the produce of the remotest part of the empire to this favoured port. It is formed by the union of three distinct towns, which, when taken together, make up a complete square. One only of these can be entered by Europeans, and that is rather a suburb than a part of the city itself. The city, with its suburbs, is estimated at 20 miles in circumference. The streets, like those of Pe-king, are constantly filled with multitudes, and are generally paved with flag-stones, and adorned at intervals with triumphal arches, but they are usually narrow; that appropriated to the porcelain, which is one of the largest, not being more than nineteen or twenty feet wide. Those which contain the richest shops are roofed over, and might be compared to the bazaars of Western Asia, were not their neatness and splendour such as are never seen under the oppressive rule of Mahommedan despots. The shops of a superior class consist of several apartments in the same line, and opening into each other; the first and outer one is entirely open on the side next the street, and generally contains coarser wares, porcelain, toys, or trinkets, such as are commonly purchased by the Chinese; the second room is filled with fine China-ware calculated to please European customers; the third has an assortment of silks and velvets; and the fourth, if there are more than three, is furnished with tea of different qualities, and such other articles as are in general demand. On great festivals, these contiguous apartments are all thrown open, ornamented with an artificial shrubbery, and lighted up with coloured lanterns, while musicians, stationed in the innermost apartments, form concerts for the amusement of the amusement of the passengers. Besides the residents in the town itself, there is what may be termed a floating population, as innumerable boats, ranged in rows like streets, cover a large portion of the river, and are occupied by families who have no abode on shore.

The population of Canton alone was rated as high as a million and a half by Father Le Comte, which shows what sort of credit his Chinese authorities deserved, since the whole province, according to the official census of the empire, contained little more than two-thirds of that number not half a century before. Sonnerat's estimate of 75,000 seems too low; and perhaps, if all the suburbs are included, 150,000 souls will not be too high a number.

Fo-kan.] About 12 miles from Canton is the village of Fo-Shan, a sort of distant suburb, and one of the largest villages in the world. It is said to be 9 miles in circumference, but consists only of one large street parallel with the direction of the river, and a few shorter at right angles to the former; its trade and population are very great, though like almost every thing else in this singular country, they have been much exaggerated. The number of its inhabitants does not amount probably to half of the million that has been been assigned to it. Macao, at the mouth of the river Ta, on which Canton stands, is a Portuguese settlement on a small neck of land, once a fortress of considerable importance, but now of little value, except as a place of residence for the Europeans engaged in the trade with China, and virtually in their power.

Chao-cheu-fu.] Chao-cheu, the second city in the province, has the double advantage of a productive territory and two navigable streams; but this is counter-balanced by an unhealthy atmosphere, and the prevalence of

contagious disorders during the four last months of the year. A celebrated monastery of the Bonzes 800 or 900 years old, and a peculiar kind of oil extracted from a plant called cha-chu, give a kind of celebrity to this town, the population of which amounting to about 50,000 souls, is supported principally by a manufactory of nankeens.

Lyen-cheu-fu.] Lyen-cheu, separated by impassable mountains from Tung-king, has a good harbour. Most of the other towns in this province are surrounded by a fertile country, and carry on an extensive trade. To the S. a narrow peninsula, which seems to have been originally an isthmus connecting Haï-nan with the main land, stretches out beyond the rest of the coast, and is separated from that island by a strait where there formerly was a pearl fishery. On its northern side Haï-nan is flat and level, but a mass of lofty mountains gradually rises to the S., and is occupied by tribes, which like those of the highlands in Formosa, have maintained their independence in spite of the Chinese. The low country is unhealthy, but extremely productive of indigo, cotton, and rice. The woods afford areca, dragon's blood, and other tropical productions, besides very valuable dying woods used in colouring porcelain; but that most esteemed by the Chinese is called eagle, rose, or violet-wood by the Europeans, and is exclusively reserved for the use of the emperors. The inhabitants of this coast are said to possess the art of compelling the pearl oysters to generate pearls, by introducing a thread strung with beads of mother of pearl into the oyster shells when open and swimming on the surface of the water. Kyen-cheu, the capital, of this island, is placed upon a promontory, so that vessels can anchor close to its walls. This province, including the island of Haï-nan, lies between the 18th and 25th parallels of northern latitude; its climate, therefore, is the hottest of any part of the empire.

For about 90 miles from the sea the river Ta flows through extensive plains; but beyond that limit it has to force its way through bold and elevated mountains abounding in coal and other minerals. The soil, generally of a yellowish hue, but often red, is either clayey or sandy, and besides the ordinary vegetables of these latitudes, produces a very hard kind of timber, called by the Portuguese iron-wood, from its colour as well as weight, which is so great as to prevent it from floating on water. The li-chi, (Litsea) and i-ven also are natives of this part of China; the former is a soft insipid kind of fruit something like an onion; the latter is more refreshing, and has a musky odour. Among the various kinds of poultry reared in this province, ducks, hatched by artificial incubation, may be mentioned; their eggs, moreover, are preserved in a coating of salted clay, and their flesh is prepared in such a manner as to retain its original flavour for a considerable length of time; these arts, it appears, the Chinese owe solely to their own ingenuity. Notwithstanding the level nature of a great part of this province, and its position so near the tropic, its winters are severe, and ice is sometimes formed, though snow is very seldom seen. The inhabitants are healthy, active, and industrious, but remarkable for their insolence and contempt of foreigners.

KWANG-SI.] Kwang-si, the central province on the southern confines of the empire, forms the north-western boundary of Kwang-tong, and the two are often comprehended together under the name of Lyang-kwang. It contains 12 primary, 25 secondary, and 73 towns of the third order. Its northern districts are mountainous, woody, and uncultivated; but on the south, the hills sink into the extensive and fertile plains which furnish Canton with a supply of rice for six months in the year. Its mines, how

ever, are the most abundant source of its wealth; and tin and copper, but especially gold and silver, are found in large quantities; these treasures are watched with a jealous eye by the government, which prohibits its subjects from working their mines, retaining that privilege as a monopoly in its own hands.

One of the vegetable productions for which this province is celebrated, is a singular tree, from the pitch of which a farinaceous substance is prepared, that serves to make a kind of bread; it is, probably, like the sago, a species of palm. The birds and insects also are very numerous, and none more so than the king-ki, or golden pheasant, (Phasianus Pictus.) Though inferior to many others in extent and wealth, this province is one of the most populous in the empire; and the inhabitants of its northern and western districts have a coarseness in their manners, so remote from the polish and ceremoniousness of the other Chinese, that they are considered by their countrymen as little better than barbarians. A better soil and a more extensive traffic have rendered the natives of the eastern part of the province more civilized. The capital Kweï-lin, in lat. 25° 20′ N. and long. 11° 30′ E., on a narrow and rapid river, is a large eity, and is celebrated as the place near which the best stones used by the Chinese in making ink are found.

YUN-NAN.] The adjoining province of Yun-nan, on the south-western boundary of China, has 21 first-rate, 25 second-rate, and 30 third-rate towns, and is one of the most opulent in the whole empire. Being mountainous and well-watered, it enjoys a cool and salubrious air, and derives considerable advantages, with respect to foreign commerce, from its vicinity to other States. The precious metals, tin, copper, rubies, and other gems, together with rich marbles, are yielded by its mountains; elephants and horses are brought from its plains and forests, and silks and linens are manufactured by its inhabitants, particularly a kind of satin much valued. Its natives, like most mountaineers, bear an excellent character, and are robust, active, intelligent, and courageous. Yun-nan, its capital, in lat. 25° 5′ N. and long. 103° 15′ E., on the borders of a considerable lake, still possesses many monuments of its former magnificence while the residence of a tributary prince; but it has suffered greatly in various invasions of the neighbouring Tatars. Vu-ting, on the frontiers, is considered as one of the bulwarks of the empire.

The Lo-los, former masters of this country, were not reduced to subjection by the Chinese till after a long series of bloody contests; this gallant defence of their independence secured to them, however, many privileges, which the jealousy of their conquerors makes them very unwilling to grant. They are more like feudal tenants than subjects of an absolute prince, and seem superior in strength and character to the servile Chinese. Their language and religion are said to be the same as those of Pegu and Ava, and their name resembles that of the Laos mentioned by the early Portuguese writers; but these Laos are called Mong-ja by the Pa-pe and Pe-i, two nations on the borders of Yun-nan. That province they name Mong-che, while they call Ava Mong-nan; and Mong is the proper denomination of the natives of Pegu. The Lo-los, therefore, Laos, and people of Pegu, were probably at some former period all subjects of one great empire, perhaps that called Kalaminham by the Portuguese.

KWEI-CHEU.] The only remaining province of China yet undescribed is Kwei-cheu, confessedly one of the smallest, least cultivated, and least populous. It is enclosed by Yun-nan, Se-chwen, Hu-kwang, and Kwang-si,

and occupies a portion of the mountainous tract which gives rise to the U-keaung and other streams flowing into the Yang-tse-keaung. It has 13 cities and 78 towns of lower rank. Its mountains abound in metals, among which tin, mercury, and copper deserve particularly to be noticed; much of the latter required for the imperial mint, is drawn from this province. The best horses in China are bred here, and a plant resembling hemp, but peculiar to this country, furnishes materials which are well calculated for making light summer clothes. The fastnesses in these mountains are almost inaccessible, and their inhabitants have always defied the attempts of the Chinese to effect their subjugation. The continual warfare in which the governing mandarins are involved, and perhaps the inclement air of these bold and rugged heights, makes an appointment in this province a sort of honourable exile; and there are few things more dreaded at the court of Pe-king, than a commission to serve his imperial majesty in the glens and wilds of this Chinese Siberia. A considerable area, at its south-eastern extremity, is still possessed by the independent Seng-myao-se, who are called a barbarous people by the Chinese. Their country forms one large blank in the great map mentioned above, the geographers of the Central kingdom being either too honest to lay down a country of which they had no knowledge, or too proud to honour the hiding places of such vagabonds with their notice. Kweï-yang, the capital, in lat. 26° 40′ N. and long. 106° 37′ E., once a royal residence, is now a small town scarcely three miles in circuit, but still retains some memorials of its former greatness.

Authorities.] Three Years' Travels from Moscow overland to China, by his excellency E. Ysbrants Ides; translated from the Dutch, 1706, 4to.; Da Halde's Description of China and Chinese Tartary, 1738-41, 2 vols. fol.; Memoires Sur les Chinois, 15 vols., 4to., Paris, 1780, compiled from the papers of the missionaries resident at Peking, subsequent to the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1723; Grosier's Description de la Chiné, 1818, 4 tomes, 8vo.; De Mailla's Histoire Générale de la Chine, 1777-85, 13 vols., 4to.; Bell's Travels to various parts of Asia, 1762, 2 vols., 4to.; Philosophical Dissertations on the Egyptians and Chinese, from the French of De Pauw, 1795, 2 vols. 8vo.; De Guignes' Voyage à Pekin, Osbeck's Voyage to China and the East Indies, translated from the German, 1771, 2 vols., 8vo. ; Sir George Staunton's Account of the Embassy to China, 1797, 2 vols., 4to.; Barrow's Travels in China, 1804, 4to.; Ellis's Account of Lord Amherst's Embassy in 1816; Dr Clarke Abel's Personal Observations made during the Progress of the British Embassy to China, 1818, 4to.; Morrison's Horæ Sinicæ, 1812, 8vo., and his Dictionary of the Chinese Language, 1816; Remusat's Grammaire Chinois, and his edition of the Chun Tseu of Confucius; Father Basile de Glemona's Chinese and Latin Dictionary, edited by M. de Guignes.-In addition to these works, the reader is referred to an excellent article on China in the Miscellaneous Division of the ENCYCLOPÆDIA METROPOLITANA, to which we have been much indebted in drawing out this article, particularly in the topographical details.