r
 
 LIBRARY OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 
 AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 
 
 yL174rEd 
 /Iv.l 
 
 :::i7i^ Uulcnsal Um
 
 I 
 
 » 

 
 COLLECTION 
 
 O F 
 
 Curious Obfervations 
 
 O N T H E 
 
 Manners, Customs, Usages, diffe- 
 rent Languages, Gov:iRNMENT, Mythology, 
 Chronology, Ancient and Modern Geogra- 
 phy, Ceremonies, Religion, Mechanics, 
 Astronomy, Medicine, Physics, Natural 
 History, Commerce, Arts, and Sciences, 
 
 Of the feveral NATIONS of 
 
 ASIA, AFRICA, and AMERICA. 
 
 Tranflated fron\ the French, firft printed at Paris in 1749, 
 
 By JOHN DUNK 
 Chaplain to the R.. Hon. the Earl of Galloway. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 Printed for the TRANSLATOR. 
 
 Mdccl,
 
 LnH-^^^ ( iii ) 
 
 ^•U. ' 
 
 THE 
 
 P R E F AC E. 
 
 '^ 
 
 AN inquiry into the manners, 
 laws, and religious ceremonies 
 of diftant nations, has always 
 been efteemedj not only an entertain- 
 ing, but a very ufeful ftudy ; and is 
 by Ibme preferred even to civil hiftory, 
 ; as it partakes of it in fome meafure, 
 and yet has a variety of matter never to 
 be found in that kind of writing. 
 ^ The following obfervations are focu- 
 " rious in themfelves, and tho' related in 
 ■ a iimple and plain manner, yet carry 
 ~ with them that evidence, which always 
 accompanies a faithful writer, and one 
 \ who is entirely mafterof his fubjeft. 
 
 A Our 
 
 ^i
 
 iv PREFACE. 
 
 Our author indeed had : n advantage 
 of which few, or none of the mcft erni- 
 nent of his predecefTors could avail 
 themfelves ; and what Sir John Char- 
 din laments the want of, in his preface 
 to his travels, I mean a knowledge of 
 the learned language of China, which 
 is, as it were the key, not only to thejr 
 particular opinions, but alfo to acquire 
 a knowledge of the compoiition ot their 
 moft beautiful produdions, which our 
 author has abundantly demonflrated in 
 his chapter on the origin of porcelain, 
 wherein he oiives a more minute de^ 
 tail of the matter and manner of pre- 
 paring it, compofition of the varnifli, 
 different fpecies, manner of gilding, 
 ftrudure of the furnaces, the cafes in 
 which it is baked, and in vyhat the anr 
 cient differs from the modern, than 
 any author who has gone before him j 
 and which he draws not only from his 
 own obfervations, but from an accurate 
 examination of what Chinefe writers 
 have faid on that curious fubjed:. 
 
 Thro' the courfe of the work, he rcr 
 conciles the feeming coutradidory ac- 
 counts
 
 PREFACE. V 
 
 counts of the moft eminent natural 
 hiftorians, as Varro, Columella, Pliny; 
 and by his allufions to the ancient 
 poets, ihews that he is as eminent in 
 the learned languages of Europe^ as in 
 that of the Brachmans. 
 
 To enumerate all the beauties, 
 and peculiar excellencies of this work, 
 would furpafs my intended brevity ; 
 and therefore I fhall content myfelf 
 with faying, that he has been fo happy 
 as to enquire into things hitherto un- 
 attempted, and confequently is fure of 
 the merit of an original, fhould he 
 even have failed in the elegance and 
 beauty of his defcriptions. 
 
 But this is not all, fince he alfo dif- 
 covers fome myfteries of the laft im- 
 portance, in themanufadlure of filks 
 and ftufFs of various kinds, in dying, 
 and the art of preferving colours ; in 
 the method of painting and japanino- 
 all fortsof utenfils and furniture, whe- 
 ther of wood, brafs, copper, &c. 
 
 But in no refpeft can our author be 
 accounted more valuable,than in his juft 
 and lively defcriptions of the arbitrary 
 
 and
 
 vi. PREFACE. 
 
 and tyrannical power of the feveral 
 princes he mentions, by which means, 
 every honeft Enghfhman muft,^ by a 
 comparifon of his own happinefs, with 
 the ftate of flavery in which the Tar- 
 tars and Chinefe are involved, rejoice 
 that he was born in England* 
 
 CURIOUS
 
 CURIOUS 
 
 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 O N T H E 
 
 Manners^ Cuftoms^ ^c. 
 
 Of the feveral Nations of 
 
 ^a^ Africa^ and America. 
 
 ^tm 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Of the fiJJ'jtng for the xanxus and pearls^ 
 and of the trade which the Dutch carry 
 on with them, 
 
 I 
 
 T is preclfely at cape Comarin f , that 
 the coaft fo famous for the pearl 
 fifhery begins. It forms a kind of 
 bay, which extends upwards of 
 forty leagues, from cape Comarin, 
 to the point of Romanacor, where 
 theifland of Ceylan is ahnoft united to the main- 
 land by a chain of rocks, which fome Europe- 
 ans call Adam's bridge. 
 Vol. 1. B The 
 
 f In the occidental Peninfula of the lndies\
 
 2 Obfcrvations upon Ail A, 
 
 The natives of the place fay, that this bridge was 
 biiili by the apes of former times. They are iooU 
 ifhly perfuadcd, that thefe anihials being more 
 brave and induftrious than the modern apes, made 
 a paffage from the main-land into the ifland of 
 Ceylan, that they rendered themfelves mailers ot 
 this ifland, and refciied the wife of one of their 
 gods, who had been carried off. It is certain, that 
 in this place, the fea at her greateft height is not 
 above four or five feet deep, fo that only Hoops 
 or fiat vefiels can pafs between the intervals of thefe 
 rocks. The whole coafi: of the fifhery is inac- 
 cefilble to European veflels, on account ot the ter- 
 rible raging of the fea, and Ihips can only pafs the 
 •winter at Tutucurin, that harbour being covered by 
 two ifiands, which are its greatefi: fecurity. 
 
 Since the power of the Dutch has decayed in 
 the Indies, we only find on the coafl of the fifhery 
 nnferable and wretched towns^ the principal oi 
 which are Tala, Manapar, Alandaley, and ir'endi- 
 ciel. Vv^'e mud however except Tutucurin, which 
 contains fifty thcufand inhabitants, fome of whom 
 are Chriflians, and fome Pagans. 
 
 To perfons at fea Tutucurin appears a very beau- 
 tiful city. We fee pretty high buildings on the- 
 two ifiands which cover it. A fmali fortrefs which 
 the Dutch built fome years ago to defend them- 
 felves from the attacks of the Pagans who came 
 from the main-land, and feveral large magazines 
 built Oil the brink of the fea, make a very grand 
 and beautiful appearance: but as foon as v/e come 
 on lljore, all this beauty difappears, and we find 
 only a homely village almofl intirely built with 
 turf. The Dutch draw confiderable revenues from 
 Tutucurin, tho' they are not abfolute m.aflers of it. 
 The whole coaft of the fifliery belongs partly to 
 the king of Madura, and partly to the prince of 
 
 Marava. 
 
 With
 
 Africa, ^W America. 3 
 
 With refped to the commerce of the Dutch on 
 this coaft ; befides the fluffs brought to them from 
 Madura, which they exchange for the leather of 
 Japan, and the fpiceries of the Moluccas, they 
 draw a confiderable profit from two kinds of fiili- 
 eries, that of pearls and of xanxufes. 
 
 The xanxufes are large fhelJs refembling thofe 
 with which we generally paint Tritons. 'Tis in- 
 credible how jealous the Dutch are of this trade; 
 it would coft an Indian his life who fliould venture 
 to fell a xanxus to any but the Dutch company. 
 The members of this company buy them at a 
 very low price, and fend tli.em to Bengal, where 
 they fell them very dear. They faw thefefiielis ac- 
 cording to their breadth •, as they are round and 
 hollow, when they are faw'd they make bracelets 
 of them, which have as much luflre as the fined 
 ivory ; thofe which are catch'd on this coaft in large 
 quantities, have all their volutes from right to letr, 
 and if there fhould be one found whofe volutes 
 were from left to right, the natives Vv^ould account 
 it a treafure worth a mifion of money, becauie 
 thsy imagine, that it was in a xanxus of this kind 
 that one of their kings conceakd himfelf, to avoid 
 the fury of his enemies, who purfued him by 
 
 lea. 
 
 The fifhery of pearls alfo enriches tlie Dutch 
 company in another manner. The pearls are not 
 fifhed for on the company's account, but they per- 
 mit every inhabitant of the country, whether Pa- 
 gan, Mahometan, or Chriflian, to have as many 
 boats for that purpofe as they think proper-, and 
 every boat pays to them fixry crowns, and fome- 
 times more. This tax ralfes a confiuerable fum, 
 fmce we fometimes fee fix or feven hundred boats 
 employed in this fifliery. 
 
 The company does not permit every one to go 
 in queft of his pearls where he pleafes, but marks 
 
 B 2 out
 
 i(. Obfervations upoji Asia, 
 
 out a particular place for that purpole. Formerly 
 the Dutch in the month of January appointed the 
 place and the time for the fifhery for that year, 
 without making a previous tryal of it ; but as it 
 often happened that the feafon or the place marked 
 were not favourable, and as oyfters were wanting, 
 which proved a confiderable prejudice to thcfe who 
 had made great preparations, they have now chang- 
 ed this cuftom, and obferve the following method. 
 
 In the beginning of the year, the company fend 
 ten or twelve boats to the place where they intend 
 the fifhery fhould be. Thefe boats feparate into 
 different parts ; each of the divers catches a thou- 
 fand oyfters, which they bring afhore \ they open 
 each thoufand feparately, and lay the pearls they 
 take from it by themfelves. If the value of thofe 
 found in a thoufand amounts to a crown or more, 
 it is a fign that the fifhery will be very rich and 
 copious in that place : but if the pearls they take 
 from a thoufand are only worth half a crown, there 
 is no fifhery that year, becaufe the profits would not 
 defray the expences. 
 
 When the tryal hasfucceeded, and it is declared 
 that there will be a fifhery ; at the appointed time 
 there appears on the coafl from all quarters a pro- 
 digious number of boats and people, with merchan- 
 dize of all kinds. The Dutch commifTaries come 
 from Colombo, the capital of the ifland of Ceylan, 
 to prefide over the fifhery. The day it begins it is. 
 opened early in the morning by the difcharge of a 
 cannon. Upon this all the boats fet out, preceded 
 by two large Dutch floops, which anchor one up- 
 on the right, and the other on^ the left, in order to 
 mark the place for the fifliery. Then the divers 
 of each boat plunge three, four, or five fathoms 
 deep. Each boat has feveral divers, who go in- 
 to the water by turns \ as foon as one returns ano- 
 ther plunges. They are tied to a rope, whofe end 
 
 is
 
 Africa, and America^ 5 
 
 is fo fixed to the ftern of the bo..t, that the fai" 
 lors can by means of a pully eafily flacken or 
 draw it, according as occafion requires. The 
 diver has a large ftone tied to his feet, to make 
 him fink the fooner, and a bag about his waifl 
 to hold the oyfters. As Toon as he is at the 
 bottom he quickly gathers all within his reach, and 
 puts them into his bag. When he finds more 
 than he can carry off, he lays them in a heap, 
 and returning to take breath, he either dives 
 again or fends one of his companions to bring 
 them up. In order to return to the air, he has 
 nothing to do but ftrongly to pull a fmall rope, 
 different from that which is fixed to his body. A 
 failor who is in the boat and holds the other end 
 of the rope, forthwith gives the fignal to the 
 others, who immediately draw the diver up, 
 who to come up the more fpeedily, loofes if he 
 can, the ftone which was tied to his feet. The 
 boats are not at fo great a diflance, but that th^ 
 divers frequently beat one another under water, 
 for having taken away the heaps of oyflers they 
 had gathered. 
 
 One of the divers perceiving that his com- 
 panion had robbed him fcveral times fucceffive- 
 ly of what he had been at great pains to ga- 
 ther, judged it expedient to put a flop to it for 
 the future. He pardoned him the firft and fe- 
 cond time, but feeing that he continued to pil- 
 lage him, he let his neighbour dive firfl, and 
 following him immediately with a knife in his 
 hand, he murder'd him under water, which was 
 not perceived till the body was drawn up with- 
 out life and motion. This is not the only thing 
 to be dreaded in this fifhery *, for there are in 
 thofe fe^ fharks fo ftrong and large, that 
 they oftc.. carry off and devour the diver and 
 iiis oyflers. 
 
 B 3 As
 
 6 Obfer^vatiojis ii';07i Asia, 
 
 As ^or the oil which the divers put into their 
 mouthF, or the glals bell in which they include 
 thenileivcs, to enable them to dive, thefe are 
 falihoods advanced by perfons who have been ill 
 informed. As the people of that coaft are from 
 their infancy accuftomed to diving, and to re- 
 tain their breath, they become dexterous at it, 
 and are paid according to their dexttrity : but 
 notwithftanding this, the bufmefs is fo fatiguing, 
 that they can only plunge fevcn or eight times 
 a day. Some of them are fo much tranfported 
 with ardour to gather more oyfters than their 
 neighbours, that they iofe refpiration and pre- 
 fcrce of mind fo much, that not thinking to 
 make 'the fignal, they are foon fuffocated, ir the 
 failors in the boat do not draw them up, when 
 they ftay too long. This exercife is continued, 
 till noon, when all the boats come to the fnore. 
 
 When the boats land, the mailer orders all 
 the oyfters belonging to him to be carried into ^ 
 kind of yard or area, where he leaves them two 
 or three days, that they may open, and eafily 
 fuffer the pearls to be extracted. When they 
 are taken out and well wafh'd, they have five or 
 fix fmall copper bafons pierc'd like a fleveJ^ 
 which go into each other in fuch a manner that 
 there remains fome fpace between the upper- 
 mod and the undermoft. The holes of each 
 bafon are of different diameters. Thefe of 
 the fecond are lefs than thofe of the firfl, and 
 thofe of the third lefs than thofe of the fe- 
 cond, and fo of the others. They throv/ the 
 pearls, both great and fmall, after they are 
 well wafhed, into the firft bafon, and fuch of 
 them as do not pafs thro' this are thought to be 
 of the firft order. Thofe which remain in the 
 fecond bafon are of the fecond order, and fo on 
 to the laft, which not being pierced receives the 
 
 '' " feeds
 
 Africa, and America. 7 
 
 feeds of the pearls. Thefe different orders of 
 pearls generally determine their price, unlefs the 
 figure or water augment or diminiili their va- 
 lue. The Dutch always referve to themlelves 
 the right of purchafing the Jargeft ; yet if the 
 perfon to whom they belongs will not fell them 
 tor the price they offer, they tdo him no vio- 
 lence, and he may difpofe of them to whom he 
 pleafcs. Ail the pearls caught the firfl day be- 
 long either to the king of Madura or to the 
 prince ot Marava, according to the lituation of 
 the coafl where the fidiery is carried on. The 
 Dutch have not the fifhing of the fixond day, 
 as has been reported by fome ; but they have a 
 fufrjcient number of other ways to enrich them- 
 felves by the pearl trade. The fureft and fliort- 
 eft method is to have ready money •, for if peo- 
 ple pay upon the fpot, they have great bargains 
 -Upon thofe coafls. 
 
 But if the pearl fifhery produces great riches, 
 it alfo brings on terrible difeafes, either on ac- 
 count of the prodigious confluence of people 
 from all parts, who live fo poorly that many 
 of them eat only oyfters, which are of a difficult 
 digeftion, and a malignant quality •, or lalllv, 
 -on account of the infection of the air; for the 
 oyfters being expofed to the heat of the fun, are 
 corrupted in a tew days, and exhale a ftench, 
 which alone may produce contagious diftem- 
 pers. 
 
 Very beautiful pearls are alfo found in Colo 
 ^nd Mindano, which are two of the Philippine 
 iflands. The divers, before they plunge, have 
 a cuftom of rubbing their eyes with the blood 
 of a white cock. But it is in the Perfian gulph, 
 in the ifle of Baharens, and on the coaft of Ca- 
 lifa in Arabia Felix, that the mofb confiderable 
 pearl fifhery is carried on. Here the fiOiing 
 
 B 4 bap-
 
 8 Ohfervations upon Asia^ 
 
 happens twice a year, the firft in the month of 
 March and April, and the fecond in thofe of 
 Auguft and September. The Banians and 
 Moors generally purchafe the greateft part of 
 thefe pearls, which they buy cheap and fell very 
 dear in Perfia. 
 
 The coaft of California, particularly from the 
 cape of St. Lucar to the White cape, the coaft 
 of Peru, and that of Panama, alfo produce 
 large pearls. But thefe have not the water of 
 the oriental pearls, and are of a blackifh and 
 leaden colour, which proceeds from the bad 
 bottom in which they are formed, and which 
 is fometimes only one or two fathoms deep. 
 
 As to the opinion of the ancients, that pearls 
 were formed of the dew which falls from hea- 
 ven, and that there was only one pearl in every 
 oyfter, nothing is more oppofite to truth, fince 
 we fee that they are immoveable in a bottom 
 often ten fathoms deep, where the dew cannot 
 penetrate •, and fmce we fometimes find feven 
 or eight pearls of different fizes in one oyfter. 
 They are ingendered, if I may fo fpeak, in the 
 fame manner with the eggs in a hen, the largeft 
 advancing ahvays towards the orifice, while the 
 the fmalleft remain at the bottom, in order to 
 be compleatly formed. Thus the largeft pearl 
 comes firft •, and the fmaller ones remain at the 
 bottom of the Ihell, till they arrive at their na- 
 tural bulk. All ovfters however do not include 
 pearls, fince it is certain that a great many coa- 
 tain none at all. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 Africa, and America. 9 
 
 CHAP. ir. 
 
 Of the knowledge which the Indians have had 
 
 of the time religio?i, 
 
 BY reading the ancient books of the Indians we 
 may eafily be convinced, that they drew their 
 religion from the books of Mofes and the Prophets^ 
 In a word, all the fables of which their books are 
 full, do not fo far cloud and darken the truth, but 
 that it may be known, Befides, the religion of 
 the Hebrews, of which the Indians owe their know- 
 ledge partly to their trade with the Jews and E- 
 gyptians, we may difcover among them very re- 
 markable traces of the Chriflian rehgion, which 
 was preached to them by the apoflle Thomas^ 
 by Pantsenus, and feveral other great men in the 
 primitive ages of the church. 
 
 It is certain that the commonalty of the Indians 
 by no means fall into the abfurdities of atheifm. 
 They have pretty juft ideas of the Deity, tho' al- 
 tered and corrupted by the worfliip of idols. They 
 acknowledge an infinitely perfed; God, who exifls 
 from all eternity, and is pofTefled of the molt ex- 
 cellent attributes : fo far, nothing is more beauti- 
 ful and conformable to the fentiments of Chriilians 
 concerning the Deity •, but idolatry has fuperadded 
 the following extravagancies. 
 
 Moft of the Indians affirm, that the great num- 
 ber of gods whom they now adore are only fubordi- 
 nate deities, fubje(5ted to the Ibvereign Being, who 
 is equally lord over gods and men. This great 
 God, fay they, is infinitely exalted above all be- 
 ings-, and this infinite diftance hinders him from 
 having any commerce with weak creatures. What 
 proportion, continue they, is there between an in- 
 finitely
 
 lo Obfervafiojis upon Asia, 
 
 finitely perfeft being, and beings created ful^ 
 of imperfedlions and weaknelTes. 'Tis for this 
 reafon, according to them, that Parabaravafliou, 
 that is, the fupreme God, called Bruma, Vichnou, 
 and Routren, to the firfl he has given the power 
 of creating, to the fecond the power of prefer ving, 
 and to the third the power of dcflroying. 
 
 But thefe gods adored by the Indians, are in the 
 opinion of their learned men, the fons of a woman 
 whom they call Parrachatti ; that is, the fupreme 
 Power. If we reduce this fable to what it was in 
 its origin, we fhall eafily difcover the truth, tho* 
 darkened by the ridiculous ideas which the fpirit 
 of error has added to it. 
 
 The fird Indians would only fay, that all things 
 which happened in the world, either by creation, 
 which they afcribe to Bruma; by prefervation, 
 which is the office of Vichnou ; or by the different 
 changes and revolutions, which are the work of 
 Routren, proceed folely from the abfolute power 
 of Parabaravaftou, or the fupreme God. They af- 
 terwards made a woman of their Parrachatti, and 
 have afcribed to her three children, which are on- 
 ly the principal effe^ls of omnipotence. In a word, 
 Chatti in the Indian language fignifies power, and 
 Para fupreme or abfolute. 
 
 This idea which the Indians have of a Being in- 
 finitely fuperior to the other deities, at leaft denotes 
 that their anceftors in reality adored only one God, 
 and that polytheifm was only introduced among 
 them, in the manner in which it fpread thro' all 
 the idolatrous countries. 
 
 This firft knowledge of a God, does not indeed 
 evidently prove the commerce of the Indians with 
 the Egyptians or the Jews : for it is a fundamental 
 truth engraved on the minds of all men, and is ne- 
 ver altered, except by the irregularity and corrup- 
 tion of the heart. 
 
 The
 
 
 
 Africa, a?2d America. it 
 
 The Indians explain the refemblance of man with 
 God in this manner : *' Imagine to youifelf, fays 
 ^' one of their moft celebrated authors, a million 
 of large vcfiels full of water, on which the fun 
 diffufes his rays. This fine ftar, tho' one, is 
 multiplied and reprefented in a moment in each 
 ^' of thefe vefTels. We every where fee an exaft 
 " refemblance of the fun. Our bodies are thefe 
 veffcls full of water, the fun is the figure of the 
 fupreme Being, and the image of the fun paint- 
 ed in each of thefe veffcls, naturally enough re- 
 *' prefents our fouls created after the image of God.'* 
 It was Bruma, fay the In.iians, who created the 
 firft man, and formed him of the duft of the earth, 
 as yet quite new and recent. He had indeed fome 
 difficulty to finifh his work, neither did his mea- 
 fures fucceed till he made the third attempt. Fable 
 has added this laft circumftance to truth, and it is 
 not furprifing that a god of the fecond order 
 fhould require an apprenticelliip to create man in 
 the jufl and beautiful proportion of ail his parts. 
 This is not all •, Bruma the new creator had no 
 fooner formed his creature, than he was fo much 
 the more charmed, as it had coil him more pains 
 CO perfed: it. The next thing to be done is to 
 place this creature in a habitation fuitable to its 
 worth and dignity. 
 
 The fcripture is very magnificent in the defer! p- 
 tion it gives us of the terreftrial paradife. The In^ 
 dians have been willing to imitate it in the repre- 
 fentations they give us of their Chorcam, which ac- 
 cording to them is a garden of pleafjres, where all 
 fpecies of fruits are found in great abundance. We 
 there fee a tree, whofe fruit, according to them, 
 would communicate immortality, if it were lawful 
 to eat of it. It would have been very ftrange, if 
 people who had never heard of the terredrial para- 
 dife.
 
 12 Obfervatiom upon Asia, 
 
 dife, fliould without knowing it, give fo fimilara 
 defcription. 
 
 ^ What is marvellous in the fyftem of the Indian 
 dodors is, that the inferior gods, who from the 
 creation of the world are multipHed to an infinite 
 number, had not, or at lead were not fure of hav- 
 ing the privilege of immortality, which however 
 they muft have wiili'd for. With refped: to this 
 fubjedl, the Indians relate the following ftory,. 
 which however fabulous, has certainly no other 
 origin than the dodtrine of the Hebrews, and per- 
 haps that of the Chriftians. 
 
 The gods, fay the Indians, try'd all ways to ar- 
 rive at immortality. After trying various ways 
 they thought proper to have recourfe to the tree of 
 life, which was in the Chorcam. This means fuc- 
 ceeded, and by eating now and then of the fruit of 
 this tree, they preferve to themfelves a treafure, 
 which it is fo much their intereft not to lofe. A fa- 
 mous ferpent called Chiven, perceived that the 
 tre€ of life had been difcovered by the gods of the 
 fecond order. As probably the care of this tree had 
 been entrufted to the ferpent, he conceived fo great 
 a rage at the difcovery, that he forthwith diffus'd 
 fo large a quantity of poifon, that all the earth was 
 infedted by it, and no man efcaped. But the god 
 Chiven took pity upon human nature, appeared in 
 the form of man, and cheerfully fwallowed all the 
 poifon with which the malicious ferpent had in- 
 fected the whole world. 
 
 In the following fable, we may eafily trace the 
 hiftory of the deluge. The god Routren, who is 
 the great deftrover of created beings, one day 
 formed a refolution to drov/n all men, v/ith whom 
 he pretended to have reafons to be diffatisfied. His 
 defign could not be fo fecret, but that it was fore- 
 feen by Vichnou, the preferver of creatures. His 
 power did not extend fo far as to fufpend the exe- 
 cution
 
 Africa, and America^ 13 
 
 eution of Routren's projed -, but his quality o^ 
 preferver of the creatures gave him a right to hin- 
 der, if poflible, the moil pernicious effeds of it, 
 which he did in the following manner. 
 
 He one day appeared to Sattiavarti his great 
 confident, and told him in fecret, that there would 
 very foon be an univerfal deluge, that the earth 
 would be covered with water ; and that by this 
 means Routren intended no lefs than the total de- 
 ftruclion of men and animals. He afTured him at 
 the fame time, that he had nothing to dread, and 
 that in fpite of Routren he would take care to pre- 
 ferve and protect him, in order to repeople the 
 earth. 
 
 His defign was to make a wonderful bark ap- 
 pear, the moment when Routren leaft expeded it, 
 and to include in it fufficient provifion for about; 
 eight hundred and forty millions of fouls and feeds 
 of beings. It was alfo necelTary that at the time 
 the deluge began, Sattiavarti fhould be on the fum- 
 mit of a very high mountain, which he carefully 
 pointed out to him. Some time after Sattiavarti, 
 as had been predifted to him, perceived an infinite 
 'number of clouds afTembled. He with tranquillity 
 law the ftorm formed over the heads of guilty mor- 
 tals. The mod terrible rain that ever was feen fell 
 from the heavens. The rivers were enlarged fo as 
 to cover the furface of the whole earth. The fea 
 overflowed her banks, and mixing with the rivers, 
 foon covered the higheft mountains, fo that trees, 
 animals, men, cities, and kingdoms were over- 
 whelmed. All animated beings perilhed, and 
 were deftroyed. 
 
 In the mean time Sattiavarti, with fome of his 
 virtuous friends, had betaken themfelves to the ap- 
 pointed mountain. He there waited for the afliftr 
 ance the god had promifed him ; and for fome mo- 
 ments was not free from apprehenfions : The wa- 
 ter?.
 
 14 Obferij attorn upon Asia, 
 
 ters, which always aflumed new force, and gra* 
 dually approached to him, now and then gave him 
 terrible alarms : but at the inflant when he thouo;ht 
 to be loft, he faw the bark appear which was to 
 fave him. He forthwith went into it with the vir- 
 tuous perfons who accompanied him. This veffel 
 contained eight hundred and forty millions of fouls, 
 and the feeds of bein2:s. 
 
 The difficulty was to manage the bark, and fup- 
 port her againft the impetuofity of the billows, 
 which were in a furious agitation. The god Vich- 
 nou took care of this \ for he forthwith became a 
 lifh, and made ufe of his tail as a helm to diredt 
 the fhip. The god-fifh was fo fkilful a pilot, that 
 Sattiavafti remained in his afylum in great repofe, 
 till the waters retired from the face of the earth. 
 
 In this recital mix'd with fables, and the moft- 
 whimfical conceits, who does not perceive what 
 the fcripture teaches us concerning the deluge, the 
 ark, and the prefervation of Noah, and his family. 
 
 The Indians have not ftopt here, fince after de- 
 fcribing Noah under the name of Sattiavarti, they 
 have applied to Brama the moft fingular adven- 
 tures of the hiftory of Abraham. The following 
 incidents feem to confirm this. 
 
 The conformity of the names feems at firft to 
 fupport rrjy conjectures ; for there is but little dif- 
 ference between Brama and Abraham. This Bra- 
 ma, whofe name is fo like to that of Abraham, 
 was married to a woman whom all the Indians call 
 Sarafvadi. The two laft fyilables of this word are, 
 in the Indian language, an honourable appellation • 
 thus Vadi is equivalent to our word Madam. This 
 termination is found in feveral names cf diftin- 
 guifhed wom.en •, as for example, in that of Par- 
 vadi the wife of Routren. It is therefore evident, 
 that the two firft fyilables of the words Sarafvadi, 
 which are properly the whole name of Brama's 
 
 wife.
 
 Africa and America. 15 
 
 wife, are reduced to Sara, which is that of Abra- 
 ham's wife. 
 
 There is, however, fomething flill more fingular. 
 Brama among the [ndians, as Abraham among 
 the Jews, was head or chief of many tribes, and 
 the number of tribes is exadlly aHke. At Tiche- 
 rapah, where is now the moft: famous temple in 
 the Indies, they yearly celebrate a feftival, in which 
 there is a venerable old- man with twelve children 
 before him, who reprefent, fay the Indians, the 
 twelve chiefs of the principal tribes. 'Tis true, 
 fome of their dodlors think, that in the ceremony 
 this old man reprefents Vichnou : but this is not 
 the opinion of the literati, nor of the people, who 
 generally fay that Brama is the chief of all the tribes. 
 
 The Indians honour the memory of one ot their ' 
 faints, who like the patriarch Abraham, thought it 
 his duty to facrifice his fon to one of the go'ds of ^ 
 the country. This god demanded this vidim of 
 him, but accepting of the will of the father, did 
 not fuffer him to proceed to the execution of his 
 purpofe ; fome of them, however, fay, that the 
 child was flain, but that the god raifed him from 
 the dead. « 
 
 We find a very furprizing cuftom in one of the 
 Indian tribes, which is called the tribe of robbers; 
 not that there is an int-ire tribe of robbers, nor 
 that all who follow this trade are afifembled into a. 
 particular body, and have a privilege to rob ex- 
 clufive of all others : the meaning is only, that 
 all the Indians of this tribe rob with great liberty ; 
 but unfortunately they are not the only perfons 
 who ought to be diftrufted. 
 
 l^Tow, in this tribe of robbers they obferve the 
 ceremony of circumcifion ; But it is not perform- 
 ed in infancy, but on perfons about twenty years 
 of age •, neither are all fubjedl to it, fince only the 
 principal men of the tribe fubmit to it. This cuf- 
 tom
 
 J 6 Ohfervafions upon Asia, 
 
 torn is very ancient, and it is very difficult to dif- 
 cover whence it arofe amidft an intirely idolatrous 
 people. 
 
 From the hiflory of Noah and Abraham, let us 
 proceed to that of Mofes. 
 
 Nothing feems more to refemble Mofes than the 
 Vichnou of the Indians transform'd into Chrichnen, 
 ch in the Indian language fignifies black. This 
 is uo intimate that Chrichnen came from a country 
 wiiofc inhabitants are of this colour. The Indians 
 acr-j,, that one of the neareft relations of Chrichnen 
 v/as in his infancy expos'd in a fmall cradle, on a 
 large river, where he was in great danger of being 
 circwn'd. - Ke was taken up, and as he was a very 
 beautiful child, he was brought to a great princefs, 
 "wno took the charge of his maintenance and edu- 
 cai:on. 
 
 What could poffibly induce them to apply this 
 event to one of Chrichnen's relations rather than to 
 himfelf ? Of this we are ignorant. It was not 
 Chrichnen then, but one of his relations, who was 
 brought up at the court of a certain great princefs. 
 In this the comparifon with Mofes is defedlive -, 
 but what follows in fome meafure recompenfes 
 this defe(5l. 
 
 i\s foon as Chrichnen was born, he was alfo ex- 
 pofed on a great river to fcreen him from the 
 wrath of the king, who waited for the moment of 
 his birth, in order to kill him. The river out of 
 refpe6t divided itfelf, and would not difturb fo pre- 
 cious a treafure. The infant was taken from this 
 dangerous place, and brought up among fhepherds. 
 He afterwards married with the daughters of ihefe 
 lliepherds, and for a long time kept their flocks. 
 He fcon diftinguifhed himfelf among his compani- 
 ons, who chofe him for their chief. He then per- 
 formed wonderful things for the flocks and thofe 
 who kept them. He killed the king who had de- 
 clared
 
 Africa^ ^W America.' 77 
 
 clared a cruel war againft them. He was purfued by 
 his enemies, and as he was not in a condition to re- 
 lift, .he retired to the fea, which opened a road for 
 him, and fwallowed up thofe who purfued him. By 
 this means he efcaped from the torments prepared 
 for him. 
 
 Is it after this poflible to doubt that the ancient 
 Indians have known Mofes under the name of 
 Vichnou, transformed into Chrichnen ? But to a 
 knowledge of this famous condudlor of the people 
 of God, they have joined that of feveral cufloms 
 which he has defcribed in his books, and feveral 
 laws which he has publifhed, and which were ob- 
 ferved after his death. 
 
 Among thefe cufloms which the Indians only 
 could have drawn from the Jews, and which are 
 ftill preferved in their country, we may reckon the 
 frequent bathings and purifications, the extreme 
 horror of dead carcafTes, by the touch of which 
 they think themfelves polluted •, the different order 
 and diflindion of the tribes, and the inviolable law 
 which forbids them to marry out of their own 
 tribes. But let us continue our parallel. 
 
 The Indians make a facrifice which they call 
 Ikiam, which is the mofl celebrated of all thofe 
 made in the Indies : in it they facrifice a fheep, 
 and repeat a kind of prayer, in which with a loud 
 voice they pronounce thefe words, " When fhall 
 
 the faviour be born, when fhall. the redeemer 
 
 appear?" 
 
 Does not this facrifice of a fheep feem to bear 
 a near refemblance to that of the pafchal lamb; 
 for it is to be obferved, that as the Jews were all 
 obliged to eat their fhare of the vi6tim, fo theBra- 
 mins, tho' they dare not eat flefh, are neverthe- 
 lefs difpenfcd from their abflinence at the facrifice 
 of the Ikiam, and are obliged to eat of the fheep 
 
 Vol. I. C which 

 
 4« 
 
 'l8 Ohfer'-catioit^ upon K^ia] 
 
 which they facrificc, and diflribute among the 
 reft. 
 
 Many Indians adore the fire, and even their 
 gods have offered vidlims to that element. There 
 is a particular precept for the facrifice of Oman, 
 by which it is ordered that the fire fhould always 
 be preferved, and never fuffered to go out. He 
 who aflifts at the Ikiam is every morning and even- 
 ing to put wood upon the fire, in order to keep 
 it in. This fcrupulous care correfponds to the 
 command given in the book of Leviticus, " *And 
 the fire upon the altar fhall be burning in it, it 
 fhall not be put out, and the prieft (hall put 
 wood on it every morning." The Indians have 
 done fomething more in confideration of fire; 
 for they precipitate themfelves into the niidfl of 
 the flames. 
 
 They have alfo a very high idea of ferpents, 
 fince they believe that thefe animals have fome- 
 thing divine in them, and that the fight of them 
 is lucky. Thus many of them adore ferpents, and 
 pay them the moft profound homage : but fo little 
 
 fratitude have thefe animals, that they cruelly 
 ite their adorers. If the brazen ferpent which 
 Mofes fhewed the people of God, and which cur'd 
 by being feen, had been as cruel as the live fer- 
 pents of the Indians, I fancy the Jews would never 
 have been tempted to adore it. 
 
 We muft not forget the charity of the Indians 
 to their fiaves, whom they treat almofl like their 
 own children. They take care to bring them well 
 up, and provide liberally for them. They marry 
 them, and almcft always give them their liberty. 
 Does it not feem that the precepts in the book of 
 Leviticus v/ere by Mofcs addrelTed to the Indians, 
 SiS well as to the Ifraelitcs ? 
 
 Whac 
 
 • Chap. vi. ver. \2i
 
 Africa^ and Am-erica^. j§ 
 
 What appearance is there that the Indians had 
 not formerly fome acquaintance with the law of 
 Mofes ? What they fay concerning their law, and.of 
 Brama their legiilator, feems evidently to deftroy 
 all doubts of this kind. 
 
 Brama has given a law to man. This Vedam, 
 or book of the law, the Indians look upon as in- 
 fallible. It is, according to them, the pure word 
 of God, declared by Abadam, that is, by him 
 who cannot be deceived, and who is eiTentially 
 truth. The Vedam, or law of the Indians, is di- 
 vided into four parts. But in the opinion of feve- 
 ral learned Indians, there was anciently a fifth, 
 which has perilhed by the injury of time, and 
 which it has been impoflible to recover. 
 
 The Indians have an inconceivable efleem for the 
 law which they have received from their Brama. 
 The profound refped with which they hear it read, 
 the choice of proper perfons for this purpofe, the 
 preparations for it, and a hundred fimilar circum- 
 ftances, are perfectly conformable to what we know 
 of the Jews with refpedl to the holy law, and Mofes 
 who promulged it to them. 
 
 But this refped: of the Indians for their law pro* 
 ceeds fo far, that they want to keep it an impene- 
 trable myftery from Chriftians : but yet we know 
 the following particulars concerning it. The firft 
 part of the Vedam, which they call Irroucouredam, 
 treats of the firft caufe, and the manner in which the 
 world was created. They fay that in the beginning 
 there was nothing but God and water ; and that God 
 moved upon the water. Does not this, in fome 
 nieafure, refemble the firft chapter of Genefis .? 
 
 In the third book, which they call Samavedam, 
 there are a great many moral precepts, which have 
 a great analogy with the moral precepts difpers'd 
 thro' Genefis. 
 
 C Si JH
 
 Yd Gifervatiom upon K^ia] 
 
 The fourth book, which they call Adaranavc- 
 dam, contains the different facrifices to be offered, 
 the qualities requifite to the vidirriS, the manner 
 cf building the temples, and the different feftivals 
 to be celebrated, all which are fo many plans 
 taken from the books of Leviticus and Deutero- 
 nomy. 
 
 To render the parallel perfefl. As it was upon 
 the famous mount Sinai that Mofes received the 
 law, fo it was upon the celebrated mountain of 
 Mahamerou, that Brama was found with thB Ve^ 
 dam of the Indians. This m.ountain of the Indies-, 
 is the fame with that Vv^hich the Greeks have called 
 Meros, where they fay Bacchus was born, and 
 \vhere the feats of the gods were. The Indians t© 
 this day affirm, that in this mountain the Chor- 
 chams or different paradifes are fituated. 
 
 We have feen what the Indians think of Mofes 
 and the law. Let us hear what they fay of Mary 
 the filler of that great prophet. The fcripture tells 
 us of her, that after the niiraculous paffage thro' the 
 Red- Sea, flie affembled the Ifraehtifh v/omen, pro- 
 vided mufical inftruments, and with her compa- 
 nions began to dance, and fmg the praifes of the 
 mod high. A paffage very like this, is by the 
 Indians told of their famous Lakeoumi. This wo- 
 man was, as well as thefifter of Mofes, delivered ous 
 of the fea, by a kind of miracle, and had no fooner 
 efcaped than ^tit made a magnificent entertainment, 
 in which all the gods and goddeffes danced to the 
 found of inftruments. 
 
 The Indians alfo tell another flory of Arichan- 
 diren. This was a very ancient king of the Indies, 
 and excepting the name, and fome circumftances, 
 is the Job of the fcriptures. 
 
 The gods one day met in their Chorcam, or pa- 
 radife of pleafures. Devendiren the god of glory 
 prefided in their iiluftricus affembly. A croud of 
 
 gods
 
 Africa, ^7;:^ America.^ '2% 
 
 •gcds and goddefles were prefent. The famous 
 faints had alfo their place there, efpecially the fe- 
 ven principal hermits. 
 
 After fome indifferent difcourfe, the qucilion 
 was propofed, Whether among men there was a 
 perfecl: prince. Almofl all of them maintained 
 that there was not one who was not fubjedt to very 
 great vices.; VichouvamiOUtren put himfelf at the 
 head of this party : but the famous Vachichten was 
 of a contrary opinion, and maintained that king 
 Arichandiren his difciple was a perfe6l prince. 
 
 Vichouvamoutren being of an imperious tem- 
 per, and impatient of contradi^ion, flew into 
 - a violent paffion, and afTured the gods that he 
 would {hew them the delects of that prince, if they 
 would abandon him. to his management. 
 
 The challenge was accepted by Vachichten, and 
 it was agreed, that he who lliould be conquered 
 fhould yield to the other, all the merit he had ac- 
 quired by a long penance. Poor king Arichan- 
 diren was the vii^lim of this difpute. Vichouva- 
 moutren put him to all kinds of tryals. He re- 
 duced him to extreme poverty, and ftript him of 
 his kingdom. He killM his only fon, and evea 
 carried off his wife Chandiraiidi, 
 
 Notwithflanding fo many calamities, the prinec 
 fi:ill perfifled in the practice of virtue, with an even- 
 nefsoffoul, of which the gods who tried him fo 
 feverely, would not have been capable -, but they 
 rewarded him v/ith great magnificence for it : they 
 cmbracedi him one after another ; and the very 
 goddeffes paid their compliments to him. They 
 reftored his wife, and raifed his fon from the dead. 
 Thus Vichouvamoutren, according to agreement, 
 yielded all his merit to Vachichten, who made a 
 prefent of it to king Arichandiren ; and he who 
 was conquered went, with regret, to begin a long 
 
 C ^ peni^nce^
 
 '22 Obfervations upon Asia,' 
 
 penance, to get, if pofTible, a frefh flock of vir- 
 tue. 
 
 The Indians tell another (lory which comes very 
 near to that of Sampfon. They fay that their god 
 Ramen one day attempted to conquer Ceylan, and 
 god as he was, could only think of the following 
 ilratagem to carry on his defign. He levied an 
 army of apes, and for a general gave them a dif- 
 tinguifhed ape whom they called Anouman. He 
 ordered the general's tail to be covered with feve- 
 ral pieces of ftuff, on which large quantities of oil 
 were poured. To this fluff he fet fire, and the ape 
 running thro' the corn, the towns and the villages, 
 burnt every thing that came in his way, fo that 
 almofl the whole ifland was reduced to aflies. Af- 
 ter fuch an expedition, the conquefl of it could 
 not be difficult •, and it was not neceffary to be a 
 god of great power in order to accomplifli his ends. 
 
 Such is the knov/ledge the Indians have had of 
 the religion of the Hebrews : and it is no lefs true, 
 that they have had a knowledge of the Chrifbian 
 religion, from the primitive times of the church. 
 It cannot be denied but that they flill preferve a 
 confufed idea of the adorable Trinity : their three 
 principal gods are Bruma, Vichnou, and Routren. 
 Mofl of the Indians indeed afHrm, that thefe are 
 three different and really feparate deities. But 
 many Maniqueuls or fpiritual men, affert that 
 thefe three gods, apparently feparate, are in reality 
 but one god, who is called Bruma, when he cre- 
 ates and exerts his omnipotence •, Yichnou, when 
 he preferves the beings created, and difpenfes 
 proofs of his bounty ; and Routren, when he de- 
 llroys cities, chaflifes the guilty, and makes the 
 effects of his jufl wrath to be felt. We muft, fay 
 fome Indian doflors, reprefent to ourfelves God 
 and his three names, which correfpond tci 
 l>is three principal attributes, nearly under 
 
 the
 
 Africa, mid America.^ 2^ 
 
 the idea of thofe triangular pyramids, ere(5ted 
 before the entries of fome churches. 
 
 All the Indians grant that God has been feveral 
 times incarnated ; and almoft the whole race afcribe 
 thefe incarnations to Vichnou, the fecond god in 
 their trinity ; and this god, according to them, 
 was never incarnated, except in quality of faviour 
 and deliverer of men. 
 
 With refpedt to facraments, the Indians fay^" 
 that bathings in certain rivers intirely efface fins, 
 and that this myflerious water not only wafhes 
 the body, but alfo purifies the foul in an admir- 
 able manner. The remains of the facrifices, and 
 the rice diftributed to be eaten in the temples, are 
 called by the Indians Parajadam, which in our lan- 
 guage fignifies Divine Grace, the meaning of the 
 Greek word EuchariiL 
 
 It is a kind of maxim among the Indians, that 
 he who fnall confefs his fin, fhall receive a par- 
 don. They celebrate a feilival every year, during 
 which they go to confefs upon the borders of a ri- 
 ver, that their fins may be entirely effaced. In the 
 famous facrifice called Ikiam, the wife of him who 
 prefides is obliged to confefs, and defcend to a 
 detail of her moil humbling vices, and even to 
 declare the number of her ffns. The Indians with 
 refpedt to this fubjed: relate the following fable. 
 
 "When Chrichnen was in the world, the famous 
 Draupadi was married to five celebrated bxothers, 
 all kings of Madura. One of thefe princes one 
 day fliot an arrow at a tree, and ftruck an admir- 
 able fruit from it. The tree belonged to a cele- 
 brated faint, and had this quality, that every 
 month it bore fruit, which gave fo much flrength 
 to him who eat it, that for the whole of the month 
 fhat fingle repaft was fuf^icient for him : but as in 
 thefe remote ages, people were more afraid of the 
 3naledi(^ion of the faints than of the gods, the five 
 
 C 4 brothers
 
 24 Ohfervatio7is upon Asia,' 
 
 brothers were afraid left the hermit lliould curfe'^, 
 them •, for which reafons they prayed to Chrichnen 
 to alTift them in fo delicate an affair. The god 
 Vichnou transformed into Chrichnen told them, as '■ 
 well as Draupadi, who was prefent, that he faw 
 no other means of repairing fo great an evil, than 
 the making an entire confelTion of all the fins of 
 their lives •, that the tree v/hofe fruit had fallen v/as,- 
 fix cubits high ; that in proportion as each of them 
 confeir;;d, the fruit would be elevated in the air to 
 the height of a cubit •, and that at the end of the 
 laft confeiTion, It v/ould be fixed to the tree as it 
 was before. 
 
 The remedy was bitter, but it was necefTa- 
 ry either to take it, or expofe themfelves to the 
 malediction of the faint. The five brothers 
 confented to declare ail. The difUculty was to en- 
 gage the v;oman to do the fame. After it became 
 neceffary to fpeak of her faults, fhe felt only an 
 inclination for fecrecy and filence. However, by 
 reprefenting to her the fatal efFed's of the maledidti- 
 on of the faint, they made her promife what they 
 had a mind. 
 
 After this alTurance, the eldeft of the princes be- 
 gan this troublefome ceremony, and made a very 
 exadl confefTion of his whole life. In proportion 
 as he fpoke the fruit afcended of itfelf, and was 
 .only elevated one cubit at the end of this firft con- 
 feflion. The four other princes followed the ex- 
 ample of their eldeft brother, by which means the 
 fame prodigy happened, that is, at the end of the 
 fifth confeftion, the fruit v/as only five cubits 
 high. 
 
 Nothing was now wanting but one cubit ; but 
 the laft effort was referved for Draupadi. After 
 a great miany ftruggles fhe began her confefiion, 
 and the fruit was gradually elevated. She faid fhe 
 Jjad done, and yet ,ihe fruit wanted half a cubic 
 
 i 
 
 I
 
 Africa^ and Am^^icjC 25 
 
 to Vejoin the iree whence it had fallen. It was- 
 evident fhe had forgot, or rather concealed fome- 
 thing. The five brothers begged her with tears in 
 their eyes, not to ruin herfelf thro' a culpable 
 fhame, and not to involve them in her misfortune. 
 Their prayers had no effe6t •, but Chrichnen com- 
 iog to their afliftance, flie declared an intentional fin 
 which fhe wanted to keep fecret. Hardly had fhe 
 fpoke till the fruit began its marvellous courfe, and 
 of its own accord fix'd itfelf on the branch where 
 it hung before. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Of the fmgidar form of the Chmejevejfels ; a de- 
 fcription of the ifands of PonghoUy and of 
 the if and of For mof a ; the manners and cuf 
 t07m of the i?ihabitants of thcfe ifands, "The 
 
 * conqueft of the if and of Formofa from the 
 Dutch hj the Chinefe. 
 
 TH E largeft Chinefe vefTels of war are from 
 one hundred and fifty to three hundred tons 
 burden. They are, properly fpeaking, but fiat 
 boats with two mafls. They do not exceed eighty 
 or ninety feet in length, and fixty or feventy in 
 breadth. The mafi:s, fails, and rigging of thefe 
 veffels are ruder than their built ; for their 
 mafls are made of trees no otherwife fafliioned, 
 than by lopping off their branches. 
 
 Thefe veflels have neither mizen-mafl, bowfprit 
 nor top-oallant-maft. All their mafl:s are the 
 main-mafl and the fore- mafl, to which they fomc- 
 times add a fmall top-gallant- mafl, which is not 
 pf great ufe. The main-maft is placed almoft 
 
 whcfc
 
 2.6 Ocfervafw72S upon AsiA^ 
 
 where we place ours, and the fore-mafl Is on th^ 
 fore-cadle.. The proportion of the one to the 
 other is generally as two to three •, and that of the 
 main-mall to the veffej, is nearly fo, being gene- 
 rally more than two thirds of the length of the 
 veflel. 
 
 Their fails are made of mats of bamboo, or a 
 kind of canes common in China, ftrengthened 
 every three feet by an horizontal rib of the fame 
 wood. At top and bottom are two pieces of wood ; 
 that above ferves as a yard ; that below made in 
 form of a plank, more than a foot broad, and 
 about fix inches thick, retains the fail, when they 
 want to hoift or furl it. Thefe veiTels are by no 
 means good failors •, however they hold more wind 
 than ours. This is owing to the ftiffnefs of their 
 fails, which do not yield to t'^^ wind. But as the 
 conftrudlion of them is not advantageous, they 
 lofe the advantage they have in this point over 
 ours. 
 
 The Chlnefe do not caulk their fhips with pitchy' 
 as in Europe. Their caulking is made of a par- 
 ticular gum, and is fo good that the vefTel is kept 
 dry by a well or two in the hold. They have as 
 yet no knowledge of the pump. Their anchors 
 are not iron, as ours, but are made of a hard and 
 weighty wood which they call iron-wood. They 
 pretend that thefe anchors are much better than 
 thofe of iron, becaufe, fay they, thofe laft are 
 fubjefl to bend, v/hich never happens to thofe of 
 wood. 
 
 They have neither pilot nor m.afler. The fleerf^ 
 men condudl the (hip, and give orders for the work- 
 ing. Hov/ever, they are pretty good failors and 
 good ccading pilots •, but very bad ones in the 
 main-fea. They fteer by that point of the compafs 
 which leads diredly to the place they are bound 
 fcr, without minding the ftocks the veflel receives* 
 
 Thia
 
 Africa, and America.^ ^f 
 
 This negligence, or rather ignorance, proceeds from 
 fheir not making long voyages^ 
 
 ji DefcriptiG7i of the ijlands of Ponghou^ and of 
 
 the ifland ofFormofa^^ 
 
 TH E iilands of Ponghou form a fmall archi- 
 pelago of thirty- fix barren iflands, which arc 
 only inhabited by a Chinefe garrifon. As thefc 
 iflands confift intirely of fand and rock, the necef- 
 faries of life muft be brought cither from Hiamen 
 or from Formofa. When the Dutch were matters 
 of the bridge of Formofa, they built a kind of 
 fort at the end of the great ifland of Ponghou up- 
 on the harbour, in order to defend its entry. This 
 harbour, tho' in an uncultivated and uninhabited 
 country, is abfolutely neceflRiry for the preferva- 
 tion of Formofa, which has no harbour that can 
 admit velfels which draw more than eight feet of 
 water. 
 
 
 
 All the ifland of Formofa is not under the go- 
 vernment of the Chinefe. It is, as it were, divid- 
 ed into two parts, eaft and wefl:, by a ridge of 
 high mountains. The eaftern part, fay the Chi- 
 nefe, is only inhabited by barbarians. The country 
 is mountainous, uncultivated, and favage. 
 
 The part of Formofa which the Chinefe poflefs, 
 certainly deferves the name it bears. The air is 
 there pure and always ferene. The country is fer- 
 tile in all kinds of grain, and watered by a great 
 many rivulets defcending from the mountains 
 which divide it from the eaftern part. The foil 
 here produces abundance of corn, rice, &c. We 
 here find moft of the Indian fruits, fuch as bananas, 
 ananas, goyaves, papayas, cocos, &c. Herealfo 
 we find peaches, apricots, figs, grapes, chefnuts^ 
 pomgranets, and melons. Tobacco and fugar
 
 5^8 Ohfervaficns upoji Asia^ 
 
 thrire very well. All the trees are (o agreeably 
 ranged, that when, the rice is tranfplanted, the 
 yaft plain of the meridional part rather refembles a 
 beautiful garden than a fimple field. 
 
 As this country has hitherto been only inhabit- 
 ed by a barbarous and uncivilized people, horfes, 
 iheep, and goats are very rare in it. But hens, 
 ducks, and geefe are found in great plenty. There 
 are alfo a great many oxen, which are ufed in- 
 itead of horfes, mules, and alTes. They back 
 them very foon, and they go as well and as faft 
 as the beft horfes. They ufe bridle, faddle, and 
 crupper, which arefometimes of great value. 
 
 Stags and apes are here very common, but 
 deer are very rare. If in this country there are 
 bears, wild boars, lions, tygers, and leopards, as 
 in China, they are only found in the mountains 
 of the eafbern part. Here there are very few birds, 
 and the moil: common are pheafants. 
 
 The Chinefe divide the territories they polTefs,' 
 m the ifland of Formofa, into three fubordinate 
 governments, which depend on the capital. This 
 capital, which is called Tai-ovan-fou may be com- 
 pared with mod of the beft and'moft populous cities 
 of China. We there find all that can be wifhed 
 for, partly by the natural produce of the ifland, 
 fuch as rice, fugar, fugar-candy, tobacco, fait, 
 venifon, fruits of all kinds, jcotton, hemp, the 
 bark of certain trees, and of a certain plant which 
 pretty much refembles a nettle, a great many me- 
 dicinal herbs, moft of which are unknown in Eu- 
 rope. Other comm.odities are imported, fuch as 
 llufFs from China and the Indies, filks, varnillies, 
 porcelains, and the different manufactures of Eu- 
 rope. 
 
 As Formofa is a very important place, and as 
 the Chinefe might excite great troubles in the em- 
 pirej if they get poiTeiTion of it, the Tartars Jceej>
 
 Africa, and America^ z§ 
 
 m it a garrifon of ten thoufand men, commanded 
 by two lieutenant-generals, two m'ajor-generals,, 
 and feveral fabaltern officers, who are changed 
 every three years, and oftener^ if there is reafoa 
 for it. 
 
 The ftreets of the capital are very regular, and 
 all covered feven or eight months of the year to 
 defend the inhabitants from the heat of the fun. 
 They are only about thirty or forty feet broad, but 
 very near a league long in fome places. They are 
 almofl all full of merchants houfes, and ihops a- 
 domed with filks, porcelains, varnillies, and other 
 merchandizes, admirably well arranged, in which 
 the Chinefe excel. Thefe ftreets appear like fo 
 inany charming galleries. The houfes are cover- 
 ed with draw, and moil of them are only built 
 of earth and bamboo, but the tents which cover 
 the ftreets, only permitting the fliops to be feen, 
 conceal the difagreeable appearance of the houfes. 
 The houfe which the Dutch built when they were 
 mafters of it, is of confiderable value. It is a 
 large houfe three ftories high, and defended by a 
 rampart of four demi-baftions. This houfe looks 
 to the point, and could, in cafe of neceflity, op- 
 pofe the landing of an enemy. 
 
 Tai-ovan-fou has neither fortification nor walls 5 
 the Tartars do not place their ftrength and cou- 
 rage in inclofures and ramparts. They love to 
 fight on horfe-back in open fields. The harbour 
 IS pretty good, and defended from all winds, but 
 the entry into it becomes daily more and more 
 difficult. Formerly there was a poffibility of en- 
 tering it in two places -, one where the largeft vef- 
 fels anchor' d eafily •, and the other, whofe bot- 
 tom is a rock, is no more than nine or ten feet 
 deep in the higheft tides. The former paflage is 
 not at prcfent navigable, and is daily fill'd up more
 
 JO Obfervatio72S upoji Asia, 
 
 and more by the fand which the fea conveys 
 to it. 
 
 The part of Formofa which is fubjed to the 
 Chinefe, is compofed of two kinds of people-, the 
 Chinefe, and the natives of the country. The in- 
 habitants of Formofa, who are fubjeds to the 
 Chincle, are divided into forty- five villages j of 
 which thirty-fix lie toward the north, and nine to- 
 ^vard the fouth. The villages towards the north 
 are pretty populous, and the houfes nearly re- 
 femble thofe of China. Thofe towards the fouth 
 are cottages built of earth and bamboo, covered 
 ■with ftraw, and raifed upon a bed three or 
 Four feet high. They are built in the form of 
 a reverfed funnel, and are fifteen, twenty, thirty, 
 or forty feet in diameter. In thefe hutts the inhabi- 
 tants have neither chairs, llools, tables, beds, nor 
 any kind of furniture. In the middle there is a 
 kind of chimney or ftove three or four feet high* 
 They generally feed upon rice, fmall grain, and 
 the animals which they catch, either by purfuing 
 them, or by killing them with their arms. They 
 run more fwiftly than the bell horfe j and this 
 fwiftnefs, fay the Chinefe, proceeds from this, 
 that till the age of fourteen or fifteen they entirely 
 fwaddle their knees and loins. For arms they have 
 a kind of javelin, which they throw feventy or 
 eighty paces with the greateft exaftnefs. Tho' no- 
 thing is more fimple than their bows and arrows, 
 yet they kill a pheafant flying as furely as we do 
 in Europe v^ith a gun. They are very flovenly in 
 their repafis, and what they hive prepared, they 
 Jay upon a piece of wood or mat, and eat it with 
 their Hngers aimofl like apes. They eat their flefli 
 half raw, and provided it has been but a liitle at 
 the fire it appears excellent to them. For a bed 
 they gather the frelh leaves of a tree which is 
 Tcry common among them* They extend them- 
 
 felvcs
 
 Africa and Am'E'ricaI r'^i 
 
 Jelves either on the ground, or on the floors of their 
 cottages, when they go to fleep. For habit they 
 have only a bit of fimple ftuff, with which they 
 cover themfelves from the middle to the knees. 
 Upon their fkins they cut many grotefque figures 
 of trees, animals and flowers. This produces fuch 
 intenfe pains, as would prove mortal if the ope- 
 ration was performed at once, but they employ 
 feveral months, and very often a whole year for 
 this purpofe. During this time they are under the 
 fevered torture, in order to gratify their propen^ 
 fity to diitinguifh themfelves from the croud ; for 
 it is not permitted to all perfons indifferently to 
 bear thefe figns of magnificence. This privilege 
 is only granted to thofe, who in the judgment of 
 the mofl confiderable men of the town have fur- 
 pafTed the refl in running or hunting. All of 
 them, however, may black their teeth, wear 
 ear-rings, and bracelets above the elbows orwrifts, 
 necklaces, and crowns of fmall beads of various 
 colours and many rows. The crown is terminat- 
 ed by a kind of tuft, compofed of the feathers of 
 a cock or pheafant, which they gather with great 
 care. 
 
 In the northern part, where the climate is not 
 fo hot, they cover themfelves with the fkins of the 
 flags which they take. Their habit has no fleeves, 
 and they wear a bonnet in form of a cylinder, and 
 made of the leaves of banana- trees. Thefe bonnets 
 they adorn with feveral crowns placed over each 
 other, and tied with fillets of different colours- 
 To the top of the bonnet they alfo fix a tuft of 
 feathers, as thofe in the fouth do. 
 
 Their marriages have nothing barbarous in 
 them. They do not buy women as at China, 
 They have no regard to the riches of each other, 
 and the parents al mofl never contract for any thing. 
 J^Yhen a young man wants to be married, and finds
 
 3"5 X)hfer^oatlo7n upon Asia^ 
 
 a woman agreeable to him, he g-^es feveral da/J 
 fuccefTively, and ferenades her before the door of 
 the houfe in which flie Hves. If the woman likes 
 him, Ihe goes out to him. They agree upon 
 their articles, and acquaint their fathers and mo- 
 thers with their intention, who prepare the wed- 
 ding feall, which is kept in the woman's houfe, 
 where the man remains without returning to his 
 father. From that time the man looks upon the 
 houfe of his father-in-law as his own, and is the 
 iupport of it. The illanders do not like male 
 children, but rather daughters, who may bring 
 them grand-children to fupport them in their 
 old age. 
 
 Tho' the iflanders are intirely fubje6b to the 
 Chinefe, they have ftill fome remains of their an- 
 cient governm.ent. Every village chufes three or 
 four of the oldeft men who have the charader of 
 probity and candour, and thefe are judges over 
 the reft. They give a final determination of all 
 differences ; and if any one refufe$ to ftand to their 
 judgment, he is forthwith banifhed out of the vil- 
 lage, without any hopes of ever returning to it, 
 and no other village dares to receive him. They 
 pay their tribute to the Chinefe in grain. To re- 
 gulate what concerns this tribute, there is in each 
 village a native of China, who learns the language 
 in order to interpret to the mandarines. But thefe 
 interpreters are mercilefs and cruel extortioners of 
 the poor people. 
 
 Among thefe iflanders, we find neither villainies, 
 nor robberies, nor procefTes. They are equitable, 
 and love each other. They are attentive to the 
 fmalleft fignal from thofe who have a right to 
 command them. They are circumfped, and ex- 
 tremely modcft in their words. 
 
 Tha*
 
 Africa, ^;?^ America. jj 
 
 Tho' Formofa is not far from China, yet th i 
 Chinefe, according to their hiftory, only began to 
 know it in 1430, when the eunuch Ovan-lan-pao 
 returning from the well, was thrown upon it by a 
 tempeft. He carried feveral plants out of it, and 
 feveral medicinal herbs, which are iliil ufed with 
 fuccefs in China. 
 
 In 1564, a fliip of the Chinefe fquadron cruif- 
 ing on the e ftern lea of China, met with a cor- 
 fair, who had taken poiTeincn of the iilands of- 
 Ponsihou, where he had left fome of his men. He 
 no fooner faw the Chinefe iliip than he made a. 
 violent attack upon her ; but after a combat of 
 five hours he was obliged to fly to the iQands of 
 Ponghou. His enerny purfued him fo clofely^. 
 that by break of day the corfair found the entry of 
 the port of Ponghou fliut up by a part of the Chi- 
 nefe fquadron, which obliged Lint-ao-kien, whiclv 
 was the corfiir's name, to moor at Formofa. The 
 Chinefe fhip took the iflands of Ponghou. Lint- 
 ao-kien maiter of Formofa ordered all its inhabi- 
 tants to be killed, and fetting fail he retired to 
 the province of Canton, where he died miler- 
 
 ably. 
 
 About the end of the year 1620, a Japonefe 
 fquadron arrived at Formofa, and made then:ifelves 
 maftersofit. About the fame time a Datch vef- 
 fel was thrown by a tempefc upon Formofa. They 
 found the Japonefe not in a condition to annoy 
 them. The country appeared beautifui to the 
 Hollanders, fays the Chinefe hillorian, and ad- 
 vantageous to their commerce. They reprefented 
 the neceflity they had of fome provifions and 
 other things to refit their veffel, which had beeri 
 much damaged by the tempeft. They begged of 
 the Japonefe, that they would permit them to 
 build a houfe on the frontiers of the iQand, w'^ich- 
 lies at one of the entries of the harbour, from 
 
 Vol. I. D which
 
 34. Ohfer'uatlons upon AsiA^ 
 
 which they might afterwards reap fome afTiftance 
 in the commerce they fhould carry on with Japan. 
 The Japonefe at firft rejeded the propofal, but 
 the Dutch infilied fo ftrongly, that they would 
 take up no more ground than could be contained 
 in an ox's fkin, that the Japonefe at lail confented. 
 The Dutch took an ox's fkin, which they cut in- 
 to fmall fhreds, and fewed to each other. With this 
 they meafured the ground they wanted, which was 
 large enough to build a fort upon. 
 
 The building of this fort rendered the Dutch 
 mailers of the port, and of the only pailage thro' 
 which large vefTels can enter into it. Perhaps tl>c 
 Japonefe knew the importance of this too late. 
 Be this as it will, whether the new fort gave them 
 umbrage, or whether they did not find this ifland, 
 as yet uncultivated, to anfwer their purpofe, they 
 foon after quitted it, and fuffered the Dutch to re- 
 main maflers of it. 
 
 At this time China was all in an uproar, part- 
 ly by the civil wars, and partly by the war it car- 
 ried on againfl the Tartars, who at lafl took it. 
 One of the Chinefe, who moil courageoudy op- 
 pofed the Tartars, was a man of fortune, whofe 
 name was Tching-tchin-cong. He, at his own 
 expence, fitted out a fmall fleet, and was foon fol- 
 lowed by a multitude of Chinefe vefTels. By this 
 means he became mafter of a very formidable 
 fleet. The Tartars offered him the di2;nitv of a 
 king if he would becom.e their friend. He re- 
 fufed the offer, but did not long enjoy his good 
 fortune. His fon whofucceeded him in the com- 
 mand of his numerous fleet, bcfieged feveral con- 
 fiderable towns, which he took, after having cut 
 to pieces the army of the Tartars which came to 
 their relief. Thefe firfl inflances of fuccefs did not 
 long continue. He was, at lail, conquered by 
 
 the
 
 Africa, ^;/^ America.' 3? 
 
 the Tartars, and abfolutely expelled out of China. 
 He then formed a defign upon Formofa, from 
 which he refolved to expel the Hollanders, in or- 
 der to eftablifh a new kingdom there. This hap- 
 pened in the year 1661. He firft made hirafelf 
 mafter of the iilands of Ponghou, then advanced 
 towards Formofa, entered the port with his fleet, 
 which confifted of nine hundred fail, and fenr a 
 body of his men on Ihore, in order to attack the 
 fort by fea and land. The fiege laded four months, 
 during which the Dutch, who were only eleven in 
 number, defended themfclves by their cannon, 
 more happily than could be expefled. Tching- 
 tchin-cong was reduced to great defpair, upon fee^ 
 ing fo much courage and refinance from this hand- 
 ful of Europeans, againd fo numerous an army as 
 his own. 
 
 As the Chlnefe had not the ufe of cannon, they 
 could not anfwer thofe of the Dutch, fo that they 
 had no hopes of reducing them but by famine, 
 which required a long time, during which they 
 could receive fupplies from their Barbary fliips, 
 or from thofe which went to trade at Japan. 
 Tching-tchin-cong knew the whole difficulty of 
 his enterprize ; but he was out of China, without 
 any hopes of ever entering it again under the Tar- 
 tars, on whom he had made war. Befides, he 
 knew that if Formofa was fhut up againd him, he 
 fhould have no expedient left to make his fortune. 
 For this reafon he determined to ufe his utmod ef- 
 forts againd the Dutch. Thefe lad had four vef- 
 fels in. the river, and had put one of their men 
 into each, with a guard of Indians. The [even 
 other Hollanders had diut themfeves up in the 
 citadel or fort of Zealand. The Chinefe captain 
 refolved to facrifice fome of his veflels which he 
 had converted into fire-fhips, and taking the ad- 
 
 D 2 vantage
 
 36 Obfervatiom upon Asia, 
 
 vantage of a violent north- eaft wind, he fent then"i 
 among the Dutch veiTels, and fucceeded beyond his 
 expedition ; for of four fhips three were burnt. 
 Upon this he demanded the Hollanders in the fort 
 to fum-nder, declaring that he would permit them 
 to retire with all their efFedls •, but that if they per- 
 fifled to defend themlelves, he would give them 
 no quarter. The Dutch who had only one fhip 
 left, voluntarily accepted the offer. They loaded 
 the fhip with all their efFeds, reftoredthe place to 
 the Chinefe, and retired. 
 
 Tching-tchin-cong at Formofa eftablifhed the 
 fame laws, cuftoms, and government with thofe 
 of China •, but he did not long enjoy his new con- 
 quefl: : for he died a year and fome months af- 
 ter he took poflelTion of his ifland. His fon 
 Tehing-tchin-cong fucceeded him, but did little 
 or nothing to cultivate the country which 
 his father had obtained for him with io much 
 care and fatigue. For a fuccelFor he left his 
 fon Tching-ke-fan very young, and under the 
 care of two officers who were intirely attached to 
 him. In the year 1682, the Tartar emperors abo- 
 lifhed the title of king of Formofa, and eftablifhed 
 a vice-roy in it. Tching-ke-fan was obliged to 
 abandon his ftates and return to Peking, w^here 
 all the favour lliewn him was to create him a 
 count. 
 
 CHAPi
 
 Africa, a^id America. 37^ 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Origin of porcelain, what the matter of it is, 
 and the manner of preparing it ; compofttion of 
 the varnifo laid upon it 5 different fpecics of 
 it ; maimer of gilding it ; ftruBure of the fur-' 
 nacesjor burning Jt ; cafes to bake tt in -, idol 
 of it ', its origin -, wherein the ancient differs 
 from the modern porcelain, &c. 
 
 TH E annals of the city of Feou-leam relate, 
 that fince the year 442, the workers in por- 
 celain have always fupplied the emperors with it, 
 and that one or two mandarines fent from the 
 court had the care of that work. 'Tis however 
 probable, that before the year 442, porcelain was 
 in ufe; and that it has been gradually brought to 
 fuch a degree of perfection as determines the rich- 
 eft Europeans to ufe it. It is not faid who was 
 the inventor of it, nor to what experiment or 
 chance we owe it. The fine porcelain, which is of 
 a bright and lively white, and of a beautiful fky 
 blue, is all brought from King-te-tching. There 
 is porcelain made in other parts •, but it is very dif- 
 ferent from this both in colour and finenefs. The 
 emperors have brought to Peking workers in por- 
 celain, and all the materials employed in making 
 it, but their work never fucceeded. King-te- 
 tching alone, has the honour of fending porcelain 
 to all the parts of the world. The Japonefe come 
 to buy it at China. King-te-tching wants nothing 
 but walls in order to make it a city. There are 
 eighteen thoufand families in it. The merchants 
 are rich, and their houfes fo large as to contain a 
 prodigious number of workmen. It is commonly
 
 3 8 Obfervatiojis upon Asia, 
 
 faid that it contains a million of inhabitants, who 
 everyday confume ten thoufand loads of rice, and 
 more than a thoufand hogs. 
 
 King-te-tching is fituated on a plain, furround- 
 ed by high mountains. That towards the eaft, 
 which flands at its back, forms a kind of femi- 
 circle externally. The mountains at the fides give 
 paffage to two rivers which meet each other. One 
 of thefeis but fmall, but the other is very large, 
 and forms a beautiful port near a league in extent, 
 in a vaft bafon, v/here it lofcs a great deal of its 
 rapidity. In this port we fometimes fee two or 
 three rov/s of fhips from one end to the oiher. 
 Such is the fpedtacle, when we enter by one of the 
 mouths into the harbour. 1 he clouds of flame 
 and fmoak which rife in different parts eafily dif- 
 cover the extent and windings of King-te-tching. 
 At night one would think he faw a whole city on 
 fire, or a great furnace with many vents. Per- 
 haps this inclofure of mountains, forms a fituation 
 proper for making porcelain. 
 
 The matter of which it is made is compofed of 
 two kinds of earth, one of which is called Petunfe 
 and the other Kaolin. This laft is intermixed with 
 corpufcles which have a kind of fplendor; but 
 the other is fimply white, and very fine to the 
 touch. At the fame time that a great number of 
 large barques afcend the river of Jaotcheou to 
 King-te-ching to be loaded with porcelain, almoft 
 as many fmall ones defcend frum Kimuen, loaded 
 with Petunfe and Kaolin, reduced to the form of 
 bricks : fcr King-te-ching produces none of the 
 materials proper for the porcelain. The Petunfes, 
 whofe grain is fo fine, are nothing elle but pieces 
 of rocks dug out of quarries, and moulded into 
 this form. All ftones are not proper for this pur- 
 pofe, otherwife it would not be neceflary to go 
 twenty or thirty leagues into the other province for 
 
 it,
 
 Africa, and America^ 39 
 
 It. The Chinefe fay, that the flone ought to be of 
 a greenifh colour. 
 
 The firft ilep of the preparation is this •, they 
 break thefe pieces of ilone with a large bar of iron, 
 after which they put the broken pieces into mor- 
 tars, and with peftles which have heads of ftone 
 covered with iron, they reduce them to a very 
 fine powder. Thefe peftles play continually either 
 by the labour of men, or by water, as the hammers 
 of our paper-mills do. After this they throw the 
 powder into a large urn full of v/ater, and flir it 
 briflcly about with an iron pcftle. When they 
 allow ic to reft fome minutes, a kind of cream, four 
 or five fingers breadth thick, floats on the furface. 
 This they take off and pour into another vefTeifull 
 of water. Thiis they feveral times agitate the wa- 
 ter of the firft urn, gathering the cream each time, 
 till there remains none but the groffer parts, which 
 fubfide to the bottom. Thefe are taken out and 
 pounded afrefli. 
 
 With refped to the fecond urn, into v/hich they 
 throw what they had colleded from the firft, they 
 wait till a kind of pafte is formed at the bottom of 
 it. When the water above this pafte appears very 
 clear, they pour it off by inclination, that they 
 may not dill:urb the fediment, and they throw this 
 pafbe into large moulds proper to dry it. Before 
 it is quite hard they divide it into fma)l fquare 
 pieces, which are foil by the hundrei^k This 
 figure and its colour have made it get the name of 
 Petunfe. 
 
 The moulds into which this pafte is thrown 
 are a kind of very large and broad cafes. The 
 bottom is filled with bricks laid cd-v/ays, fo as 
 to make the furface equal. Over this bed of bricks,, 
 thus ranged, they fpread a cloth, as large as the 
 cavity of the mould. Then they pour in th? 
 j^nattcr, which they cover with another cloth, over 
 
 D 4 W-hioJ^
 
 AO Olfcrrafioiis upon Asia, 
 
 which they place a bed of bricks laid flat on each 
 other. This is done in order to force out the 
 water the fooner, without iofing any thing of the 
 matter of the porcelain, which by becoming hard, 
 eafily receives the form of bricks. There would 
 be nothing more to be added to this labour, if the 
 Chintie were not accuftomed to alter their mer- 
 chandize j but people who roll fmall grains of 
 pafte in pepper, in order to cover them 'with 
 it, and mix them with genuine pepper, do not 
 care to fell Petunfe without mixing fome fediments 
 with it; for which reafon they are obliged to pu- 
 rify them at King-te-tching before they make ufe 
 
 pfthem. 
 
 The Kaolin which enters the compofition of the 
 porcelain, gives leis trouble than the Petunfe •, na- 
 ture has a greater hand in producing it. There 
 are mines ot it in the bofom of certain mountains, 
 which are covered internally with a reddifh earth. 
 Thefe mines are pretty deep, and contain the 
 Kaolin in lumps, which they cut into Iquares, in 
 the fam.e manner with the Petunfe. The white 
 earth of Malta, commonly called St. Paul's earth, 
 has a great refemblance to the Kaolin, tho' the for- 
 mer has not the little filver grains with which the 
 latter is interfperfed. 
 
 'Tis from the Kaolin, that the fine porcelain 
 derives all its ilrcngth. Thus it is the mixture of 
 a foft earth which gives flrength to the Petunfes, 
 which are taken from the hardefl rocks. Some 
 EngUfh and Dutch bought fome Petunfe, and 
 brought it into their own countries to rriake por- 
 celain ; but their enterprize failed, becaufe they 
 had no Kaolin. 
 
 Befides the barques loaded with Petunfe and 
 Kaolin, vv ith which the fidrts of King-te-tching are 
 covered, \ye fee others full gf a vvhitifh liquid fub-
 
 Africa, and America. 4^ 
 
 ftance •, and this is the oil, which gives the porce- 
 lain its v/hitenefs and lailre. 1 his oil or var- 
 nifli is drawn from the hardeil flone, which is not 
 furprizing, fince it is thought that flones are prin- 
 cipally iorrned of the falts and oils of the earth, 
 which mix and are intimately united wich each 
 other. 
 
 The' the fpecies of flone, of which the Pe- 
 tunfes are made, may be indiiterently ufed to 
 obtain the oil, yet they generally chufe that 
 •which is whitefb, and has the greeneft fpots. Tho* 
 the hiftory of Feu-oleam does not defctnd into a 
 detail, yet it fays, that the good flone for the oil, 
 is that which has fpots, of the colour of a cyprefs 
 leaf, or which has red marks on a brownifh ground. 
 This flone mud be firft well wafli'd, after which 
 it undergoes the fame preparations with the Pe- 
 tunfe. When they have in the fecond urn the 
 hardeft parts they could take from the firft, they 
 throw a pound of flone or mineral like alum, 
 upon a hundred pounds or thereabouts of this 
 cream. It mufl be made red by the fire, and af- 
 terwards pounded. This is, as it were, the pref- 
 fure which gives it confiflence, tho' they take care 
 to keep it always liquid. 
 
 This oil of flone is never employed alone. They 
 mix another with it, whi h is, as it were, the foul 
 of it. The compofition is as follows ♦, thev 
 take large pieces of quick-lime, on which they 
 throw a little water to diiTolve and reduce them to 
 pieces. Then they make a bed of dry fern, over 
 which ihey lay another of flak'd lime. Of thefe 
 they put feveral alternately over each other. Af^ 
 ter this they fet fire to the fern. When the whole 
 is confumed, they fpread thefe afhes on new beds 
 of dry fern. This is done five or fix times, and 
 the ofrener they do it the oil is the better. Former^ 
 ]y, lays the hillorjr of Feou-leam, belides fern they 
 
 wfe4
 
 A2 Ol]ferv{ttions tip on Asia, 
 
 ufed the wood of a tree whofe fruit is called Se-tfe. 
 li we judge of this tree by the fournefs of the fruit 
 before it is ripe, and by its fmall top, we ihould 
 take it to be a kind of medlar. 'Tis no longer 
 ufed at prefent, probably becaufe it is become too 
 fcaixe ia that country. Perhaps, 'tis for want 
 of this wood, that the prefent porcelain is not 
 fo beautiful as thofe of former times. The nature 
 of the quick-lime and fern alfo contributes to the 
 goodnefs of the oil -, and it is obfervabie, that what 
 is brought from fome parts is better than what comes 
 from others. 
 
 When they have a certain quantity of the afhes 
 ^ of quick-lime and fern, they throw them into an 
 urn full of water. Upon an hundred pounds they 
 muft diflblve one pound of Ke-kao, ftir the mix- 
 ture well, and allow it to reft, till there appear on 
 the furface acloud or cruft, which they takeoff, 
 and put into a fecond urn. This they repeat fe- 
 veral times. When a kind of pafte is formed at 
 the bottom of the fecond urn, they pour off the 
 water by inclination, and keep this liquid pafte, 
 which is the fecond oil, to be mixed with the for- 
 mer; for a juft mixture of thefe two depurated oils 
 they muft be equally thick. In order to judge of 
 this, they fevei al times plunge into each of them 
 pieces of Petunfe, by taking which out, they fee 
 upon their furface whether they are equally thick. 
 1 his is what relates to the quality of thofe two oils. 
 As for the quantity, the beft way is to mix ten 
 meafures of the oil of ftone, with one meafure of 
 the oil of quick-lime and fern. They who are 
 moft fparing never put lefs than three meafures. 
 if the merchants who fell this oil have the leaft in^ 
 clination to cheat, they can eafily augment its bulk 
 by throv/ing water into it, and adding a propor- 
 tioaat^qiKintity of Ke kao, to cover this fraud, and 
 hinder the oil from being too licjuid. 
 
 Befar?
 
 Africa, ^;/(/ America.' 4** 
 
 Before I explain the manner of applying- this oil> 
 or rather varnifh, I fhall defcribe how the porce- 
 lain is made. We (hall firft begin with the work, 
 performed in the lead frequented parts of King-ie- 
 tching. There in an inclofure of walls, they build 
 vafl: piles, where we fee one (lory above another a 
 prodigious number of earthen urns. In this inclo- 
 fure live and work an incredible number of la- 
 bourers, each of whom has his tafk fet him. Be- 
 fore a piece of porcelain is taken out of this to be 
 carried to the furnace, it pafles thro' more thaa 
 twenty hands, and that without confufion. They 
 have no doubt found that by this means the work 
 is much more quickly carried on. 
 
 The firll labour confifls in purifying again the 
 Petunfe and the Kaolin from the dregs which re- 
 main in them when they arc fold. They bruifc 
 the Petunfe and throw it into an urn full of water. 
 Then they dilTolve it by ftirring it about with a 
 large fpatula. They let it reft fome moments, 
 and take off what fwims on the furface, and fo of 
 the reft, in the manner above explained. 
 
 As for the pieces of Kaolin, it is not neceflary 
 to break them. They only put them into a balket, 
 which they immerfe into an urn full of water. 
 The Kaolin is eafily diffolv'd of itfelf ; there ge- 
 nerally remains a fediment, which muft be throwa 
 away. In a year's time the dregs are accumulated,, 
 and form great heaps of white find feparated from 
 the Kaolin. Thus prepared there muft be a juft 
 mixture of them. For fine porcelain, they put in 
 as much Kaolin as Petunfe ; for ordinary porce- 
 lain they put four parts of Kaolin to fix of Pe- 
 tunfe. The leaft they ever put are five parts of 
 Kaolin to three of Petunfe. 
 
 After this firft operation they throw this mafs 
 into a large cavity well paved and cemented every 
 
 3 where.
 
 44 phfervatiom upon Asia, 
 
 where. Then they tread upon it and knead it till 
 it becomes thick. 
 
 From this mafs thus prepared, they take diffe- 
 rent pieces, which they extend upon large dates. On 
 thefe they knead and form, them into all different 
 ihapes, taking care that there be no flaws in it, 
 nor no mixtures of extraneous bodies ♦, for a hair, 
 or a grain of fa nd, v/ould fpoil the whole work ; 
 for want of rightly managing this mafs, the por- 
 celain fplits, cracks and warps. *Tis from thefe 
 firft elements, that we have fo many beautiful 
 works of porcelain, fome of which are made on 
 the wheel, others are only made upon moulds, 
 and afterwards perfeded by the chifTel. 
 
 All the plain or fmooth works are made in the 
 former manner. A cup, for example, when it 
 comes off the wheel, is no more than a kind of 
 imperfed: cavity, almofl like the crown of a hat 
 before it is formed on the block. The workman 
 iirft gives it the diameter and height he wants, 
 and it comes out of his hands" almoil as foon as he 
 has begun ; for he has only three farthings Englifli 
 money for a flielf, and every fhelf contains twen- 
 ty-fix pieces. The foot of the cup is at that time 
 only a piece of earth of the bulk and diameter 
 which it ought to be of, and which is hollowed out 
 with the chiffel, when the cup is dry, and has 
 acquired confiilency •, that is, after it has received 
 ^11 its ornaments. This cup, on coming from the 
 wheel is firfc received by another workman, who 
 places it upon its bottom. A little after it is given 
 to a third, who applies it to its mould, and gives 
 it the fame figure. This mould is a kind of turning 
 wheel. A fourth polifhes this cup with the chiffel, 
 efpecially near the Jips, to render it thin and tranf- 
 parent. He fcrapes it feveral times, moiftening 
 \t fk JUUp with v/ater^ if it is too dry, left it fliould 
 
 break.
 
 Africa, and America. 4^ 
 
 break. When the cup is taken cfF the mould, it 
 niufl be rolled gently on the fame mould, with- 
 out prcfling more on one fide than another, with- 
 out which there will either be flaws in ir, or it will 
 warp. It is furprifing to fee with what fpeed one 
 of thefe cups pafTes thro' fo many different hands. 
 Some fay that a piece of porcelain has pafTed thro' 
 the hands of feventy workmen. 
 
 The large pieces of porcelain are made at two 
 different times. One half is raifed on the wheel 
 by three or four men, who fupport it, each on 
 the fide next to him, to give it its figure. The 
 other half being almoft dry is applied to it, and 
 united with it by the matter of the porcelain di- 
 luted in water, which ferves as a kind of mortar 
 or cement. When thefe pieces, thus united, are in- 
 tirely dry, they with a knife fcrape the internal 
 and external fides of the part where the union was, 
 which by means of the varnifh with which they 
 cover it, becomes equal to the reft. 'Tis in this 
 manner that they apply handles, ears, and other 
 ornaments to veffels. This principally regards the 
 porcelain made upon moulds or by the hands, 
 llich as ribbed pieces, or fuch as are of a whimfi- 
 cal figure •, fuch as animals, idols, or bufts, which 
 the Europeans befpeak, and other things of a 
 fimilar nature. Thefe kinds of moulded works 
 are made in three or four pieces, which they join 
 to each other, and afterwards perfed: with inftru- 
 ments proper to hollow, poliih, and repair the dif- 
 ferent parts which had efcaped the mould. As 
 for their flowers and other ornaments which are 
 not raifed, but, as it were, engraved, they are ap- 
 plied to the porcelain with feals and moulds. They 
 alfo apply raifed work, prepared almoft in the 
 (kme manner that gold lace is fewed on a coat. 
 
 Z Wlut
 
 46 Obfervations upon Asia, 
 
 What follows relates to thefe kinds of moulds. 
 When they have the model of the piece of por- 
 celain which is wanted, and which cannot be imi- 
 tated on the wheel by the hands of the workman, 
 they apply over the model, earth proper tor the 
 moulds. This earth receives the impreflion, and 
 the mould is made of feveral pieces, each of which 
 is pretty large. They fuffer the miOuld to become 
 hard, when the figure is imprinted on it. When 
 they want to ufe it, they place it near the fire for 
 fome time, after which they fill it with porcelain, 
 in proportion to the thicknefs they v/ant to give 
 it ; they prefs with their hands on all parts, and 
 then for a moment prefent the mould to the fire. 
 The imprinted figure is forthwith detached from 
 the mould by the adion of the fire, which a little 
 confumes the humidity which glewM this matter to 
 the mould. The different pieces of the whole 
 drawn feparately are afterwards re-united, with the 
 fomewhat liquid matter of the porcelain. In 
 this manner they make the figures of animals^ 
 which are all folid. They leave this mafs to 
 harden, give it the figure propofed, perfect it 
 with the chififel, or add the parts formed feparate- 
 ly. Thefe kinds of works are made with great 
 care and pains. When the work is finifiied they 
 lay on the varnifii and bake it. Then, if they 
 pleafe, they paint it of various colours and gild it. 
 Then they bake it a fecond time. Pieces of por- 
 celain thus finifhed, are fold extremely dear. All 
 thefe works ought to be defended from the cold ; 
 humidity makes them fplitwhen they are not dried 
 equally, for which reafon they fometim.es keep 
 fires in thefe laboratories. 
 
 Thefe moulds are made of a fat yellow earth, 
 which is found in a place near King-te-tching. 
 This earth is kneaded, and when it is well united, 
 
 and
 
 Africa, and America. 
 
 and become a little hard, they take a quantity of ic 
 neceflary for the mould, and beat it ftrongly. 
 When they have given it the defired figure, they 
 dry it, and form it on the wheel. This kind of 
 work is Ibid dear. In order fpeedily to anlwer a 
 commiffion, they make a great quantity of moulds, 
 that vafl numbers of labourers may be employed 
 at once. If thefe moulds are taken care of, they 
 laft a long time. A merchant who has them ready 
 for the porcelain works befpoke by an European, 
 may fell his commodity better, and make a much 
 more confiderable gain than another, who fliould 
 have them to make. If thefe moulds fhould hap- 
 pen to crack or have their iurfaces fplintered, they 
 are no longer of any fervice, except tor porcelain 
 of the fame figure but of a fmaller fize. 
 
 In this cafe they put them on the v/heel and 
 fmooth them, that they may ferve a fecond time. 
 
 They often embeliiQi their porcelain by making 
 it pafs thro' the hands of painters, who are not 
 much richer than the other workmen. At this we 
 need not be aftonifned, fmce except a few of thep*}, 
 they would only pafs in Europe for apprentices, 
 who had been fome months at the bufmefn. The 
 whole fcience of thefe, and of the Chinefe painters 
 in general, is founded upon no principle, and on^. 
 iy confifts in following a certain beaten track, af- 
 fifted with a narrow and confin'd imagination. 
 They are ignorant of all the beautiful rules of this 
 art. We muft however confefs, that they paint 
 flowers, animals, and landfKips, which are admired 
 on the porcelain, as v/ell as on fcreens, and the 
 window-blinds of fine gauze. 
 
 The painting is divided in the fame laboratory 
 among a great number of hands. One only forms 
 the firil coloured circle near the edges of the 
 china. The other traces the flowers, which -a third 
 
 paints.
 
 48 Obfcrvafmis upon Asia, 
 
 paints. One is for rivers a id mountains, anotfisr' 
 for birds, and others for animals. Human figures 
 are generally mod mangled by them. Certain 
 landlkips and plans of cities illuminated, carried 
 from Europe to China, hardly afford us the li- 
 berty of laughing at the Chinefe method of paint^ 
 
 ing. 
 
 As for the colours of the Chinefe painting, they 
 are of all forts. The mod common in Europe is 
 of a lively blue on a white ground. There are 
 fome in which this gtound refembles that of a 
 burning glafs. Some are intirely red, and among 
 thefe fome are coloured in oil, v/hiie others are of 
 a blown red, and intermixed wi.h fmall points 
 almoil like our water colours. When thefe two 
 works fucceed to their perfefiiion, which they 
 rarely do, they are accounted extremely valuable, 
 and are fold at a great price. 
 
 There are fome porcelains in which the land- 
 fldps are formed of a mixture of almoil all forts 
 of colours heightened by the gilding. Thefe are 
 very beautiful when of the right kind, but the or- 
 dinary porcelain of this fort, is not comparable to 
 that painted with azure alone. 
 
 The annals of King te-tching fay, that formerly 
 the meaner people only ufed white porcelain. 
 This probably happened, becaufe they had not 
 * in the neighbourhood of Jao-tcheou found a lefs 
 valuable azure than that us'd for the finefl porce- 
 lain, which is brought far and fold dear. 
 
 'Tis faid that a merchant who dealt in porcelain 
 being fhipwreck'd on adefart coaft, found there much 
 greater riches than he had loft. As he wandered 
 on the coaft, while the crew were building a fmall 
 bark of the wrecks of the ftiip, he perceived that 
 the ftones proper for the moft beautiful azure 
 were very common there. He brought a large 
 
 cargo
 
 Africa, ^W America, 49 
 
 cargo with him, and it is faid that by this means 
 there was never fo beautiful an azure feen at King- 
 te-tching. The Chinefe merchant in vainatten:pt- 
 ed to find that coaft again, on which he had been 
 thrown by chance. 
 
 The azure is prepared in the following manner. 
 They bury it in gravel, which is about half a foot 
 high in the furnace ; here they bake it twenty- 
 four hours. Then they reduce it to an impalpable 
 powder as well as the other colours, not upon 
 marble, but in large porcelain mortars, whofe bot- 
 toms are without varnifli, as well as the peftles 
 employed to pound it. 
 
 The red colour is produced with copperas. They 
 put a pound of copperas in a crucible^ which 
 they lute with another crucible, in thefuperior end 
 of which is a fecond aperture, which is covered ia 
 fuch a manner, that it may be eafily uncovered^ 
 if neceflity requires. They furround the whole with 
 a large char-coal fire ; and that they may have the 
 flronger reverberation of the heat, they indole the 
 whole with bricks. So long as the fmoke rifes very 
 black, the matter is not duly prepared. But as foon 
 as a fmall, fine and fubtil cloud arifes, it is fuffici- 
 ently done. Then they take a little of this matter, 
 dilute it in water, and make tryal of it upon a 
 piece of board. If a beautiful red is produced by 
 it, they remove the fire which furrounds it, and in 
 part covers the crucible. When the whole is cold 
 they find a fmall cake of this red at the bottom of 
 the crucible: but the bcfl red adheres to the fupe- 
 rior part cf it. A pound of copperas yields 
 four ounces of the red, with which they paint the 
 porcelain. 
 
 Tho' the porcelain is naturally white^ and ren- 
 dered ftiil more fo by the varnifh, yet there are 
 certain figures for which they apply a particulac 
 white upon the porcelain^ v/hich is painted of fe- 
 veral colours. This white is made of the powder 
 
 Vol, I. K of
 
 t© ' Obfer'Vatio7u upon Asia, 
 
 of tranfparent flints, which is calcin'd in the fur- 
 nace^ in the fame manner as the azure. To half 
 an ounce of this powder they add an ounce of ce- 
 rufs pulverized. For example, to make the green, 
 to one ounce of cerufs, and half an ounce of the 
 powder of flints, they add three ounces of what 
 they call Tom-hoa-prien, which, according to all 
 appearances, are the finefl: fcorii3£ of copper reduc- 
 ed to powder. 
 
 The prepared green becomes the matter of the 
 violet, which is made by adding a proper quanti- 
 ty of white. They add more of the prepared 
 green, in proportion as they want the violet more 
 deep. The yellow is made by taking feven drams 
 of prepared white, to which they add three drams- 
 of copperas. All the colours laid upon the porce- 
 lain already bak'd, 'after they are varnifhed, do not 
 appear green, violet, red, or yellow, till they are 
 baked a fecond time. Thefe difl^erent colours, 
 fays the Chinefe book, are applied with cerufs, 
 faltpetre, and copperas. Some fay that they only 
 employ cerufs, which is mixed with the colour^ 
 when they diffolve it in gum-water. 
 
 The red colour in oil is produced by mixing the 
 red Tom-lou-hum, or even the red I have men- 
 tioned, with the ordinary oil of porcelain, and 
 another oil made of white flints, in the fame man- 
 ner with the flrfl; fpecies of oil. Several trials dif- 
 cover the particular quantity of each to be ufed. 
 Then they leave the porcelain to dry, and bake it 
 in the ordinary furnace. If, after the baking, the 
 red comes out pure and fparkling, without the 
 leafl: fl:ain, they have then attained to the perfec- 
 tion of the art. Thefe kinds of porcelains do not 
 found when they are fliruck. 
 
 The other fpecies of blown red is made thus : 
 they have the red prepared ; they take a pipe, of 
 v?hich the apertures ^ covered vath fmc gauze. 
 
 ^^ They
 
 AJ^RicA, a72d America. >i 
 
 They gently apply the loA-erend of the pipe to the 
 colour laid on the gauze, after which they blow 
 into the pipe againft the porcelain, which is by 
 that mtrans beautified with red fpots. This fort of 
 poicelain is fliil dearer and rarer tLin the preced- 
 ing becaule the produflion of it is more aifricult, 
 if the v/orkman obferves all the requifite propor- 
 tions. 
 
 The black porcelain has alfo its beauty and va- 
 lue. It is called Oumien. The black is leaded, 
 and refembles that of our burning glaiTes. The gold 
 laid upon it renders it ftill more agreeable. They 
 give this black colour to the porcelain when it is 
 dry ; and for this purpofe, they mix an ounce of 
 azure with feven ounces of the ordinary oil of 
 ftone. Trials exa6lly teach the proportions of this 
 mixture, according to the deeper or fainter colour 
 they intend to give to the porcelain. When' this 
 Colour is dry, they bake the porcelain, after which 
 they lay on the gold and bake it again in a parti- 
 cular furnace 
 
 There is alfo a kind of porcelain made, which ex- 
 ternally is all pierced like pinking. In the middle is a 
 cup proper to contain the liquor. The cup how- 
 ever is but one fubftance with the pinked work* 
 There are other porcelains on which the Chineie or 
 Tartar ladies are painted to the life. The drapery, 
 the complexion, and the features are all preferved. 
 At a diftance thefe works are taken for enamel. 
 
 It is to be obfei ved, that when they lay no 
 other oil on the porcelain than that of white flints, 
 this porcelain is of a particular fpecies,and is called 
 Tfou-tchi. It is all marbled and croiTed in all direc- 
 tions, with an infinite nuin-ber of veins. At a dillance 
 one would take it for broken porcelain, the whole 
 of whofe pieces remaiiied in their places, fo that 
 it refembles Mofaic work. The colour which this 
 
 E 2 oil
 
 1^ >Z Obfervation j ztpcn A s i a,' 
 
 oil gives Is a white fomevvhat cineritious. If the 
 porcelain is all azured, and if they lay this oil orr 
 it, it will appear both cut and marbled when the 
 colour is dry. 
 
 When they apply the gold they pound it, and 
 diflblve it in the bottom of a porcelain velTel till 
 they fee under the water a fmall canopy of gold. 
 They fuffer it to dry, and when they want to ufe 
 it, they diffolve a fufficient quantity of it in gum- 
 water. With thirty parts of gold they incorporate 
 three parts of cerufs, and lay it on the porcelain 
 in the fame manner with the other colours. 
 
 There is alfo a fpecies of porcelain made in the 
 following manner. They give it the ordinary 
 varnilh and bake ity then paint it with different 
 colours and bake it again. They fometimes de- 
 fignedly delay the painting till after the firft 
 baking. Sometimes alfo they have recourfe to the 
 fecond baking, to conceal the faults of the porce- 
 lain, by applying colours to the defecftive places. 
 This porcelain which is full of colouring, is agree- 
 able to the talle of a great many people. It gene- 
 rally happens that we feel inequalities on this fort 
 of porcelain, and thefe have been neceflfary either 
 to fupply the Ihades of the painting, or cover the 
 defeds of the porcelain. When the painting is-' 
 dry, as well as the gilding, if there is any, they 
 make piles of the porcelain, and putting the fmall 
 into the large veiTels, place them in the fur*' 
 nace, 
 
 Thefe furnaces may be of iron when they are 
 fmall, but geneially they are of earth. Some of 
 them are as high as a man, and almoft as wide as- 
 one of our largefl hogfheads for v/ine. They are 
 made of feveral pieces, of the fame matter with the 
 cafes for the porcelain. They are large pieces 
 about an inch thick^ a foot high, and a foot and
 
 Africa, ^;i<:/ America.' 53 
 
 STi half long. Before they bake them they give 
 them a figure proper for becoming round. They 
 are placed over each other and well cemented. 
 The bottom of the furnace is raifed about a foot 
 and an half above the ground, and placed upon 
 two or three rows of thick, but not very broad 
 bricks. Round the tiirnace is a well-built inclofure 
 of bricks, which at its bottom has two or three air- 
 holes, which ferve as bellov/s to the fire. This 
 inclofure is a foot and an half diftant from the fur- 
 nace, except in three or four places which are 
 filled up, and ferve as fuppojts to the furnace. 
 They at the fame time remove the furnace and the 
 inclofure, without which the furnace cannot fland. 
 They fill the furnace with the porcelain they want 
 to bake, a fecond time, piling the fmall hito the 
 large vefTels. When this is done they cover the 
 mouth of the furnace v/ith pieces like thofe of 
 which its fides are built. Thefe pieces, whofe edges 
 are laid over each other^ are clofely united with 
 mortar, or a kneaded earth fit for that purpofe. 
 They only leave an aperture in the middle, in or- 
 der to obferve when the porcelain is bak'd. They 
 afterwards kindle a quantity of coals under the 
 furnace. They alfo kindle coals on the covering, 
 whence they throw the aflies into the fpaces be- 
 tween the inclofure of bricks and the furnace. 
 The aperture in the top of the furnace is covered 
 with a piece of 2 broken pot. When the fire is burn- 
 ing, they now and then look thro' this aperture, 
 ■and when the porcelain appears to be fhining and 
 p!iinted with brifl^ and lively colours, they remove 
 the fire and take out the porcelain. 
 
 There may naturally arife a thought concerning the 
 colours which are incorporated with porcelain al- 
 ready bak*d and varnifiied with cerufs^ to which, 
 according to the annals of Feou-leam, they added 
 
 E 3 ' fah*
 
 54 Obfervafzons upcji Asia,^ 
 
 ^altpctre and copperas. If we cmploy'd cerufs in 
 ^he colours with which we paint the fqiiares of 
 giafs, and afterwards give them a fecond kind of 
 baking, might not this cerufs reftore to us the an* 
 cient fccret of painting glafs without deftroying 
 any thing of its tranfparency ? but this is only to 
 be judged of by experience. 
 
 The: Chinefe had formerly the art o^ painting 
 on the fides of porcelain vefTels, fifn and other 
 animals which were only perceptible when the 
 vtfL^l was full of fome liquor. They call this fpe- 
 cies Kia-tfin, that is, azure, is put in prefs, on ac- 
 count of the manner in which the azure is laid on. 
 This is all that is retained of this fecret. Perhaps 
 in Europe we may conjecture at what the Chinefe 
 are ignorant of. The porcelain to be painted thus 
 ought to be very thin. When it is dry we ought 
 to apply a pretty faint colour, not externally, as is 
 ufual, but within on the fides. They paint 
 fifh as moft proper to appear when the cup is 
 filled with water, When the colour is once 
 dry they lay over it a flight bed of flrong but 
 fine glue, made of the fame earth as porcelain. 
 This bed inclofes the azure between thefe two la- 
 mincs of earth. When the bed is dry they lay 
 the varnifh on the infide of the porcelain. Some- 
 time after they put it on the mould and wheel. 
 As it has received a body in the infide, they 
 render it externally as Qender as pofiible, without 
 penetrating to the colour. Then we muft put the 
 outfide of the porcelain into the varnifh ; arid when 
 the v/hole is dry they bake it in the comn:ioa 
 iurnace. This labour is extremely nice, and re- 
 quirts a dexterity of which the Chinefe are no 
 longer mailers. They are, however, every now 
 and then trying to recover the art of this magical 
 painting •, but to no purpofe.
 
 Africa, ^^W America? 55 
 
 Be this as it will, we may at prefent fay, that 
 the beautiful azure appears again upoa the porce- 
 lain, after having difappeared for fome time. 
 -When it is firll applied, it is of a p.ilifli black co- 
 lour. When it is dry and has received the varnifh, 
 it is totally eclipfed, and the porcelain appears 
 white. The colours are then buried under the 
 varnifh. The iire makes them blow, almofl in the 
 fame manner, as the natural heat brings out the 
 mod beautiful butterflies with all their variety of 
 colours. It is to be obferved, that before the var- 
 nifh is laid upon the porcelain, it is to be polifhed, 
 and its irregularities removed. For this purpofe 
 they ufe a pencil made of very fine feathers, which 
 they moiflen a little with water, and pafs every 
 where with a gentle hand. 
 
 Befides, there is great art in the manner of lay- 
 ing the varnifli on the porcelain, both in putting 
 on a fufficient quantity, and fpreading it equally on 
 all parts. To very thin and flender porcelain they 
 give, at two different times, two flight beds of var- 
 niQi •, for if thefe beds v/ere too thick, the weak, 
 fides of the cup would not bear them, but bend 
 immediately. Thefe tv;o beds are as good as an 
 ordinary varnifh, which they give the fine and 
 flrong china. They lay on the one by im- 
 preflion, and the other by immerfion. At firfl 
 they take the cup in one hand on the out-fide,, 
 and holding it floppingly over the urn where the 
 varnifh is, they with the other throw as much in- 
 to it as is futTicient to varnifh it every where. 
 This is done fuccefTively to a vaft number of cups. 
 When they are dry within, they varnifli the out- 
 fi-ie in the following manner : they hold one hand 
 on the cup, and fupporting it with a fmall flick 
 under the middle of its bottom, they plunge it in- 
 to the vefTelfull of varnilh, and immediately cake 
 k out, 
 
 E 4 'TU
 
 1 6 Cbfervations up07t Asia^ 
 
 'Tis to be remembered that the foot of the cup 
 remains folid. 'n a word, it is not till it has re- 
 ceived the varnilh ancl becomes dry, that they put 
 it upon the wheel to hollow the bottom, after which 
 they paint upon it a fmali circle, and often a Chinefe 
 letter. When this painting is dry they varniili the 
 cavity they have made under the cup •, and this is 
 the laft hand put to it, fince it is forthwith carried 
 from the laboratory to the furnace to be baked. 
 
 It is furprifing that a man fhould keep in an 
 equilibrium upon his fhoulders, two long and 
 narrow planks on which the porcelain is ranged •, 
 and that he iliould thus pafs thro' feveral very 
 populous ftreets without breaking the ware. 'Tis 
 true people avoid him carefully j for they would 
 be obliged to repair the lofs done. But it is afto- 
 nidiing that the porter himfelf fhould fo well re- 
 gulate his fteps, and all the motions of his body, 
 as to lofe nothing of his equilibrium. 
 
 The place where the furnaces are, prefents us 
 with another fcene, In a kind of area or entry 
 before each furnace we fee heans of cafes deflined 
 to contain the porcelain. Every piece of porce- 
 lain, however coarfe, as well thofe which have 
 lids, as thofe which have not, has its cafe, 
 Thefe lids are but weakly attached to the lov/er 
 part in baking, and are eafiiy difengaged by a 
 fmall ftroke which they give them. As for the 
 fmall porcelain ware, fuch as tea and chocolate 
 cups, they have a cafe common to many of them. 
 The workman in this imitates nature, who, in or- 
 der to concod and maturate fruits includes them 
 under a common covering, that the heat of the fun 
 may only penetrate them gradually ; and that his 
 internal adion miay not be too much interrupted 
 by the external air during the cold damps of the 
 night. 
 
 X Thef^
 
 Africa, ^;2^ America.^ ^J 
 
 Thefe cafes have in the infide a kind of bed of 
 fund, which is covered with the powder of Kao- 
 lin, that the fand may not adhere too much to the 
 foot of the cup, which is placed upon this bed, 
 after having prelTed it and given it the figure of 
 the porcelain, which does not touch the fides of 
 the cafe. The mouth of the cafe has no covering. 
 A fecond cafe of the figure of the firft, furniflied 
 in like manner with porcelain, is fo fitted into it, 
 as to cover it intirely, without touching the por- 
 celain below. In this manner they fill the fur- 
 nace with large piles of earthen cafes all furnifhed 
 with porcelain. By means of thofe thick coverings, 
 the beauty, and if we may ufe the exprefTion, the 
 complexion of the porcelain is not exhaled by the 
 fire. 
 
 With refpe6l to the fmall pieces of porcelain, 
 which are contained in large round cafes, each of 
 which is placed upon a fupporter of earth about 
 the thicknefs of two crowns, and as wide as its 
 foot. The bottoms of thefe are alfo covered with 
 the powder of Kaolin. When thefe cafes are large 
 they put no porcelain in the middle, becaufe it 
 would be too far from the fides, by which means 
 the cafe being deflitute of due flrength would 
 break and fall down, which endangers the whole 
 pile. We mufl obferve that thefe cafes are the 
 third of a foot in height, and fome of them are not 
 bak'd no more than the porcelain. However, they 
 intirely fill thofe which have been already baked, 
 and are flill fit for ufe. 
 
 We mufl not forget the manner in which the 
 porcelain is put into thefe cafes. The workman 
 does not touch it immediately with his hands \ for 
 by that means he might either break it, or produce 
 irregularities in it. He draws it from off the 
 plate by means of a fmall cord. This cord is 
 
 fixed
 
 r8 OhfervatioJis upon Asia, 
 
 fixed at one end to two fomewhat crooked 
 branches of a fork of wood which he takes in one 
 hand, while with the other he hokis the two ends 
 of the cord crolTed and open, according to the 
 bulk of the porcelain. In this manner he fur- 
 rounds it, raifes it gently, and places it on the 
 fmall pedeflal in the cafe. All this is done with 
 incredible expedition. 
 
 We have already obferved, that the bottom of 
 the furnace was covered with a bed of gravel a foot 
 and an half thick. This gravel is defigned for the 
 more fecurely placing the piles of porcelain, whofe 
 rows which are in the middle of the furnace are at 
 lead feven foot high. The two cafes at the foot 
 of each pile are empty, becaufe the fire does not 
 a6t fufficiently below, and becaufe they are in 
 fome meafure covered by the gravel : for the 
 fame reafon the cafe placed at the top of the pile 
 is left empty. In this manner they fill the whole 
 furnace, leaving no vacuity, except at the place 
 -which is immediately under the vent. 
 
 In the middle of the furnace they place the piles 
 of the finefl porcelain. At the bottom fuch as 
 are coarfer \ iind at the entry fuch as are of a 
 deeper colour, which are compofed of an equal 
 quantity ofPetunfe and Kaolin, and on which 
 they have laid a varnifli made of the ftone wdiich 
 has fpots a little black or . red, becaufe that oil 
 has a flrongcr body than the other. All thefe 
 piles are placed very near each other, and united 
 below, above, and at the m.iddle, v/ith fome pieces 
 of earth which they apply to them, in fuch 
 a manner, however, that the fiame has a free 
 pafTage to infinuate itfelf equally on all fides. 
 This depends on the eye and dexterity of the 
 workman, and is abfolutely necelTary to fuc- 
 . ceed in his attempt, and avoid certain accidents 
 
 nearly
 
 Africa, aiid America." 59 
 
 nearly fiinilar to thoi'e which arife from ob{lrU(5lions 
 in the animal body. 
 
 All earths are not proper for the cafes which 
 contain the porcelain. There are three forts ufed. 
 The one is yellow and very common. It is ufed 
 in the greatefl quantity, and conftitutes the bafe. 
 The ether* is called Laotu, that is, a flrong earth. 
 The third, which is an oleous earth, is called Yeou- 
 tou. Thefe two laft earths are in the winter time 
 taken from very deep mines, where it is not pof- 
 fible to work during the fummer. \^ they were 
 mixed in equal quantities, which would colt a little 
 more, the cafes would laft longer. They bring 
 thefe earths, ready prepared, from a large village 
 at the foot of the river, about a league from King- 
 te-tchin. Before they are bak'dthey are yellowiili, 
 but v/hen baked they are of a dark red colour. As 
 the workers are very fparing they put in moft of 
 the yellow earth, which is the reafon why the 
 cafts do not laft above two or three bakings, after 
 which they fplit altogether. If they are but (light- 
 ly fplit, they tie them round with a band of oliers; 
 the band is burntj but the cafe ferves for that time 
 without doing any harm to the porcelain. They 
 muft not fill a furnace v/ith new cafes which have 
 not been ufed before. The half of them muft be 
 fuch as have been baked before. Thefe are placed 
 at top and at bottom. In the middle of the piles 
 they place fuch as are new-made. Formerly, ac- 
 cording to the hiftory of Fou-leam, all the cafes 
 were bak'd feparately in a furnace, before they 
 were ufed for baking the porcelain, no doubt, be- 
 caufe at that time they had lefs regard to the cx- 
 pence than to the perfection of the work. It is 
 not fo at prefent, becaufe the workers in porce- 
 jUin are multiplied to an incredible number.
 
 €o Obfervaf'iGJis upon AsiA,^ 
 
 We fhall now confider the ftruclure of the fur- 
 naces. They are placed at the bottom of a pretty 
 long entry, which ferves as a bellows to them, and 
 is of the fame ufe as the arch of the glafs-founders. 
 The furnaces are, at prefent, larger than they were 
 fome ages ago, fince in former times, accord- 
 ing to the Chinefe book, they were only fix 
 foot in heighth and breadth. At prefent they 
 are two fathoms high, and almoft four fathoms 
 broad. The arch, as well as the body of the 
 furnace, is pretty thick, that they may be able 
 to walk upon it without being incommoded by 
 the fire. This arch, in the infide, is neither fiat 
 nor formed into a point, but runs flanting, and 
 grows narrower in proportion as it approaches the 
 great vent, which is at the extremity, and thro* 
 ■which the flames and fmoke are difcharged. Be- 
 (ides this vent the furnace has in its top five fmall 
 apertures, which are, as it were, the eyes of it. 
 They cover them with fome broken pots, in 
 fuch a manner however, that they afTift the air 
 and fire of the furnace. 'Tis by thefe eyes that 
 they judge whether the porcelain is baked. 
 They uncover the eye which is a little before 
 the great vent, and with an iron tongs open one 
 of the cafes. The porcelain is enough baked, 
 when there is a clear fire in the furnace, when 
 all the cafes are red hot, and when the colours 
 are clear and bright. Then they difcontinue the 
 fire and clofe up the door of the furnace for 
 fome time. The furnace has a deep fire all over 
 it. They pafs over a plank into the cavity 
 of the furnace, in order to range the porcelain. 
 "When they have kindled the fire they forthwith 
 iliut the door, leaving in it an aperture necefTa- 
 ry to throw in pieces of wood, a foot long but 
 very fmall. They firll heat the furnace for a 
 
 day
 
 Africa, ami Ami^rica] 6l 
 
 day and a night. Then two men, who relieve 
 each other, conftantly throw wood into it. For 
 one baking they generally burn fourfcore loads. 
 To judge of this matter, by what tht Chinefe book 
 fays, that quantity cannot be fufficient. In it we 
 are afliired that they burned two hundred and for- 
 ty loads for this purpofe, and twenty more if the 
 weather was rainy, tho' at that time the furnaces 
 were fmaller by one half, than thofe us'd at pre- 
 fent. They at firfb kept up a gentle fire in them for 
 feven days and feven nights, and on the eighth day 
 they made a very ftrong fire. It is to be obferv- 
 ed, that at this time the cafes of the fmall porce- 
 lain were baked apart, before they were put into 
 the furnace. It mufb alio be owned, that the 
 ancient porcelain had more fubilance than the 
 modern. 
 
 The old workers alfo obfervecl one thing which 
 is neglei5led at prefent. When there was no more 
 fire in the furnace, they did not open the doer 
 till after ten days for large porcelain, nor till 
 after fivt days for the fmall. At prefent indeed 
 they delay opening the door and taking out the 
 large porcelain for fome days -, for without this 
 precaution they would fpiit. But for the fmall, 
 if the fire has been extinguilhed in the evening, they 
 take them out the next day. The defign is pro- 
 bably to fpare wood for the next baking. As the 
 porcelain is exceflively hot, the workman, in or- 
 der to lay hold of it, ufes long flings hung about 
 his neck. 
 
 After having in one day burnt a hundred and 
 fourfcore loads of wood in the entry of the fur- 
 nace, it is furprifing that the next day no allies 
 ihould be found. They who attend thefe furnaces 
 mud be well accuftomed to the fire. 'Tis faid 
 they put (ah into their tea, that they may drink 
 
 a3
 
 6z Obfer'vaticjis upon AslA^ 
 
 as much of it as they pleafc, without being tfre 
 woile. But it is eafy to comprehend how this 
 I'altcd liquor allays their thirft. 
 
 After what has been faid, it is not furprifing 
 that porcelain fliould be fo dear in Europe, \t 
 is aKo to be obferved, that befidcs the great gain 
 of the European merchants, and that which their 
 Chinefe ccmmiffioners make of them, it is rare 
 that a baking fucceeds intirely •, that often the 
 whole is loft, and that on opening the furnace they 
 find the porcelains and cafes reduced to a mafs as 
 hard as a rock ; and too great a liie, or ill-tem- 
 pered cafes, may deflroy the whole; that it is not 
 eafy to regulate the fire which ought to be applied; 
 that the nature of the weather infrantaneoufly 
 changes the adion of the fire, the quality of the fub- 
 je6t on which it afts, and that of the wood which 
 fupports it. Thus for ore workman who becomes 
 rich, there are an hundred others who ruin them- 
 felves, and tempt fortune, from the hopes they 
 haveofamaiTing wherewithail to fet up a merchant's 
 fhop. 
 
 Befides, the porcelain tranfported into Europe 
 is^ almoft all made upon new models, which are 
 often whimHcal, and in which it is difBcult to fuc- 
 ceed. Provided it has but the fmallefl fault it is 
 diOiked by the Europeans, who will have nothing 
 but what is perfe6l ; for this reafon it remains in 
 the hands of the w^orkmen, who cannot fell it to 
 the Chinefe, becaufe it is not agreeable to their 
 taiie : it is therefore necefiary, that the pieces 
 fold fhould defray the expence of fuch as are re- 
 jected. 
 
 According to the hiuory of King-te-tchin, the 
 gain formerly arifing from porcelain was much great- 
 er than at prefent. This can hardly be believed ; for 
 there was not at that time fo great a vent for por- 
 
 celaia
 
 Africa, ^;/t7 America."" 6-t 
 
 Celain In Europe. This happens bccaufe the living 
 is at prefent dearer than before ; becaufe the woo^ 
 in the neighbouring mountains being exhaufted, 
 they are obliged to bring it a great way, and at a 
 vaft expence •, becaufe the profit is divided among 
 fo many different perfons •, and lafbly, becaufe the 
 workmen are Icfs fkilful than they were in former 
 times, and confcquently lefs fure in fucceeding. 
 This may alfo proceed from the avarice of the 
 mandarins, who employing a great many work- 
 men, make rich prefents to their protedors at 
 court, and pay the labourers ill, which are fufH- 
 cient reafons why the merchandize Ihould be dear, 
 and the merchant poor. 
 
 The difBculty. of imitating certain models (tnl 
 from Europe, is one of the circumftances which 
 augment the price of porcelain; for all the work- 
 men cannot labour upon all the models fent from 
 foreign countries. Some of them are impoffible 
 to be imitated in China, juft as fome of their 
 work furprize ftrangers, and are thought impof- 
 fible to be done. The following are fome examples 
 of this. We there fee a large porcelain lanthorn, 
 thro' which a flambeau enhghtens a whole room. 
 This work had been befpoke by the hereditary 
 prince, who alfo befpoke feveral mufical inftru- 
 ments, and among the reft a kind of fmall organ 
 called T-fcng, which is near a foot high, and 
 compofed of fourteen pipes, whofe melody is very 
 agreeable. I'hey alfo fucceed perfe6lly in flutes, 
 flagelots, and another inftrument called Yun-lo, 
 which is compofed of feveral fmall round and 
 fomewhat concave plates, each of which has a 
 particular found. They fufpend nine of them in 
 a fquare which correfponds to different llages, 
 which are touched with Ificks like the drum. 
 
 There
 
 64 ObferiTit ions' upon Asia, 
 
 There is a fmall chime which agrees with the found 
 of other inflruments, and the voice of muficians. 
 It is necelfary, they fay, to make a great many 
 experiments, in order to difcover the thicknefs and 
 the degree of baking proper for the tones necelfary 
 for harmony. We may perhaps imagine, that the 
 Chinefe have for this purpofe the fecret of incor- 
 porating a little metal in the body of thefe porce- 
 lains to vary their founds. But metal is fo httle capa- 
 ble of being united with porcelain, that if a copper 
 farthing was put on the top of a pile of porcelain 
 placed in the furnace, this farthing being melted, 
 would penetrate all the cafes and all the porcelains 
 of the pile, fo that each of them would have a hole 
 in its bottom. Nothing better fliewswhat motion 
 the fire gives to every thing included in the furnace; 
 for the workmen affure us, that every thing there 
 is, as it were, fluid and fluduating. 
 
 To return to fuch of the Chinefe works as are 
 curious, they fucceed principally in grotefque 
 pieces and the figures of animals. The workmen 
 make ducks and tortoifes which float upon the 
 water. They make cats painted in the natural 
 manner, which upon their head carry a fmall 
 lamp, the flame of which formaS the two eyes of 
 the animal. By this means the rats are frighted 
 in the night time. They alfo make a great many 
 ilatues of Kouan-in, a goddefs celebrated in Chi- 
 na. They reprefent her holding an infant in her 
 arms, and fl^ie is invok'd by barren women who 
 v/ant to have children. She may be compared to 
 the antique ftatues which we have of Venus and^ 
 Diana, with this difference, that the ftatues of 
 Kouan-in are very modeft. 
 
 There is another kind of porcelain, the making 
 of which is very difficult, fo that it is very un- 
 common. The body of this porcelain is extreme- 
 ly
 
 Africa, ami America. ■ 65 
 
 ly thin, and its furface very even, both v/lthin and 
 without. It has mouldings however in it, groupes 
 of flowers,- for example, and other fimilar orna* 
 ments. U is made in the following manner : 
 when it is taken off the wheel, they put it on a 
 mould on which the figures are engraved, and 
 thefe are imprinted on the infide. Externally they 
 render it as fine and fmooth as poffible, working it 
 with the chifiel, after which they varniih it and 
 bake it irr the ordinary furnace. 
 
 The European merchants fometimes defire the 
 Chinefe workmen to give them plates of china for 
 tables, the feats of chairs, or the frames of pic- 
 tures : but thefe cannot be had. The largeil and 
 longed plates are about a foot fquare. li they are 
 made larger, let them be as thick as they will, 
 they warp. For this reafon, inflead of making thefe 
 plates thick, they make them with two furfaces 
 which they unite, leaving the infide hollow. la 
 the two fi.des they make two apertures, to encha(e 
 them in joyners work or in the backs of chairs, 
 where they make an agreeable appearance. 
 
 The hiitory of King-te-tchin fpeaks of feveral 
 works ordered by the emperors, which they ia 
 vain attempted to make. The grandfather of this 
 preient emperor befpoke urns almoO: of the fame 
 figure with thofe pots in which we put orange- 
 trees. Thefe urns he wanted to contain fmall 
 red, gold, and filver-coloured fifh, which are 
 accounted curiofities. Perhaps he alfo kitended to 
 bath in thefe vefTels ;■ for they were to have been 
 three feet and an half in diameter, and two feet 
 and an half hi^h. The bottom was to have been 
 half a foot thick,- and the f>des were to have been 
 the third of a foot in thicknefs. The workmen 
 laboured three years fucceffively at thefe veffels, 
 and made two hundred, none of which fucceed- 
 YoL.L F ed,
 
 66 Obfe'rvatio7is upon Asia, 
 
 ed. The fame emperor ordered plates for the 
 porch of an open gallery. Every plate was to be 
 three feet high, two feet and an half broad, and 
 half a foot thick. All thefe things, fay the annab- 
 of King-te-tchin,- could nor be made, for which 
 reafon the mandarines of that province petitioned 
 the emperor to have the work difcontinued. 
 
 As every profelFion has its idol ; and as divinity is= 
 there as eafily communicated as the quality of count 
 or marquis in Europe, it is not furprizing that 
 there fhould be a god of porcelain. The Poufa, 
 which is the name of this idol, owes its origin to 
 thefe defigns v/hich the workmen cannot execute. 
 'Tis faid that formerly an emperor would abfo- 
 lutely have porcelain upon a model which he gave* 
 It was feveral times reprefented to him, that the 
 thing was impoffible ^ but all thefe remonilrances^ 
 only ferved to excite his curiofity. The emperors, 
 during their lives, are the mofl formidable deities 
 in China, and they often believe that nothing, 
 ought to oppofe their defires. The officers there- 
 fore redoubled their care, and ufed all manner of 
 rigour to the workmen, Thefe unfortunate crea- 
 tures fpent their money, took a great deal of 
 trouble, and only received blows. One of them 
 in a fit of defpair, threw himfelf into a burning 
 furnace, and was confumed in an inftant. The por- 
 celain, as is faid, baked in that furnace, came out 
 perfectly beautiful, and agreeable to the tafte of the 
 emperor, who demanded no more fince that time. 
 That unfortunate man pafs'd for a hero, and after- 
 wards became the idol which prefides over works 
 of porcelain. 
 
 As porcelain has htQn in great eileem for fo^ 
 many ages, perhaps the reader may want to 
 know wherein that of former times differs from- 
 the prefent, and what the judgment of the Chi- 
 
 nefe
 
 Africa, ^W America. 67 
 
 nefe Is in this particular. It is not to be doubted 
 but China has its antiquaries, who are prepolTeiTed 
 in favour of their ancient works. Tho* the Chinefe 
 are certainly admirers of antiquity, yet fome of 
 them ftand up in defence of the modern work. 
 But the porcelain does nor, like old medals, give 
 us an acquaintance with remote times. The old 
 porcelain may be adorned with fome Chinefe cha- 
 radlers, which, however, denote no point of hif- 
 tory ; fo that the curious find nothing in it but 
 the tafte and colours to make them prefer it to 
 that of the prcfent days. 'Tis faid in Europe that 
 porcelain muft be long buried in the earth, before it 
 arrives at its perfedlion. This is a falfe opinion, at 
 which the Chinefe laugh. The hiftory of Ki;ig-te- 
 tchin, fpeaking of the moft beautiful porcelain of 
 former times, fays, that it was fo much fougiic 
 after, that the furnace was hardly opened, till the 
 merchants were difputing with each other who 
 fhould have the iirft parcel. This by no mean3 
 fuppofes that it was buried in the earth. 
 
 'Tis true, in diojo-ins; in the ruins oi old build- 
 ings, and efpecially in cleaning old wells, there arei 
 fometimes beautiful pieces of china found, which 
 have been hid during revolutions in the (late. This 
 porcelain is beautiful^ becaufe the natives only hid 
 what v/as valuable, that they might find it again^ 
 when the troubles were at an end. If it is efteem- 
 cdi it is not becaufe it has acquired any new de- 
 gree of beauty in the earth, but becaufe it has re- 
 tained its ancient beauty ; and this alone is of great 
 importance in China, where they give large funis 
 for the fmalleft veflels, which were ufed under the 
 emperors Yan and Chun, who reigned many ages 
 before the dynafty of Tang, at which time porce- 
 lain began to be ufed by the emperors. All that 
 porcelain acquires by lying long in the earth, i» 
 
 F z fome
 
 68 Obfervat'ions upon Asia, 
 
 fome change in its colouring or complexion, whicli 
 fhevvs that it is old. The lame happens to marble 
 and ivory, but more fpeedily, becaufe the varnifli 
 hinders the moiflure from infmuating itfelf fo eafi- 
 ly into the porcelain. 
 
 According to the annals of King-te-tchin, there 
 were formerly urns fold at fifty-eight or fifty-nine 
 taels, which amount to more than eighty crowns. 
 What an immenfe fum mull thefe have been- worth 
 in Europe ? The book fays, that there was 2i 
 furnace built on purpofe for each of thefe urns, 
 and that no expence was fpared on them. 
 
 Certain mandarins, to their protedtors at court 
 make prefents of old porcelain, which they have 
 the talent of makng themfelves -, that is, they have 
 found the art of imitating ancient porcelain, or 
 at leafh fuch as is pretty old. The matter of thefe 
 falfe Kou-tongs, or counterfeit antiques, is a yel- 
 low earth found near King-te-tchin. A plate of 
 this earth weighs as much as ten porcelain ones of 
 the fame fize. There is nothing particular in 
 making this kind of porcelain, if not that they 
 give it a varnifli made of yellow ftone mixed 
 with ordinary oil, which prevails moil in the 
 compofition. This mixture gives the porcelain a 
 fea- green colour. When it is baked, they throw 
 it into a very rich broth of fowls and other visu- 
 als, in which it is boil'd. After this they put it 
 into the filthieft fink they can find, and there leave 
 it a month or more. When it comes out of this 
 (ink it pafifes for three or four hundred years old, or 
 at lead, as old as the dynaily of Ming, when the 
 porcelain of this colour and thicknefs was- much 
 efteemed at court. Thefe fpurious antiques like- 
 wife refemble the genuine ones in- this,, tliat when 
 they are ftr-uck, they do not found, and when 
 they are applied to the ear, they produce no hum- 
 
 ming nolle. 
 
 TU
 
 Africa, and America^ (fl^d 
 
 The natives of China are a'lmoft as curious 
 about glalTes and cryftals which come from Eu- 
 rope, as the Europeans arc of the Chinefe porce- 
 lains ; but whatever edeem the Chinefe have for 
 our commodities of this kind, they do not crofs 
 the feas for European glalFes, finding their own 
 porcelainof more ufe, becaufe it bears hot liquors. 
 A perfon may hold a cup of boiling tea without 
 burning himfelf, if he knows how to take ic in the 
 Cliinefe manner ; which cannot be done with a 
 filver cup of the fame thicknefs and fize. Porce- 
 lain has its fplendor as well as glafs, and the lefs 
 tranfparent, the lefs brittle it is. What happens 
 to newly-made glafs, alfo happens to porcelain, 
 which excellently denotes a nearly fimilar conftitu- 
 ,tion of parts. Good porcelain has a clear found 
 like glafs i and if glafs is cut with a diamond, this 
 laft is alfo ufed for joining pieces of broken por- 
 celain ; and this conftitutes a particular trade in 
 China. The natives ufe a diamond like a needle 
 •to make fmall holes in the body of the porcelain, 
 thro' which they put a flender piece of tin weir ; 
 and by that means render the porcelain fit for ufe, 
 when at the fame time the place where it wa^ 
 broken is hardly obfervable» 
 
 F ^ CHAP.
 
 f^^ Obfervatio7is upon AsiAi 
 
 C H A P. V. 
 
 Whether the tradition: of China derive their 
 origin from Egypt. Whether the conquejls of 
 Se jo/iris have been carried as far as China, 
 ^he difference of the Egyptian hieroglyphics 
 
 • and the Chine fe charaBers, Whether there 
 are fiavcs in China, The origin of the far 
 tnoiis fe/iival of lanthorns, Caufe of the fre^ 
 fluent famines and burnings in China. 
 
 iOme aflert that inoH: of the Chinefe traditions 
 derive their origin from Egypt, and found 
 their aiTertion on the hillor/ which informs us that 
 Scfoftris fjubJued the nations on the other fide the 
 Ganges, and advanced as far as the main ocean •, that 
 he might therefore have gone to China, and have 
 eftablilhed fome colonies there •, and that this con- 
 jedure may be confirmed, by an enumeration of 
 feveral Chinefe cuiloms, almoft entirely conform- 
 able to thofe of the Egyptians. 
 
 The hiftorical facts which feem to deftroy thi$ 
 conjedure are briefly thofe : Sefoflris the conque- 
 ror reigned about fifteen centuries before Chriil, 
 It appears pretty certain that he waged war againft 
 the Aflyrians and Scythians, and that he fubdued 
 Phoenicia, Syria, and almoflall Afia Minor. The 
 Greek hiflorians inform us. that he was not nine years 
 abfent from his Hates, and that he interrupted his 
 conqueilis in order to return to theni, becaufe his bro- 
 ther Armais, to whom hehadentruftedthe govern- 
 ment, wanted to take poiTefuon of the throne. 
 But is it equally certain that he carried his con- 
 quefls as far as the Ganges, and that he there fub- 
 d'4::d the nationsj which he could not do till after 
 
 the
 
 Africa, ayid America. 71 
 
 the expeditions we have related ; that from the 
 Ganges he palled to China, there eflabHfhed co- 
 lonies, and erected pillars as monuments of his 
 vidlories., as we are told he every where did, and 
 afterwards returned to Eg\ pt to expel his brother ? 
 If all this is not impoflible, it is at ieaft very hard 
 to be believed ; for at that time the paflage from 
 the Indies to China, v/as much more impradlicable 
 than it is at prefent, efpecially for an army. It is 
 very uncertain whether the towns of Bochara and 
 Samarcand, fo ufeful to the caravans, exifted at 
 that time *, and whether there were other fimilar 
 places of refrefiiment for merchants and travel- 
 lers. 
 
 Perhaps it may be faid, that Sefoilris only fent 
 a detachment of his army into China, to inform 
 -themfelves of the nature of the country, and the 
 chara6ler of the inhabitants. But at that time, 
 and even before, the entry of China was forbidden 
 to all flrangers, except ambafladors, who were on- 
 ly admitted with a fmall retinue. The Chinefe 
 treated them well, made prefents to them, and 
 fent them back to their frontiers, attended by 
 a crowd of people, without fuffering any of them 
 to remain in China, or fettle in it ; and this cuf- 
 tom is ftill obferved to all people. 
 
 Shall we fay that Sefoflris, whom nothing refifl:- 
 ed, and who thought himfelf mafter of the world, 
 humbled himfelf fo far as to fend an ambaffador to 
 China, fuppofing he knew it ? Would he not ra- 
 ther have formed a defign of entering it as a con- 
 queror ; and would he not have imagined that the 
 Chinefe would give him as little trouble as the 
 Indians ? Of this we have not a word in the Chi- 
 .nefe hiftory, tho' it fpeaks of the irruptions which 
 'Jiave been made by -feme more neighbouring na- 
 •tions^ among whom there might be fome ligyp- 
 
 F 4 tiai:^
 
 '^2 ' ufon Asia, 
 
 tianb caia .. ; s probable, that at this 
 
 time the Fgypti..;)S aiic Chineie had no knowledge 
 of each other ; anu that each of thefe two natibns 
 thought its own empire the firft, or rather the 
 only one in the world. 
 
 The fimilar cuftoms of the two nations are only 
 probabiUties, which when compared feem to deflroy 
 each othen 
 
 We fz^c, fay feme people, hieroglyphics in both 
 nations. There is the fame divifion of tribes in 
 China as in Egypt, the fame attachment to ancient 
 cuftoms, the fame refpedl to parents and old peo- 
 ple, and the fame love for the fciences, efpecially 
 aftronomy. The feftival of lanthorns in China, 
 that of lamps in Egypt, the metempfychofis, and 
 perhaps the perpetuity of trades, fay they, are ail 
 circ'jmftances which prove a communication be- 
 tween thefe two empires. 
 
 It muft be confeiTed that this parallel is at fir ft 
 view fomewhat ftriking. and favours the commu- 
 nication now mentioned. However, if we exa- 
 mine matters narrowly and circumftantially, we 
 fhall find that it does not prove the point intend- 
 ed. Let us begin with the hieroglyphics. 
 
 Thefe, according to the two Greek words of 
 which the namiC is compounded, f gnify no moce 
 than certain facred fymbols or figures, by which 
 the Egyptians ufed to reprefent the tenets of 
 their religion and morality. Thefe were admired 
 and greatly extolled by the Greeks. In imitation 
 of the Greeks, many Europeans feeing them en- 
 graved on beautiful pillars, have the more eafiiy 
 believed, that there was fome latent miyftery in 
 them which they could not comprehend. 
 
 If, in thefe days when China was not known, 
 \ve had acciden'^aily got an infcription in Chinefe 
 charadersj perhaps thefe charaflers would have
 
 Africa, and America.^ yx 
 
 been equally admir'd, and fome one or other of 
 the literati, a fet of men who pretend to be i2;Qo- 
 rant of nothing, would have given a defcription of 
 it in his own manner. 
 
 Were the hieroglyphics of Egypt immoveable ? 
 Was the meaning reprefented by them {o iix'd that 
 it could not be changed, but always fignified the 
 fame thing? Were there no hieroglyphics but for 
 the myfteries of religion ? Were there not aHo 
 fome appropriated to ordinary ufes ? When did 
 the Egyptians begin to have them ? Thefe are all 
 quefhions of which we are ignorant, but which yet 
 ought to be known, before we can tell which qf 
 thefe two nations had the advantage of the dif- 
 coveries of the other. 
 
 The Chinefe characters are but improperly 
 hieroglyphics, and have not been inftituted for re- 
 ligious more than other ufes. They are arbitrary 
 figns, which give us the idea of a thing, not by 
 any relation they have with the thing figniiied, but 
 becaufe it was intended that fuch a fign fhould fior- 
 xiify luch a thing, without any regard to the found ; 
 fo that the different nations who afterwards ufed 
 the Chinefe characters, as the Japonefe, theCoreans, 
 and the Tongkinefe, read them with the founds of 
 their own particular languages, and affix the famc^ 
 ideas to them as the Chinefe do. 
 
 Thefe figns are fo arbitrary, that often jJieir 
 number of flrokes may be changed, and their ex- 
 ternal connguration altered, without producing 
 any variation in the meaning and idea affix'd to 
 them. Is this the cafe with the hieroglyphics of 
 the Egyptians ? Do the neighbouring nations ufe 
 them? Had they any of them for all the ufes of 
 civil life ? Could the fame hieroglyphic have 
 different fenfes according as it was differently ufed 
 in difcourfe, as happens to the Chinefe cha- 
 racters ? ' 
 
 The
 
 *j3ip Obfervaticm upon Asia, 
 
 TheChinefe characflers were invented by Tfang.- 
 kiai, who lived two thoufand years before Chrift. 
 Did the Egyptian hieroglyphics fubfift at this time? 
 The only conjedure we can drav/ from circum- 
 llances, is that the Egyptians and Chinefe having 
 iaid the foundations of two great monarchies^ 
 inud have had occafion for figns and charadlers to 
 write their laws and govern the people, and that 
 •each monarchy mufl have invented fome of its 
 own. It was not neceffary far this purpofe that 
 they fhould communicate with each other. Do we 
 not often fee new inventions appear, almoft at the 
 lame time^ in different parts of Europe? 
 
 As for the perpetuity of trades, it never took 
 place in China. On the contrary, there are very 
 few Chinefe who like to learn the trades of their 
 fathers, and never any thing but neceffity conftrains 
 them to it. As foon as they are mailers of a little 
 money, they commence mer-chants, and fome of 
 them even attempt to become petty mandarins. 
 
 Neither ought the metempfychofis to enter into 
 the parallel, fmce it is a dodrine of later times^ 
 which has always been unknown in China •, and 
 when attempts have been made to introduce it, it 
 has conflantly been rejetfled and anathematifed, as 
 3. kind of peililence imported from the Indies. The 
 learned Chinefe have wrote numberlefs book^ 
 againtl the abettors of this dodrine, which how- 
 ever has fpread confiderably, efpecially among the 
 vulgar. We ever}'' where fee nothing but bonzes 
 and pa2ods., which the prefent emperor has multi- 
 plicG flill more than his predecefibrs. 
 
 Let us proceed to the Haves or tribes faid to be 
 at China. The following are the only circum-- 
 ilances which could give rife to this error. 
 
 There are in China perfons who are infamous^ 
 j:Ot originally, but by the profeifion they exercife;., 
 
 Thefc
 
 Africa, mid America. y^ 
 
 Thefe cannot be received as mandarins, and the 
 people contrad no alliances with them ; fuch are 
 the comedians who play upon the public theatres ; 
 the miniflers of debauchery \ the corrupters of 
 youth ; jailors •, and thofe who in courts baflinadc 
 criminals, when the fentence of the judge orders 
 it. Thefe people are not particular cantons. 'Tis 
 mifery, and not birth, which engages them in thefe 
 fhameful profefTions, and their defcendants may 
 forfake them^ when they have wherewithal to live 
 honourably. 
 
 There is ftill another kind of infamous people, 
 whom they call To-min. Thefe are only found in 
 the province of Tchekiang, efpecialjyin the town 
 of Chao-hiing, where they are obliged to live in a 
 flreet by themfclves. They are only permitted to 
 carry on the lovvell and mod ignoble kind of bu- 
 finefs, fuch as that of felling frogs and fugar'd 
 cakes to children, and playing on the trumpet be- 
 fore the dead, when they are carried to the grave. 
 They are precluded from going to examinations, 
 in order to take any higher degrees. When hard 
 tafks are impofed on the people of the town, they 
 make thefe poor creatures perform them, becaufe 
 every one has a right to ufe them ill with impunity. 
 None of the reft of the people contract alliances 
 with them." Their wives have particular marks on 
 their Halls to diftinguifh them from others. They 
 iire the only pcrfons who treat of marriages, and 
 have accefs to the ladies who have either fons or 
 daughters to difpofe of in marriage. They accom- 
 pany the fpoufe when flie goes to the hufband's 
 houfe. On this occafion they gain more or lefs 
 in proportion to their dexterity in concealing from 
 the two parties (v;ho never fee each other till the 
 wedding-day) thefe faults which are not perceived 
 
 ^£ liril llo-ht, 
 
 *Tis
 
 jr6 Ohfej'vations upon Asja^ 
 
 'Tis true^that in all this there isfome appearance 
 .•of flavery, and people have been fo much the 
 more eafily deceived in this refpedt, becaufe the 
 Chriftians of that city will not admit to baptifm 
 the To-min, whom they look upon as an infamous 
 fct of people, and with whom they will have no 
 . converfation. However, there is no abfolute flave- 
 ry in this, if we will but be at the pains to examine 
 into the origin of this matter; for all agree, and 
 even .the inhabitants of the town of Koo-hing, that 
 thefe To-min are the defcendants of the principal 
 nobility who lived near the end of the dynafty of the 
 Songs, whom theGuers deftroy'd ;and becaufe thefe 
 nobility gave the conquerors the greateft trouble, 
 and refus'd fubje^lion, fuch of them as furviv- 
 ed the flaughter were condemn'd to live in Chao- 
 hing, and in the mortifying flate in which they 
 have remained fmce the beginning of the reign of 
 Yong-tching, who in a declaration v/hich he 
 made againft lb odious a ftatute, decreed, that the 
 To-min fhould be looked upon as his other fub- 
 jed:3 \ that they might be examined and take de- 
 crees, in order to enjoy places, if any of them 
 were capable of fo doing. 
 
 This order was published every where, and met 
 with no oppofition except from the literati of Chao- 
 hing, who cruelly made a part of their glory to 
 confiil in the oppreffion of thefe miferable creatures. 
 They oppofed the favo.ur which w^as to be fhewn 
 them., and went in a tumultuous manner to make 
 their complaints .to the governor of the town, who 
 found himfelf in great perplexity •, for when the re 
 is a mutiny among the people, the governor is furc 
 to be divefted of his authority, as a man who w^ants 
 abilities to govern. He was upon his guard, how- 
 ever, and hit upon a ftratagem which fucceeded. 
 He fumTnoned the chiefs of the To-min before 
 
 hi$
 
 Afriga, a?id America.' 77 
 
 his tribunal, and in magnificent terms reprcfented 
 to them the clemency of the emperor, and then^ 
 ^dded of his own accord, that there were condi- 
 tions annexed to this bounty, the firft of which was, 
 that they fhould no longer exercife their ordinary 
 profellion. Upon this the poor creatures cried 
 out, that in order to honour them they wanted to 
 make them die of hunger ;. fince they had no other 
 means of fubfifting. Difficulties were ftarted on 
 each fide, and both feparated without coming to 
 any conclufion. After this the richer fort of the 
 To-min quitted Chao-hing, and fettled elfewhere. 
 Some of them came to Peking and bore offices. 
 The reft gradually delivered themfelves from this 
 flavcry. 
 
 Another clafs of people, whom they call Kankia, 
 is not much lefs contemptible. Thefe are the men 
 who from the provinces bring to the capital, barks 
 loaded with rice for the imperial magazines. The 
 emperors Yuen firft made this canal to tranfporc 
 rice and other thing.s by water for the fervice of 
 the court. They looked upon the management of 
 thefe barks as a hard and laborious employment, 
 and therefore fubjeded thofe to it, who for perfonal 
 crimes had been condemned to banifhm.ent. Some 
 were made captains of the barks, and others com- 
 mon failors. They put them into thefe barks with 
 their whole families, and they have no other houfe, 
 whether the bark fails or lies at anchor. They 
 are furnifhed with rice and every thing ne- 
 eeffary for their fubfiftence. Many of them be- 
 came rich, becaufe without paying either freight 
 or duty, they put into their barks a great many 
 commodities on their own account which they fold 
 at Peking. This pradice lafted till it was prohi- 
 bited to take on board, either for themfelves 07 
 Others, above an hundred weight, the cudom of 
 
 which
 
 yS OhfervLitloJis upon Asia, 
 
 which they paid three or four times before they 
 arrived at Peking. Thus the favour granted to 
 them as well as the others, of being examined, 
 coils them dear, becaufe being poorer than before, 
 they cannot fupport their children till they obtain 
 ibme degree. 
 
 This is, no doubt, what has given occafion to 
 fay that there were ciailes of flaves in China : but 
 if it was fo, we might in like manner fay thatper^ 
 fons condemned to the gal lies, or to exile, conili- 
 tute particular bodies of flaves. The reil of the 
 Chinefe have always been divided into men of let* 
 ters, foldiers, merchants, and tradefmen, as in 
 other countries. 
 
 We now come to conlider the feafl of lantkorns, ^o 
 famous in China, and which may be compared with 
 that held at Sais, from which it feems to have deriv* 
 cd its origin ; for the Chinefe feafl is much more 
 recent, at leaft in point of fame, than that of 
 Egypt recorded by Herodotus. The feaft of 
 lanthorns was inilituted to congratulate the empe- 
 rors, and afford the people a fpedacle in the be- 
 ginning of each year. A Chinefe author fpeaks 
 of it in the following manner : 
 
 Under the emperor Youi-tcng of the dynafly of 
 Tang, a certain man whofe narae was Poto afk'd 
 leave to light a hundred thoufand lanthorns in 
 the night, on the 15th of the firfl moon. The 
 emperor came out of his palace to be witnefs 
 to the fpedacle ; and that the people might have 
 the fame diverfion, he ordered that the ports 
 fhould not be fhut the whole night, and declared 
 that every one mio;ht walk thro' all the flreets 
 without any fear of being arrefled.^ In the fame book 
 it is faid, that in the Year ofChrifl 95o,the empire be- 
 ing in a profound peace and the crop plentiful, the 
 emperor decreed that the feafl fhould lafl till the 
 
 iStb
 
 Africa, aiid America. 7^ 
 
 iSthof the fame month, in order to divert the 
 Jkerati and the people ; but after him thefe diver- 
 fions were reduced to three days. This feaft is ac- 
 compaF^ied with feveral pieces of fire- works. 
 
 The fame author adds, that under the dynally 
 of the Ycheou, they lighted lamps at the facri- 
 fices offered to the Chan-bi, and that in the dy- 
 nafty of Han when the fed of To had penetrat- 
 ed into the palace of the emperor, this prince or- 
 dered lanthorns to be lighted, to render it more 
 famous. 
 
 There is another book which fays, that under' 
 the dynafty of the Teheou, which lafted more than 
 eight centuries, ar^ emperor whofe name is not 
 mentioned, on the 1 9th of the firft moon permit- 
 ted people to come abroad into the ftreets in the 
 night •, that is to fay, continues the author, they 
 iighted laathorn-s. 
 
 This is all we 'and concerning the feaft of lant- 
 horns. Tho' it is very old at China, it neverthe- 
 lefs appears that it has not been celebrated under 
 Youi-tfong. Let the world after this judge v^ he- 
 ther the Chinele or Egyptians had this feafl fi^fl. 
 
 As for the other refemblances found, between ih^ 
 two nations ; fuch as their inviolable attachment 
 to ancient cuftoms, the refpe(5i: paid to- parents, 
 the laws, and old people, the love of arts and fci- 
 cnces \ we may reafonably think of them in tlic 
 following manner *. 
 
 Before the difperfron of the nations, the three 
 fbns of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, h^d. 
 learnt from their father, at lead by verbal inftruc- 
 tion, what related to the fciences, and the doc- 
 trine of morals, not to mention' the knowledge 
 they might receive before the deluge from thofe 
 who were elder, fmce they were married hcfoicc 
 they entered into the ark> Noah, no doubt, con- 
 tinued'
 
 So Ohfervations upon Asia, 
 
 tinued to inflrufl them. If he had incHned to fa- 
 vour one more than another, he would not havd 
 made choice of Cham, that wicked and accurfed 
 fon from whom the Egyptians fprung, but rather 
 of Shem and Japheth, who were bleffed of the 
 Lord. This laft and his defcendants foon forgot 
 the inftruflions they received •, but it was not {o 
 -with the defcendants of Shem who peopled China. 
 They foon formed a great empire, which they at- 
 tempted to govern as if it had been a fingle fami- 
 ly. This was the means of perpetuating the im- 
 portant rules relating to morality and the other 
 fciences, which they had received from their an- 
 ceflors. 
 
 The Egyptians were alfo among the fiff^, or if 
 , we can believe them, abfolutely the firfl who form- 
 ed an empire and cultivated the fciences. They 
 fucceeded better than the Chinefe, becaufe, per- 
 haps, they had finer geniufes and greater applica- 
 tion to fludy. But after all, it may be faid, that 
 the Egyptians and Chinefe, without having any 
 communication fince their feparation, refemble 
 each other in a great many things, each having 
 improved their flock drawn from the fame fource» 
 according to their diverfity of genius, which is ge- 
 nerally very different among brothers^ and ftill 
 more among their defcendants. 
 
 But it is aftonifhing that people fhould com- 
 pare the Chinefe with the Egyptians, in point of 
 their refpe6t to their parents and old people. Thefe 
 lafl mufl therefore have had a great horror at of- 
 fences committed againft their parents. The dif- 
 ference at prefent between thefe two nations, is, 
 that in one this love of parents is almofl extind, 
 •whereas in the other it fubfifts in full force. What 
 is now become of the Ee:vDtian5 r Where are 
 their hws> their fciences^ and cuflonis ? Nothing 
 
 no\s*
 
 Africa^ and Awerjca. Sj 
 
 iiow remains of their grandeur, but fome ruins and 
 fome fhattered pillars with their infcriptions. Their 
 conquerors have deflroyed every thing, becaufe 
 their kingdom was neither large nor populous 
 enough to ftop the courfe of their conquefts. 
 
 China, for a quite contrary reafon, being feve- 
 ral times conquered, has reduced its conquerorFj 
 by fubjedling them to its own cuftoms, and has lo 
 changed them, that in a fhort time they we-e no 
 longer known for ftrangers. The conquerors ot 
 this nation have never been able to alter either its 
 charader or language. They have not fo much as 
 had it in their power to introduce their own lan- 
 guages into the cities where they held their, 
 courts. In a word, their defcendants are become 
 Chinefe.- 
 
 The dynafties of the Kin and the Yuen are 
 fenfible proofs of this, which is alfo confirmed 
 by the Tartarian Mantcheous who are ftill upon 
 the throne. They have only been able to change 
 the form of the habits, and make their fubjefls cut 
 off their hair. Every thing elfe fubfifts in its for- 
 mer ftate, and tho' it is not much above a hundred 
 years fince they became maflcrs of China, they are 
 already Chinefe in their morals, cuftoms and ap- 
 pearances. Nothing is fpoken but Chinefe in Pe- 
 king, and in the houfes of the Mantechous. They 
 are even obliged to fend their children to fchool to 
 learn to read and write the Tartar language, that 
 they may have places in the judicatories where 
 both languages are ufed ; and in the provinces no 
 one can fpeak the Mantecheu language. 
 
 But from which of the fons of Shem did the 
 Chinefe derive their origin ? 'Tis highly probable 
 that it was from Jeflan, the younger brother of 
 Phaleg, both the fons of Heber. This opinion is 
 fupportcd by the following reafons. 
 
 Vol. L G • Firft,
 
 82 Obfervations upon Asia, 
 
 Firfl, the fcripture after the enumeration of the 
 thirteen children of Jeclan, fays * " And their 
 *' dwelHng was from Mellia5as thou goell untoSe- 
 *' phar, a mountain of the caft." The country 
 which they inhabited extended from the fkirts of 
 Mefha as far as Sephar, which is a mountain lying 
 in the eaft. Mount Sephar is in Arabia, as is ge- 
 nerally granted. It is by no means one of thefe 
 mountains which form mount Imaus, whofe 
 fouthern extremity in the Thibet is called Can- 
 tiffas. Another part whence Ganges takes its 
 fource is called Lanquer. The northern parts as 
 far as Tartary are called Belgians, and at prefent 
 Althai* Thefe are the pafTagcs to China, which 
 were not known to Je6lan. Thefe names are po- 
 flerior to thofe who firfl inhabited the moun- 
 tains. 
 
 The fecond reafon is, that the emperor Yao is 
 alfo by the Chinefe called Yao-tang, a name which 
 very much refembles Jedtan, by whom, or his 
 children, China moft certainly was peopled. 
 
 But from which ever of the fons of Shem the 
 Chinefe are defcended, it is plain that on entering 
 China, they fhut the doors behind them, and have 
 ever fmce been very careful not to open them, ex- 
 cept to foreign ambafTadors. It is furprifing that 
 their neighbours on the eall from Thibet in go- 
 ing north as far as Chamo, who are alfo the defcen- 
 dants of Shem, fhould be fo different from the 
 Chinefe in difpofitions^ language, features of the 
 face, and fliape of the body. 
 
 The Tartars are brutal, ignorant and deceitful, 
 three very bad qualities, but rare among the Chinefe. 
 Vv hen any of them come to Peking, if a perfon 
 aflcs the Chinefe whence this difference proceeds, 
 they anfwer chont-ton cache j that is, from fire 
 
 and 
 
 * Gen» X. ^0,
 
 AFRICA, t?;^^ America; 83 
 
 and water, or from the nature of the country which 
 produces this change both in the body and mmd of 
 its inhabitants. 
 
 We fhall now fpeak of the famines fo frequent 
 at China. How can it be, fome may fay, that a 
 laborious, fober, and induftrious people, living in 
 the moft beautiful and fertile country in the world, 
 and governed by the wifeft princes, fhould be fo 
 often fubjedl to famines, while we fee barren coun- 
 tries inhabited by people who want many of thefe 
 advantages, which rarely or never feel the 
 ihocks of famine? 
 
 To anfwer this objeflion, it will be fufficient to 
 make the following obfervations. In a time of fa- 
 mine China can receive no afliftance from her neigh- 
 bours, but is on the contrary obliged to fupply 
 them. Beginning at the province of Yun-nan, and 
 palTing to the north thro' the provinces of Koer- 
 tcheou, Se-tchuen, and Chenfi, as far as the great 
 wall, we find nothing but dreadful mountains, in- 
 habited for the moft part by favages, who have 
 their own chiefs and laws, and fpeak a different 
 language. They often make incurfions into the 
 low countries, and lay vaft tracks of it defolate» 
 but liave never yet been fubdued. 
 
 To the north of China are the Mongals, a nation 
 indeed fubjeCled to China, but naturally fo lazy, 
 that they only fow millet for their own fup- 
 port. Their flocks fupply them with their other 
 food. 
 
 To the north-eaft is the province of Leao-tong.' 
 It is very fertile, but fo far diftant from Peking, 
 that its produce cannot be eafily tranfported thi- 
 ther, and this is even imprad:icable in the winter 
 feafon. 
 
 Corea furnidies no grains to China. The pro- 
 vinces ot Kian[^-naro and Tche-kianer have the fea 
 
 G 2 on
 
 84 Obfervations upon Asia, 
 
 On the eaft, and are three or four days journey 
 diftant from Japan. However, none of their vef- 
 fels go thither for provifions, either becaufe Japan 
 is already fo populous that it has none to fpare, or 
 becaufe after its gates are fhut, they would be expof- 
 ed to too many dangers. 
 
 The province of Foukien on the fouth, borders 
 en the fea, and oppofite to it is the ifland of For- 
 mofa, of which only a part belongs to China, 
 which muft fupply it with provifions, when it fuf- 
 fers famine. 
 
 The province of Quang-tong has nothing oa 
 
 ' the fouth, but the fea-, and uncultivated land ; fo 
 
 that in running thro' all the provinces of China, 
 
 we mufl fee, that Ihe herfelf is obliged to fupport 
 
 her numberlefs crowd of inhabitants. 
 
 When the crop fails in one province, or one 
 part of a province, by drought, or fome fudden in- 
 undation,, the great mandarins have recourfe to 
 the public granaries, but finding them empty, they 
 draw informations, tho' very unwillingly, becaufe 
 fhey carry bad news. Thefe informations or me- 
 morials, when lent to Peking, pafs thro' many 
 hands, fo that they do not reach the emperor till 
 after fome days. He then orders the grandees to 
 affemble, and deliberate on the means of relieving, 
 the mifery of the diflreffed. On this occafion he 
 makes very fine fpeeches, after which the court 
 comes to a refolution. They nominate mandarins^ 
 to go to the relief of the afflidcd provinces. If 
 difpatch is required they furnifh them with poft- 
 horfes and bear their expences. If they get no 
 horfes, they go at their own expence, in which 
 cafe they demand time to prepare for their depar- 
 ture. After a great many delavs, they ^tt out-, 
 but the diftrefifed m.ay die of hunger before they 
 receive any fuccour.
 
 Africa, and America. 85 
 
 If the public granaries are often empty, this 
 happens, becaufe the great mandarins who have 
 the care of them^ entruft the keeping of them to 
 true harpies, who are like hungry wolves guard- 
 ing a iheep-fold. Thefe villains ufe a thoufand 
 artifices to rob and plunder, by which means a 
 famine happens. The public granaries are almoft 
 .entirely pillaged. The mandarins and fubaltern 
 officers are punifhed •, but this does not remedy th^ 
 prefent evil. The people v/ait hope, and die with- 
 out relief. 
 
 The fecond caufc of famine is, that they do not 
 manage their grains well, but confume great quan- 
 tities of them in making wine, aqua-vitae and ar- 
 rack. 
 
 The famine is not the only inconveniency at- 
 tending this preparation of arrack. It is alfo the 
 inoft cornmon caufe of the frequent conflagrations 
 which happen in the cities -of china, and efpecially 
 in Peking. The Chinefe neither drink wine nor 
 arrack, till tkey have warmed them. They ufe 
 thefe liquors, efpecially at night when going to 
 bed, efpecially merchants, tradefmen, and fol- 
 diers. Every one has in his bed-chamber a furnace 
 with a fire of charcoal, with which they boil their 
 rice and tea, and at the fame warm the alcove of 
 bricks in which they lie. On the fame furnace 
 they warm this fort of drink, eating faked herbs 
 with it, fo that they get themfelves intoxicated at 
 a fmall expence. If thro' carelefTnefs, or intoxi- 
 cation, they let any of the arrack fall on the fire, 
 the flame foon reaches the roof, which is only made 
 of ofier matts, or of paper, and is no more than 
 three or four feet higher than a man's head. On 
 this occafion the whole chamber is inflantly on 
 fire ; and becaufe the (hops where the merchants 
 lie, and moft of the other houfes are not feparated 
 
 G 3 from
 
 86 Obfervations upon Asia, 
 
 from each other by thick walls ; and becaufe the 
 beams are often faflened together, the fire fpreads 
 with rapidity, and does great damage before it can 
 
 be extinguifhed. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 CharaEler of theChiriguanes^ difpofition of their 
 towns ^ their ornaments^ their ap-^arel^ mar^ 
 riageSy cu/loms at the birth of their children^ 
 their ceremonies with the dead, their opi- 
 nion concerning the fate of the foul^ when 
 feparated from the body, 
 
 THE towns of the people of South America 
 are difpofed in form of a circle, in the cen- 
 ter of which is the capital. They are very fub- 
 jed: to get intoxicated by a very ilrong liquor 
 which their women prepare. They acknowledge 
 no deity. When they are in their own houles 
 they often go quite naked. They have, how- 
 ever, coverings of leather, which they moft gene- 
 rally carry on their arms. When they travel tliey 
 put on this covering to defend them.felves from 
 thorns, of which their forefls are full. 
 
 Their women only cover themfelves with fome 
 old rags, which hang down from their wafle to 
 their knees. Their hair is long and beautiful. 
 On their heads they wear a kind of crown, which 
 has a pretty good air. They generally paint their 
 faces of a fire colour, and all the refb of their bo- 
 dies, when there is any feaft where they are to get 
 drunk. The men only mark fome lines of the 
 
 fam*e
 
 Africa, ^;?^ America. t'7 
 
 fame coFour on their faces, to which they add 
 fome large black ftrokes. When both men and 
 women are painted in this manner they have a ter- 
 rible air. The women pierce their inferior lip, 
 and hang to it a fmall cylinder of brafs, filver, or 
 tranfparent refin. 
 
 Boys and girls have not the leaft clothing till 
 they are twelve years old, and this cuftom is uni- 
 verfally eftablifhed thro' all South- America. Their 
 arms are fpears, bows and arrows, which the wo- 
 men manage as dexteroufly as the men. 
 
 Their marriages, if they may be fo call'd, have 
 nothing certain. A hufband quits his wife when 
 he pleaies. Hence it is that they have children in 
 almoft all the towns. In fome they marry for two 
 years, after which they go and marry in another. 
 
 The pretended marriage is made without much 
 ceremony. When a man wants a woman for his 
 wife, he endeavours to gain her affedion, he re- 
 gales her for fome time with fruits of his own 
 growth, and with fowls he has taken in hunting, 
 after which he lays a bundle of wood before her 
 door. If fhe takes it in, the marriage is concluded, 
 but if fhe does not, he mufl feek for another. 
 
 They have no other phyficians than one or two 
 of the oldeft men in the town. The whole know- 
 ledge of thefe pretended phyficians confifls in 
 whiftling round the patient to banifh the dif- 
 €afe. 
 
 When a girl arrives at a certain age they oblige 
 her to remain in her hamock, which they fuf- 
 pend at the end of the cottage. The fecond 
 month they lower the hamock half way, and the 
 third month old women enter the cottage armed 
 with batons. They run up and down ftriking 
 every thing they find, and purfuing, as they fay, the 
 fnake which Hung the girl, till at laft one of them 
 
 G 4 concludes
 
 88 Chfervations upon Asia, 
 
 concludes this farce by faying that llie has killed 
 the fnake. 
 
 When a v/oman brings a child into the world^ 
 it is cuftomary for the hufband to obferve fo rigid 
 an abflinence for three or four days, that he is not 
 fo much as permitted to drink. They do not a- 
 bandon their dead, as the other barbarous nations 
 do. When any of their family dies they put him 
 in an earthen velTel proportioned to the bulk of 
 the carcafs, and inter him near their own cottage. 
 For this reafon, all round thefe cottages we fee 
 heaps of earth raifed in proportion to the number 
 of vefTels which have been interr'd in them. 
 
 The women bewail the dead thrice a day, in the 
 morning, at noon, and in the evening. This ce- 
 remony lads for feveral months, or as long as they 
 pleafe. This fort of lamentation begins as foon as 
 the difeaie is thought dangerous. Three or four 
 •women furrcund the patient's bed, and utter the 
 mofl dreadful cries and howlings. The patient 
 would rather have his head broke than not be be- 
 wailed in this manner ; for if they failed in per- 
 forming this ceremony, Jt would be an infallible 
 fign that he is not beloved. They believe the im- 
 mortality of the foul, without knowing what be- 
 comics of it after its feparation from the body. 
 They imagine that it wanders up and down in the 
 woods round their towns, where they go to feek it 
 every morning, till not fin iing it they defift from 
 their ufelefs labour. 
 
 They draw bad omens from the fong of certain 
 birds, efpecially of one of a cineritious colour, 
 which is no larger than a fparrow. If, after they 
 are fet out on a journey, they hear it fing, they 
 go no farther, but return home (diredly. 
 
 The magicians and forcerers who make fortunes 
 among tht other favages, are among them abhor'd 
 and look'd upon as publick pefls» 
 
 CHAP.
 
 ^FRICA, and America, 8g^ 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Of the tjle of Tjong-ming 'y thejruits which grow 
 in it J the method of cultivating the rice ; the 
 crop of cot ton y how it is prepared', a parti-^ 
 cular ki?id of earth whence they take their 
 fait i the manner of obtainijtg this fait from 
 the earth 3 the character of thefe iflanders. 
 
 TH E ifland of Tfong-ming in the province 
 of Nangking, from which it is only fepa- 
 rated towards the weft by a branch of the fea, not 
 more than five or fix leagues broad, is fituated in 
 the thirty-third degree of north latitude. 
 
 The manner in which this ifland began to be 
 peopled, is not very much to its honour. It was 
 tormerly a favage and defart countr\ , all covered 
 with briars. They fent thither all the robbers and 
 profligate wretches, of whom they wanted to purge 
 the empire. The firft people fent thither were ob- 
 liged either to die of hunger, or to draw their 
 aliments from the bofom of the earth. The defirc 
 of living rendered them a6:ive and induftrious. 
 They improved this uncultivated land, tore up 
 the ufelefs plants, and fowing the fcNV grains they 
 had brought with them, they were not long before 
 they reaped the fruit of their labours. In a few 
 years a great part of the ground which they had 
 cultivated became fo fertikj that it furnifhed them 
 with plenty of neceflaries. 
 
 This induced fome Chinefe families, who could 
 hardly fubfift on the continent, to come to a coun- 
 try, the culture of which would releafe them from 
 the extreme indigence in which they were. They 
 
 there-
 
 gci ObfervAtiom upon Asia," 
 
 therefore tranfported themfelves into this ifland, 
 and divided the whole ground among them ; but 
 finding that they could not improve it all, they 
 fent for other families from the continent. They 
 granted them for ever a part of the ground, on 
 condition, however, that they fhould every year 
 pay them in different commodities, a rent pro- 
 portioned to their crop. 
 
 The ifland of Tfong-ming was not then fo 
 large as it is now. In procefs of time feveral fmall 
 idands being united to it, form'd one continued 
 track about twenty leagues long, and five or fix 
 broad. 
 
 There is but one town in the whole country, 
 which is of the third order, when compared with 
 the other towns of the empire. The country is 
 divided by an infinite number of canals, which 
 receive the rain-water, and convey it to the fea. 
 The land is even, and free from mountains. The 
 canals are fenced by very high banks, to fecure the 
 fields againft inundations. 
 
 The air of the country is temperate and whol- 
 fome, tho' the rains, which fall plentifully, efpeci- 
 ally in the fpring and middle of the fummer, ren- 
 der it very moid. The exceflive cold does not laft 
 there above twelve days, but the intenfe heat con- 
 tinues two months, and would be intolerable, if it 
 was not moderated by rains, accompanied with 
 thunder and lightning. Twice or thrice a year there 
 come terrible hurricanes from the north-eaft, 
 which overthrow every thing. In other refpecls the 
 country is very agreeable. The multitude of houfes 
 fcatter'd up and down the fields prefents us with a 
 moft charming fpedacle. Here and there we fee 
 large villages full of the (hops of merchants, who 
 enjoy abundance of every thing. 
 
 Be-
 
 Africa, and America. 91 
 
 Befides, between every village there are as many 
 houfes fcatter'd up and down, as there are families 
 employed at work. The high roads, which are 
 narrow, becaufe the inhabitants are fparing of their 
 ground, ar« full of fmall fliops on each fide, to 
 fupply travellers with neceflaries. Strangers are 
 ready to imagine, that almofi; all the beil cultivated 
 parts of the iiland make but one continued city of 
 an immenfe extent. 
 
 But what appears aftonllhing is, how the num- 
 berlefs multitude of the inhabitants of this iQand fub- 
 fifts. Geefe, ducks and fowls, are the moft com* 
 mon food. In winter the fea-coafts are ail cover'd 
 with wild ducks, which they take in gins. They 
 have a large quantity of oxen, which only ferve 
 for labour, and are lb traiftable, that a child can 
 lead them where he pleafes. 
 
 The foil produces few fruits, and of thefe the 
 belt is the fttfe, which is as large as our apples. 
 We there find water melons, which are red, and 
 full of a frefli and fvveet water. The foil produces 
 no vines, but the whole ifland has plenty of wine. 
 The inhabitants have found the fecret of making very 
 good wine of a kind of rice differentfrom that which 
 they ufe for food. They make this wine in the 
 following manner : They leave the rice to foak in 
 water, with fome other ingredients, for twenty, 
 and fometimes for thirty days -, after which they boil 
 the whole. When it is fermented, it is covered 
 with a volatile froth, very like that of our new 
 wines. Under this froth is a very pure wine, 
 which when rack'd, is poured into well varnilhcd 
 earthen veffels. Of the lye they make a brandy al- 
 mofi as flrong as that of France. 
 
 Tho' the fituation of the ifland would make 
 ftrangers think that almofi all its inhabitants were 
 
 fifliermen.
 
 gz Obfervatio7ts upon Asia, 
 
 filhermen, yet there are very few of them fuch by 
 profefTion. They have all kinds of fifh, andanirn 
 credible number of fmall vefTels come loaded with 
 them at feveral feafons of the year. 
 
 One of the fifh which the Chinefe moft efteem, 
 and which weighs about forty pounds, is by them 
 called Encunvafle. They call it fo, becaufe it has 
 on its back, belly, and two fides, a range of cut- 
 ting fcales, placed in a right line, and laid over 
 each other, almoil like the tiles of a houfe. It is 
 an excellent fifli, of a whitifh colour, and in tafte 
 refembles veal. 
 
 When the weather is ferene, they catch another 
 very delicious fifh, which they call the meal-filh, 
 on account of its extreme whitenefs. Its black 
 eye-balls feem to be fet in two fmall and Ihining 
 circles of filver. 
 
 This filhing is hardly over till large veflels come 
 from the province of Tche-kiang, loaded with 
 another kiad of frefh fifh, which they call the yel- 
 low fifh on account of its colour ; it refembles the 
 cod of Newfoundland, 
 
 However great the fifh-tradeof the ifland Is, it 
 would not be fufficient for the fupport of the inha- 
 bitants, unlefs a prodigious quantity of falt-fifli 
 were bro'.^ght from the fea-coafts, between the 
 mouth of the Kiang, and the province of Chan- 
 tong. 
 
 The foil is not the fame in all the ifland. There 
 are three kinds of it very different from each other. 
 The firft lies towards the north, and is quite uncul- 
 tivated. The fhrubs, v/hich grow there fponta- 
 neouily, are of confiderable value : fome of them 
 are ufed in building the country-houfes, and the 
 rcll ferves as firing, not only to ail the country, 
 
 but
 
 Africa, and America. 93 
 
 fcut alfo to fome of the coalls adjacent to the con- 
 tinent. 
 
 The fecond kind of foil is that which from the 
 former extends to the fea on the fouth^ The ifland- 
 ers in this have every year two crops ; the one of 
 grain, which in general is in the month of May v 
 the other is of rice or cotton, the former in Sep^ 
 tember, and the latter a little after. Their grains 
 are wheat, barley, and a kind of bearded corn, 
 which, tho' like rye, is neverthelefs of a different 
 nature. 
 
 The culture of the rice is the moft troublefome. 
 From the beginning of June they cover their fields 
 with the water of the canals, which are very nume- 
 rous. For this purpofe they ufe certain machines 
 like thofe employed in Europe for draining mar- 
 fhy grounds, or emptying ponds. They till the 
 land three different times fuccefTively, with their 
 feet eonflantly under water. Then they break the 
 clods of earth with a mattock ; and by a wooden^ 
 machine, on which a man ftands upright, and 
 which is drawn by an ox, they level the ground fa 
 as to make the water at an equal height in all parts 
 of it. Then they pull up the rice, which a 
 month before they had fown very thick in another 
 canton, and tranfplant it more regularly into the 
 ground thus prepared. When the rice begins to 
 appear, they are very careful to pull up the weeds,^ 
 which might choak it. In great droughts they 
 endeavour that their fields fliould be covered with 
 the waters of the fea, which fills their canals. What 
 is furprifing is, that thefe waters which are fait all 
 the reft of the year, become fweet and proper to 
 fertilife the land at the very time when the inhabi- 
 tants intend to till it. 
 
 Their 
 t
 
 94 Obfer^oatiom iipn AsiA, 
 
 Their method of clearing the rice of its hufks, is 
 very fingular. It grows with a hard and rough 
 Ikin, Hke that of barley. When it is in this flate, 
 they boil it gently in water, dry it in the fun, and 
 unhuflc it at feveral times. The firft time they 
 take off the coarfe fl<in, and the fecond the red 
 pellicle, which ditfers in colour according to the 
 kind of rice, of which there are more than thirty 
 ibrts. Their rice is not farinacious and broken, 
 like that of Europe, but very beautiful and whole. 
 
 The crop of cotton requires lefs trouble and fatigue 
 than that of rice. The very day they cut down 
 their corn, they fowthe cotton in the famefield, and 
 turn the furface of the earth over it with a rake. 
 When this earth is moiftened by the rain or dew, 
 there gradually rifes a fhrub about two feet high. 
 The flowers which appear about the beginning or 
 middle of Augufl, are generally yellow, and fome- 
 times red. The flower is fucceeded by a bud, 
 which is of the form of a goofeberry, and as large 
 as a nut. When this bud is forty days old, it 
 opens of itfelf \ and being fplit in three different 
 parts, contains three fmall parcels of cotton ex- 
 tremely white, and of the fame form with the 
 cods of fiik-worms. Thefe parcels are fix'd to the 
 bottom of the open hufk, and contain the feed for 
 the following year. It is then time to reap the hat\;^ 
 veft, but when the weather is good, they leave th^ 
 fruit expofed to the fun for two or three days, be- , 
 caufe the heat inflates it, and renders it more va- 
 luable. 
 
 As all the fibres of the cotton are flrongly adhe- 
 rent to the feeds which they include, the n.uives 
 ufe a wheel to feparate them. This wheel has two 
 very fmooth rollers, the one of wood and the 
 other of iron, about a foot long and an inch thick. 
 They are fo applied to each other, that there appears 
 
 ad
 
 Africa, ^«^ America^ 95 
 
 BO diftance between them. While one hand moves 
 the firft of thefe rollers, and the foot the fecond, 
 the other hand applies the cotton to them, which 
 is feparated by this motion, and paffes from one 
 fide, while the feed remains bare on the other. 
 They then card and fpin the cotton, in order to 
 make (luffs of it. 
 
 There is a third kind of foil, which, tho* ap- 
 parently barren, is yet more profitable than the 
 reft. It is a kind of pinguous earth meafured out 
 in feveral cantons of the northern part of the ifland. 
 They obtain fuch a quantity of fait from it, as 
 not only fupplies the whole ifland, but alfo the in- 
 habitants of the continent, who come for it fecretly 
 in the night time. They purchafe it at a fmall 
 price, on account of the rifques they run ; for if 
 they are caught by the mandarins, their boats and 
 falts are confifcated, and themfelves condemned to 
 work in the gallies four or five years. 
 
 It is not eafy to explain how certain portions of 
 earth difperfed thro' a whole country, fhould be fo 
 full of fait as not to produce a fingle herb, 
 while other portions juft contiguous to them, pro- 
 duce abundance of corn and cotton. It often hap- 
 pens that thefe laft portions are filled with fait, 
 while the former become proper to be fown with 
 cotton or corn. This is one of the fecrets of na- 
 ture, which the human mind in vain attempts to 
 penetrate. 
 
 They obtain the fait from this earth in the fol- 
 lowing manner. They firft make the earth fmooth 
 as a glafs, and then raife it in Hoping ridges, in 
 order to hinder the water from remaining on it. 
 When the fun has dried the furface of it, and when 
 it appears all white with the particles of fait, they 
 raife it in fmall heaps, which they beat clofe on all 
 fides, to hinder the rain from entering into them. 
 
 Then
 
 ^6 byer^afidns upon Asia, 
 
 Then they fpread this earth upon large planks 
 with a gentle declivity, and which have lips three 
 or four inches * high. Then they pour a certain 
 quantity of frefh water upon it, which penetrating 
 thro' the whole carries along with it all the par- 
 ticles of the fait into a large earthen vefTel, into 
 which it falls drop by drop, thro' a fmall canal 
 made on purpofe. 
 
 The earth thus purg'd does notion that account^ 
 become ufelefs. They put it by, and when it is 
 dry they reduce it to powder, which they fpread 
 on the ground whence they took it. In feven 
 or eight days it is mixed with an infinite num- 
 ber of particles of fait, which they colledt in the 
 fame manner. 
 
 While the men are thus at Work in the fields^ 
 the women and children are employed in cottages 
 built on the fpot, in boiling the fait waters. They 
 put them into very large and deep iron bafons, 
 which are placed upon an earthen furnace fo pre- 
 pared, that the flame may be equally diftributed 
 to all the bafons, and exhaled in fmoke thro' a 
 long vent built like a chimney at the extremity 
 of the furnace. When thefe waters have boiled 
 fome time, they are infpiffated, and gradually 
 changed into a very white fait, which they ftir con- 
 ftantly with an iron fpatula, till it is entirely dry. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 Africa, and America.^ 9j^ 
 
 CHAP. Vlli. ' 
 
 Of the arts and the medicine of the hidianu 
 
 NO nation equals the Indians in what relates 
 to the mechanic arts. Their tradefmea 
 have a furprifing fkill and dexterity, artd are 
 particularly excellent at making fluffs fo fine, that 
 very broad and long pieces of them can be drawn 
 thro' an ordinary gold ring. 
 
 If we tear a piece of muQin and give it to be 
 mended by the Indian fine-drawers, it is impof- 
 fible to difcover where it has been join'd. They 
 fo dexterouQy unite the pieces of an earthen or por- 
 celain velTel, that we cannot perceive where they 
 have been broken. 
 
 The goldfmiths work in filigrlnwith incredible 
 neatnefs, and perfedly imitate the European works^ 
 tho' their forge and other utenfils for that purpofe, 
 coft them no more than a croWn. 
 
 The loom which the weavers ufe coils no rrior^^ 
 and with this loom we may fee them <x.t work \\\ 
 their courts, or on the road fides, weaving rhofe 
 beautiful fluffs fo much fought after by all the 
 world. 
 
 They have no need of wine to make brandy ; 
 For they make it of fyruj', fugar, fome barks, and 
 fome roots. This brandy is as ilrong, and burns 
 better than that of Europe 
 
 They paint flowers, and gild very well upon 
 glafs. We cannot help admiring fome of their 
 veffels proper for cooling water, and which are 
 no thicker than two leaves of paper pafled toge- 
 ther. 
 
 VoL.T. H The
 
 98 Obfervations upon AsiA^ 
 
 The Indian boat- men row in a different manner' 
 from the Europeans. The/ tug at the oar with 
 their feet, while their hands ferve them as a rud- 
 der. 
 
 The liquor which their dyers ufe lofes n-othing 
 ©f its colour in the lie. 
 
 The European labourers prick their oxen with 
 goads, in order to make them mend their pace^ 
 -whereas the Indians only twift their tails. Thefc 
 animals are fo tradlable that they are taught to lie 
 down and rife up, in order to receive or depofite 
 burdens. 
 
 In the Indies they ufe a hand-mill which cofts no- 
 more than fixpence, for breaking the iugar-canes. 
 
 A miller forms his (lone himfelf with lack and 
 emril. A mafon paves the place where the 
 meal is received, with a kind of cement which he 
 makes of brick-dud and lime j and this pavement 
 feems to be one fmgle ftone much harder than 
 freeftone. 
 
 They make fire- vents fometimes forty feet long, 
 eight broad, and four ^or five inches thick,- which 
 they fix to the wall only on: one fide> without any 
 ' other fupport. 
 
 It is with a line of feveral knots that their pi- 
 lots make their foundings. They put one end of 
 this between their teeth, and by means of .a 
 piece of wood fixed to the cord they eafily ob- 
 ferve the tail of the leffer bear, which is commonly 
 called the north or polar ftar. 
 
 The lime is generally made with fea-lhells. 
 That prepared with fnail-fnails is iifed in whiten- 
 ing the .houfes *, and that prepared of ftone is 
 chew'd with beet leaves. Some of the Indians ufe 
 a quantity as large as an egg of this every day. 
 
 The butter is made in the firft veffel that comes 
 to hand. They fplit a piece of wood into four, and 
 extend it in proportion ro the velTei where the milk 
 
 is*
 
 Africa, ^;/i America.^ no 
 
 IS, after which they turn it in different dire^lions 
 by means of a cord fix'd to it : and in a fhorc ti'iie 
 the butter is made. 
 
 The peoplewho fell the butter have the art of 
 making it pafs tor frefli, when it is old and fmells 
 rancid. For this purpofe they melt it, throw four 
 and coagulated milk into it, and eight hours after 
 take it out in lumps, which they pafs thro' a linen 
 cloth. 
 
 The chymifls employ the firfl: pot they find, to 
 revivify cinnabar and other preparations of mer- 
 curr, which they do in a very fimple manner. 
 They eafily reduce all metals into powder, and 
 greatly efleem talc and yellow copper, which, as 
 they fay, confume the mod vifcid humours, and 
 remove the greateft obftruflions. 
 
 The phyficians are more referved than thofe of 
 Europe in the ufe of fulphur, which they corredl 
 with butter. They alfo make a broth with long 
 pepper, and boil the Indian pine apples in milk. 
 They with fuccefs employ againft all fevers, hen- 
 bane correfled in cows urine, and orpiment cor- 
 redled in lemon juice. 
 
 A phyficianis not admitted to prefcribe to apa- 
 tientj till he finds out his diforder, and the hu- 
 mour which predominates in him, which he eafily 
 knows by feeling the puife. 
 
 The principal difeafes which reign in the Indies 
 are firfl, the cholera morbus. The method em- 
 ployed for the cure of this diforder confifbs in keep- 
 ing all drink from the patient, aud burning the 
 foals of his feet. 2dly, The lethargy, which they 
 cure by putting pepper beat with vinegar into the 
 eyes. 3dly, An obftru6lion of the fp'een, which has 
 no other fpecific but the pradice of the Indian devo- 
 tees. They make a fmall incifion over the fplsen, 
 and then infert a long needle between the fiefh and 
 
 H 2 fkin.
 
 100 ObfervatioHs upon Asia, 
 
 fl<in. From this incifion, by Tucking thro' a horn 
 pipe, they obtain a certaui pinguous matter which 
 refembles pus. 
 
 Moft of their phyficians havea cuftom of throw- 
 ing a drop of oil into the patient's urine. If it 
 fpreads, they fay that this is a mark that he is too 
 hot internally, if on the contrary it remains whole, 
 it is a fign that he is defedive in hear. 
 
 The common people have very fimple reme- 
 dies. For the megrim, they ufe the powder of 
 the dried bark of the pomegranet pounded with 
 four grains of pepper in the form of tobacco. For 
 the common head-ach, they fmell to a mixture of 
 aromatic fait, quick lime and water. Thefe ver- 
 tigos, which proceed from a cold and grofs blood, 
 are cured by drinking wine in which fome grains 
 of incenfe have been fteeped. For a deafnefs which 
 proceeds from a redundancy of cold humours, they 
 drop lemon juice into the ear. When the brain 
 is loaded and obftruded with phlegm, they fmell 
 to the powder of black cumin. For thetooth-ach, 
 a pafte made of the crumbs of bread, and of the 
 feeds of ftramonia applied to the aggrieved tooth, 
 numbs it fo as to remove the pain. They order a 
 perfon labouring under an haemorrhage to fmell to 
 feverfeu or bruis'd worm-wood. For the heart-burn 
 and fpitting of blood, they cover a giram.ont (an In- 
 dian fruit of the form of agourdandtafte ofacitron) 
 with a pafte which they bake in the oven, and drink 
 the water which comes from it. For the flatulent and 
 pituitous colic they give four fpoonfuls of water, 
 boil'd to two with anife and ginger. They alfo 
 bruife a raw onion v/ith ginger, and apply it to the 
 part where they feel the pain. For the lientery they 
 roaft a head of garlick under the aflies, and when 
 going to bed put it into their mouths to fuck out 
 the juice of it. They ufe the juice of cucumber 
 
 leaves
 
 Africa, ^;/^/ America.' loi 
 
 leaves bruifed for purging and vomiting. A dif- 
 ficulty of making water is cured by a fpoonful 
 of oil of olives well mixed with an equal quantity 
 of water. For fluxes they road fome white cumin, 
 and a little brois'd ginger, which they fwallow 
 with fugar. They cure the fevers which begin 
 with fhiverings, by making the patient take three 
 large pills of ginger, cumin, and black pepper, be- 
 fore the paroxyfm. For tertian fevers they make 
 him take for three days three fpoonfuls of teu- 
 crium, or the greater germainder, with a little falc 
 and ginger. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 The majejly and energy of the language of the 
 Guaranis ; the charaiier of that nation ; a 
 defcription of the animals found in their coun-r 
 try, and efpecially of afngular infeB^ 
 
 TO form a judgment of the majefty and energy 
 of the language of the Guaranis, a people of 
 South-America, it is fuflicient to tell the reader, 
 that every word of it is an exad definition, which 
 explains the nature of the thing to be expreflcd, 
 and conveys a clear and diltindt idea of it. In 
 point of nobility and harmony it yields to none of 
 thofe fpoken in Europe •, befides it has many 
 charms and delicacies ; but they require a great 
 many years application to become perfedly ac- 
 quainted with them. 
 
 The nation of the Indian Guaranis is divided 
 into thirty cantons, in which there are more 
 than a hundred and fifty thoufand inhabitants. 
 
 H3 This
 
 102 Ohjervatiom upon Asia,' 
 
 This country is infefted with wild beads, and efpc- 
 cially tygers. Here we find various forts of fer- 
 pents, and an infinite number of infeflsnot knowa 
 in Europe. Among thefe infers, there is a par- 
 ticular one which the Spaniards call pique and the 
 Indians tung. It is no longer han a fmall flea, 
 and infinuates itfelf between the fkin and the 
 flifh, efpecially under the nails, and in parts 
 where there is any callus. There it forms a nefl: 
 and leaves its eggs. If this neft is not quick- 
 ly diflodged, it fpreads itfelf on all fides, and pro- 
 duces the moft terrible efFecls in the part where it 
 is lodg'd •, fo that a perfon finds himfelf all of a 
 fudden deprived of the ufe of his hands or feet, ac- 
 cording to the part where the infed: is fituated. The 
 remedy is gradually to reach its feat with the point 
 of a pin, and extract it entirely, otherwife there is 
 danger of the wound's becoming putrid. 
 
 Birds are here very numerous, and widely diffe- 
 rent from thofe of Europe. There are in this coun- 
 try more than twenty kinds of fparrows, the largeft 
 of which is no bigger than the fmalleft of ours. 
 Their note is nearly like that of the linnet. They arc 
 green and blue, and fo eafily tamed, that in eight 
 days after they are taken, they come and perch on 
 the finger of any one who calls them. 
 
 'Tis principally in the marfhes that we fee birds 
 of all kinds, which furprize by the variety of their 
 colours, and the diverfity of their beaks, which 
 are of afingular form. Birds of prey likewife a- 
 boundhere, and fome of them are of an enormous 
 
 tXLi^i 
 
 CHAP,
 
 Africa, ^W America. 102 
 
 o 
 
 CHAP, X, 
 
 Of the pintade^ whether it is different from the 
 meleagride ; of the tame and wild pint ades, 
 
 fnpHE pintade is that bird which the Romans 
 JL calied Afra avis, and which in Europe we 
 indifferently call an African, Barbarian, Guinea, 
 Numidian, Tunis, orMauritanian lien, but aioll 
 generally a pintade. 
 
 Amon2;a confiderable number of authors who 
 have rpoken of the pintade and meleagride -, lome, 
 as Varro, Columella, and Pliny, have confound- 
 ed and made only one fpecies of them. Others, 
 as Suetonius and Scaliger, have made two different 
 fpecies of them -, with this difference, that Sca- 
 liger pretends to have Varro on his fide of the 
 queflion. 
 
 • We fhall firft give the paffage of Varro on which 
 this queflion is founded. This author, in the 3d 
 chapter of his book on agriculture, diftinguifhes 
 three forts of different fowls, by as many diftin- 
 guifhing names. He calls the firft Villatica, the 
 fecond Ruftica, and the third Africana. In fpeak- 
 ing of this laft fpecies he expreffes himfclf thus : 
 " Gallin^e alias funt granges, varise, gibber^e quas 
 *• meleagrides appellant Grasci. Hae noviffmiae, 
 " in triclinium ganearum introierunt e culina, 
 *' propter faftidium hominum veneunt propter 
 *' penuriam magno." 
 
 Thefingle reading of this paffage,fhows that Varro 
 could neither more clearly nor precifely explain 
 himfelf to evince, that the pintade and meleagride 
 are of the fame fpecies. Scaliger has however 
 
 H 4 imagined
 
 104 Cbfervatiom iipC7i AsiA^ 
 
 imagined that he found in it two diftind fpecles, 
 by fuppofing that there oi]ght to be a full point 
 after gibberae, and that then we ought to read, 
 '• Qiias meleagridcs appellant Graeci, has noviffi- 
 ^* m^, &c." But befides, that this punduation 
 is only the invention of Scaliger, and no mark of 
 it to be found in the different copies, it would make 
 Varro fall into a palpable contradiction, becaufe in 
 this cafe, after having laid it down as a principle 
 that there are three fpecies of hens, he would add a 
 fourth to them, which is abfurd. 
 
 Let us now explain this pallage of Varro. Firfl 
 then, Galling funt, fays he, the pintade ought to 
 f3e clafs'd under the genus of hens. It has all the 
 attributes, and all the qualities of them, a creft, a 
 beak, plumage, a roofl, a fet of eggs, and a great 
 care ot her young. In the fecond place, the diffe- 
 rences of the pintade hens are very well defcribed 
 by Varro, in thefe words, " Grandes, variae, gib- 
 *' ber^. Grandes, they are really larger than com- 
 mon fowl. Varis, their plumage is all mottled ; 
 they are of two colours, fome have black and 
 white fpots difpofed in a rhomboidal form, and 
 others are of a cineritious grey colour. Both 
 kinds have their belhes, and the extremities of 
 their wings, white, Gibberae, their back rifes in 
 a bunch, and pretty naturally reprefents the back 
 of a fmall tor toife. This bunch, however, is only 
 formed by the pofition of their wings \ for when 
 the feathers are pulled off them, there is no longer 
 any appearance of a bunch on their bodies. What 
 makes the bunch appear m.ore confpicuous, is that 
 their tails are fhort and funk downwards, and not 
 elevated like thofe of common fowls. 
 
 This dcfcription which Varro gives of the pin- 
 tade is juft, but it is not complete. The pin- 
 tade*s neck is pretty fhort^ Qenderj and flightly 
 
 * - ' covered
 
 Africa, arid America. io^ 
 
 covered with tiown. Its head is very fingular; for 
 it is not covered with feathers, but with a fpon- 
 geous, rough, and wrinkled flvin, of a blueiili 
 white colour, with a fmall crcf^, like a crown on 
 the top. This creft is half an inch high, and of a 
 cartilaginous fubftance. From the inferior part 
 of the head, which may properly be call'd the 
 cheeks of the pintade. hangs on each fide a red 
 and flefliy beard, of the fame nature and colour 
 with the creft of cocks. In a word, its head is 
 terminated by a beak, three times larger than that 
 of common hens, very Iharp, hard, and of a 
 beautiful red colour. 
 
 The pintade roods and fits like common fowls. 
 Its eggs are fmaller, and lefs white. They are 
 , fomewhat of a fiefh colour, and mark'd with black 
 fpecks. The pintades are with difficulty brought 
 to lay in the hen-houfe. They fearch for the 
 thickeft hedges or copfe, where they lay a hundred 
 or a hundred and fifty eggs fuccefTively, provided 
 fomc are only left in the neft. People do not ge- 
 nerally permit the tame pintades to hatch their 
 own eggs, becaufe the mothers do not fit clofe 
 enough, and often forfake their chickens. The 
 eggs are oftener hatch'd by Indian or common 
 hens. Nothing is more beautiful than the young 
 pintades ; they refemble fmall partridges, and 
 their red feet and beak, joined to their plu- 
 mage ,which is grey like that of a partridge, ren- 
 der them verv agreeable. 
 
 The pintade is an extremely lively, reillefs, and 
 turbulent fowl. It runs with extraordinary fwift- 
 nefs, almoft like the quail or partridge, but can- 
 not By very high. It delights however to perch 
 on ^ees, or the tops of houfes, where it remains 
 all night, rather than in the hen-houfe. Its cry is 
 haffh^ difagreeable, fhrill, and almofl continual. 
 
 Be-
 
 I o 6 Obfer'vation f upG?i Asia, 
 
 Befides, it is quarrelfome, and wants to be miftrefs 
 of the walk. The largeft, and even the Indian 
 hens, are obliged to yield to her. The hardnefs 
 of her beak, and the agility of her motions, make 
 her refpeded. Her method of fighting nearly re- 
 fembles that which Salluil aicribes to the Numidian 
 cavalry. Their charges, fays he, are rafh and 
 precipitate ♦, if they are refifbed, they turn their 
 backs, and immediately turn about abruptly. The 
 pintades refembling the place of their origin, have 
 prefcrv'd the Numidian genius. The Indian cocks, 
 which are very large, flattering themifeives that 
 they can eafily beat the pintades, advance againft 
 them with pride and gravity *, but the pintades 
 defeat them by their marches and counter-marches ; 
 they hardly make ten turns, and give twenty 
 blows, till they force their antagonifls to retire. 
 
 The pintades are not natives of America, but 
 come from Guinea. The Genoefe brought them 
 with the firft negroes, which they were engaged to 
 carry to the Caflilians in 1508. The Spaniards 
 have never thought of keeping them at home. 
 They have left them to roam at pleafure, in the 
 -woods and thickets, where they have become wild, 
 and multiplied incredibly. We cannot walk in the 
 Spanifh territories, without finding prodigious 
 flocks of them. Thefe are call'd wild pintades. 
 
 The wild pintades are reckon'd the mod delicate 
 food that can be fet upon a table. Their flefh is 
 tender, and of a tafte furpafling that of pheafants. 
 The tafte of the tame pintades is not fo fine, tho' 
 it is better than that of other poultrv. 
 
 After thefe difquifitions, we fhall enquire, whe^ 
 ther the pintade ought to be diftinguifhed from 
 the meleagride. Suetonius is of this opinion, but 
 his authority is of no importance, when compared 
 '^ith that of Varro, Columella, and f liny. Thefe 
 
 were
 
 Africa, and America. 107 
 
 were profeffed naturalifts, whereas Suetonius con^- 
 fidered chiefly the hiftory and politics of courts. 
 
 The meleagride, fay Ibme, delights in marlhes •, 
 and is not the wild pintade found alfo in aqueous 
 and marfhy places ? If the meleagride takes little 
 care of her young, which fhe often abandons, is 
 it not the fame cafe with the pintade ? But the pin- 
 tade, fay fome, is larger and fatter than the melea- 
 gride. Some pintades are dry and lean, and fome 
 are larger than others. Is not this fame diverfity 
 found in ordinary fowls } Should we on this ac- 
 count eftablifh different fpecies among them ? It \% 
 faid by fome, that the fiefhy and cartilaginous ap- 
 pendices, which hang from the cheeks of the pin- 
 tades, are red ; whereas the meleagrides have theni 
 blue. But let us confider the head of the pintade, 
 and a part of its neck, which are blue, and we 
 (hall fee, that this pretended difference is only an 
 error, and that, for want of attention, people 
 have fometlmes confounded the bearded appendices 
 with the (kin, and fometimes the fkin with the ap- 
 pendices. 
 
 Befides, when the pintades are young, thefs 
 beards do not hang down fufficiently to be well ob- 
 ferv'd. We only at firft fee the blue fkin at the 
 inferior part of the head. When the pintades are 
 old, the flefhy beards affume a deep red colour.^ 
 whereas the fkin of the neck beine; more fhriveli'd 
 in the young, ftrikes the eye more. 'Tis this 
 change which has given rife to the miftake of the 
 ^thors, who have wrote of the Numidian hen> 
 and laid a foundation for the pretended difference 
 between the appendices of the pintade and melea- 
 gride, of which two fpecies have very improper- 
 ly been made. 
 
 We fhall now examine a paffage of Pliny, which 
 feems not to agree with that quoted from Varro.
 
 io8 Oljervatiom upon Asia, 
 
 This lail, when fpeaking of pintades, fays ; 
 '' Hae noviffim^, in triclinium ganearum introi- 
 " erunt e culina, propter faftidium horninum ve- 
 •' neunt propter penuriam magno." It follows 
 from thefe words, that the pintade meleagrides 
 were fometime before introduced into Rome \ and 
 that people who kept good tables, found nothing 
 more proper to excite their appetites, which ren- 
 dered them extremely dear. This is confirm'd in 
 feveral places of the works of Horace, Juvenal, 
 Petronius, and Martial. 
 
 Pliny fays on the contrary, that they were very 
 much fought after at Rome, " propter ingratum 
 ." virus." We ought to conclude from thefe words, 
 either that Pliny did not underftand the propter 
 faftidium hominum of Varro -, or that thefe 
 words, " propter ingratum virus" have been foi- 
 fled in, and the text corrupted. 
 
 Varro and Pliny grant, that the pintade and 
 meleagride are the fame fowl •, both agree, that 
 they were very much fought after by the Romans, 
 that they were very dear in Italy, and accounted a 
 delicacy at the beft tables. But Varro pretends, 
 that they were only fought after by people who keep 
 good tables, " propter faftidium hominum," that 
 is, to relifh their appetite, and procure a ftomach ; 
 and Pliny thinks, that they were rare, '' propter in- 
 *' gratum virus." What relation is there here, or 
 where is the confequence drawn ? Can food be 
 (3ear, and much fought after, for no other reafon 
 than that it: is abominable and naufeous ? 
 
 HAP.
 
 Africa, ^W America. 109 
 
 CHAP. xr. 
 
 Rules obferv'd by the Indians^ In the adminU 
 
 Jlration of jiijlice^ qualities which the judge 
 
 ought to have, what the duty of the pleaders 
 
 is, maxims which ferve as laws to the judges, 
 
 rynHE Indians have neither code nor record, 
 X nor any book in which thofe laws are written, 
 ■which they ought to obferve in determining thofe 
 differences which happen in families. They have 
 indeed the Vedam, which they look upon as a 
 facred book •, but it is not from it that they draw 
 the maxims they ufe in regulating their judicial pro- 
 cedures. They have another book which they call 
 Vichna-churam, which contains a great many fine 
 fentences, and Tome rules for the different tribes 
 of the people. In this book is related the inge- 
 nious manner in which fome of the ancients dif- 
 covered truth, when people endeavoured to conceal 
 her by various artifices. Tho' the Indians admire 
 the wit and fagacity of thefe judges, they arc not 
 very folicitous to imitate their example, and obey 
 their commands. In a word, we there find a great 
 many admirable fentences of the ancient poets, 
 who taught a found morality ; but it is not from 
 this work that they draw the principles of their 
 decifions. 
 
 All the equity of their judgments is fupported 
 on certain inviolable cuiloms and ufages which pa- 
 rents tranfmit to their children. They look upon 
 thefe ufages as certain and infallible rules for main- 
 taining the peace of families, and determining the 
 differences not only of private perlbns, but ai- 
 fo of princes. When a periba can prove that his 
 
 claim
 
 lio Ol>fervatio?is upon Asia, 
 
 claim is founded on the cuflom followed in the 
 tribes, it is enough for him ; there is no more 
 reafoning on the point ; and he gains his caufe* 
 Tho' you fhould demonftrate that this cuftom is 
 ill eftablifhed, and fubjedt to great inconveniencies, 
 you would gain nothing, the cuftom gets the bet- 
 ter of the ftrongeft reafons. How, fay they, 
 can people a6l againft ufages eftablifhed by the 
 general confent of our anceftors, by thofe who 
 have followed them, and by thofe now alive ? 
 Would it not be madnefs to contradid: what has 
 been regulated by fo many wife men, and autho- 
 rifed by continual experience. 
 
 They have not wrote thefe cuftoms, becaufe, 
 fay they, if they were written ia books, none but 
 the learned could read them, whereas being tranf- 
 mitted from age to age by tradition, all the people 
 are perfeclly acquainted with them. This, fay 
 they, is the ttate of the general laws and univerfal 
 cuftoms •, but as for the particular cuftoms, they 
 were engraved on plates of copper, which were 
 carefully preferved in a great court at Cangibou- 
 ram. The Moors having almoft totally deftroyed 
 that city, it v/as not poftible to difcover what was 
 become of thefe plates. They only know that 
 they contain'd what related to every one of the 
 tribes in particular, and the order which they 
 ought to obferve among each other. 
 
 As for other affairs not relating to the tribes, 
 they are eafry determined. Good fenfe, and the 
 light of nature, are fufEcient to guide a man who 
 defires to give judgment according to equity. Be- 
 fides, there are certain generui maxims, which ftand 
 inftead of laws, and waich are known by every 
 body. The principal rules relating to the tribes, 
 are univerfal iy known. 
 
 The
 
 Africa, ^;2^ America. iii 
 
 The Indians facredly preferve the remembrance 
 of fome of their kings, who have rendered them* 
 felves famous by the equity of their judgments. 
 The mod celebrated of thefe kings was Mariadira- 
 men. The following is a fentence which he pafTed, 
 and has fome analogy to that formerly pafled by 
 Solomon. 
 
 A rich man had married two wives *, the fird", 
 tho' ugly^ had a great advantage above the tecond -, 
 for (he had had a child by her hufband, and the 
 other had none. The fecond, in recom pence for 
 her fterility, was fuch a beauty, that fhe became 
 abfolute miftrefs of the hufband's heart. The firft 
 wife, provoked at feeing herfelf defpifed, while her 
 rival was carefled and aior'd, took a refolution to 
 be reveng'd on her, and had recourfe to a flra- 
 tagem as cruel as it is uncommon among the Indi- 
 ans. Before fhe executed her defign, fhe told the 
 neighbourhood, that flie was fenfible of her huf- 
 band's contempt for her, but that fhe had a fon by 
 him, who (hould for the future prove her only 
 comfort. She accordingly fhewed all the external 
 marks of tendernefs and afFedlion to the infant, 
 who was then at the bread. 
 
 After having thus convinc'd the world of the 
 cxcefTive love fhe bore her fon, fhe refolv'd to kill 
 him, and accordingly twifted his neck about, 
 one night when her hufband was in a diftant town, 
 and laid the murdered infant by the fecond wife, 
 who was faft afleep. In the morning, pretending 
 to feek for her fon, fhe ran into the chamber of her 
 rival, and there finding the child dead, fhe fell 
 upon the ground, tore her hair, and made the 
 mofl terrible howling and lamentation. The neigh- 
 bourhood afTembled, and were univerfally pre- 
 judiced againfl the other woman ; for, faid they, 
 •it • is not poflTible, that a mother fnould kill her 
 
 own
 
 1 1 2 Obferi:atio7is upon Asia, 
 
 own foil 5 and tho' a mother fhould be fo unna- 
 tural as to dp fo, yet this woman cannot be fuf- 
 pedted, fince flie ador'd her fon, and look'd upon 
 him as her only comfort. The fecond wife faid 
 in her defence, that no paflion is more cruel, vio^ 
 lent, and capable of producing more tragical ef- 
 fects than jcaloufy. This affair was brought before 
 Mariadiramen. A day was appointed for each 
 woman to plead her caufe. They did fo, with that 
 natural eloquence which paflion generally infpires. 
 Mariadiramen having heard both parties, pafs'el 
 the following fentence. Let the woman who is in- 
 nocent, and who pretends that her rival is culpable, 
 take a turn thro' the afiembly in the pofture which 
 he ihould Ihew her. This pofture was fuch as did 
 not become a modefl woman. Upon this the mo- 
 ther of the child faid, In order to convince you 
 that my rival is culpable, I not only confent to 
 take one turn before this afTembly, in the manner 
 you have ordered, but alfo a hundred, ifrequir'd. 
 As for me, faid the fecond, tho' innocent, yet I 
 ought to be condemn'd to the moft cruel death, if 
 I did what is now requir'd of me. The firft wife 
 wanted to make a reply, but the judge ordering 
 filence, declared that fhe was guilty, and her an- 
 tagonifl innocent ; for, added he, a woman, wh9 
 at the profped: of certain death will not do an inde- 
 cent adion, could never have committed fo great 
 a crime -, on the contrary, a woman, who having 
 loft all fenfe of modefty, without trouble com- 
 mits the moft indecent adlions, fufficiently declares-, 
 that fhe is capable of perpetrating the blackeft 
 crimes. The firft wife, confounded to fee herfelf 
 thus difcover'd, was forc'd pubUckly to acknow- 
 ledge her crime.- 
 
 Th€
 
 Africa, ^/?<^ America." ii'^ 
 
 The Indians relate another flill more furpriring 
 example of the fagacity of the fame judge. 
 
 A man, whofe name was Parjen, remarkable for 
 his ftrength and extraordinary agility, lived very 
 peaceably with his wife for fometime after they 
 were married. But one day, falling into a pciffion 
 at her, he left her, and went into a remote king- 
 dom. During his abfence, one of the fubaltern 
 gods aflumed the figure of Prajen, came into his 
 houfe, and made up his peace with the father and 
 mother-in-law. They had cohabited together 
 three or four months, when the true Prajen came 
 home. He threw himfelf at the feet of his father 
 and mother-in-law, in order to regain his v/]fe, 
 confefling ferioufly, that he was in the wrong to 
 fly into a palTion on fo flight an occafion •, and 
 begg'd that his firft fault might be forgiven. The 
 father and mother-in-law were greatly furprifed at 
 this difcourfe j for they could not comprehend how 
 Prajen fhould fue a fecond time for the pardon 
 which had been granted him fome time before. 
 Their furprife was much greater when the counter- 
 feit Prajen came home. When the two Prajens 
 met, they began to quarrel, and wanted to banifh 
 each other from the houfe. The whole neighbour- 
 hood alTembled, and none could determine which 
 was the true Prajen. At laft the affair turned out 
 juft like the two .^ofias of Plautus. The difpute 
 being heard before by the king, was ordered to be 
 laid before Mariadiramen. This judge was greatly 
 perplex'd, when, after hearing the true Prajen 
 declare his name, that of his father, of his mo- 
 ther, and other relations in the town where he was 
 born, together with fome remarkable events of his 
 life, the counterfeit Prajen faid, The man who has 
 fpoken is a counterfeit •, he has been inform'd of 
 my namt% of my relations, of my birth, and of 
 
 VoT,. L i every
 
 114 Ohfervations upon Asia, 
 
 every thing that relates to me, and for that reafon 
 comes here to declare himfelf the true Prajen. I 
 am the genuine man, and for the truth of my af- 
 fertion, 1 appeal to all thofe here prefent, who 
 have been witnefles to my ftrength and agility. 
 Upon this Mariadiramcn feeing a large flone, which 
 feveral men could hardly move, fpoke in the fol- 
 lowing manner : What each of you fays, puts it 
 out of my power to give a decifion, but I have at 
 the fame time an infallible method of difcovering 
 the truth. The true Prajen has the reputation of 
 having great ftrength and agility ; let him give a 
 proof of themi by lifting this ftone. The true Pra- 
 jen did his endeavours, and the fpedlators were 
 furprifed to fee him lift it from the ground. The 
 counterfeit Prajen tried it in his turn, and lifted 
 it as if it had been a feather. Upon this the af- 
 fembly cry'd aloud. This is the true Prajen. But 
 Mariadiramcn pronounced fentence in favour of the 
 former, who had only raifed the ftone from the 
 ground, and gave this reafon for his procedure. 
 He who ftrft lifted the ftone, has done what a man 
 of extraordinary ftrength can do ; but he who took 
 it up eafily, and feemed to be able to tofs it up in- 
 to the air, is certainly a demion, or one of the fub- 
 altern gods, who has aflumed the figure of Prajen ; 
 for no mortal is capable of doing what he has done. 
 Upon this the falfe Prajen was fo confounded, 
 that he difappeared in an inftant. 
 
 Thefe examples fufficiently fhew the ideas which 
 the Indians have of a judge. They triumph when 
 they exprefs the qualities which he ought to have. A 
 judge, fay they, ought to be entirely acquainted 
 with the cafe difputed. He ought perfecflly tO' 
 know all the maxims which are fubfervient to law, 
 He ought to be a man of fubftance, that he may be 
 proof againft bribery and corruption. He ought 
 
 to
 
 Africa, and America. ur 
 
 to be more than twenty years of age, that indif- 
 cretion, which is peculiar to youth, may not ren- 
 der him rafh in his decifions. He ought to be un- 
 der fixty ye?rs of age, becaule at rhat period of 
 life people begin to lofe fome degrees oi cheir pe- 
 netration. If he is a relation or intimate acquain- 
 tance of one of the contending parties, he is not to 
 appear in -quality of judge. He is never to judge 
 alone, however upright or knowing he may be. 
 His principal care ought to be to examine the wir- 
 nefles, who are eafily corrupted, and very dexterous 
 in giving equivocal anfwers, an art in which the 
 Indians exctl ; fo that the judges order their an- 
 fwers to interrogations to be written ; then they dif- 
 mifs the parties, and order them to return two days 
 after, when they propofe the fame queilions to 
 them in a fomewhat different manner ; and becaufe 
 the judges are generally as artful as the witnefles, 
 they turn their anfwers into all the fenfes they can 
 bear, that they may not allow them the liberty of 
 explaining what they have faid, otherwife than in 
 a natural fenfe. 
 
 Patience, fweetnefs of temper, and efpecially a 
 great attention to what is prefcrib'd by cuftomj are 
 alfo qualities ftridlly recommended to their judges. 
 
 They have a kind of proverb which they often 
 repeat -, which is, that the judge ought never to 
 look either at the countenances or - hands of the 
 perfons who plead their caufes. 
 
 With refpe6l to witnefles v/hcm a judge is .of- 
 ten obliged to interrogate, they think that he ought 
 to be difRdent of fuch as are yonng, pafl fixty 
 years of age, or poor. As for women, they arc 
 never to be admitted, except in cafes of abfolute 
 neceffitv. They have a comical notion of the 
 teflimony given by people who have but one eye, 
 and t ofc who arc hump-back'd, or labour under 
 
 I 2 
 
 any
 
 ii6 Ohj creations upon A^iA, 
 
 any other deformity. Experience, fay they^ 
 teaches us, that the teftimony of fuch people is al- 
 ways very fufpicious, and that they are much 
 more eafily corrupted than others. 
 
 Every chief man of a town is the natural judge 
 of the fuits carried on in the town. And that his 
 judgment may be paffed with the greater equity , 
 he choofes three or four of the mod experienced 
 inhabitants who are like affiftants to him, and in 
 conjunction with whom he pronounces his fen- 
 tences. If the perfon condemned is not content 
 with his fentence, he may appeal from it to the 
 maniacarren, a kind of intendant, who has feveral 
 towns under his government. In a word, he 
 may appeal from this fentence to the immediate 
 officers of the prince, from whofe fentence there is 
 no appeal. If the matter relates to the tribes, the 
 head men of the tribes determine it. Relations 
 may alfo be niiembled on thefe occafions, and they 
 generally judge very equitably. The gourous, or 
 fpiritual fathers of the Indians, decide a great pare 
 of the difputes which arife among their difcipies. 
 Sometimes people at law refer their difference to 
 arbitrators, and in this cafe they acquiefce in the 
 fentence pronounced, without havino; recourfe to 
 other judges. 
 
 Among all thefe judges none take money ex- 
 cept the maniacarrens, who are not always guilty 
 of this practice. If the fum is an hundred crowns, 
 there are ten gix'en to the maniacarren •, and the 
 perfon who gains the fuit, is generally obliged to 
 pav this fum, he who lofes being fufficiently pu- 
 nifhcd> by paying what he owed. 
 
 From the judges let us pafs to the parties. 
 Th'fe who have any plea muft plead their own 
 caufc, unlefs fom.e friend does them that piece of 
 fervice. They mufl keep themfelves in a poflure 
 
 that
 
 Africa^ ^;/^ America. 117 
 
 that teftifies refpeft in the prefenceof their judges. 
 They do not interrupt each other, but are content 
 with ufing a particular motion of the head, to 
 tcftify that they can confute what the other advances. 
 When the pleaders have done, the parties and the 
 witnefTes are remov'd, after which, the judge and 
 the counfellors confer together ; and when they 
 have agreed on what is to be pronounced, the 
 judge recalls the parties, and pronounces the fentence. 
 
 As moft procefTes in the Indies relate to debts 
 and borrowed fums, it is proper the reader fhould 
 know the manner in which thefe debts are con- 
 traded. 'Tis then the cuflom for him who bor- 
 rows to give a mourri, that is a bond, to pay the 
 creditor the principal, with intereft. 
 
 The intereft is of three forts, one of which is 
 virtuous, another finful, and the other neither 
 virtuous nor fmful. The virtuous intereft is one 
 per cent, every month •, for they fay a perfon who 
 takes no more exercifes a great act of virtue. 
 The finful intereft is four per cent, every month. 
 And the intereft which is neither fmful nor vir- 
 tuous, is two per cent, every month, that is twenty 
 four every year. 
 
 When a creditor has waited feveral months, or a 
 year or two, he has a right to arreft his debtor in 
 the name of the prince, and then the debtor is ob- 
 liged to ftay at home, under pain of being declared 
 a rebel. He is not, however, obliged to appear 
 immediately before the judge -, but the firft perfons 
 who go paft intercede for him, and oblige the 
 creditor to give him fome months refpite. When 
 this time is expir'd, the creditor may again arreft 
 the debtor in the name of the prince. It is fur- 
 prifing to fee the exa6t obedience of thofe who are 
 arrefted ; for they not only dare not make their 
 efcape, but alfo can neither eat nor drink till the 
 
 I 3 creditor
 
 c 
 
 1 18 Obfervations upon Asih^ 
 
 reclitor gives them liberty. Then they are 
 '-^roughc before the judge, who alio gives them 
 ^ome months refpite, during which time the interell 
 runs on. Atlaft, if the debtor fails to pay at the time 
 appointed, the judge condemns him to a kind of 
 prilon, and orders his cattle and moveables to be 
 fold. The creditor generally abates fom.ething of 
 the intereft due. - 
 
 When a m.an is accufed of a robbery, and there 
 are ftrong prejudices againfr him, they oblige him 
 to prove his innocence, by putting his hand into a 
 cauldron of boiling oil. When he pulls out his 
 hand, they wrap it up in a piece of fluff, which 
 they feal on his wrifl. Three days after they view 
 his hand, and if no mark of the fcald appears, he 
 is declared innocent. This fpecies of trial is very 
 common among the Indians, feveral of whom can 
 take their hands out of boiling oil, as found as 
 when they went in. When the Indians require this 
 trial, they order the criminal's hands to be wafn'd, 
 and his nails pair'd, left there fhould be fome re- 
 medy conceal'd, in order to prevent the fcalding. 
 
 They have alfo recourfe to another trial, which 
 is very common among them. They take a large 
 round vefTel, whole month is no wider than is fur- 
 ficient to admit one's fifl. They put into this 
 velTel one of thefe large ferpents whofe bite is mor- 
 tal, if not inflantly remedied. Thty alfo put a 
 ring into it, and oblige the perfons fufpeflcd of 
 the robbery to take it out, and the firfl who is bit 
 is declared culpable. 
 
 But before it comes to this extremity, they 
 ufe great precaution not to expofe the accufed too 
 rafhly to iuch trials. If, forinflance, it is a neck- 
 lace of gold, or any other trinket that is 
 ilolen, they give thirty or forty perfons round 
 vcfTelr, almoil like a bowl, that the robber may 
 
 fecretly
 
 Africa^ ^72^ America. 119 
 
 lecretly flip the thing'ftolen into his. Thefe veflTels 
 are made of a fubftance which is eafily diirolv'd in 
 water. Every one carries his veflel to a kind of 
 ciftern, where all the veflcls are diluted, and where 
 the thing wanted is found, without any polTibility 
 of difcovering the robber. 
 
 In trials for murder, if the law of retaliation 
 takes place in any tribe, it is to be obferv'd with 
 the utmoft rigour. Murders are very rare thro' 
 all the Indies ; and this perhaps is the reafon why 
 there is fo little juflice for fuch crimes. If a mur- 
 derer gives a certain fum to the prince, a hundred 
 pagods, for example, he obtains a pardon ; and 
 what is furprifing is, that if one of the king's 
 officers is kill'd, the murderer will be acquitted for 
 an hundred crowns. A hufband may, according 
 to the law, kill his adulterous wife and her gal- 
 lant •, but he muft kill both, and then there can 
 be no a6lion againft him. 
 
 It is never lawful to kill a bramin ; whatever 
 crime he may commit, he can only be punifhed 
 by having his eyes puli'd out. This is the method 
 in which juflice is adminiilrcd among the Indians. 
 The following are fome of thofe maxims which 
 ferve as laws to dired their judges in the fentences 
 they pafs. 
 
 First MAXIM. 
 
 When there are fever al children in a family^ the 
 male children are the only heirs, and the females 
 have no pretenjions of heritage. 
 
 This maxim appears unjufl, and contrary to the 
 law of nature, fmce the girls have the fame father 
 and mother with the fons. But the Indians anfwer, 
 that it is cuflom -, and as it has been eflablilhed by 
 
 I 4 the
 
 1 2 o Obfervations upon K^iAy 
 
 the confent of the nation, it cannot be unjufto 
 They add, that the daughters have no reafon to 
 complain, becaufe the fathers and mothers, or if 
 they are dead, the brothers are obliged to provide 
 them with hufbands ; that by thus tranfplanting 
 them, as it were, into another family, as noble as 
 their own (for they cannot marry out of their 
 own tribe) the advantages a girl reaps in the family 
 into which fhe goes, are equivalent to a dowt*y. 
 'Tis however true, that the fathers and mother* 
 reap almofc all the advantage arifmg from the 
 marriage of their daughters. 'Tis to them that the 
 hufband carries the fum with which he purchafes 
 the lady dellin'd for him -, for it is to be obferv'd, 
 that among the Indians, to be married, and to 
 purchafe a wife, is the fame thing. 
 
 The Indians anfwer, that the fum given by the 
 hufband to the father- in law, has been almofl all 
 laid out in trinkets for the bride, that the refl of 
 it goes for the mar-riage-feafF, and that it often cofls 
 the father more than he received from the hufband. 
 There are, however, petty kingdoms in the 
 Indies, where the princelTes have g eat privileges, 
 which place them above their brothers, becaufe the 
 right of fucceffion is on the mother's fide. If a 
 king, for example, has a daughter by a wife of 
 his own blood, tho' he have a fon by another wife 
 of the fame tribe, the princefs will fucceed to the 
 kingdom, aqd may marry whom fhe pleafes. Tho' 
 her hufband is not of the blood-royal, yet her Tons 
 are always kings, becaufe they are of the blood 
 royal on the mother's fide, the father being ac- 
 counted nothing, and this right coming only by 
 the mother. 
 
 From this principle we ought to conclude, that 
 
 Jf this princefs who reigns has a boy and a girl, and 
 
 if there cannot be a princefs of the blood royal 
 
 foun4
 
 Africa, and America. izi 
 
 found to be married to the prince, the children of 
 the daughter will reign in preference to thofe of her 
 brother. 
 
 Second MAXIM. 
 
 // is not always the eldeft fon of the kings, princes^ 
 palsacarrens^ and chiefs of towyis^ who fucceeds 
 to theflate and government of his father. 
 
 The Indians diflinguifli two forts of dignities ; 
 |:hofe which defcend from the father to the fon, 
 and thofe which are only attached to fome perfons, 
 without neceflarily devolving to their children, 
 Thefe laft the prince may difpofe of at pleafure. 
 But we here fpeak of hereditary dates. Guftoni 
 has eftablifhed that the eldefl lliould fucceed, whea 
 their good qualities render them capable of manag- 
 ing; but when they are dull and improper to go- 
 vern, and when the younger brother has talents 
 for difcharging the office of a prince, the king 
 difpofes of things fo as make the dates fall to the 
 (hare of the younger fon. If he fhould not do fo, 
 the relations would alfemble after his death, and 
 make choice of the younger. As this cuftom is 
 eftablifhed the eldeft does not take it ill His con- 
 dition is not the worfe on this account •, for with- 
 out having the chagrin and toils attending royalty, 
 he enjoys a date equally grand. They omit no- 
 thing which can alleviate the trouble produced by 
 a forced fubmidion. What is here faid of kings 
 and princes, is alfo to be underftood of palleacar- 
 rens, and the chiefs of cities. The younger is al- 
 ways preferred to the elder, when he has more 
 merit. 
 
 The condudl of the Mogul princes is very diffe- 
 rent. He who has the greateft forces and gains 
 
 the
 
 122 Objer'vations upon Asia, 
 
 the viflory over his brothers, fucceeds to the vaft 
 ftates of the Mogul. The vanquifh'd are always 
 either imprifoned or killed, This is a ftrange po- 
 licy of the Moguls, which induces brothers to a 
 kind, of neceflity of murdering each other. 
 
 Third MAXIM. 
 
 When the effects have not been divided after the death 
 of a father^ all the riches which one of the children 
 has acquired, are added to the common fiock^ and 
 divided equally. 
 
 This maxim appears flrange, but it is generally 
 ■followed by the Indians, and according to this rule 
 they terminate a great many law-fuits. An ex- 
 ample will render the thing more obvious. Let 
 us fuppofe an Indian v;ho has five children, to 
 leave at his death a hundred pagods, which a- 
 mount to five hundred pounds of our money. 
 If the divifion is made, each of the fons ought to 
 have a hundred pounds ; but if it is not made, as 
 it rarely is, efpecially when any of the brothers are 
 unmarried, then tho' the eldeft has acquired ten 
 thoufand pagods, he is obliged to put them to 
 the common flock to be equally divided among 
 all the brothers. For this purpofe the friends and 
 relations are afTembled, and if the elded makes any 
 refi*'^ance, he is fure to be worded. 
 
 The Indians have another fingular cudom •, for 
 v/hen fome of the brothers are dull, and the red 
 men of parts, they make the portion of the former 
 a great deal more than that of the latter •, becaufe, 
 fay they, he who is dull is incapable of improving 
 what is left him, whereas he of quick apprehen- 
 dons, will foon become much richer than his bro- 
 ther.
 
 Africa, and America. 123 
 
 ther, to whom the greateft part of the heritage is 
 left. 
 
 In feme families there is never any divifion 
 made •, the ftock is common, and they live in a 
 perfectly good underftanding. This happens when 
 fome one of the family is able to fupport the reft.. 
 He is at all the expence, and is, as it were, fupe- 
 rior to the others, who have no other care but t6 
 work agreeably to his orders. He provides wives 
 for the fons and grandfons of his brothers. He 
 furniilies them with the necelfaries of life, cloaths, 
 and other things requifite ; and what is furprifmg 
 is, that there are fome women capable oi govern- 
 ing feveral families in this manner. In fome fami- 
 lies they never make a divifion ; and yet thefe are 
 as rich as the generality of Indian families. 
 
 Fourth MAXIM. 
 
 Adopted children have an equal /hare with the n/j..- 
 tural children^ in the effects of the fathers and 
 mothers who have adopted them. 
 
 When a man has no children, he often adopts 
 one of fome of his relations. The ceremonies 
 ufed on this occafion are very remarkable. In a 
 large houfe they affemble the relations of the per- 
 fon who adopts. There they prepare a large cop- 
 per veffel of the fame figure with our plates. They 
 place it in fuch a manner that the child to be adopt- 
 ed can put both his feet into it, and (land upright 
 if he is able. Then the hufband and the wife fpeak 
 nearly to the following purpofe. 
 
 We acquaint you that having no children we are 
 defirous to adopt him whom you fee. We fo make 
 choice o^ him for our fon, that henceforth our 
 etfe(fls fliall belong to him, as if he was really be- 
 got
 
 124 Obfervation f upon Asia, 
 
 got by us. He has no longer any thing to hope 
 Irom his natural father. We are therefore going 
 to drink the faffron water, if you confent to it. 
 The byftanders give their approbation by a nod 
 of the head. After this the hufband and the wife. 
 Hooping, pour faffron water into the veffel, and 
 after having wafhed the child's feet with it, they 
 drink the remainder. Then they take a minute of 
 what has pafTed, which is figned by the company. 
 
 If the hufband and wife afterwards have chil- 
 dren, they are the younger brothers of him who has 
 been adopted, and he enjoys the privilege of the el- 
 deft", fmce the law makes no difference between 
 adopted and other children. 
 
 There is another kind of adoption which has not 
 the fame advantages, but has fomething very fin- 
 crular in it. If parents have loft a child and fee a- 
 nother who refembles him, they defire this other to 
 look upon them as his father and mother, to which 
 the child readily confents, and then the adoption 
 is made. This adoption is in the language of the 
 country called oppari. What is remarkable is, 
 that an Indian of a low tribe may, by oppari, take 
 a bramin for his fon, if he has ftratures like his 
 child, and the bramin will call him father •, but 
 they muft never eat together, becaufe they are of 
 different tribes. 
 
 What is faid of the father and mother with re- 
 fpeft to the fon adopted by oppari, is alfo to be 
 underftood of brothers and fillers, who in like 
 manner adopt him or her who refembles a dead 
 brother or fifter. They afterwards treat them as 
 brothers and fillers, affift them in their wants, and 
 fhare their happinefs and misfortunes. The In- 
 dians fay, that by this means they greatly alleviate 
 their grief for their relations, fmce in thofe whom 
 they a^opt they find other children, brothers and 
 
 fiflers.
 
 Africa, ^nd America. 125 
 
 fillers. But this fort of relationfliip is terminated 
 by the death of the perfons who adopt, and does 
 not pafs to their children. 
 
 Fifth MAXIM. 
 
 Orphans are to he treated like the children of thofe 
 to whom they are entrujled. 
 
 One of the wifell regulations among the Indi- 
 ans is, that relating to orphans. If they have 
 uncles and aunts, thefe are by the law deemed 
 their fathers and mothers, and obliged to bring 
 them up as the other chidren of the family. The 
 reputed father is obliged to marry them when 
 they are of a proper age, and to lay out the ex- 
 pences neceffary to put them in a way of living. 
 
 In confequence of this cuftom, when a man has 
 loft his wife, he endeavours to marry her fiftef. 
 Tiiis maxim appears admirable to them ; for, fay 
 they, by this means there is no ftep-mother, and 
 the children of the dead fifter always become thofe 
 of the living one. If this man did not marry his 
 wife's fifter, he muft efpoufe another, who in all 
 probability would abufe her hufband's children for 
 the advantage of her own. Whereas, if the fifter of 
 the deceas'd marries her brother- in- law, who is a wi- 
 dower, fhe will always look upon her fifter's chil- 
 dren as her own. 
 
 In a word, if orphans have neither elder brother, 
 uncles nor aunts, they afiemble the relations, who 
 make choice of fome one to take care of them. 
 They write down what the orphan's father has left; 
 and he is obliged to quit him as foon as he is of 
 age. Thofe who bring up orphans, make them 
 cam their bread as foon as they are able to work. 
 
 If
 
 126 Obfervaticns upon Asia, 
 
 If they "are children of parts they put them to fchool 
 to learn to read, write, and to manage accounts. 
 
 Sixth MAXIM. 
 
 JVhat'e'ver crimes children may commit againft their 
 fathers^ they cayi never he difinhcrited. 
 
 The Indians imagine that this cuftom is very 
 wife and equitable. Thus, when a fon ftrikes and 
 wounds his father, or even makes an attempt on 
 his life, without fucceeding, the father is obliged 
 to pardon him ; and if a father fliould declare on his 
 death-bed, that any one of his fonsfliould not have 
 a fhare of his heritage, on account of his bad beha- 
 viour, the brothers who fhould pretend to execute 
 the will of their father, would be caft in all the 
 courts of the Indies. 
 
 When we teil the Indians, that it is contrary to 
 common fenfe, to fay that a father cannot detain 
 his efiecls from an ungrateful fon, who has defpif- 
 ed and infulted him, they anfwer, that on the con- 
 trary, nothing is more fcandalous than to fee 
 a father die with fentimients of hatred to his chil- 
 dren. A father, fay they, is obliged to pardon his 
 fon, however ungrateful and unnatural lie may be; 
 for, in a word, is not this fon begotten by the fa- 
 ther ? he is therefore a portion of himfelf-, and 
 who ever faw a man cut his right hand, becaufe it 
 had cut his left? 
 
 For the fame reafon children cannot difinherit 
 a father, however unreafonable he has been to 
 them. Thus, if an only fon dies very rich, and 
 without children, his father is his fucceflor, and 
 nothing can deprive him of the heritage.. 
 
 Seventh
 
 Africa, and Amejiica. ^ 127 
 
 Seventh MAXIM. 
 
 "The father is obliged to pay all the debts which the 
 children have contract ed^ and the children thofe 
 contract ed by their fathers. 
 
 This is a general rule, and ferves to decide 
 proceffes of this kind. According to this 
 cuftom if a debauched fon borrows money every 
 where, and gives lawful notes for it, the father is 
 obliged to pay his debts. He, in vain, fays, that 
 he does not defcrve this favour, fince the money 
 he borrowed only ferved to augment his de- 
 bauchery. They anfwer, that the goodnefs of a 
 father does not permit him to ufe this rigour. The 
 fame rule is obferved with refpedt to the debts 
 which the fathers contract, fmce the children are 
 obliged to pay them. Tho' they could prove, 
 that the father has fquandered away the money 
 borrowed on foolifh, or perhaps wicked purpofes, 
 and even tho' the fon fliould renounce the inheri- 
 tance, he is always fentenced to pay the debts of 
 his father. 
 
 The fame holds true of the debts which one of 
 the brothers contra6ls before the divifion of the in- 
 heritance. The eldeft is obliged to pay them, and 
 the fquanderer has his fhare of the common (lock 
 as the other children. The reafon of this condudt 
 is founded on this maxim, that after the death of 
 the father, the eldeft brother becomes, as it were, 
 the father of his brothers. In a word, the others 
 throw themfclves at his feet, and he looks upon 
 them as his children. Thus, as the father is ob- 
 liged to pay the debts of his children, the eldeft 
 brothiT, who is in the place of a father, is obliged 
 .to pay their debts before the divifion of the inhe- 
 ritance.
 
 128 bbfer'vations upon Asia,' 
 
 rltance. But this divifion is always made very late. 
 This rule does not extend to the fitters, fince nei- 
 ther fathers nor brothers are obliged to pay their 
 debts. 
 
 Thefe are the general maxims which ferve as 
 laws among the Indians^ and which are exadlly 
 followed in the ditiribution of juftice. 
 
 ^EOES^JXSXSi 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 Defer iption of California ; character ^ manners^ 
 and occupations of the inhabitants of that 
 ijland '^ the remarkable flants^ fruit Sy and 
 animals found there, 
 
 IN California, as in other beautiful countries, 
 there are fpacious plains, agreeable vallies, and 
 ■excellent pafturage for large and fmall cattle •, fine 
 fprings of frefh water, rivulets, and rivers whofe 
 banks are covered with willows, reeds, and wild 
 
 vines. 
 
 During the fummer the heats are very intenfe 
 upon the coaft, and it rarely rains. But in the 
 main-land the air is more temperate, and the heat 
 is never excefiive. This holds nearly true with re- 
 fpefl to the winter. In the rainy feafons there is a 
 kind of deluge, and when it is over, inftead of 
 rain, the dew is fo copious every morning, that 
 one would think it had rained, which renders' 
 their grounds very fertile. In the months of 
 April, May, and June, there falls with the dews 
 a kind of manna, which is congealed and hirdened 
 under the leaves of the reeds, ^t is not quite fo 
 white as fugar, but is equally fweet. 
 
 The
 
 Africa, and America.^ ' 129 
 
 The rivers are full of fifli, and efpecially of 
 brabs, which they put into fifli-ponds, to be takea 
 out as occafion requires. There is alfo great plen- 
 ty of a fruit which the Spaniards call xicarnes, and 
 which has the hnell talte of all the fruits in Mexi- 
 co. Thus, we may f.iy,, that California is a verv 
 fertile country. During the winter, and at all fea- 
 fons, we find on x!\-\^ mountains large piftacho trees 
 of all kinds, and among the reft, that which the 
 Chinefe, who are the natives of the country, call 
 palofanto. It bears a great deal of fruit, and an ex- 
 cellent incenfe is obtained from it. 
 
 If this country abounds in fruits, it is not le:s 
 fertile in grains, of which the natives have four- 
 teen kinds. They alfo vSc the roots of feveral 
 trees and plants, and among others that of yguea, 
 to make a kind of bread. Jrlere are produced ex- 
 cellent cherries, a kind of red lentils, of which 
 they eat a great deal, citrons, and water-melons of 
 an extraordinary lize. . . 
 
 . The country is fo fertile, that it is common for 
 fome plants to bear three times a year. Thuii, 
 with labour in cultivating the ground, and fldll 
 in diftributing the waters, the country would b:: 
 extremely fertile, fmce without thefe advantages, 
 fruits and grains of all kinds are found in great 
 plenty. 
 
 Befides feveral forts of animals known among 
 us, which are found here in great plenty, and are 
 good food, as goats, hares, rabbets and others, 
 there are two forts of fallow beafts unknown in 
 Europe. They call them flieep, becaufe they have 
 fomething of the figure of our flicep. The firil: 
 fpeciesisas large as a calf one or two years old. Their 
 head has a great refemblance to that of a ftag, and 
 their horns, to thofe of a ram. Their tail and hair 
 which arc fpeckled, are fliorter than thofe of a ftag. 
 
 YoL. I. K Bus
 
 i^O Obfervations iifon AsiAi 
 
 But their hcofs are large, round, and cloven, like 
 thofe of an ox. Their flefb is very good and deli- 
 cate. The other fort of iheep, fome of which are 
 black, and others white, are lefs different from 
 ours. They are larger, and have a great deal of 
 wool, which is eafily fpun, and proper for making 
 cloth, 
 
 Befides thefe animals ufed for food, there are 
 lions, wild cats, and many others like thofe found 
 in New-Spain. They have brought into Califor- 
 nia cows, and a great number of fmall cattle, 
 fuch as Iheep and goats, which have multiplied 
 incredibly. They have alfo imported a great many 
 horfes and mares, in order to ftock the country 
 with them. 
 
 As for birds^ all thofe of Mexico, and almofl 
 all thofe of Spain, are found in California. There 
 are pigeons, larks, turtles, and a great many par- 
 tridges of an excellent taile, geefe, ducks, and 
 many other fea and frefh-water fowls. 
 
 The fea abounds in fiili of an excellent tafle. They 
 there catch pilchers, anchovies, and tunies, which 
 fuffer themfelves to be taken with the hand on the 
 fea-fhore. There are very often whales feen there,- 
 and all kinds of tortoifes. The fhores are full of 
 ihells much larger than thofe from which the mo- 
 ther of pearl is obtained. 'Tis not from the fea- 
 that they get their fait, iince they have falt-mines, 
 the fait of which is white and fhini-ng like cryftal ^ 
 but at the fame time fo hard, that they are often 
 obliged to break it with a large hatchet. 
 
 It is near two centuries fince California wasr 
 known. Its coafls are famous for the fifliing of 
 pearls. This has rendered it the objedl of the de- 
 lires of the Europeans, who have often formed 
 fchcmes for eftabliihing thmefeives there. 
 
 Tho^'
 
 Africa, a?2d America, 131 
 
 Tho' heaven has been fo bountiful to the Cali* 
 fornians, and tho' their foil fpontaneouQv pro- 
 duces, what does not grow elfewhere without a 
 great deal of trouble and pains, yet they have no 
 regard to the riches and abundance of their coun- 
 try. Content with the neceffariesof lif'", they are 
 little folHcitous about every thing elfe. For fifli- 
 ing they ufe fmall boats, without any dread of dan- 
 ger, becaufe they are exctllent hvimmers. 
 
 The country is very populous, efpecially in the 
 northern parts ; and tho' there are very few bo- 
 roughs which do not cdnfiit of twenty, thirty^ 
 forty, or fifty families, yet they have no houfes; 
 The trees defend them from the he:it of the fun 
 by day •, and of the branches and leaves they make 
 a kind of bower, to fcrecn themfelves from the in- 
 juries of the nocturnal air. In winter, a confidcr- 
 able number of them lliut themfeives up in caves 
 which they dig in the earth. 
 
 The men go quite naked, and only cover their 
 heads with a fort of very fine fluff, or with a kind 
 of net-work. For aH ornament they carry about 
 their necks, and fometimes in their hands, figures 
 of mother of pearl very well cut, and very ele- 
 gantly adorned with fmali round fruit almoil like 
 beads. For arms they have nothing but bows and 
 arrows, or javelins, which they always carry ia 
 iheir hands, either for hunting or defending them- 
 ielves againfl their enemies •, for the boroughs fre- 
 quently make war upon each other. 
 
 The v/omen are cloathed a little more maodeflly^ 
 wearing from their middle to their knees, a kind 
 of cloth made like the finell mats. They cover 
 their flioulders with the f^ins of beafls, and like 
 the men wear very fine nets about their heads. 
 Thefe nets are fo fine that the Spanilh officers tie 
 up their hair with them. The women, as well as 
 
 K 2 th^
 
 132 Ohfefvatio?is upon Asia, 
 
 the men, wear necklaces of mother of pearl, mix- 
 ed with the kernels of fruits and fliells, which 
 hang down to their middle, and bracelets made of 
 the fame materials. 
 
 The moil general employment of the men and 
 women is fpinning. The thread is made of long 
 herbs, which with them ferve inftead of flax and 
 wool ; or of a fubftance refembling cotton, which 
 is found in the barks of certain fruits. Of the fin- 
 eft thread they make the feveral ornaments which 
 they wear-, and of the coarfeft they make facks 
 for feveral ufes, and nets for fifhins:. The men 
 alfo with feveral herbs, whofe fibres are extremely 
 compadl and filamentous, and which they know 
 how to handle dexteroufly, make pieces of kitchen 
 furniture of all fizes. The fmalleft pieces ferve for 
 cups, the middling for plates, and fometimes as 
 bonnets for the women, the largeft for bafkets 
 for gathering the fruits, and fometimes for bafons 
 for boiling them in. But thefe veflels mufl be 
 continually mov'd while they are on the fire, left 
 the flame fhould lay hold of them, which would 
 foon burn them. 
 
 The Cahfornians have a great deal of vivacity, 
 and are naturally addifted to raillefy. We find no 
 form of government among them, nor almoft any 
 religion, or religious worftiip. They adore the 
 moon, and in honour of her cut off their hair which 
 they give their priefts to be employed in various 
 kinds of fuperftitions. Every family makes laWs 
 to itfelf at pleafure ; and this is probably the reafon 
 why they fo often fight with each other. 
 
 C H A P. •
 
 ^FRiCA, ^;^^ America,. 133 
 
 CHAP. xiir. 
 
 Of the chi-tje^ the lit-chi^ the hoar chu^ the cot^ 
 to?2y and of the flowers of the willow^ their 
 virtues, qualities, medicinal properties^ and 
 the iifes made of them in China, 
 
 TTI H E chl-tfe or fe-tfe, is not lefs valuable on 
 \ account of its beauty, than of the goodnefs 
 of its fruit. In the provinces of Can-tong and 
 Honan the fields are all covered with this kind of 
 trees, fome of which are as large as nut-trees. 
 Thofe which grow in the province Tche-kiang bear 
 better fruit than that produced elfewhere. The 
 fidn is always green without ever becoming yellow 
 or reddifh, like that of the others. Thefe fruits 
 continue frefh during the whole winter. 
 
 The leaves of the chi are of the fame colour and 
 form with thofe of the nut-tree, only they are lefs 
 pointed and rounder at the extremity. The fhade 
 of it is not unwholefome like that of the nut-tree, 
 under which it is dangerous to fall adeep. A Chi- 
 nefe author has thefe trees in fo great efteem, that he 
 advifes the literati to have them near their clofecs, 
 and to repofe under the (hade of them., 
 
 The fliape of the fruit is not univerfally the 
 fame. Some are round, others oblong and oval ; 
 fome are flat, and in a manner divided into two, 
 almoft like two apples joined in the middle. This fruit 
 is as large as an orange or a lemon, and is firil; of a le- 
 mon, and then ofan orange colour. The fkin is tender, 
 delicate, fmooth, and even. The fubftance of the fruit 
 is firm, and fourifli to the tafle, but becomes milder 
 §5 it becomes riper. It at lafl becomes redifn, 
 
 K 3 and
 
 134 Ohfer'vatiGi7s upon Asia, 
 
 and acquires a fweet and agreeable talle. Befp^q 
 its perfed maturity, when the fkin is taken off, 
 the Iruic has a certain mixture of acidity and 
 f'vveetneis, which is very agreeable, and gives it aa 
 aftringent and falutary virtue. 
 
 This fj-uit includes three or four hard and ftony 
 pippins, which contain the feed. Some of them 
 vaned artificially are_^ without pippins, and thefe 
 are moll eiicemed. Thefe fruits rarely become 
 ripe on the trees, and are gather'd in autumin, 
 M'^hen they have arrived at their natural bulk they 
 hy them on Itraw, or on hurdles to ripen. 
 
 This account is only true of the tree, which 
 they take care to cultivate. As for the v/ild chi 
 it has a crooked trunk, and its branches which are 
 interwoven, have fmall prickles. Its fruit is not 
 larger than a fmall apple. 
 
 The culture of this tree confifts principally in 
 the art of grafting it feveral times •, for v/hen it has 
 been thus grafted, the pippins of the fruit become 
 much lefs, and the fruit fometimes grows with- 
 out any pippin at all. The peach, or rather the al= 
 berge tree, when grafted on a chij produces large 
 yellow fruit of an exquifite taile. 
 
 The Chinefe botanifts pretend, that the fruit of 
 the chi is naturally mild and cold. They fay, firft, 
 that v/hen it is eaten imimediately after it is puU'd 
 from die tree, it renders the hearing and fmell 
 acuter. Secondly, that it cures diforders of 
 the abdomen, and removes heart-burns. Thirdly, 
 that it keeps the mouth cool. Fourthly, that this 
 iruit eaten by perfons drinking their wine, which is 
 a kind of beer made of rice, renders them fooner 
 intoxicated than they' would otherwife be. A fa- 
 mous Chinefe author fays, that this only holds true 
 of warm wine, and that this fruit removes intoxi- 
 cation on other occafions^ 
 ■ ' • ' Th 

 
 Africa, ^;/J America. 13^ 
 
 The fame author quotes another more ancient, 
 who enumerates feven very confiderable advantages 
 in the chi. Firft, it lives a great many years, 
 conftantly producing fruit, and decays very ilowr 
 Jy. Secondly, it fp reads a grateful fhade to a 
 great diftance. Thirdly, the birds dare npt build 
 their nefls in it. Fourthly, it is free from worms, 
 and all other infe(5ls fo prejudicial to other trees. 
 Fifthly, v/hen it has been covered with a hoar froll:, 
 its leaves affume various and agreeable colours. 
 Sixthly, its fruit is not only beautiful to the eye, 
 but grateful to the tafte. Seventhly, when the leaves 
 fall, they enrich the foil, as well as the beO: ma- 
 nure. 
 
 A third author, after fome encomiums on thi$ 
 tree, pretends, that its fruit eaten crude, and too 
 plentifully, produces defluxions ; and that tho' it 
 is wholfome when dry, yet it will then give rife to 
 flatulences, if eaten to excefs. The defire of 
 having it foon, often makes them gather it before 
 it is ripe, but there are feveral ways of fupplying 
 this defeat. If they keep it ten days in a proper 
 place, it lofes its natural acidity, and becomes 
 fweet like fugar or honey. They alfo forward its 
 maturity, by letting it lie two or three days m 
 water, which they change often. But they fay, 
 that by being thus macerated, it afTumes a cold 
 quality. Some, in order to ripen it, bury it in 
 fait, which is a means of removing its acidity, buc 
 does not render it the more wholfome. Others 
 put it three or four times into a v/arm lixivium of 
 aflies -, but this forc'd maturity has its inconver 
 jiiences, efpecially with refped: to fick perfons. 
 
 The Chinefe have a cuftom of drying this fruit 
 
 almoft in the fame manner in which figs are dried. 
 
 They make choice of the largeft, and fuch as have 
 
 np pippins , or, if tliey have any, they dexter 
 
 '' 'K 4 ' roufly.
 
 J 36 Obfcrvatmis upon AsiA,^ 
 
 youfiy extract them : Then they prefs the fruit be- 
 tween their hands, to render them flat -, after which 
 they expofe them to the fun and dev/. When they are 
 dry, they put them in a large veifcU tiii they ap- 
 pear cover'd with a kind oi" white jelly, which is 
 their Ipiricuous juice, appearing on the furface. 
 The juice thus prepar^'d renders this truit beneficial 
 to thofe who labour under diforders ot the lungs. 
 
 We'muft not forget a remark made by the fame 
 Chinefe author, which is, that at the lame meal 
 you muft not eat crabs and chii-fe. He pretends, 
 that there is an antipathy between them, and that 
 by thefe two alimentsnhere is a reciprocal combat 
 produced in the ilomach, which excites violent 
 gripings, and often brings on a dangerous flux. 
 
 We iliall now confider another tree, whofe fruit, 
 called lit-chi, is not lefs furprifing, fmce in it w^e 
 find ajuft temperature of heat, cold, and all the 
 other qualities. It gives ftrength and vigour to the 
 bodv, and vivacity, fubtilty, and folidity to the 
 genius. If it is euen to excefs, it is heating. The 
 kernel gently roafted, rendered friable, reduced to 
 a fine powder, and taken in the morning with warm 
 "water, is a certain remedy againft the infupport- 
 able pains of the gravel, and nephritic colic. It is 
 laid, that before the hand of man begins to gather 
 the lit-chi, no bird nor infedl dares come near the 
 tree ; but as foon as any one has touched the 
 branches and the fruit, all forts of voracious birds, 
 large and fmall, come to prey upon the fruit, and 
 do a great deal of damage. But there is nothing 
 rrittrvellous in this, fince they only gather thefe 
 fruits when they are ripe \ and of this the birds -ar? 
 ks good judges as men. 
 
 When this fruit is intirely ripe, and allow'd to 
 remain but one day longer on the tree, it changes 
 U3 colour. \i it is left two daysj there is a change 
 
 
 1
 
 AfriCx\, and America. 137 
 
 1^:1 Its tafte •, and if we wait till the third day, the 
 change is ftiil more remarkable. It is probably 
 with this fruit as it is with the bed European 
 nielons, fince it mufl be eaten in the country where 
 thefe trees grow. Could they preferve them frefh, 
 ^nd import them into Europe, as they have done 
 fome dried ones, the Europeans could only judge 
 imperfe(ftly of their goodnefs. The lit-chi brought 
 to Peking for the emperor, and put up in tin 
 vefTels full of brandy, mix'd with honey, and 
 other ingredients, have indeed an appearance of 
 freflinefs, but lofe a great deal of their tafte. 
 
 We iliall now fpeak of another tree more 
 known in France, and in the laft age brought 
 thither from America. This is the acacia, which 
 the Chinefe call hoaichu. They pretend that the 
 feeds taken from their codr, are fuccefsfully ufed in 
 medicine, and that the flowers tinge paper with ^ 
 very particular yellow colour. 
 
 With refpedt to the ufe made of thefe feeds in 
 medicine, the following is a recipe given by a 
 Chinefe author. In the beginning of the winter, 
 we muft put the feeds of the acacia into as much 
 of the gall of an ox as will totally cover them. 
 Then after having dried the whole in a fhade for ^ 
 hundred days, we are every day to fwallow one of 
 thefe feeds after meals. The author afTures us, 
 that by continuing this pra61ice daily, the figt\t 
 becomes better, the hemorrhoids are cured, and 
 hairs already grey with age are rendered black. 
 
 The fecond advantage of acacia arifes from its 
 flowers, which tinge paper or filk with a yellow 
 colour. In order to fucceed in this, take half a 
 pound of the flowers gathered before they are fuU 
 blown, and ready to fall. Toaft them gently over 
 a fmall clear fire, ftirring them often in a copper 
 pan, in the fame manner as you toaft t\\t little 
 ' ' ■■ " * • " bud^
 
 138 Objervations upon Asia, 
 
 buds and leaves of new- gathered tea. When ii| 
 toairing and ftirring the flowers, you perceive them 
 to alTume a yellow colour, throw three fmall porrin- 
 gers full of water upon them, and boil the whole till 
 at is inlpiffatcd, and the colour becomes deeper j 
 then pafs the whole thro' a piece of coarfe filk. 
 When the liquor is exprefs'd, add half an ounce 
 of alum to it, and an ounce of calcin'd oyfter- 
 faells finely pounded. When the whole is incorr 
 porated, you will have the yellow tindure. 
 
 The Chinefe dyers ufe the feeds and flowers of 
 acacia to dye three different forts of yellow. Hav- 
 ing firil toafted the acacia flowers, they add to 
 them the feeds intirely ripe, and taken from the 
 cods ; but they ufe much lefs of the feeds than of 
 the flowers. If they intend to give the colour 
 of ngo-hoang, which is the mofl Irvely, and 
 are to dye live or fix yards of filk, they ufe a 
 pound of thefe flowers, and four ounces of alum, 
 which quantities they augment in proportion to 
 the length and breadth of the pieces they have to 
 dye. To give the colour king-hoang, that is the 
 gold-colour'd yellow, they firft give the colour we 
 have mention'd, and ic being dry, they add a fe- 
 cond colour, in which there is a little brafii-wood-. 
 They make the pale yellow in the fame manner as 
 tht firft, with this difference, that inftead of four, 
 they only add three ounces of alum. 
 
 Tho' the river- water is beil for dying, yet all 
 the v/aters of this kind are not equally good. That, 
 for inilance, which has a bad tafte, is ieaft proper 
 for the purpofe. However, if none eife can be 
 had, inftead of one dip, the dyer mufb give the 
 cloth two, before he can obtain the beautiful co- 
 'lour he wants. 
 
 When the flowers of acacia are toafted, they 
 may, as v/eli as the feeds, be kept during a whole 
 
 year.
 
 Africa, and America. 139 
 
 year, and may be employed in dying. But when 
 both are thus kept, they muft be longer boil'd 
 than if they were recent. When they are old, 
 their ji^ice is more difficultly extracted, and lefs in 
 quantity. Befides, the recent flower$ always give 
 trie mod beautiful colour. 
 
 The Chinefe botanift teaches us the method of 
 cultivating this tree, in fuch a manner as to make it 
 grow quickly, and keep the better. When, /ays he, 
 you have gathered the acacia feeds, dry them in the 
 fun, and a little before the fummer folftice throw 
 them into water. When they have budded there, fow 
 them in a fat foil, mixing hemp-feed with them. 
 Both feeds will rife, but you muft cut the 
 hemp in a proper time, and tie the young acacias 
 to fmall props. The following year fow hemp 
 again, which may be alfo done the third year, in 
 order to preferve thefe delicate plants from the in- 
 juries of the weather. When the fhrubs are be- 
 come flrong, they are to be tranfplanted, and will 
 become very beautiful trees. 
 
 A celebrated Chinefe chymift highly recom- 
 mends an artificial medicinal ftone, to which great 
 yirtues are afcribed. Its compofition is as follows. 
 
 Take twenty or thirty pints of the urine of a 
 young man, about fifteen years of age, and of a 
 found and robuft conftitution. Put it into an iron 
 vefTel, and hold it over a clear charcoal fire, till 
 you fee a white froth on the furface •, then pour in- 
 to it, drop by drop, fome of the frefh oil of tur- 
 nips'. Into a vefiel full of this urine, pour a com- 
 mon tea-cup-full of this oil. The whole is to be 
 boil'd till no more remains than a dry fediment of 
 a blackifli colour. This is to be reduc'd into a 
 fine powder, after it is fo fprinkled with oil, that 
 the oil has penetrated all its parts. This powder 
 \s put upon a tile, over^vhich is laid another, and 
 ' ' ; both
 
 i^o Ohfer'-catiom upon Asia, 
 
 ix)th are covered and furrounded with burnin'r 
 .charcoal. - But two crucibles would be better, if a 
 vent was left in the fuperior one. When you think 
 2S\ the humidity is diflipated, when no fleam ap- 
 pears, and when what remains is cold, you are to 
 take it and pound it in a mortar. When it is re- 
 duc'd to a very fine powder, it is to be put into a 
 large porcelain veffel, which is to be carefully co- 
 ver'ci with a fine and clean mat. Over this there 
 muil be another covering of cloth, and over both 
 a double one of coarfe paper. Then boiling water 
 is pour'd, drop by drop, thro' the coverings, 
 \vhich are left (lack in the middle for this purpofe. 
 To finifli the operation, they place the veftel wnth 
 Ks contents in a copper pan, where the matter is 
 bak'd again till it is dry and firm. This is the mer 
 jdicinal ilone, which they call the autumnal flone. 
 
 It is ufed in China for the dropfy and the 
 phthilis. Their phyficians pretend, that it is an 
 excellent rem.edy for diforders of the lungs. This 
 is the reafon why it is called the autumnal flone, 
 not that the autumn is bed for preparing it \ for this 
 denomination includes a more myflerious meaning. 
 'Tis a maxim in the Chinefe medicine, that the 
 rioble parts of the human body have a particular 
 relation to fome of the four feafons of the year. 
 Now as the autumn is the feafon, which, accord- 
 ing to the Chinefe, has a relation to the lungs» 
 and as this medicine is falutary to thofe labouring 
 under pulmpnary diforders , it is therefore calle4 
 the artificial autumnal ftone. 
 
 But to return to botany. If we confider the 
 willow thoroughly, we find, that at the opening 
 of its fiowers, there appears a kind of dry froth, 
 with which they are generally cover'd. No doubt 
 the internal fermentation reduces to a froth, that 
 glutinpus fubflance in which the feeds of the 
 
 ^Qwer;
 
 Africa, ajid America." 14/ 
 
 flowers as it were fwim, in difrerent cods ; Ut 
 the weather is cold or cloudy, it hinders the buds 
 of the willow from putting out their whitifh fub- 
 ftance. If we put a bud, before it is opened, into 
 a microfcope, we perceive that the matter coming 
 out of its point, refembles the glair of a beaten 
 egg put into a froth, with which the whole flower 
 is fuccefTively cover'd. It may happen that everj 
 feed included in its cafe, may fwim in this glairous 
 latter, and be nourifh'd by it in the fame manner 
 as the chick is in a hen's egg. After this the moft 
 fubtil part of the air penetrating this froth as 
 foon as it is detached, gives it the form of net- 
 work, by infinuating itfelf into the ramous parts, 
 feparating and raifing them, and drying the glu- 
 tinous humour, which united them, by which 
 means they lofe the figure of filaments. 
 
 The Chinefe botanill fays, that the flower of the 
 willow is cover'd with fmall fcales. When the 
 flowers are dry without their feeds and froth, they 
 in a microfcope appear like the com.b of wafp-s, 
 full of open cellules. What is detach'd from, ths 
 flowers, and floats in the air, is fome times call'd 
 their filk, their wool, or their cotton. When th^ 
 weather is hot, fuch a quantity of thefe flakes fall 
 from the willows, that they appear like a thick 
 fnow covering the ground. When they flip under 
 the herbs, or the points of pretty high grafs, they 
 make' the ground refemble a meadow gently ovei-- 
 fiow'd by the limpid waters of feme rivulet. 
 
 The Chinefe author ingeniouQy fportswith thefe 
 appearances, and gives a full fcope to his imagina- 
 tion. It is cotton, fays he, which the willov»'s 
 fpread, and yet it is not really fo ; for I am all 
 cover'd with it, and yet not clothed the v/-armer. 
 ^ refembles fnow, which darkens the air, and yet 
 ^.1? is not really fuch ; for the fun -, when hottefl, 
 
 ^innot
 
 .142 Obfcrvations upon A s i A , 
 
 cannot melt it. The fwallow, which can fly in ^ 
 gentle rain, furprifed by this cloud of white flakes^ 
 has her flight fo retarded, that fhe is obliged td 
 ftop. She thinks that fhe has appear'd before the 
 fpring. Thefe wilIows,which yefterday feem'd young 
 and verdant, to-day feem old and decayed. So fudden 
 a change in a garden gives me a furprife, equal to 
 that which would be produced by my feeing a 
 friend yefterday with yellow hair, and a florid 
 complexion, come to me to-day, with his counte- 
 nance pale, and his hairs grey. 
 
 But pafling thefe trifles of our Chinefe author, 
 let us come to fomething more ferious. It is only 
 the willow which cafts burrs full of ramous parts, 
 refembling cotton. Thefe burrs are gathered, and 
 preferv'd as well as thecotton. But it does not feem 
 to be eafy to card this fpurious cotton, to feparate 
 the feeds from it, which are fmall and flat, and to 
 fpin it fo as to render it fit for ftuffs. Some Chi- 
 nefe authors, however, aflfert, that it was formerly 
 us'd for childrens beds ; and that when the cotton 
 wasfcarce^ they lin'd the winter- boots with it •, as 
 alfo mats, cuftlions ^and coverings. They alfd 
 fay, that near China, the people, of the flowers be- 
 fore they are blown, make a iiquot which foon in- 
 toxicates. In times of famine, the poor people ga- 
 ther the dried bodies of the flowers, without the 
 cotton and the feed, reduce them to a powder, and 
 make broth of them for their fupport. 
 
 The Chinefe phyficians pretend, that by apply- 
 ing the dry flower, which is very combuftible, and 
 fetting fire to it, they have an excellent remedy 
 againft the jaundicCj and convulfions of the limbs. 
 This, according to them, is equally proper for 
 the cure of all ulcers, when apply 'd in form of a 
 dcficcative and abforbent powder.
 
 Africa, ajid America. 143 
 
 A? for the cotton detach'd from it, and carried 
 ®fr by the wind, the Chinele phyficians affert, 
 that it cures all forts of tetters, callofities, wounds 
 made by iron, and the moil obftinate chancers : 
 that it accelerates the fitppuration of wounds, (lops 
 hemorrhages and the lochia in women after difliculc 
 labours 5 that it is good againfl the hardnefs of 
 the fpleen, and is moderately cold. 
 
 'Tis the common opinion in China, that there is 
 a double tranfmutation of the cotton of the willow. 
 The phyficians fay, and the vulgar believe, firft, 
 that if this fpecies of cotton falls in a lake or pond, 
 it is in a night's time chang'd into the herb leou- 
 ping, which is (tta floating on llagnant waters, 
 and whofe roots do not reach the bottom. Second- 
 ly, that every little flake come from the willow, 
 and falling upon furs, or habits made of ficin, is 
 transform'd into a maggot or fmall worm. They 
 quote many authors who aifert the fame thing, for 
 which reafon, when the willows are" in flower, the 
 Chinefe are very careful not to expofe their habits 
 lin'd with fkins. 
 
 Tho' the Europeans are far from believing a {x-- 
 milar metamorphofiSj yet they have the fame ex- 
 perience, and ufe the fame precaution with the 
 Chinefe, which proves the truth of the fad. But 
 it is probable, that this flake is impregnated with 
 fmall eggs of butter-flies, or fmall worms, whicli 
 live upon the willows •, or it may happen, that the 
 feed fcrves as aliment to the worms, or as a Ihelter 
 to them, v/hich mufl contribute greatly to mul- 
 tiply them in a fkin. 
 
 As to the aquatic and floating plants, it is pro- 
 bable, that their time of blowing happens juft 
 with the falling of the willow flowers, and that 
 thefe lad only ferve to unite feveral of thefe fmail 
 ^plants, and render them fenfible to the eye* 
 
 The
 
 144* Obfervatlons upon Asia, 
 
 The Chinefe botanift does not forget the rnaii- 
 ner of planting and cultivating thefe trees, in order 
 to have them beautiful, and make them grow to a! 
 certain height. The willows are fubjedl to be da- 
 maged by large worms, or to be blailed by a kind 
 of caterpillar. He gives the following diredlions 
 to preferve them from thefe infedis. When a 
 branch of willow is planted, we muft make a hole 
 .Jtwo or three inches from the part which is to fend 
 off the roots. Thro' this hole we are to put a piece 
 of fir long enough to extend two or three inches 
 over each fide. This kind of crofs fetin the ground 
 has a good effect, fmce it will be more difficult to 
 pull up new-fet plants, becaufe the crofs-wood 
 keeps them better than their roots would doo 
 Some, in order to defend thefe new-planted trees 
 from worms put into the holes in which they are 
 planted a quarter of a head of garlick, and a piece 
 bf liquorice an inch long. 
 
 Another manner of planting thefe flips, is to turn 
 the large end uppermcft, and fet the top in the 
 ground. By this means a kind of willow will be 
 produced, which they call the hairy willow, be- 
 caufe its branches, except fome of the largeft, are 
 fmall, and hang down like hairs. The literati love 
 to have thefe in . their fmall gardens before their 
 lludies. 
 
 It is furprifing that the willow^ tho' naturally 
 light, porous, and fubjefl to rot, is nourifhed 
 and preferved in water, as well as piles of the 
 hardeft wood. This is what they conflantly expe- 
 rience in Peking, where the wood of the willow is 
 ufed in building the wells made in the gardens for 
 watering flowers and pot-herbs. This Invention 
 of the Chinefe may, perhaps, be reliflied in Eu- 
 rope. 
 
 When
 
 Africa^ ajid America. j^^' 
 
 When they are determined to make a well* 
 they chufe a place where they think they can 
 find water. They dig a round hole about three 
 feet deep, and when the bottom is made very even 
 they lay the baHs of the well, on which they are 
 to ere6t the mafonry. This bafis is made of fiat 
 pieces of the wood of the v/illow, at lead fix inches 
 thick, and taken out of the trunk of a large and 
 frefli tree. Thefe pij^ces are joined to each 
 other in a round form, and leave a large vacuity. 
 On thefe large planks they build the mafonry of 
 the well, and in proportion as they raife it, they 
 cover all the outfide with the earth they have dug 
 up. Then they dig in the middle, and in propor- 
 tion as they advance they take all the earth equally 
 from under the wood-work which fuilains the ma- 
 fonry. This lafl gradually fubfides, and is aug- 
 mented above ground. This labour is continued 
 and the workmen dig in the fame manner, till 
 they have found a fure and copious fpring. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 DifcQvery of the CaroVme ifimids^ fyjiem of the 
 reh'giofiy and articles of faith of the inhabi- 
 tants ', their policy^ government^ and dexte- 
 rity injiflnngfor ivbale, 
 
 IN 172T, a foreign bark little difFcrcnt from 
 thofe of the Marian iflands, arrived in a defart 
 place in the iQe of Guahan on the eailern coad, 
 which they call Tarafofo. In this bark there 
 were twenty - four perfons, eleven men, feven 
 women, and fix children. A Marian Indian fiili- 
 VoL. I. L livz
 
 146 Ohfervatiofts upon Asia, 
 
 ing on that coail, went and told the head of the 
 borough, who forthwith went to the afllftance of 
 thefe poor iflanders, and his good ufage engaged 
 them to come on ihore. 
 
 Their bark was of a remarkable built. Her 
 fail was a mat made of the leaves of the palm- 
 tree. The ftem and flern were of the fame figure, 
 and terminated in a point rifing in form of a dol- 
 phin's taih There were ft)ur fmall apartments in 
 her, for the accommodation- of pafiengers. The 
 one was at the ftem, the other at the flern, and the 
 other two on the fides of the maft to which the 
 fail was fixed, but they ftood out fpom the bark 
 like two v/ings. Thefe apartments had roofs 
 made of palm leaves in form of a canopy, to de- 
 fend pafTengers from the rain and the heat of the 
 fun. In the hold of the bark were feveral divifi- 
 ons for the ftowage of the cargo and other provi- 
 fions. What was furprifing in this bark was^ 
 that there was no nail in her, tho' the planks were 
 fo tied together with cords that no water could gee 
 betv/een them. 
 
 This bark was in company with four others be- 
 longing to the ifle of Farroilep, and bound for 
 that of Ulcea, but in their paffage they were by a 
 north-weft wind difperfed, fome one way, and 
 fome another. 
 
 The iflanders have no other cloathing than a 
 piece of ftufi^ which they tie about their loins, and 
 between their legs. Their chiefs have a kind of 
 robe open on the fides, which comes as low as 
 their knees. The women befides their girdle have 
 a kind of petticoat v/hich comes almoft to their 
 knees. 
 
 The nobility paint their bodies, and pierce their 
 ears, in order to fix in them flowers, aromatic 
 herb?3 cocoa feeds, orglafs; if they can get it. 
 
 Ii>
 
 Africa, //W America. 147 
 
 In general the people are tall and well pro- 
 portioned. Moftofthem have curled hair, large 
 nofes, full and piercing eyes, and thick beards. 
 They are of different colours, fince fome have that 
 of the genuine Indians, while others feem to be 
 miingrels, begot between the Spaniards and the 
 Indians. There are alfo mulattos among them, 
 and thefe are the offspring of the negroes and the 
 Indians. 
 
 The Caroline iflands lie between the fixth and 
 ^eleventh degree of north latitude, and thro' thirty- 
 degrees of latitude run to the eaft of the cape of 
 the Holy Ghoft. Thefe iflands are divided into 
 five provinces^ fpeaking different languages, each 
 of which feems to be derived from one, which is 
 probably the Arabic. 
 
 The iflanders have almoll no ideas of religion. 
 They live without any publick worfhip, and are 
 generally defticute of the knowledge of reafonable 
 beings. They, however, acknowledge the exiftence 
 t)f good and bad fpirits \ but accoriling to their 
 opinion thefe fpirits are corporeal, and have each 
 two or three wives. They believe them to be ce~ 
 leflial beingSj different from thofe which inhabit 
 this world. 
 
 This is the foolifh fyftem traditionally handed 
 down from their fathers. The oldeft of thefe fpi- 
 rits Sabucour, whofe wife is called Halmecul, who 
 had a fon, whom they call Eltulep, which in their 
 language fignifies the great fpirit, and a daughter 
 called Ligobund. The fon married Letenhieuel, 
 who was born in the ifle of Ulcea. She died in the 
 fiOwer of her age, and her foul forthwith afcended 
 into heaven. Kltulep had a fon by her, called 
 Lugueileng, which fignifies the middle of heaven. 
 He is rever'd as the great lord of heaven, of which 
 he is prcfumptive heir. 
 
 L 2 Eltulep,
 
 jj}_8" Cbfcrvations upon Asia, 
 
 Eitulep, however, not fatisfied with one chifd,. 
 adopted Refchahuileng, a very accompUflied man, 
 and a native of Lamaree. They fay, that being 
 dif<^ufled at this world he afcended into heaven, in 
 order to enjoy the pleafures of his father , that his 
 mother is now in Lamaree, in a decrepit old age ; 
 and that he defcended from heaven to the middle 
 reo-jon of the air, in order to converle with his 
 mother, and communicate the heavenly myfleries 
 
 to her. 
 
 Ligabund, fifter of Eitulep, finding herfelf in 
 the middle of the air, defcended to the earth, and 
 brought forth three children. She was furprized to 
 find it parched and barren •, but at her powerful 
 com^mand it was covered with herbs, flowers, 
 and fruit-trees. She enriched it with all kinds 
 of verdure, and peopled it with rational crea- 
 tures. 
 
 In this infancy of the world death, according 
 to them, was unknown, fmce it v/as only a fliort 
 fleep. People quitted life on the laft day of the 
 decreafe of the moon, and as foon as fhe again ap- 
 peared on the horifon, they wak'd, as it were, 
 from a pleafant fleep. But one Erigiregers, an 
 evil fpirit, who fported with the happirefs ofm.en, 
 procured a kind of death, againft which there was 
 no rem.edy, fo that w^hen people died, they re- 
 mained for ever dead. They alfo call him Elus- 
 melabut, v/hich in their language fignifi^s a male* 
 volent fpirit; whereas they call the other fpirits 
 Elus-nielatus which figniHes benevolent fpirits. 
 Among the number of bad fpirits they place one 
 Mero^TOg, who being baniflied from heaven for 
 his mifoehaviour, firft brought fire into the world. 
 
 Langueiieng, Son of Eitulep, had two wives, the 
 one in heaven, by whom he had two children, 
 Carrer and Melibiau, and the other on this earth, 
 born at Folalu, in the province of liougoleu, by 
 
 ^^ hoai
 
 Africa, ^W America. 14,9 
 
 ^vhom he had a fon called Oulefta. This young 
 man knowing that his father was a celeftial fpirit, 
 and being impatient to fee him, like Icarus, took 
 flight to heaven -, but he had no fooner mounted 
 into the air, than he fell down. Tho* this fall 
 difcouraged him fo much as to make him bitterly 
 lament his fatal defliny, yet he did not defiil from 
 his attempt. He kindled a great fire, by the 
 fmoke of which he was a fecond time carried up 
 into the air, and conveyed into the arms of hi$ 
 father. 
 
 The fame Indians fay, that in the ifland of Fo- 
 lalu there is a fmall treili- water pond in which the 
 gods bath themfelves ; and out of refpecl to this 
 facred bath, none of the iflanders dare approach it, 
 for fear of incurring the difpleafure of their gods. 
 This ftory is not unhke that of Diana and Adteon, 
 who incurred the difpleafure of that goddefs by 
 his defire of feeing her in her bath- They think 
 that the fun, moon, and (lars have reafonable 
 fouls, and are inhabited by numberiefs celeftial 
 beings. This notion favours of the fables of Ho- 
 mer, and the errors of the Origenifts. 
 
 This is the dodrineof the inhabitants of the Ca- 
 roline iflands, but they are not diftrafledly fond of 
 it; for tho' they acknowledge all thefe fabulous 
 deities, yet they have neither temples, idols, fa- 
 -crifices, offerings, nor any external worfhip. They 
 only pay a fuperftitious worfliip to fome of their 
 dead. They throw their carcafles as far as they can 
 into the fea, to ferve as food to the tiburrons and. 
 whales. But when any perfon of diilin6lion dies, 
 or any one whom they loved, they perform his 
 obfequies with pomp, and great demonilrations of 
 ■grief. 
 
 As foon as the perfon dies, they paint all his 
 :body yellow. The friends and relations flock 
 
 L 3 abouj:
 
 I eo Obfervations upon Asia, 
 
 about the corpfe to bewail the common lofs. Oa 
 tiiis occafion nothing but hideous cries and groans 
 are heard. Thefe are fuccceded by a profound fi- 
 lence, and a woman with a voice interrupted by 
 fighs, pronounces the funeral elegy of the deceas'd. 
 She extols his beauty, his nobility, his agility ir^ 
 dancing, his ikill in fifhing, and all his other va- 
 luable qualities. Thofe who want to give more 
 ienfible proofs of their grief, cut off their hair and 
 their beard, and throw them upon the corpfe. 
 They obferve a rigid fail all that day, but eat 
 heartily at night. 
 
 Some of them bury the dead in a fmall flone 
 building in their own houfes, while others in» 
 ter thtm far from their habitations, and in- 
 clofe the grave with a fhone wall. They place fe- 
 veral kind$ of aliments near thedeceafl, being per- 
 fuaded that his foul fucks and is nourifhed by 
 them. 
 
 They believe that there is a paradife, where 
 the virtuous are rewarded, and a hell where the 
 wicked are puniflied. They fay that the fouls of 
 thofe who go to heaven, on the fourth day return 
 to the earth, a;id remain invifible among their re- 
 lations. 
 
 There are priefts and prieftefTes among them, 
 who pretend to have a commerce with the louls of 
 the deceafl. Thefe prieils with full authority de- 
 clare who go to heaven, and who to hell. They 
 honour the firil as beneficent fpirits, and call them 
 Tahuput, which fignilies holy patron. Every fa- 
 mily has their Tahuput, to whom they addrefs 
 themfelves in their exigencies. If they are fick, 
 undertaking a journey, going to fifh, or employed 
 in the culture of their lands, they invoke their Ta- 
 huput, and of him aflc for the reflitution of their 
 health, the fuccefs of their journey, the abundance 
 
 of
 
 Africa, ^;^^ America. 151 
 
 <>f their fifh, and the fertihty of their ground. They 
 make prefents to him, which they fulpend in the 
 houfe of their Tamoles, either from intereft to ob- 
 tain the favour they afk of him, or from gratitude 
 to thank him for the kindnefles he has done 
 them. 
 
 The inhabitants of the iQe of Yap have a more 
 ridiculous and barbarous worfhip, fince a kind of 
 crocodile is the obje6t of their veneration. There 
 are among them inchanters who pretend to have a 
 commerce V7ith the evil fpirit, and by his means 
 procure difeafes and even death to thofe they want 
 to get rid of. 
 
 The plurality of wives is not only permitted to 
 thefe iflanders, but is alfo look'd upon as a mark 
 of honour and diftin6lion. They fay that the Tamol 
 of the ifland of Huogolen had nine wives. Tho' they 
 abhor adultery as a great crime, yet he who is 
 guilty of it obtains a pardon by making fome 
 prefent to the hufband of the woman v/ith whom 
 he committed it. 
 
 The hufband may divorce the wife when Ihe vio- 
 lates the conjugal ties. The wife may alfo divorce 
 the hufband, wlien he ceafes to be agreeable to her. 
 In this cafe they have certain laws for the difpolal 
 of the effeds. When a man dies without illue his 
 widow marries his father. 
 
 When they go a fifhing they take no provifion 
 in their barks. Their 1 amoles aflemble m Febru- 
 ary, and judge by way of lot whether the li filing 
 will be happy and plentifuU This lot confifts ia 
 certain knots which they make on palm-tree leaves. 
 Thefe they count one after another, and the odd or 
 even number determines the good or bad fuccefs of 
 the enterprize. 
 
 Notwithftanding the rudenefs and barbarityof 
 thefe iflanders, they have a certain policy which 
 
 L 4 ^ews
 
 152 Ohfcrvatiom upon Asia, 
 
 fhev/s them to be more rational than mod of the 
 other Indians, who have little more than the hu- 
 man form. The authority of the government is 
 divided among feveral noble famiUes, the chiefs 
 of which are called Tamols. There is alfo in 
 
 1 
 
 each province a principal Tamiol, to whom all 
 the reft are fubjeCt. 
 
 Thefe Tamols let their beards grow very 
 long in order to procure the greater refpedt. 
 They command in an arbitrary manner , 
 fpeak little, and snivel: a grave and ferious air. 
 When a Tamol gives an audience he fits on a 
 high table. The people as foon as they come in' 
 fight of him v/alk with their heads as low as their 
 knees, and when they are come quite to him they 
 fit down on the ground, and with down-caft eyes 
 receive his orders with the moft profound re- 
 fpeft. 
 
 When the Tamol difmiffes them they retire 
 bending their bodies in the fame manner, till they 
 are entirely out of his prefence. Pi is words are 
 rever'd as fo many oracles. A blind obedience is 
 paid to ajl his orders \ and people kifs his hands 
 and feet when they aflc any favour of him. The 
 ordinary houfes of the ifianders, are only low huts 
 covered with palm-tree leaves. Thefe of the Ta- 
 mols are built of wood, and adorn'd with fuch 
 paintings as the natives can produce. 
 
 They do not punifh crimes either by imprifon- 
 ment, or the infliction of corporal punifhment, but 
 only banifn the criminals into another iiland. In 
 every town there is a houfe for the education of 
 boys, and another tor that of girls \ but they only 
 iearn fome vague principles ol aftronomy, on ac- 
 count of their uie in navigation. The mafter has 
 ' :x 1 i'jbe on which the principal ftars are marked, and 
 
 teaches
 
 Africa, and America. 153 
 
 Reaches his fcholars the point of the compafs by 
 which they ought to fteer. 
 
 The principal occupation of the men is build- 
 ing barks, fifliing, and tilling the ground. The 
 employment of the women confifts in the ma- 
 nagement of the family, affifting their hulbands 
 when they fow the ground, and preparing a kind 
 of wild plant, and a tree cali'd balibago for mak- 
 ing fluffs. As they have no iron, they make ufe of 
 wedges and hatchets of flone to cut down the wood ; 
 if by chance any foreign velfel fhouki leave any 
 pieces of iron, they belong to the Tamols, who 
 order utenfils to be made of them in the befb manner 
 poffible. Thele utenfils are a fund from whicli 
 the Tamols reap a confiderable advantage, fince 
 they lend them out at a very high x^^t. 
 
 They bath themfelves in the morning, at noon, 
 and in the evening. They go to rcfl at fun-fer, 
 and get up early in the morning. The Tamoi 
 never goes to fleep without a concert of mufic 
 form'd by a croud of young people, who affemblc 
 round his houle, and in their manner fmg certain 
 fongs, till they are ordered to defift. 
 
 During the night, they from time to time af- 
 femble, and dance and fmg before the houfe of 
 their Tamol. They dance to the voice, for they 
 have no initrumental miufic. The beauty of their 
 dancing confifts in the exafl uniformity of the mo- 
 tions of the body. The men place themfelves op- 
 pofitc to each other. After this they move their 
 heads, their arms, their hands and their feet ir\ 
 concert. The ornaments with which they adorn 
 themfelves, give, in their opinion, a new beauty 
 to this kind'of dance. Their heads are cover'd 
 with feathers or flowers. They have aromatic 
 herbs hanging from their noftrils, and palm leaves 
 curioufly interwoven, fix'd to their ears -, on their 
 
 arnrjs.
 
 i' 5 4 Obfervatioji f upon Asia, 
 
 arms, hands and feet, they have other ornament* 
 proper to them. 
 
 The women have a kind of diverfion more fuited 
 to their fex. They fet themfeves down, and look- 
 ing on each other, begin a pathetic and mov- 
 ing fong, accompanying the found of their voices 
 with the motions of their heads and arms, for 
 which reafon, this diverfion is in their language 
 caird tanger-ifaifil, which fignifies the complaint of 
 the women. 
 
 At the end of the dance, when the Tamol affefls 
 to be liberal, he holds up in the air a piece of 
 fluff, which he fhews to the dancers, and which is 
 given to him who firft lays hold of it. 
 
 Befides dancing, they have feveral other divcr- 
 fions, in which they give proofs of their dexterity 
 and ftrength, in handling the fpear, throwing 
 flones and balls up into the air, and each feafoa 
 has a diverfion peculiar to itfelf. 
 
 Whale-fidiing is a charming fpeftacle to thefe 
 iOanders. Ten or twelve of their iflands difpos'd 
 in a circle, form a kind of harbour where the fe4 
 enjoys a perpetual calm. When a whale ap- 
 pears in this gulph, the iQanders forthwith getting 
 into their canoes, and keeping toward the main 
 fea, advance gradually, frightning the animal, and 
 drivino- it before them, till they have got it into the 
 ihallow water, not far from land. Then the mod 
 Ikilful of them throw themfelves into the fea, and 
 ilrike their Ipears into the whale, while others in- 
 tangle him with large ropes, which are fix'd on the 
 land. Then there are loud acclamations of joy, 
 ^monp- a numerous crov/d of people, whofe cu^ 
 riofity" has brought them thither. They drag 
 the whale to land, and the labour of the day is 
 concluded with a great feaft. 
 
 Wlien there are any enmities among thefe iflands 
 ers, they generally appeafc each other by fome 
 
 pre^
 
 Africa, and America. i<:j 
 
 brefents. 'Tis thus that fingle men determine their 
 quarrels •, but when the enmities are pubhc, be- 
 tween two boroughs, for inllance, nothing but war 
 can put an end to them. They have no other 
 arms but ftones, and fpears armM with fiHi-bones. 
 Their method of fighting refembles a duel, fince 
 only one man engages with another. 
 
 When the differing parties refolve to come to a 
 decifive action, theyaffemble ina large field, where 
 the troops on both Tides form a fquadron of three 
 ranks. The youth compofe the iirft rank, the le- 
 cond confifls of thofe of a higher ilature, and thofe 
 mofl advanc'd in years form the third. The combac 
 begins in the firfb rank, where they fight man to 
 man with ftones and fpears. When any one is 
 wounded fo as to retire, his place is fill'd by one 
 of the fecond rank, and if he is alfo difabled, by 
 on of the third. The war is terminated by trium- 
 phal arches, rais'd by the vi6lors, who infult over 
 ;he vanquifh'd. 
 
 The inhabitants of the i(le of Ulcea, and of the 
 adjacent iflands, are more civiliz'd and reafonable 
 than the others. Their air and manners denote 
 greater decency. They have a certain gaity of 
 ipirit, but are referv'd and circumfped in their 
 words. They are extremely companionate, and 
 ready to commiferate the infirmities and miferies of 
 ^;heir neighbours. 
 
 They have a great many mungrels, and fome 
 mulattos and negroes, whom they employ as their 
 fervants. It is probable that the negroes come 
 from New Guinea. As for the whites, their origin 
 in this part is as follows. 
 
 Martin Lopez, commander of the firft velTeL 
 which faird from New Spain to the aillltance ot 
 the Philippine iQands in the year 1566, confpired. 
 w;ith twenty eight more, to put the reft of the 
 
 crew
 
 I5'6 X)hjervations upon AsiAj 
 
 crew into a defart illand, make themfelves mafters 
 of the fliip, and go a pyrating on the coafts of 
 China. 1 he plot, however, was difcover'd, and, 
 to prevent the defign of thefe ruffians, the crew 
 -left them on an ifland of Barbary, fituated to the 
 eaft of the Marian iflands. It is not to be doubted, 
 but thefe rebels were convey' d into one of the Ca- 
 roline iflands, where they married the Indian wo- 
 men, who brought forth a fet of mungrels who 
 have multiplied extremely in thefe iflands. 
 
 Thefe iQanders live entirely on fruits, roots, and 
 ii\:i\.. r hey have hens, and other birds, but no 
 -quadrupeds. The foil produces neither rice nor 
 wheat, nor barley, nor Indian corn. In thefe 
 iflands there are many woods, the timber of which 
 •is excellent for building fhips. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 Of the htminous. particles obferv'd on the fur face 
 of the fea '^ of the fea-rainbow^ and the exr- 
 halations forni' d in the night-time, 
 
 WHEN a fhip \% under full fail, we often 
 fee a great light in her rake, that is in the 
 ■water fhe has run thro', and, as it were, broken 
 in her palTage. Thofe who do not look narrowly 
 at this light, often attribute it to the moon, the 
 ilars, or the lanthorn on the ftern. But by a little 
 attention, this miltake is eafily re6lified, fmce the 
 light is greateft when the moon is under the ho- 
 rizon, when the ftars are cover'd by clouds, when 
 the candle in the lanthorn is extinguifh'd, and 
 when no other light appears on the furface of the fea. 
 This light is not always equal, fince, on fome 
 ocsafions, it is hardly difcerniblc 3 fomctimes It is 
 
 ckar^
 
 Africa, a?id America. iry 
 
 dear, and at others languid ; Ibmetimes it is far 
 extended, and at others not. 
 
 This light is Ibmetimes fo great, that we may 
 read by it, nine or ten feet above the furface of the 
 v/ater. As for its extent, fometimes the whole 
 rake appears luminous for the fpace of thirty or 
 forty feet ; but the light decreafes in proportion 
 as it is farther from thelhip. 
 
 Sometimes we may in the rake eafily diflinguifh 
 the luminous from the obfcure parts ; on which 
 occafion the rake appears like a beautiful river of 
 milk. 
 
 When we can diftinguifli the luminous from the 
 other parts, we perceive that they are not all of the 
 fame figure, fince fome are only fparks, while 
 others appear as large as the ftars do to us. Some 
 are globular, and one or two lines in diameter. 
 Others are globes as large as a man's head. Thefe 
 luminous bodies are often form'd into fquares, 
 three or four inches long, and one or two broad. 
 Sometimes thefe bodies of different figures are 
 feen at once. Sometimes the rake of the velfel is 
 full of luminous vortices, and oblong fquares. At 
 other times, when the motion of the veflel is flow, 
 thefe vortices fuddenly appear and difappear like 
 lightning. 
 
 Not only the rake of a Ihip produces this light, 
 fince the motion of fifli affords a light fufficient to 
 diflinguifh their bulk and fpecies. Sometimes a 
 numerous fhoal of thefe fifh, when fporting in 
 the fea, excite a kind of artificial, but very agree- 
 able fire. Very often a rope oppos'd to the mo- 
 tion of the waves, is fufficient to render them lu- 
 minous. 
 
 If fea-water Is but (lirrVl in the dark, we find 
 an infinite number of fhining particles in it. If 
 we dip a piece of linen in it, and wring it in the 
 
 dark.
 
 ijS t)hfervations upon AsiA> 
 
 dark, we fee the fame thing, and alfo perceive t 
 number of fparks flying out of it, when we but 
 fhake it after it is half dry. 
 
 When one of the fparks is form'd, it lafts a 
 long time ; and if it falls on any folid body, fuck 
 as the edge bf a velTeli it will laft for feveral 
 hours. 
 
 It is not always wheti the fea is mofl agitated, or 
 when the fhip goes fafteft, that moft of thefe 
 fparks appear. Neither is it the fimple fhock of 
 the waves againft each other, which produces them^ 
 fjnce the adioii of the waves on the fhore fome- 
 times generates a great quantity of them; At 
 Brafll the fhore fometimes appears all on fire with 
 thefe fparks. 
 
 The produ6lion of them depends in a great 
 meafure on the quality of the water, andj generally 
 fpeaking, this light is grcateftj when the fea is 
 moft foaming \ for at full fea the water is not every 
 where equally pure. Sometimes a piece of linen 
 dip'd in the fea comes out all over glutinous. It is 
 obfervable, that when the rake is moftflilning, the 
 water is moft vifcid and fat. A cloth dip'd in this 
 Ivater gives moft light when it is mov'd. 
 
 In fome parts of the fea there are parcels of mat- 
 ter of different colours, fometimes red and fome- 
 times yellow, floating on her furface. It appears 
 like the fawings of wood^ and the failors fay it is 
 the fry or feed of the whale ; of this however we 
 cannot be certain. When water is drawn out of 
 the fea in thofe parts, it is found to be very vifcid. 
 The failors alfo fay, that in the northern feas there 
 are large flioals of this fry, which fom.etimes ap- 
 pear quite luminous in the night-tim.e, even when 
 they are not aoiitated by the motion of any faip or 
 
 filh. 
 
 To
 
 Africa, ^;/^ America.' 10 
 
 To prove that the water is the more luminous in 
 proportion to its vifcidity, the following experi- 
 ment has be^n made. They one day catch'd a 
 fifh, which fome took to be a bonite. The infide 
 of the throat of this fifh, in the night-time, ap- 
 peared like a live coal •, fo that v/ithout any other 
 light, a perfon could have read as well as by the 
 moft luminous rake. The throat was full of a 
 vifcid matter, with which, when a bit of wood 
 was befmear'd, it forthwith became luminous •, 
 but as foon as the humour was dried, the light was 
 extinguiHi'd. 
 
 Let us now examine whether all thefe particu- 
 larities may be applied to the fyftem of thofe who 
 take the principle of this light to be the motion of 
 the fubtil matter, or of globules occafion'd by the 
 violent agitation of the falts. 
 
 Let us add fome obfervations on the iris, ot 
 rain-bow of the fea. *Tis principally after violent 
 tempefls that fuch rain-bows appear with greateft 
 fplendor. 'Tis true theceleftial has this advantage 
 over the fea iris, that its colours are more lively, 
 diftind and various. In the fea iris there are hard- 
 ly more than two colours, a dark yellow towards 
 the fun, and a pale green on the oppofite fide. 
 The other colours are not lively enough to be di- 
 ilinguifh'd. In recompence for this, the fea rain- 
 bows are much more numerous, fmce at mid-day 
 we fometimes fee twenty or thirty of them at a 
 time, in a fituation oppofite to that of the celeftial 
 iris, that is, with their arches turn'd towards the 
 bottom of the fea. 
 
 We muft not forget thefe exhalations, which be- 
 ing inflam'd in the night-time, form a ftreak of 
 light in the air. Thefe exhalations in the Indies 
 leave a much more extenfive fhreak than in Eu- 
 rope. Some of tjiem feem to be real rockets. 
 
 They
 
 1 60 Obfervaticfis upon Asia, 
 
 They appear very near the earth, and diffufe a 
 light like that of the moon on the firft days of her 
 Increafe. Their fall is (low, and they defcribe 
 in a curve line falling. 
 
 CHAP. XVL 
 
 Of the origm of mujk^ ivhere it is formed, mid 
 of the noitrtJJjment of the animal which pro- 
 duces it, 
 
 ITHERTO people have talk'd differently of 
 ^ _ the origin of muik. Some authors pretend, 
 that it is form'd in the navel of the animal •, but 
 they are certainly miftaken, fince it is form'd in: 
 the bladder. This animal is a fort of fmall goat, 
 which the Chinefe call hiang-tchang-tfe, that is to 
 'fay, the odoriferous or mufk-goat. Tchang-tfe fig- 
 nifies goat, and hiang properly fignifies odour. 
 
 On the eaft of Peking is a long ridge of moun- 
 tains, where there are great numbers ot thefe muflv- 
 goats. The people who kill them fometimes fell 
 the flefli by itfelf, and difpofe of the miufk to thofe 
 who deal it it. They cut out the bladder of this 
 animal, and left the mufk fhould evaporate, tic it 
 tight about the neck, and when they want to pre- 
 ferve it for a curiofity, they dry it. 
 
 The mufk adheres to the internal coat of the 
 bladder, in form of a fait. That in grains is the 
 moft valuable, and is callM theou-panhiang. The 
 other, which is call'd mi-hiang, is kfs eileem'd, 
 and much fmaller in the grain. The female bears- 
 no mui]<, or at leaft what in her refembks that 
 fubilance has no fmell. 
 
 Scr-
 
 Africa, ^;7^AmericaJ i6x 
 
 Serpents are the mod common food of thefe 
 goats ; and tho' thefe ferpents are of an enormous 
 bulk, yet the goats eafily kill them, becaufe as 
 ioon as a ferpent is within a certain diftance of a 
 goat, the former is by the fmell of the mufk fo 
 ftupilied, that it can move no more. 
 
 This is fo evident, that die country people who go 
 to feek for wood, or make char-coal on the moun- 
 tains, have no better fecret to preferve themfelves 
 from the ftings of thefe lerpents, which are very 
 dangerous, than to carry two or three grains of 
 mufk about them. In this czfc they fieep fecurely 
 after dinner, and if any ferpent fhould come near 
 them, it is forthwith laid adeep by the fmell of the 
 mufk, and can go no farther. 
 
 G H A P. XVII. 
 
 The method of givhig a lujlfe to the gold laid on 
 porcelain ; the different kinds of varnijloes 
 and colours given to the porcelain ^ the method 
 of preparing thefe njar?iiJ]oes and colours y 
 new defigns of porcelain works ; n^nner of 
 e?nboJJi?2g porcelain^ 
 
 AS gold laid upon porcelain is, in procefs of 
 time, effiic'd, and lofes a great deal of its 
 luflre, they reflore its fplendor, by wetting the 
 porcelain with pure water, and rubbing it with an 
 aggate flone •, but they mufl take care to rub the 
 vefTel in the fame diredlion^ for example, from the 
 right to the left, 
 
 The lips of the porcelain are principally fubje(5t 
 tofcale off. To remedy this inconveniency, they 
 
 Vol. I. ' M fortify
 
 162 " Ohfervations upon Asia, 
 
 fortify them with a certain quantity of bamboo- 
 coal pO'Unded, which they mix with the varnifh 
 that is laid on the porcelain, and which gives it a 
 grey or cineritious colour. Then with the pincers 
 they make a border of this mixture round the por- 
 celain already dry, putting it on the wheel. When 
 it is tim.e they apply the varnifli to the border as 
 they do to the reft of the porcelain, and when it is 
 bak'd, the edges are extremely white. As there 
 is no bamboo in Europe, its place maybe fupplied 
 by willow coal, or rather that of elder, which 
 more approached to bamboo. 
 
 It is to be obferv'd, firft, that before the bamboo 
 is reduc'd to coal, its green fkin muft be taken off, 
 becaufe the afhes of that fl<:in make the porcelain 
 break in the furnace. Secondly, That the work- 
 man ought not to touch the porcelain with greafy 
 or oily hands, finceby this micans the part touch'd 
 would infallibly crack in the baking. 
 
 In the fourth chapter, when fpeaking of the co- 
 lours laid on the porcelain, we have faid, that there 
 was a red one blown upon the porcelain, and ex- 
 plain'd the manner of applying that colour. But 
 we did not there obferve, that there was alfo a blue 
 one blown, in which it is eafier to fucceed. The 
 Chinefe workmen agree, that if it was not too 
 expcnfive, they could alfo blow gold and filver 
 upon porcelain, of a black or blue ground, that is, 
 diffufe gold or filver equally all over it. This 
 fort of porcelain of a new tafte could not fail to 
 pleafe. 
 
 They blow the varnilli as well as the red. They 
 have for the emperor made works fo delicate and 
 fine, that they were oblig'd to place them on cot- 
 ton, becaufe they could not handle pieces fo tender, 
 without danger of breaking them -, and as it is not 
 pcffible to plunge them in the varnifli, without 
 
 toucliing
 
 Africa, and America! 163 
 
 ouchlng them with the hand, they blow the var- 
 nifh upon them. 
 
 'Tis to be obferv'd, that in blowing the blue^ 
 the workmen take a precaution to preferve the co- 
 lour, which does not fall on the china, and to iofe 
 as little of it as poflible. This precaution is to 
 place the veflel on a pedeftal placed over a large 
 piece of paper, which ferves for fome time. When 
 the azure is dry^ they take it off, by rubbing the 
 paper with a fniall bruHi. 
 
 They have found a new fubftance proper to en- 
 ter the compofition of porcelain. This is a flone 
 or fpecies of chalk called hoache, which the Chi- 
 nefe phyficians ufe in a ptilan, which they fay re- 
 moves wearinefs. Is aperient and refreiliing. They 
 take fix parts of this ftone, and {\x of liquorice, 
 which they pulverife. They put half a fpoonful 
 of this powder into a large draught of frefli water, 
 which they order the patient to drink. They pre- 
 tend, that this ptifan refrellics the blood, and tem- 
 perates internal heats. The workers in porcelain 
 have thought lit to employ this flone indead of the 
 kaolin before - mentioned. Perhaps fuch parts 
 of Europe, where kaolin cannot be found, may 
 furnifh the ftone hoache. It is call'd hoa, becaufe 
 it is gl utinous, and refembles foap. 
 
 The porcelain made with the hoache is rare, and 
 much dearer than the other kinds. It has an ex- 
 tremely fine grain, and with refpeft to the work 
 of the pencil, if we compare it with the ordinary 
 porcelain, it is almofl what vellum is to papen 
 Befides, this porcelain is extremely light, which 
 furprifes a perfon accuftom'd to handle other por- 
 celains. It is alfo more brittle than the common 
 fort, and the true degree of baking it is very hard 
 to be guefs'd at. Some workmen do not ufe the 
 hoache for the body of their work, but make a 
 
 M 2 thirt
 
 164 Obfervatioiis upon A s i A^ 
 
 thin glue of it, in which they dip the porcelain 
 when dry, before it receives the colours and the 
 varnifli, by which means it acquires fome degree 
 of beauty. 
 
 They ufe the hoache in the following manner. 
 Firft, when they have taken it from the mine, they 
 wafh it with river or rain-water, to feparate it from 
 the yellow earth which adheres to it. Secondly, 
 they break it, and put it into a veflel to difTolve, 
 after v/hich they prepare it in the fame manner 
 with the kaolin. They affirm, that porcelain may 
 be made of the hoache alone, without any other 
 mixture. Some Chinefe workmen however fay, 
 that to eight parts of hoache they put two of pe- 
 tunfe, and that in other refpedis they proceed in 
 the fame manner as in making ordinary porcelain 
 with petunfe and kaolin. In this new fpecies of 
 porcelain the hoache is in place of the kaolin, but 
 it is much dearer than the other. The load of kao- 
 lin coils only twenty pence, whereas that of hoache 
 comes to a crown. Thus it is not furprifmg, that 
 this ihould be fold dearer than the common porce- 
 lain. 
 
 There is another obfervatlon to be made on the 
 hoache •, when they prepare it, and form it into 
 fmall fquares like the petunfe, they difTolve in wa- 
 ter a certain quantity of thefe fquares, of which 
 they form a very clear glue or cement. In this 
 they dip the pencil, and draw various defigns on 
 the porcelain, and when it is dry they give it the 
 varnifli. When the porcelain is bak'd we perceive 
 thefe defigns to be of a different white from the 
 reft. They feem to be a delicate fleam fpread on 
 the furface. The white of the hoache is call'd fia- 
 myace, or ivory white. 
 
 They paint figures on porcelains with chekao, 
 as well as with hoache, which gives it another 
 
 fpecies
 
 Africa, arid Awe'slica", 165 
 
 fpecies of white colour -, but the chekao has this 
 peculiar to itfelf, that before it is preparM like 
 the hoache, it muft be toafted on tiae hearth, after 
 which it is broken, and prepar'd in the fame man- 
 ner with the hoache. They throw it into a veflel 
 full of water, and agitate it there. They at diffe- 
 rent times take off the cream which floats upon it ; 
 and when all this is done, they find a pure mafs, 
 which they employ in the fame manner as the puri- 
 fied hoache. The chekao cannot ferve as the body 
 of the porcelain. Hitherto nothing but the haoche 
 has been found to fupply the place of the kaolin, 
 and give folidity to the porcelain. If, according 
 to the Chinefe workmen, they were to put more 
 than two parts of the petunfe to two parts of the 
 hoache, the porcelain would infallibly be deftroy'd 
 in baking, becaufe its parts are not fufHciently 
 united. 
 
 We have not as yet fpoken of a kind of varnilh 
 ■caird tfe-kin-yeou, that is, burnifh'd varnifli of 
 gold. We' might rather call it varnifh of a bronze, 
 or coffee-colour^ or of the colour of a wither'd 
 leaf This varnifh is of a late invention, and in order 
 to make it, they take common yellow earth, and 
 manage it in the fame manner they do the petunfe. 
 When it is prepar'd they employ only the moft de- 
 licate part of it^ which they throw into water, and 
 which forms a glue as liquid as the ordinary var- 
 nifli, call'd peyeou, which is made of pieces of 
 rocks. Thefe two varnifhes, the peyeou, and the 
 tfe-kin are mix'd together, and for this purpofe 
 they ought to be render'd equally liquid. Of this 
 they make a tryaj, by plunging the petunfe into 
 both ; and if each of the varnifhes penetrates its 
 petunfe, they judge them equally liquid, and pro- 
 per to incorporate with each other. They alfo mix 
 widi the tfe-kin varnifh or oil of quick lime, 
 
 M 3 and
 
 1 66 , Obfcrvatlcjis upon Asia, 
 
 and afties of ferns, prepar'd in the fame manner as 
 diredled in the fourth chapter, and of the fame li^ 
 quidity with the peyeou •, but they mix more or lefs 
 of thefe varnifhes with the tfe-icin, according as 
 they want it deeper or fainter. This may be known 
 by feveral tryals •, for example, mix two cupfuls 
 of the tfe-kin, with eight of the peyeou ; then 
 to four cupfuls of this mixture add one cupful of 
 • the varnifh of lime and fern. 
 
 'Tis not long fince they found the fecret of 
 painting the porcelain with the tfoui, which is of 4 
 violet colour, and gilding if. They have tried 
 to make a mixture of gold leaf with the varnifh 
 and powder of flints, which they applied in the 
 fame manner as the red, with oil ; but this varnifli 
 does not fucceed, and they have found that the 
 varnifh of the tfe-kin had more beauty and fplen- 
 dor. 
 
 Formerly they made cups to which they gave 
 the outfide a gilded varnifh, and the infide the 
 pure white varniih. They afterwards varied, and 
 to a cup or velTel they intended to varnifh, they 
 in one or two parts applied a fquare or circle of 
 paper •, and after having laid on the varnifh, they 
 rais'd the paper, and painted the unvarnifh'd fpace 
 red or blue. When the porcelain was dry, they 
 gave it the ufual varnifh, whether by blowing or 
 otherwife. Some fill thefe empty fpaces with a 
 ground of blue or black, in order to apply the 
 gilding after the firfl baking. In this refpect w^e 
 may imagine feveral combinations according to 
 cur fancy. 
 
 They have alfo invented a new fort of porce- 
 kin which is of an olive colour, and which they 
 call long-tfiven. This fpecies was formerly 
 called tfmko, the name of a fruit amongr 
 them, whofe colour refembles that of olives. This 
 - colour is given to the porcelain, by mixing kwcn 
 
 cups
 
 Africa, and Auerica] 167 
 
 cups of the varnidi call'd tfe-kin, with four cups 
 of peyeou, two cups, or thereabouts, of the oil 
 of quick lime and ferns, and one of tfouyeou, 
 which is an oil obtained from flints. The tfouyeou 
 makes a large quantity of veins appear on the por- 
 celain. When they ufe it alone, the porcelain is 
 brittle, and without found when flruck ; but when 
 it is mix'd with the other varnifhes, it is varie- 
 gated by beautiful fmall veins, and neither renders 
 the porcelain lefs fonorous nor more brittle than 
 the common fort. 
 
 We muft not omit one thing, which is that 
 before they give the varnilh to the porcelain, they 
 polifh it, and fmooth all its fmallefl inequalities. 
 This is done by a pencil made of very fine feathers, 
 which they moiften with water, and gently 
 pafs it over the whole •, but it is principally with 
 the fine china that they ufe fo much pains. 
 
 The fhining or refleding black is given to the 
 porcelain by plunging it in a liquid mixture com- 
 pos'd of prepar'd azure. In this cafe it is not ne- 
 celTary to employ the fineil azure, but the compo- 
 fition mufl be a little thick, and mix'd with the 
 varnifli of peyeou and tfe-kin, adding a little of 
 l\\t oil of lime, and of the afhes of fern. For ex- 
 ample, with ten ounces of azure pounded in a 
 mortar, we muil mix one cup of tfe-kin, one |cup 
 of peyeou, and two cups of the oil of ferns, burnt 
 with quick-lime. This mixture carries its varnifh 
 with it, fo that it is not necefiary to give it another. 
 When they bake this fpecies of black china, they 
 place it in the middle of the furnace, and not near 
 the vault where the fire has the greateft force. 
 
 It is not true, that the red laid on with oil, 
 called the yeou-ci-hunc, is drawn from the -red ot 
 copperas, fuch as that which is employ 'd in paint- 
 ing the rebak'd porcelain red. This red laid on 
 with oil is made of the grains of red copper, and of 
 
 M 4 thic
 
 1 68 ObfervattGns upon Asia, 
 
 the powder of a certain ftone or flinc of a redifli 
 cafl. 'Tis thought that this ftone is a kind of 
 alum employed in medicine. The whole is pound- 
 ed in a mortar, along with the urine of a young 
 man, and the oil of peyeou. This mixture is ap- 
 plied to the porcelain, before it is bak'd, and they 
 give it no other varnifh. They muft take care 
 during the baking, that the red colour fall not to 
 the bottom of the vejGTel. The Chinefe workmen 
 fay, that when they want to give this red to the 
 porcelain, they do not make ufe of the petunfe to 
 form it, but that in its ftead, they employ together 
 with the kaolin a yellow earfh, prepar'd in the 
 fame manner with the petunfe. It is probable that 
 fuch an earth is more proper to receive this kind of 
 colour. 
 
 Perhaps the reader will be glad to know how the 
 grains of copper are prepared. In China there is 
 iio filver coin, fince in commerce they ufe it in 
 lumps, and there are a great many pieces bad. 
 There are however certain occafions on which it is 
 necelTary to refine thefe bad pieces, when, for ex- 
 ample, taxes or fimilar contributions are to be paid. 
 Then they haverecourfe to workmen, whofe only 
 bufmefs it is to refine the filver in furnaces made 
 for that purpofe, and to feparate it from the copper 
 and lead. Before the melted copper is harden' d 
 and congeal'd, they take a fm all broom, which 
 they dip flightly in water •, then by ftriking on the 
 handle of the broom, they fprinkle the melted 
 copper with water. A pellicule is form'd on the 
 {•arface, which they take off^ with iron pincers, and 
 plunge it in cold water, where the grains are 
 form'd, and multiplied in proportion as they re- 
 iterate the operation. It is evident, that if they 
 employed aquafortis to difi^olve their copper, the 
 pp^yder would be more proper for making the co- 
 
 louf
 
 Africa, ^//i America. 169 
 
 lour of which we fpeak. But the Chinefe are un- 
 acquainted with aquafortis and aqua regia, and 
 their inventions are all extremely fimple. 
 
 They have executed defigns which were thought 
 impradlicable. Thefe are urns three feet high and 
 more without the cover, which rifes a foot high 
 like a pyramid. Thefe urns confift of three diffe- 
 rent pieces, fo elegantly join'd, that they feem to 
 make but one. 
 
 There are alfo pieces of porcelain which they 
 call yao-pien, which fignifies tranfmutation. This 
 tranfmutation is caus'd either by the dtkdi or cx- 
 cefs of the heat, or by other caufes which are not 
 eafily difcover'd. Thefe pieces which have not 
 fucceeded agreeably to the intention of the work- 
 man, and are the pure effeds of chance, are not 
 lefs beautiful and valuable than the others. 
 
 A workman intended to make vefTcls with 
 red flowers blown -, a hundred pieces were entirely 
 Joft, while only one came out of the furnace, per- 
 fedly like a fpecies of aggate. 
 
 If they would run the rifk, and be at the ex- 
 pence of different tryals, they might effedtually 
 difcover the art of making what chance at that 
 time produced. P'or this reafon they have thought 
 lit to make porcelain of a fhining black, which 
 they call oukom. The caprice of the furnace has 
 determin'd them to this refearch, in which they 
 have fucceeded. 
 
 When they want to give a varnifh, which renders 
 porcelain extremely white, they add to thirteen 
 cups of peyeou, one cup of the oil of fern afhes as 
 liquid as the peyeou. This varnifh is ftrong, and 
 ought not to be given to the porcelain which is to 
 be painted blue, becaufe after baking, the colour 
 would not appear thro' the varnifh. The porce- 
 iain which has got the ftrongefl varnifh, may with- 
 out
 
 170 Obfervatiom upoji Asia,^ 
 
 out any dread be expos'd to the greateft heat of 
 the furnace. Thus they bake it all white, either 
 with a view to keep it in that colour, or to gild it, 
 or paint it in different colours, and then bake it a 
 fecond time. But when they want to paint porce- 
 lain blue with a defign that the colour Ihould ap- 
 pear after the baking, they only take feven cups of 
 peyeou, with one cup of varnifh, or of the mixture 
 of lime and fern afhes. 
 
 'Tis to be obferv'd in general, that the porce- 
 lain whofe varnifh contains a great deal of fern 
 afhes, ought to be bak'd in the moft temperate 
 part of the furnace, that is, either after the three 
 firft ranks, or at the bottom., about a foot or a 
 foot and a half high. If it was bak'd at the top 
 of the furnace, the fern afhes would be fus'd with 
 precipitation, and fall to the bottom of the 
 porcelain. The cafe is the fame with the red laid 
 on with oil, the blown red, and the long-tflven, 
 on account of the grains of copper contain'd in 
 thefe varnifnes \ on the contrary, in the top of the 
 furnace they bake the porcelain, to which they have 
 only given the tfoui-yeou, which is the varnifh 
 that gives the porcelain fo many veins, that it 
 feems to confifl of pieces join'd together. 
 
 The red of copperas, laid on the rebak'd porce- 
 lains, is made in the manner mention'd in the 
 fourth chapter, with copperas call'd tfao-fan. But 
 before we give the method of compofing this co- 
 lour, we fhall firfl explain the proportion and mea- 
 fure of the Chinefe weights. 
 
 The kin or Chinefe pound confifls of fixteen 
 ounces, which they call leams or taels. 
 
 The ieam or tael is a Chinefe ounce. 
 
 The tfien or mas is the tenth part of the Ieam or 
 tael. 
 
 The
 
 Africa, and x^merica. 171 
 
 The fuen is the tenth part of the tfien or mas. 
 
 The by is the tenth part of the fuen. 
 
 The hoa is the tenth part of the by. 
 
 To a learn or tael of cerufs they add two mas of 
 this red. They pafs the cerufs and the red thro' a 
 fieve, and mix them together dry. Then they in- 
 corporate them with water impregnated with com- 
 mon glue, reduc'd to the confidence of mouth- 
 glue. This glue fixes the red to the porcelain, 
 and prevents its melting. As the colours, if laid 
 on too thick, would produce inequalities on the 
 furface, they now and then dip the pencil in water, 
 and then in the colour which they intend to ufe. 
 
 In order to obcain a white colour, to a learn of 
 cerufs they add three mas and three fuen of the 
 powder of the moft ti-anfparent flint calcin'd, after 
 having luted them in a vefTel of porcelain, which 
 they bury in the fand of the furnace before they heat 
 it. This powder ought to be impalpable. They 
 ufe Ample water without any mixture of glue, in 
 order to incorporate it with the cerufs. 
 
 In order to make the deep green, they add to one 
 tael of cerufs three mas and three fuen of the pow- 
 der of flint, with eight fuen, or near a mas of tom- 
 hoa-pien, to make the green. They muft wafh it 
 well, and carefully feparate the grains of copper 
 which are mix'd with it, and which are not proper 
 for the green. They only employ the fcorias, that 
 is to fay, the parts of the metal which are feparated 
 when they work it. 
 
 As for the yellow colour, it is made by adding 
 to a tael of cerufs three mas and three fuen of 
 powder of flint, and one fuen and eight by of red, 
 which has not been mix'd with cerufs. To mvike a 
 beautiful yellow, you mufi add two fuen and a 
 half of this primitive rqd. 
 
 A tad
 
 372 Obfervatiom upon Asia,^ 
 
 A tael of cerufs, three mas and three fuen of 
 powder of flint, and two by of azure, form a 
 deep blue of a violet caft. Some workmen add 
 eight by of azure. 
 
 The mixture of green and white, for example, 
 one part of green added to two of white, makes 
 the water-green which is very clear. 
 
 The mixture of green and yellow, for example, 
 two cups of deep green added to one of yellow, 
 produces the colour, which refembles a leaf fome- 
 what faded. 
 
 In order to produce black, they dilute the azure 
 in water, but the folution mud be very thin. They 
 mix with it a little common glue macerated in 
 lime water, and boiled to the confidence of mouth- 
 glue. When vntb this black they have painted 
 the porcelain which they intend to bake a fecond 
 time, they cover the black parts with white. 
 In the baking, this white is incorporated with the 
 black, juftas the common varnifli is with the blue 
 of the common porcelain. 
 
 There is another colour called tfin, which is 
 prepared of a flone or mineral refembling Roman 
 vitriol. It is probable that this fubflance is taken 
 from feme lead mine, and that carrying imper- 
 ceptible particles of the lead along with it, it in- 
 fmuates itfelf into the porcelain without the help 
 of the cerufs, which is the vehicle of the other co- 
 lours given to the rehak'd porcelain 
 
 *Tis of this tfin that they make the deep violet. 
 It is found at Cantong and at Pekin, but that found 
 at the laft of thefe places is by far the befl. It is 
 fold at feven fhillings and fix pence a pound. The 
 tfin is fus'd, and when it is fo, filver-fmiths by 
 way of enamel lay it upon filver works. They 
 will put, for inftance, a fmall circle of^ tfin 
 about a jing, or they will enchafe it by way of a 
 
 llone.
 
 Africa, and America.' 173 
 
 ftone. This fpecies of enamel comes ofF at laft, 
 but they endeavour to prevent this by laying it on 
 a flight ground of mouth or common glue. 
 
 The tfm, as well as the other colours we have 
 mentioned, is only ufed for the rebaked porcelain. 
 The tfm is prepared in the following manner. 
 They do not toaft it as they do the azure, but 
 break it and reduce it to a very fine powder. 
 Then they put it into a vefTel full of water, which 
 they agitate a little. Then they pour out the wa- 
 ter, in which there is fome naftinefs, and keep the 
 cryflal which has funk to the bottom of the veflel. 
 This mafs thus diluted lofes its beautiful colour, 
 but the tfm recovers its violet colour when the por- 
 celain is bak'd. The tfm may be kept as long as 
 they pleafe. When they want to paint any porce- 
 lain veflel with this colour, they mufl: dilute it 
 with water, mixing a little common glue with it, 
 which by fome is thought unneceflary ; but this 
 muft be determined by experience. 
 
 In order to gild or filverize the porcelain, they 
 add two fuen of cerufs to two mas of diflfolved 
 gold or filver leaf. The filver upon the varnifli 
 tfe-kin has a beautiful fplendor. If they gild fome, 
 and fllverize others, they do not leave the filveris'd 
 work fo long as the gilt in the fmall furnace, 
 other wife the filver would difappear before the 
 gold obtains the degree of baking neccflary to give 
 it its luflre. 
 
 There is another fort of coloured porcelain, 
 which fells dearer than thofe painted with the co- 
 lours we have mentioned. Perhaps the account I 
 am to give of it may be of fome ufe for perfecting 
 the Dutch ware, tho' we cannot obtain the perfedli- 
 on of the Chinefe porcelain. 
 
 To make thefe kinds of works, it is not neceflfa- 
 ry that the fubllance employed fhould be extreme- 
 ly
 
 174 Obfervatio7is upon Asia^ 
 
 y fine. They take cups which have been already 
 bak'd in the large furnace, without being varnifh- 
 ed, which are confequently all white, and have no 
 luftre. They colour them by plunging them in 
 the vefTel where the colour is prepared, when they 
 want them of the lame colour. But if they want 
 them of different colours, fuch as the works called 
 hoan-tou-houan, which are divided into a kind of 
 fquares, fome of which are yellow and others green, 
 they apply thefe colours with a large penciL This 
 is all the ornament they give to this fpecies of por- 
 celain, only after the baking, they lay a little ver- 
 milion on certain places ; as for example, on the 
 beaks of certain birds ; but this colour is not 
 baked becaufe the fire would deflroy it, for which 
 reafon it does not lafl long. When they have ap- 
 plied the other colours they rebake the porcelain in 
 the large furnace, with other porcelains which have 
 not been bak'd before. It muft be placed at the 
 bottom of the furnace, and below the air- vent, 
 where the fire has lefs aftivity ; becaufe an intenfe 
 f.re would deflroy the colours, 
 
 The colours proper for this fort of porcelain 
 are prepared in the following manner. In order 
 to make the green they take tam-hoa-pien, falt- 
 petre, and powder of flint. When they have 
 reduced them feparately into an impalpable pow- 
 der, they dilute and mix them together with 
 water. 
 
 The mod common azure together with falt- 
 petre, and powder of flint, forms the violet. 
 
 The yellow is prepared by adding three mas 
 of the red of copperas to three ounces of the pow-^ 
 der of flint, and three ounces of cerufs. 
 
 For producing the white, to four mas of the 
 powder of flint they add a tael of cerufs. All 
 ihd^ ingredients are to be diluted in watery and 
 
 thii
 
 Africa, and Am-erica',- lyq 
 
 this is the whole of what relates to the colour^ 
 of this fort of porcelain. 
 
 When fpeaking of the furnaces where they re- 
 bake the painted porcelain, we have obfervcd, 
 that they make piles of porcelain vefTels, put- 
 ing the fmaller into the larger, and thus rang- 
 ing them in the furnace. Care muft be taken, 
 that the vefTels do not touch each other in the 
 parts which have been painted ; for in this cafe 
 all the veflels would be loft. The foot of one 
 cup may be fupported by the bottom of ano- 
 ther, tho' it be painted ; becaufe the edges of the 
 bottom of the fmaller cup are not painted ; but 
 the fides of one cup muft not touch thofe of ano- 
 ther. Thus, when they have cups which do noE 
 eafily enter into each other, fuch as the long cho- 
 colate cups, the Chincfe workmen range them in 
 the following manner. 
 
 Upon a bed of thefe porcelains laid in the bot- 
 tom of the furnace, they lay a covering either of 
 plates made of the earth with which the furnaces 
 are built, or of the pieces of cafes for the porcelain j 
 for in China every thing is ufed to the beft advan- 
 tage. Above this covering they lay another bed 
 of thefe porcelains, and continue to do fo to the 
 very top of the furnace. 
 
 It is not true, as we have before obferved, that 
 they know that the painted or gilt porcelain is 
 baked when they fee the gold or colours fparkle 
 with all their luftre. The colours are not diftin- 
 guifhed, till the rebak'd porcelain is become cold. 
 They judge that the porcelain baked in the fmall 
 furnace is ready to be taken out, when looking 
 thro' the aperture at the top, they to the very bot- 
 tom fee all the porcelains red with the fire, when 
 they diftinguifh the pil'd cups from each other, 
 when the porcelain has no longer thofe inequali- 
 ties
 
 176 Obfervatiom upn Asia, 
 
 ties formed by the colours ; and when the colours 
 are incorporated in the body of the porcelain, in 
 the fame manner that the varnifh laid upon the 
 beautiful azure, is incorporated with it by the heat 
 of the large furnace. 
 
 As for the porcelain rebak'd in the large fur- 
 nace, they judge that it is fufficiently bak'd, ift. 
 When the flame which comes out is not of a very 
 red, but rather of a whitifh colour. 2dly, When 
 looking thro' one of the apertures, they perceive 
 that the cafes are all red. 3dly, When after hav- 
 ing opened a cafe at the top, and taken a piece of 
 porcelain out of it, they perceive when it is cold, 
 that the varnifh and colours are in the condition in 
 which they want them. And 4thly, When look- 
 ing in at the top of the furnace, they perceive the 
 gravel in its bottom to be ihining. By all thefe 
 marks, a workman judges whether the porcelain is 
 perfe6lly bak'd. 
 
 When they would have the blue intirely to 
 cover the veffel, they ufe leao or azure prepared 
 and diluted in water to a due confidence, and m 
 this they plunge the veffel. As for the blown blue 
 called tfui-tftm \ they in it ufe the moft beautiful 
 azure prepared in the manner before mentioned. 
 They blow it upon the veffel, and when it is dry 
 they lay on the ordinary varnifh either alone, or 
 mixed with tfoui-yeou, if they would have the 
 porcelain veined. 
 
 Some workmen upon this azure, whether blown 
 or otherwife, draw figures with the point of a long 
 needle. The needle removes as many fmall grains 
 of the dry azure as is neceffary to reprefent the fi- 
 gure, after which they lay on the varnifli. When 
 the porcelain is bak*d, the figures appear painted 
 in miniature. 
 
 There
 
 Africa, and America. 17.7 
 
 There is not fo much labour as may be imagin- 
 ed, in making the porcelains on which flowers, 
 dragon^, and other fimilar figures are cmbofs'd. 
 They firft trace them with the graver on the body 
 of the veffel ; then they make fmall incifions 
 round them, which raife them \ and laftly they 
 apply the varnilh. 
 
 The following things are to be obferved in the 
 manner of preparing the leao, or azure, ift, Before 
 burying it in the gravel of the furnace, where it is to 
 be toalled, it muft be well wafh'd, in order to re- 
 move the earth which adheres to it. 2dly, It 
 muft be included in a cafe of porcelain well luted. 
 3dly, When it is toafted it muft be pounded, and 
 pafs'd thro' a fieve. Then they put it into a well-var- 
 nifhed veflel, and pour boiling water upon it. Af-- 
 ter having agitated it a little, they take cfF the froth 
 on the furface, and pour out the water by inclining 
 the vefTel to one fide. This preparation of azure 
 with boiling water is to be repeated twice. After 
 this they take the azure thus moift and reduced in- 
 to a kind of thin pafte, and putting it into a mor- 
 tar, pound it for a confiderable time- 
 
 The azure is found in the mines of rock-coal, or 
 in the red earths adjacent to thofe mines. It fome- 
 times appears on the furface of the ground, and 
 this is an infallible fign, that by digging farther, 
 more of it may be found. In the mine it prefents 
 itfelf in pieces as large as a man's thumb, but 
 fiat, and not round. The coarfe azure is pretty 
 common, but the fine is very rare, and not eafily 
 difcerned by the eye ; and we muft make tryal of it 
 before we can judge of its value. This tryal con- 
 fifts in painting a porcelain vefTel with it, and then 
 baking the vefteL If Europe produced beautiful 
 leao or azure, and fine tfin, which is a kind of 
 violet colour, thefe would among the Chinefe, be 
 
 Vol. I. " N com-
 
 178 Obfervatlons upon Asia, 
 
 Commodities of great value, and eafily tranfport- 
 ed, fo that we might bring back the mod beauti- 
 ful porcelain in exchange for them. We have al- 
 ready obferved that a pound of tfin is fold for a 
 tael and eight mas, that is, for feven fhillings and 
 fix pence. For two taels they fell a box of beauti- 
 ful leao, which contains only fix ounces, and this 
 amounts to twenty pence an ounce.~ 
 
 They have try'd to paint fome porcelain vef- 
 fels black with the fineft of the Chinefe ink ; but 
 this attempt had no fuccefs , for when the porce- 
 lain was baked it was found to be very white. As 
 the parts of this black have not a fufficient body, 
 they were diffipated by the adlion of the fire, or 
 rather they had not force enough to penetrate the 
 bed of varniih, and produce a colour different 
 from it. 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 'Defcription of rhubarb amd Jeveral ether aro- 
 matic and medicinal plants^ their ^virtues and 
 tifes ; the 7na72?ier of preparing a7id ufing 
 them i the Jkill of the Chinefe phyficia72s. 
 
 THE moll fingular plant produced in China, 
 is the hia-tfaa-tom-chom, which fignifies 
 that this plant is an herb during the fummer, but in 
 the beginning of winter becomes a worm. If the 
 matter be duly confidered, it will be found that 
 this name has not been given to it without reafon. 
 Nothing better reprefents a worm three quarters 
 of an inch long, and of a yellowifh colour. We fee 
 the head, the body, the eyes, the feet on each fide 
 
 of
 
 Africa, and America.' 170 
 
 of the belly, and the foldings on the back dlftinc^- 
 ly formed. Thefe things are befl obfcrved when 
 the plant is recent ; for in time, efpecially when it 
 is expofed to the air, it becomes blackifh, and is 
 foon corrupted, becaufe its fubflanceis foft. This 
 plant pafles in China for one of the exotic kind, 
 and is very rare, fmce few are to be feen except at 
 the palace. It alfo grows in the Thibet, and is 
 found, tho' in a fmall quantity, on the frontiers 
 of the province of Tfe-tcheouen, which borders on 
 the kingdom of Thibet. 
 
 The virtues of this plant nearly refemble thofe 
 afcribed to the gen-feng, with this difference, that 
 the frequent ufe of it does not produce hemorrhages, 
 as the gen-feng does. It fortifies and reftores parts 
 weakened either by excefs of labour, or long pro- 
 tra<5led difeafes. It is ufed in the following man- 
 ner. 
 
 They take five drams of it whole, with its 
 tail, and with thefe they ftufF the belly of a tame 
 duck, which they roaft before a flow fire, and 
 when it is fufHciently roafted they take out the 
 medicine, whofe virtue has pafTed into the flefh of 
 the duck ; of this duck the patient eats fo much, 
 morning and evening, for ten days \ but this reme- 
 dy is not much ufed, except at court, on account 
 of the great rarity of this precious medicine. 
 
 The fantfi is more eafily found, becaufe it is a plant 
 Vv^hich grows without culture in the mountains of 
 the provinces of Yunnam, Quoecheou, Sfetchouen. 
 It fends out eight fbalks which have no branches. 
 The ftalk in the middle is the. longed and round- 
 eft. It bears three leaves, which are like thofe of 
 mugwort, and are fixed to the ftalk by pretty 
 large tails. They are not rough, butfhining, and 
 of a deep green colour. The feven othef (talks, 
 which are only a foot and a half high, and whofe 
 
 N 2 bodi«s
 
 i8o Obfervatio7ts upon Asia, 
 
 bodies are triangular, rife from the principal ftalk, 
 three on one fide, and four on the other. Thefe 
 have each but one leaf at the fuperior extremity 5 
 for which reafon it is called fantfi, which fig- 
 nifies three and feven, becaufe the ftalk in the 
 middle has three leaves, and the feven others bur 
 feven among them. 
 
 All thefe ftaiks arife from a round root four 
 inches in diameter. This root fends off feveral 
 others which are oblong, as large as a man's little 
 finger, and have a hard and rough bark, but their 
 internal part is of a fofter fubftance, and of a yellowifh 
 colour. Thefe fmall roots arc principally ufed in 
 medicine. The ftalk in the middle is the only 
 one which bears white flowers, which grow at 
 its point in form of grapes, and blow towards the 
 end of the feventh month, that is, in the month 
 of July. 
 
 When they intend to multiply this plant, they 
 cut the large root into flices, which they put into 
 the earth about the fifteenth day of the fpring. A 
 month after, it fends forth ftaiks j and at the end of 
 three years it is as large and high as evtr it will 
 be. 
 
 The Chinefe ufe it in the following manner. 
 About the fummer folftice, they take the ftalk and 
 leaves, and beat them in a mortar, in order to 
 prefs the juice from them, which they mix with 
 common lime reduced to powder. Of thefe they 
 form a mafs, which when dried in the fun, they ufe 
 for the cure of wounds. They ufe this fame juice 
 mix'd with wine, to cure fpittings of blood. But 
 this remedy has no virtue except in the fummer, 
 and to thofe who are on the fpot \ for which reafon, 
 towards the end of autumn, they pull up the 
 large roots, cut off the fmall oblong ones, and 
 dry them in the air, in order to be tranfported in- 
 to
 
 Africa, <?;2^ America. i8i 
 
 to other provinces. The heavieft of thefe fmall 
 roots, which are of a blackifli grey colour, 
 and grow in a dry foil on the coafts, are reckoned 
 the bell. Thofe which are light, of a yellowifh 
 colour, and grow on the edges of rivers, have 
 little or no virtue. A dram of the powder of 
 thofe roots cures hemorrhages and fpittings of 
 blood. If we were to make an analyfis of it, we 
 ihould perhaps find it poiTefTed of other no lefs 
 valuable qualities. 
 
 The tai-hoam, or the rhubarb, grows in feveral 
 pans of China. The beft is that of Sfe-tchouen ; 
 but that which grows In the province of Xenfi, and 
 the kingdom of Thibet, is far inferior to it. 
 What grows elfewhere is of io little value, that ic 
 is not ufed. The ftalk of the rhubarb is like the 
 fmall bamboos, or Chinefe canes. It is hollow 
 and very brittle three or four feet high, and 
 of a dark violet colour. In the fecond moon, 
 that is, in the month of March, it fends forth long 
 and thick leaves, which grow four and four on 
 the fame tail, looking towards each other, and 
 forming a chalice. The flowers are of a yellow, 
 and fometimes of a violet colour. In the fifth 
 moon it produces a fmall black feed, as large 
 as a millet. In the eighth moon they pull 
 it up, and find the root large and long. 
 That which is heavieft, and moft marbled in the 
 heart, is the beft and moft efteemed. This root is 
 of fuch a nature, as renders it very difficult to be 
 dried. 
 
 The Chinefe, after having pulled up and clean'd 
 the roots, cut them in pieces about two inches 
 large, and dry them on plates of ftone, under 
 which they kindle fires. They turn thefe pieces 
 till they are thoroughly dry. If they had 
 
 N 3 ovenj
 
 iSi Ohfervations upon Asia,^ 
 
 ovens like thofe in Europe, they would not make 
 ufe of thefe plates. As this operation is not luffi- 
 cient to draw out all the humidity, they make a 
 hole in each piece, and fufpend them in the great- 
 eft heat of the fun, till they are in a condition to 
 be kept, without being corrupted. 
 
 As to the ufe of rhubarb, the Chincfe are near- 
 ly of the fame opinion with the Europeans. How- 
 ever they rarely ufe rhubarb crude and in fub- 
 ftance ; for they fay it tears the bowels, and pro- 
 duces gripes ; and as the Chinefe generally love 
 better not to be cured, than to be relieved by great 
 pain, they more chearfully take rhubarb by way 
 of dccoclion, with a great many other fimples, 
 which they combine according to the rules of their 
 art \ but if it is neceffary to take it in fubftance, 
 they prepare it in the following manner. 
 
 They take as many pieces of rhubarb as they 
 have occafion for, and fteep them twenty-four 
 hours in rice wine (that of grapes would be better 
 if they had anyj till they are very foft, and can be 
 cut into thin dices. Then they put upon a fur- 
 nace a kind of kettle, whofe mouth is two feet in 
 diameter, and which diminifhes gradually to the 
 bottom in form of a cap. They fill this kettle 
 with water, and cover it with an inverted fieve 
 made of fmall flips of bark. Upon the bottom of 
 the fieve they lay the pieces of rhubarb, covering 
 the whole with a piece of wood, over which they 
 throw a felt, that the fteam of the water may not 
 come out. Then they heat the furnace, and 
 make the water boil, fo that the fteam raifed thro' 
 the fieve, penetrates the flices of rhubarb, and de- 
 ftroys their acrimony. At laft this fteam refolv- 
 ing, as in an alembic, falls down into the boiling 
 kettle, and renders the water yellow, which the 
 
 Chinefe
 
 Africa, ^zWAmerica^ 183 
 
 Chlnefe keep for cutaneous diforders. Thefe dices 
 mufl remain at leaft eight hours in this circula- 
 tion of the fteam, after which they take them out, 
 and dry them in the fun. They repeat this opera- 
 tion twice, and then the rhubarb is prepared, and is 
 of a blackifh colour. It may be pounded and form- 
 ed into purgative pills. Five or fix drams at leaft 
 make a dofe, which purges gently, and without 
 gripes. The urine is that day more copious and 
 red than ufual, which, according to the Chinefe, 
 denotes, that an unnatural heat is diffipated in that 
 way. They who have an averfion to fo many 
 pills, take the fame quantity of the dried dices, 
 and. in an earthen or filver velfe], boil them in 
 nine ounces of water to three, which they drink 
 warm, but fometimes they mix dmples with it. 
 
 This manner of preparing rhubarb produces 
 the mod: falutary effefls. An obdiinate cond:ipa- 
 tion had reduced a mandarin to the greatedi ex- 
 tremity, and no remedies could procure him a d:ool ; 
 the patient vomited them up as foon as they were 
 fwallowed, as he alfo did rhubarb, whether taken 
 in pills or deco6lion. A Chinefe phydcian made 
 him take a decoftion of a double dofe of this pre- 
 pared rhubarb, with which he had mixed fome 
 virgin honey, by which means the patient had no 
 naufeas, and was freed from his diforder, without 
 any pains or gripes. 
 
 Some European phydcians fay, that a dram of 
 the powder of that part of the rhubarb where they 
 firing it, given in the morning fadiing, in a .glafs 
 of rofe or plantain water, is an infallible remedy 
 for duxes. The Chinefe phydcians think quite 
 otherwife •, and diy, that the rhubarb always be- 
 gins to corrupt at that hole ; that the powder 
 found there is of no ufe ; that it ought to be 
 thrown away ^ and that only the internal part of 
 -f^'*i • ■ N 4 the
 
 184 Obfer'-cations upon AsiA^ 
 
 the root, which is weighty and well marbled, 
 ought to be us'd. It may happen, that in China 
 they undervalue this part of the rhubarb, be- 
 caule it is there worth no more than four pence 
 a pound ; or becaufe, being much dearer in Eu- 
 rope, the natives are unwilling to lofe any of 
 it. 
 
 There is a fourth root, which on account of its 
 aromatic nature, feems to deferve our attention. 
 The Chinefe phyficians who ufe it, do not know 
 all its virtues, becaufe they are unacquainted with 
 the method of analyfmg it. They call it tam- 
 coue. It is always moid, becaufe it is oleous. Its 
 virtue, they fay, is to nourifh the blood, and to 
 promote and ftrengthen the circulation. It is an 
 eafy matter to have a large quantity of it at a 
 fmall price. It may be tranfported without any 
 fear of corruption, provided we ufe the fame pre- 
 cautions with the Chinefe, who from the province 
 of Sfe-tchouen tranfport to other provinces whole 
 roots of it, which they keep in large llore-houfes. 
 Out of thefe the petty merchants v^ho keep fhops 
 furniih themfelves. They cut this root, as well as 
 others, in fmall flices, and fell it by retail-, for which 
 reafon, it the European merchants want to purchafe 
 Chinefe drugs at Cantong, they ought to take them 
 irom the flore-houfe, and not from the fhops where 
 the roots are fold in fmall flices. 
 
 There is a fifth drug much efteemed and ufe4 
 in China, called ngo-kiao, which ought to be 
 prepared in the following manner. 
 
 The province of Cantong has feveral metropo- 
 lifes, one of which is call'd Yentcheoufou, in whofe 
 diilrid is a town of the third order, call'd N20- 
 Jiien. Near this town is a natural well, or a hole 
 in form of a v/ell, near feventy feet deep, which, 
 ^s the Chinefe fay, communicates with fome fub- 
 
 terraneous
 
 Africa, ^;2^ America. iS^ 
 
 terraneous lake or colledlion of water. The water 
 drawn from it is extremely clear, and heavier than 
 common water. If it is mix'd with turbid water, 
 it renders it pure at once, by precipitating the 
 foulnefs to the bottom of the vefTel, juft as alum 
 does. The water of this well is us'd to make the 
 the ngo-kiao, which is nothing but the glue 
 made of the Ikin of a black afs. 
 
 They take the fkin of this animal juft kill'd, 
 fteep it five days fuccefTively in the water drawu 
 from this well, after which they take it out to 
 fcrape and cleanfe both fides of it. They after- 
 wards cut it in fmall pieces, and boil it in the wa- 
 ter of the fame well, till the pieces are reducM to 
 glue, which they pafs hot thro' a cloth, in order to 
 feparate the coarfer parts, which could not be 
 melted. Then they difTipate the humidity of it, 
 and every one gives it the form he pleafes. The 
 Chinefe cafl it into moulds, with charaders, and 
 put the feals or figns of their fliops on it. 
 
 This well is of great importance in China, and Is 
 fhut up, and feal'd with the governor's feal, till 
 they make the glue for the emperor. This opera- 
 tion is generally begun after the autumnal harvefl, 
 and continued till the beginning of March. Dur- 
 ing this time, the neighbouring people bargain 
 with the keepers of the well, and the workmen arc 
 employed in making the glue for the emperor. 
 They make as great a quantity of it as they can, 
 with this difference, that they prepare fome of it 
 coarfer, and are at lefs pains to provide afTes, 
 which are fufficiently fat and black : however, all 
 the glue made here is as much efteem'd at Peking 
 as that fent by the mandarins of the place to the 
 court and to their friends. 
 
 As this drug is in great repute, and as the 
 <^uantity prepared at Ngo-hien is not fulHcient 
 
 fer
 
 l85 Obfervations upon AsiA^ 
 
 for the whole empire, they prepare a fpurious kind 
 of it elfevvhere, of the fkins of mules, camels, or 
 horfes, and fometimes of old boots. They give 
 it the fame form and flamp as near as poffible, 
 and expofe it with fome of the genuine kind in 
 the large and beautiful fhop^ ; and as there are al- 
 moft as many fools who buy, as villains who fell 
 it, there is a great demand for it in the provinces. 
 
 It is, however, eafy enough to diftinguifh the 
 genuine from the fpurious kind. The former 
 has neither a bad fmell nor difagreeable tafte ; it is 
 brittle and friable, and is only of two colours, ei- 
 ther entirely black, or of a blackilli red, like Pe- 
 ruvian balfam. 
 
 The fpurious kind has a bad fmell and tafle, 
 even when made of the fkin of a hog, which 
 approaches neareil to the true kind ; befides, it is 
 not brittle, and is never very like the other^ 
 
 The Chinefe afcribe a great many virtues to 
 this remedy, and affirm that it refolves inflam- 
 mations, is friendly to the breaft, facilitates the 
 motion of the lungs, removes opprefTion of the 
 fpirits, and reftcres a free refpiration to thofe af- 
 iiidled with a Ihortnefs of breathing ; that it re- 
 frefhes the blood, and keeps the inteftines in a fit 
 condition for performing their functions ; that it 
 llrengthens the foetus in the mother's belly, dilTi- 
 pates wind, expels heat, flops bloody fluxes, and 
 provokes urine. 
 
 This medicine taken fafling, is good for dif- 
 eafes of the lungs, as experience has often evinc- 
 ed \ for patients who have us'd it, have found 
 themfelves furprifingly reliev'd : It is flow, and 
 therefore ought to be long continued ; it is us'd 
 in decodlions with fimples, and fome times alfo in 
 powder, but more rarely. 
 
 Ill
 
 Africa, mid America. 187 
 
 In China there are vail numbers of aromatic and 
 medicinal plants •, butthebeft and moft fought after, 
 only grow in the provinces of Quamfi, Yunnam,, 
 Sfe-tchouen, and Quou-tcheou. 
 
 On the mountains of the provinces of Tartary 
 we find beautiful angelica, tho' not cultivated. Wc. 
 alfo fee large tracks full of white dittany, parfnips,_ 
 wild afparagus and fennel, celandine, cinque- 
 foil, agrimony, pimpernel, penny-royal, and the 
 greater and leffer plantains. In the fmall vallies 
 between the mountains, there are fields of beauti- 
 ful mugwort and wormwood, different from that 
 of Europe. The fern is only feen upon the tops, 
 of the highell mountains, and there are no fuck 
 things to be found there as kermes, gentian, ma- 
 fter-wort, juniper or afh-wood. 
 
 The mountains of Tartary, for the moft part, 
 have trees only on one fide, which is generally 
 thefouth. This rule is not univerfal, but generally 
 one or both fides are bare, and only cover'd with 
 a few herbs, and fome parched hay, without ei- 
 ther flowers or fiirubs. We may readily conjee-? 
 ture, that there are mines, and what confirms it is, 
 that the labourers near Gehe often find gold in the 
 bottoms of the torrents, which they carry to the 
 emperor, who rewards them for their pains. 
 
 The trees on thefe mountains are fmall and low 
 oaks, firs, ill-nourifh'd, and with few branches, 
 afpin- trees, elms, and nut-trees fo clofe, that they 
 form a thicket. They, however, abound in nuts, 
 and draw the wild boars in troops for their food. 
 Thofe trees are intermix'd with wild rofes and 
 thorns. We there find none of the v/ild fruits 
 obfervable in moft of the European mountains. 
 The Mogul Tartars who inhabit thefe territories, 
 cultivate no fruit trees, and are content with 
 two kinds of wild fruit, which they have but in 
 fome pares of Tartary. 
 
 The
 
 i88 Ohjervations upon Asia, 
 
 The firft is in their language call'd oulana, 
 which refembles a large red cherry. It grows on 
 a fmall ftalk three inches high, which fprings 
 up among the grafs in the vallies, or on the fides 
 of the mountains. The fecond grows in clufters, 
 on a beautiful tree twenty five or twenty fix feet 
 high, and in fize refembles fmall Corinthian grapes. 
 When the firft froft falls upon them, they become 
 red, and are of a tartifh, but very delicate tafte. 
 
 In the Chinefe gardens we find neither hyfTop, 
 nor fage, nor marjoram, nor borrage, nor fennel, 
 nor thyme, nor creffes, nor bafilicon, nor laven- 
 der in the plains, nor lilly of the valley in the 
 forefts. Neither do we there find tulips, nor jon- 
 quils, nor tuberofes. In the fpring the fields are 
 full of violets, which however have neither tafte 
 nor fmell •, but in recompence, the Chinefe have 
 fo many plants, roots, trees and flowers, not found 
 in Europe, that they m^ be very well fatisfied 
 with the want of thofe which they have not. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 Regidafions obferv'd in examining the Chinefe 
 graduates and mandarins \ the particular 
 manner in ivhich they are puniJJf d or reward- 
 ed 5 the formalities obferv'd in criminal 
 affairs, 
 
 IT is the cuftom in China for the court to fend 
 every three years an examiiiator into each pro- 
 vince. His bufinefs is carefully to examine the 
 compofitions which every graduate is oblig'd to 
 prefent liim with. He punifnes thofe whofe com- 
 
 pofition
 
 Africa, ^//Z America. 189 
 
 pofition is indifferent, and breaks thofe intirely 
 whofe compofition is extremely bad. 
 
 Every graduate who does not appear at this 
 triennial examination, is from that time de- 
 priv'd of his title, and plac'd in the rank of the 
 people. There are only two cafes in which the 
 law excufes him ; namely, when he is fick, and 
 when he is in mourning for his father or his mo- 
 ther. The old graduates, after having in their laft 
 examination given proofs of their fkill and age, 
 are ever after freed from thefe examinations -, but 
 retain the habit, the bonnet, and the prerogatives 
 of honour, annexed to the fbate of a graduate. 
 
 The examination of the mandarins who govern 
 the people, is much more fevere than that of the 
 graduates. They examine whether they are infirm, 
 whether they are fevere in their chaftifements,' whe- 
 ther they are too indulgent, or negligent in exe- 
 cuting bufinefs ; whether they are fo attached to 
 their duty, as punctually to obey the commands of 
 the fuperior mandarins ; whether they exadt mo- 
 ney unjuftly of the people ; and laftly, whether 
 they have extraordinary or indifferent talents for 
 governing. This examination is cali'd the lafl or 
 general examination. During this examination, the 
 viceroy, and general mandarins of the province, 
 neither pay nor receive vifits till the catalogue and 
 notes they have made on the fubaltern officers arc 
 fent to the court. On this occafion there are feve- 
 ral mandarins propos'd and recommended as ex- 
 cellent officers of great merit, with whom no fault 
 can be found. 
 
 Upon the teftimony and informations of the 
 viceroy, the emperor gives orders to bring thefe 
 excellent officers to court, where they are examined 
 a fecond time. Since they are taken from fuch a 
 province, and propos'd by the viceroy, he ought 
 
 to
 
 190 Oifervations upon AsiA,^ 
 
 to know them, and anfvvcr for their extraordinary 
 talents. In this choice he is not permitted to ad 
 by intereft or friendfhip, nor to follow his particu- 
 lar views and inclinations. However, if the em- 
 peror does not find them fuch as they had been re- 
 prefented, or if it flioiild be afterwards found, 
 that fuch an officer behav'd ill in his government, 
 cr had not been at the pains to exaft the tribute 
 for fome years ; or that fuch another officer, after 
 being rais'd to a more confiderable poll, has com- 
 mitted crim.es in his preceding charge, the vice- 
 roy is always judg'd culpable ; for he either knew 
 the faults of his fubaltern, or he was ignorant of 
 them. If he knew them, why did he not accufe 
 him, inftead of propofing him as a man of rare 
 meeit. If he did not know them, he is looked 
 upon as a weak man, without either vigilance or 
 penetration. If the fubalterns do not dread him, 
 and can only deceive him, he is judg'd unworthy 
 of fo high a rank. 
 
 For this reafon the emperor ordered, that they 
 fhould more clearly determine and explain the pu- 
 nilhment due to thefe viceroys, v/hen they fhould 
 be found fauky in this refped. The firfl of the^ 
 fixfovereign tribunals, whofe bufinefs it is to tranfadl* 
 all the affairs relating to the mandarins of the em- 
 pire, afiembled, and made the following regula- 
 tions. 
 
 Firfl, That the viceroys fhould be ftricftly ob- 
 liged to watch over the condud of their fubaltern 
 officers, to make it their bufmefs to know them, 
 and to be careful in choofing and diflinguifhing 
 thofe whom they propofe as excellent. Secondly, 
 That if in their choice they fuffer'd themfelves to 
 be influenced either by avarice, recommendations, 
 or other feJiilh views, they fhall be broke, and de- 
 clar'd incapable of ever bearing another office* 
 
 Third iv.
 
 Africa, ^W America.^ 191 
 
 Thirdly, That if after the examination of thefe 
 officers at court, they fliould be found to have 
 little merit, or to have committed faults during 
 their mandarin (hip, the viceroy who propos'd 
 them fhould be broke. Fourthly, That if before 
 any thing is difcover'd, notice fhould be given by 
 the viceroy himfelf, of any fault he found out af- 
 ter he propos'd them, this notice fhould be attend- 
 ed to, and he fhould not be punifh'd. Fifthly, 
 That if thefe excellent officers being rais'd to a fu- 
 perior mandarinlhip, fhould behave ill, it fhould 
 a fecond time be examin'd how they had behav'd 
 in the preceding mandarinfhip -, and if it be found 
 that they have before committed the like faults, 
 the viceroy fhould be degraded to a mandarinfhip 
 of the third order. Sixthly, That if after ex- 
 amining and finding that the officer behaved well 
 in his preceding charge, but became corrupted 
 when he was rais'd to a fuperior mandarinfhip, 
 the viceroy fhould not be molefled, butjudg'd to 
 have fulfiU'd his duty. 
 
 To thefe regulations of the fovereign tribunal, 
 the emperor added his own. He declared, firfl. 
 That the fubaltern officers who fhould be found 
 greedy extorters of money from the people, or too 
 fevere in their chaftifements, fhould be forthwith 
 depriv'd of their charges, without any hopes of 
 ever being re-eflabliffied. Secondly, That all 
 the other officers whom the fovereign tribunal, 
 according to the notes of the viceroy, fhall have 
 broke or degraded for any reafon, for example, 
 becaufe they were negligent in terminating affairs, 
 or too weak and cowardly in the manner of their 
 government, fhould be by the emperor permitted 
 to come to court to juflify themfelves, if they 
 thought the information unjufl ; that the fove- 
 reign tribunal fhould hear their reafons, and that 
 
 his
 
 .192 Ohfervations tipoti Asia, 
 
 his. rr.ajefty Kimfelf would grant them a hearing. 
 Thirdly, That for the execution of fuch orders, 
 ^liofe who come to juilify themfelves before they 
 kave the province where they have been manda- 
 rins, fnojid obtain a pafs from the viceroy, cer- 
 titying that fuch an officer has been broke or de- 
 graded for fuch a fault, and that becaufe he wants 
 %o make remonftrances to the court, this attefta- 
 tion is granted him. Fourthly, That the viceroy 
 being afk'd by the faid officer, cannot refufe him 
 this atteilation ; or if fearing left his error or in- 
 juftice fhould be difcover'd, he fhould refufe it, 
 the faid officer fhali return into the province where 
 he was born, that he fhall declare to the viceroy of 
 that province, that having been broke or degraded 
 in fuch a province, the viceroy has refus'd him a 
 patent to go to court, to reprefcnt the reafons 
 which juilify him, and he ffiall demand one of the 
 laid viceroy, which cannot be refus'd to him. 
 Fifthly, That if after having examin'd the reafons 
 of the faid officer, and the refponfes of the vice- 
 roy, it fliall be found that he has been unjuftfy 
 broke or degraded, he fhall be re-eflabliffi'd into a 
 charge of the fame degree with that which he had 
 before ; but if, on the contrary, it fliall be found 
 that he is culpable, and impofes on the viceroy, 
 by accufing him of injuflice, to the lofs of his 
 charge, they add a corporal puniffiment, accord- 
 incr to the bafenefs of his crime. Sixthly, That if 
 the viceroy is convided of injuftice or error, he 
 Ihall be either broke, or degraded to an inferior em- 
 ployment. 
 
 For underhand ing the third and fourth article, 
 it is neceffary to apprife the reader, that without 
 a fpecial order of the emperor, which is rarely 
 o-ranted, a man cannot be a mandarin of the peo- 
 ple in his own province, nor even in the confinef? 
 
 of
 
 Africa, a-nd America.' 193 
 
 of a contiguous one. The mandarindiip granted 
 to an officer to govern the people, mud be at leaft 
 fifty leagues diftant from the fkirts of his own 
 province, that the folicitations of relations and 
 friends may not diflurb him in the difcharge of his 
 office, nor hinder him from executing juilice in 
 his fentences. 
 
 The fuperior mandarins of each province have 
 orders to diftinguifh all the mandarins of their fe- 
 veral diftridls into three clafTes. The firft confifts 
 of thofe who have polite and engaging manners, 
 who do not want to become rich, who are men of 
 learning, and acquainted with the laws and cuf- 
 toms of the empire, who are young, and full of 
 ftrength and health : The fecond contains thofe 
 who are pofiefTed of the fame talents, but who 
 have either an infirm ftate of health, or are ad- 
 vanced in years : The third confifts of thofe who, 
 tho' found and robuft, have yet but indifferent 
 talents. 
 
 Nothing is more remarkable, nor better calcu- 
 lated for good government, than the means us'd 
 in China, to prevent the emulation between the in- 
 ferior and fuperior mandarins. For thofe who dif- 
 charge their duties well, there are honourable dif- 
 tindlions, allotted as the rewards of their diligence. 
 Thefe marks are in the Chinefe language call'd ki- 
 lo, that is, to be mark'd upon the catalogue, or 
 to have a good mark. Thefe marks are given to 
 the firft mandarins by the fovereign courts of Pe- 
 king, and to the fubaltern mandarins by the gover- 
 nors and viceroys, who are oblig'd to acquaint the 
 fovereign courts with it, that they mav confirm the 
 marks granted. Thefe diftin6tions were inftituted 
 as a recompence to thofe, who in the difcharge of 
 their office have done fome adion which deferves a 
 fmall reward i for example, if they have juftly 
 
 Vol. I. O de-
 
 194- Obfervations upon Asia, 
 
 determln'd a difficiik and embarrafs'd caufe ;' if 
 they have exactly colleded the king's taxes •, if they 
 have with equity and fidelity executed the com- 
 mands of the fuperior mandarin. Thefe marks 
 are both honourable and ufeful to them ; honour- 
 able, becaufe they are fpecified in all the public 
 writs, in all the orders or advertifements which 
 
 they publifh to the people -, for example, I y 
 
 firft mandarin of fuch a town, honcur'd with fix 
 (or twelve) marks of my diligence, by order of the 
 viceroy, my fuperior, acquaint the nobility, the 
 literati, and the people, that, &c. They are ufe- 
 ful to them, becaufe, if they have committed fom^e 
 flight faulty inllead of depriving them of their 
 ofHce, the governors only erafe from the catalogue 
 one or more of thefe honourable marks. 
 
 But as there are honourable marks to recom- 
 penfe fuch adions as deferve a flight reward ; fa 
 there are marks of lazinefs and neghgence to pu- 
 niih thofe who are guilty of flight faults. Thefe 
 conflft in depriving the mandarin of a fmall part 
 of the falary he receives from the emperor \ for 
 example, if a mandarin has committed a flight 
 fault, if he has marks of diligence, they are ef- 
 faced ; if he has none, they deprive him of one, 
 two, or more months falary, which goes to the 
 emperor If a viceroy, or any great mandarin, 
 has prrlc'^ted " memorial concerning any affair, it 
 he V: miilaktii in a letter, if he has omitted fome 
 words, if he has us'd an improper or obfcure ex- 
 prefTion, or if what he fays is not clearly under- 
 fiiood, the einperor remits the memorial to a tri- 
 bunal. Vvhich judges of thefe negligences. This 
 tribunal examines, judges, and prefents its fentence 
 to the emperor, which generally confifts, according 
 to the lav/, in depriving this viceroy of three, and 
 fometimes flx weeks falary. The emperor either 
 
 abfolutely
 
 Africa, and Am-erica] 195 
 
 abfolutely fubfcribes the judgment in thcfe terms, 
 I approve of this determination, or he fays, I for 
 this time grant, that he fhall not be deprived of his 
 falary, but let his memorial be fent back to him to 
 render him more attentive for the future. 
 
 Six months after a robbery has been committed 
 in any part of a province, the viceroy enquires 
 whether the robber is taken ; if he is not, he in- 
 forms the court, that on fuch a night one robber, 
 or more, enter'd into the houfe of fuch a mer- 
 chant j that fuch of the mandarins of the people, 
 and fuch of the mandarins of war, are fpecially ob- 
 lig*d by their charge to hinder robberies, and to 
 fearch for robbers -, that for fix months the robber 
 has not been taken, and that thefe mandarins 
 ought therefore, according to the law, to be de* 
 priv'd of fix months falary. The fovereign court 
 examines this reprefentation, and makes a report 
 of it to the emperor, who fubfcribes it : At Can- 
 to, for inftance, a place four hundred leagues 
 from court, if a prifoner breaks the prifon, and 
 faves himfelf, this facfl is communicated to the 
 emperor, as well as the affairs of the firft confe- 
 quence, and the mandarin who has the charge of 
 the prifoners, is depriv'd of fome months falary, 
 and has orders to leek for the prifoner till he find 
 him : if, however, it can be prov'd, that there has 
 been collufion, he will be broke, and fubjedted to 
 a corporal punifhment. If a prifoner dies of any 
 difeafe in the prifon, before the officer calls the 
 phyfician to give him remedies, the court being 
 apprifed of it, deprives him of three months fa- 
 lary, and often the firfi: governor of the town is 
 depriv'd of three months falary. It is. the fault 
 of the fuperior, fay they ; if he went often, ac- 
 cording to his duty, to vifit the prifons, the fub- 
 altern officers v/ouM not be fo negligent^ nor fo 
 
 O 2 cruel
 
 196 Olfervatiom tifo?2 Asia, 
 
 Cruel to fick prifoners. Butif thefe officers had 
 fome marks of diligence, the court, after having 
 agreed, that, according to the law, fuch a manda- 
 rin ought to be depriv'd of fix weeks falary, yet 
 becaufe he had formerly obtained fuch a number of 
 marks of diligence, only they efiface two or three 
 of thefe honourable points. By this explication, 
 the reader fufficiently fees the ufe of thefe marks. 
 Let us now confider the manner in which they rife 
 to a more honourable charge. 
 
 There is another method in the Chinefe govern- 
 ment, of recompenfing or punifhing the great 
 and fmall mandarins, without either fhedding 
 blood or fpending money. To have the right of 
 being elevated to a more honourable rank, is 
 caird in Chinefe kia-kie, that is, to add one de- 
 gree •, and to defer ve to be degraded to an inferior 
 degree is call'd kiang-kie, to be degraded one de- 
 gree. We muft conceive of this addition of 
 one, two, or three degrees, as we do of the marks 
 of dili2:ence. The ufe of them is the fame, and 
 they only differ in point of their being greater and 
 fmalier *, for if the degrees added are much more 
 eftecm'd than thefe marks of diligence, four of 
 fuch marks are only equivalent to one of thefe 
 degrees, for which reafonthey are only beftow'd on 
 adi.ons which deferve them -, for example, if in 
 a tin:e of famine a viceroy takes care, by his vigi- 
 lanr . and good condud, to obtain rice from the 
 other provinces, and fupply the wants of the peo- 
 ple ^ if a mandarin purchafes rice at his own ex- 
 pence for a confiderable fum •, if he has fo well re- 
 pair'd the moles, that notwithftanding the violence 
 of the waters, there fhall be no inundation ; one 
 of the fovereign courts being inform'd of thefe 
 fervices, alfembles, deliberates, and grants him 
 two or three of thefe degrees. They are dig- 
 nified
 
 Africa, ^W America.^ 197 
 
 rrlfied with this honour in all the edids and adver- 
 tiiements, which they intimate to the public. I 
 
 , tirft governor of this city, honour'd with 
 
 three degrees, intimate, that, &c. If they are 
 afterwards elevated to a more illuftrious n:andarin- 
 iHip, thefe degrees follow thern ; or if they have 
 fallen into fome fault, the ibvereign court, which 
 judges of thefe matters, examines the fa6l, and de- 
 clares, that for fuch a fa(5l, according to law, they 
 ought to be degraded to an inferior charge, but 
 that fmce, by their pad merits, they haveobtain'd 
 three degrees, they will efface two of them. If, 
 however, the fault is great, they break them ab- 
 folutely, without any regard to the degrees they 
 had acquir'd. All thefe deliberations and judg- 
 ments are prefented to the emperor, who with his 
 own hand confirms them, or pardons the guihy, 
 as he pleafes. The fovereign court ought always 
 to be conformable to the law, without having re- 
 gard to the friendfhip, the pail fervices, the 
 quality or the rank of the criminal ♦, but if he is a 
 great mandarin, for example^ a viceroy, who has 
 been long ferviceable, or who has uncommon abi- 
 Ikies, the em.peror, to ihew that he does not for- 
 get his pad fervices 3 or that he may not lofe a man 
 of fo much merit, conforms himfclf to 'the law, 
 breaks him from his charge, but, without appoint- 
 ing him a fucceflbr, leaves him in the cxercife of 
 it. He is no longer thought to have the charge, and 
 Jtt. he performs all the .functions of it, as if he 
 h^ld it for a time in the abfence of another. By 
 this means they furnifh the criminal with the means 
 of repairing his pafl fault. This is a method lett 
 to him of returning into favour, without fudden- 
 ly depriving the public of an excellent officer •, kyr 
 it he commits a fecond fault, he is irretrievably 
 loft, whereas if he difcharges his duty with equity 
 
 O 3 and
 
 198 Objer ''cations upon x\sia, 
 
 and exa^lnefs, the emperor, after one or two 
 years, and fometimes after fix months, reitores him 
 to the charge of which he has been depriv'd. 
 
 By the expUcation of the degree added, it is 
 eafy to underiland what it is to be degraded a de- 
 gree. It is not always to be tranflated to an inferi- 
 or charge, but to have merited to be fo. Some- 
 times the change is not made on the fpot, and a 
 governor of a town of the fecond order is fent to 
 a town of the third order. One may, by different 
 faults, deferve to be degraded three or four times, 
 or for one fault be degraded three or four degrees, 
 without being depriv'd of his office. Thefe kinds 
 of degradings are alfo, to the fcandal of the man- 
 darin, inferted in all the writs v;hich he publifhes. 
 
 I , lirft governor of fuch a tovv^n, who 
 
 have deferv'd to be thrice degraded, &c. If by 
 any diftinguiili'd a^lion, he has merited the addi- 
 tion ot two or three honourable degrees, they re- 
 trench a number of the difgraceful degrees, and 
 the fovereign courts deliberate and judge of thefe 
 matters upon the report of the fuperior manda- 
 rins j but not finally -, for all deliberations and 
 judgments arc prefented to the emperor, who, with 
 his own hand, confirms, changes, or even rejects 
 the determination, and orders the tribunal to af- 
 femble and deliberate a fecond time : For this rea- 
 fon the firfl: prefidents of the fovereign courts, and 
 the counfeliors, are very attentive to what they eX' 
 amine, and to the judgment they pafs on each af- 
 fair ; for they are fure that their judgment will be 
 read by his majefly, who otten reprehends, pu- 
 nifhes, and fom.etimes breaks them, as officers ig- 
 norant of the laws, and incapable of difcharging 
 their duty. 
 
 Tlie
 
 Africa, ^;^ America. igg 
 
 The Chinefe government is no lefs admirable in 
 the forms obferved in all criminal affairs. It is 
 iirft to be obferved, that except in fome extraordi- 
 nary cafes, which are fpecified in the body of. the 
 vChinefe laws, no mandarin nor fuperior tribunal 
 can definitively pronounce a fentence of dtaiii, 
 All judgments in crimes Vv'-orthy of death muft b: 
 examined, decided, and fiibfcnbed by the empe- 
 ror. The mandarins fend an account of the pro- 
 cefs to the court, pointing out the article of 
 the law, which has determined them to pronounce 
 in fuch a manner. For example, fuch a man is 
 guilty of fuch a crime ; the law fays,that thofe con- 
 vided of it lliall be (Irangled; I therefore condemn 
 flich a man to be hanged. Thefe informations be- 
 ing come to court, the fuperior tribunal of crimi- 
 nal affairs examines the fa6f, the circumftances and 
 the decifions. If the fact is not clearly laid down, 
 or if the tribunal requires new informations, it 
 prefents a memorial to the emperor, containing the 
 account of the crime, and the decifion of the infe- 
 rior mandarin •, and adds, ^' In order to judge 
 ^' rightly, it is neccffary to be farther acquainted 
 " with fuch a circumftance. Thus we think it ex- 
 " pedient to remit the affair to fuch a mandarin, 
 *' that he may give us the i-niormations v/e want. 
 
 The emperor orders what he pleaks, but his 
 clemency always induces him to remit the affair, 
 that when a man's life is at ilake they may not de- 
 cide rafhly, and without the molt convincing 
 proofs. When the fuperior tribunal has received 
 the informations v/anted, they again prefent their 
 deliberation to the emperor, who either fubfcribes 
 it, or mitigates the rigour of the chaftiiement, 
 and fometimes even fends back the memorial, 
 writing thefe words v/ith his own hand, '" Let the 
 '^ tribunal deliberate once more on this affair, and 
 
 O 4. " make
 
 2 oo Obfervations upon Asia, 
 
 " make their report to me." We may fay, that 
 the Chinefe government ufes a fcrupulous atten- 
 tion, when a man is to be condemn'd to death. 
 This is the flate of juflice in China. 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 The manner of travelling in the plains ofBueiios- 
 ayres, and TuciLinan ^ the multitude of flocks 
 found there-, the manner of catching the 
 game ; the order obferved in the fecular ad- 
 mini jlration ', the herb par agiiai much ejleem- 
 ed'j the revenue it produces to the Indians, 
 
 THOSE v/ho take long journies in the vail 
 plains of Buenos-ayres, and in the defarts 
 ot Paragiiai, generally iife carriages. Of thefe 
 they take three or four, more or Itfs, according to 
 their baggage, and the number of their fervants. 
 Thefe carriages are covered with the fkins of 
 oxen, and that of the mafter is the moil beautiful, 
 fince there is in it a chamber, which contains a bed 
 and a table. The other carriages are deftineci for 
 the fervants and provifions, and each carriage is 
 drawn by large oxen, the prodigious number of 
 which in that country is the reafon why they do 
 not fpare them. 
 
 Tho' thefe carriages are heavy, yet they go ten 
 or twelve leagues a day. They take with them 
 fcarce any other provifion than bread, bifcuit, 
 wine, and faked meat ; as for frefh victuals, they 
 never want them on the road. There are thirty, for- 
 ty, or fifty thoufand oxen and cows wandering 
 up and down in thefe immcnfe plains. It is un- 
 lucky
 
 Africa, iind America. 201 
 
 lucky for a traveller to get into themidft of them, 
 fince it is often three or four days before he can 
 di fen gage himfelf. 
 
 The ihips which come from Spain to Buenoi- 
 ayres, take in hides for their cargo. On this oc- 
 cafion, the grand mantanea, as the Spaniards call 
 it, is made. They kill a hundred thoufand oxen, 
 or perhaps more, according to the burthen and 
 number of the fhips. It is furprizing, that if a 
 few days after we go into the parts where this great 
 flaughter has been made, we only find the bones 
 of thefe animals. The wild dogs, and a kind of 
 ravens different from thofe of Europe, deflroy 
 them fo foon, otherwife they would infe6l the air 
 of the country. 
 
 If a traveller wants game, he can eafily obtain it 
 with a (lick, to which he has tied a firing with a 
 loop or nooze. Fie may, without going out of 
 his carriage, or flopping on his journey, catch as 
 many partridges as he pleafes. They do not fly 
 away when the carriages pafs by them, and they 
 think themfelves fafe when they are hid under the 
 grafs •, but they are far from having fuch a good 
 tafte as thofe of Europe. They are dry, have but 
 little tafle, and are almoft as fmall as quails. 
 
 The vafl; extent of thefe forefts is fome- 
 times interrupted by tracks of barren and fandy 
 grounds, which require two or three days to tra- 
 vel over them. When travellers are obliged to 
 pafs thefe tracks, the heat of the fun, thirfb and 
 wearinefs, make them regret the want of the woods 
 out of which they came, and the woods into which 
 they enter again foon make them forget the fandy 
 plains. Sometimes, in the midfb of thefe defart woods 
 they find the moft delicious fpots, fince all that 
 the art and induftry of man can invent to render a 
 
 place
 
 £02 Obfer'vation f upon Asia, 
 
 place agreeable, comes not near the beauties which 
 fimple nature produces in them. 
 
 But it is dan2;erous to travel in this vafi: extent 
 of country. The Guaycarus are greatly to be 
 dreaded, who continually fcour the fields, and 
 have feveral times attempted to furprize the town 
 of Santafe. They never give any quarter, and thofe 
 who fall into their hands have their heads forthwith 
 cut off. They tear off the fkin and hair, and 
 ered thefe as fo many trophies. They go intirely 
 naked, and paint their whole bodies, except their 
 face, with different colours. They adorn their 
 heads with a cap of feathers. Their arms are bows 
 and arrows, a (pear and a dart, which is four or 
 £ve ells long, and fharp at both ends.. They throw 
 it with fo much force, that they ilrike it thro' a 
 man's body. They fix this dart to their v/riil, 
 that they may pull it out after they have thrown 
 it. 
 
 Thefe barbarians are not naturally brave, and 
 only attack their enemies by laying fnares for them; 
 but before they engage, they make terrible howl- 
 ings, which fo frighten thofe who are unaccuifom- 
 ed to them, that the moil courageous are intimi- 
 dated, and rem.ain defencelefs. They are extreme- 
 ly afraid of fire-arms ; and as foon as they fee one 
 of their men fail, they all take flight. But it is 
 not eafv even for the moft dexterous markfman to 
 hit them, becaufe, when on horfeback, they do 
 not remain one m.oment in the fame pofture. They 
 he fometimes fiat, and at others are on the fide, 
 or under ta^ belly of the horfe, whofe bridle they 
 fix to their great toe, while with a whip, con- 
 fiding of four or five thongs of leather, they 
 make the dulleil horfe run. When they fee them- 
 felves clofely purfued, they abandon their horfe 
 and arms, and either throw themfelvcs into the 
 
 1 river^
 
 Africa, ^/W America. 203 
 
 river, where they fwim like fifli, or-betake them- 
 fclves to thick forefts, from which they rarelv or 
 never venture far. In procefs of time their flcin is fo 
 hardened, that they become infenfible to the prick- 
 ing of briars and thorns, thro' which they run with- 
 out any concern. 
 
 Thefe barbarians made frequent incurfions into 
 the villages of Paraguai ; but they have been fo 
 often repulfed and defeated, that they dare not 
 now fhew themfelves. The form of government 
 ill thefe villages is fo fingular, that it ought care- 
 fully to be related. 
 
 The Indians of that country have a peculiar o-e- 
 nius for the mechanick arts ; fo that there are a 
 great many trades in which they excel. They 
 make all the cloths and flufis for wiiich they have 
 occafion. In fummer they are cloathed with cot- 
 ton, and in winter with woollen garments. As this- 
 manufadure is very confiderable, when the inha- 
 bitants are fufficiently provided, they fend the fur- 
 plus to Buenos-ayres, Corduba, and Tucuman. 
 The money arifmg from thefe commodities ferves 
 to buy feveral things which come from Europe, 
 and are not to be found among them. They alfo 
 trafFiC confiderably in a certain herb which grows 
 in Paraguai, and which is much ufed in Chili and 
 Peru, juil as theChinefe tea is in Europe. 
 
 It is to be obferved, that it is only on the moun- 
 tains of Maracayu, near two hundred leagues from 
 the villages of Paraguai, that the trees which pro- 
 duce this fo much efleem*d fruit grow naturally. 
 The Indians of Paraguai itand in abiblute need of 
 it, both for their drink, and an exchange for ali- 
 ments and other commodities. It was formerly 
 neceflary for them to fpend feveral months of the 
 year in travelling to thefe mountains. By this 
 means the villages were often expofed to the incur- 
 fions
 
 2 04 Obfervations upon Asia, 
 
 fions of their enemies Of feveral thoufands who fet 
 out, a great many never returned, becaufe a change 
 of the chmate, and the vaft fatigues of the jour- 
 ney, deftroyed incredible numbers. Others, wea- 
 ried with the toil, fled into the mountains, and 
 were never afterwards feen. In order to remedy 
 thefe inconveniencies, they brought young trees 
 from Maracayu, and planted them near the vil- 
 lages. Thefe plants fucceeded very well ; and of 
 the feeds, which refemble thofe of ivy, they form- 
 ed nurferies ; but the fruit produced by thefe cul- 
 tivated trees has neither the fame flrength nor vir- 
 tue with that which grows on thofe that are wild. 
 The king of Spain has allowed the Indians of the 
 villages of Paraguai every year to bring to the 
 town of St. Foi, or to the Trinity of Buenos-ay res, 
 twelve thoufand arobes (an arobe weighs twenty- 
 Eve pounds) of the fruit of the Paraguai, but they 
 can hardly bring above fix thoufand. Befides, 
 what they bring is not the fineft fort, called caami- 
 ni, which is very rare, but that called pabos, 
 v/hich is the moft common. The current price of 
 this commodity at St. Foi, Buenos- ay res, and the 
 royal receipt where the tributes are colle<5ted, is 
 four piafters for each arobe *, fo that what the In- 
 dians bring every year amounts to about one thou- 
 fand pounds. The money or commodities got 
 for this piece of merchandize, are equally divided 
 among the inhabitants of each village. 
 
 Their houfes are only one ilory high •, and^tho' 
 they are flrong, yet they have none of the orna- 
 naments of archite<^ure, becaufe the inhabitants in 
 building them have no other view than to defend 
 themfeives from the injuries of the air. Their 
 church is large, magnificent, and extremely rich. 
 All the inhabitants are fupplied with provifions in 
 the following manner, 
 
 Thofe
 
 Africa, and America.^ 5^05 
 
 Thofe who reap are obliged to lodge all the 
 grain in public magazines taken care of by per- 
 fons who keep a regifter of all that they receive. 
 In the beginning of each month, the officers who 
 have the care of the grain, deliver to the chiefs of 
 the quarter, the quantity necelTary for all the fa- 
 milies of their diftridls \ and thefe chiefs forthwith 
 diftribute more or lefs, according to the greater or 
 fmaller number of each family. 
 
 The fame cuftom is obferved in the diftribu- 
 tion of flefh. Every day a certain number of oxen 
 and flieep are put into the hands of perfons appoint- 
 ed to kill them \ who, after the animals are kill- 
 ed, inform the chiefs of the quarter, who take 
 what is neceflary, and give each family a quantity 
 proportioned to their number. 
 
 In confequence of this regulation, they have no 
 poor nor beggars ; but all enjoy an equal abun- 
 dance of the things ncceflary to life. There are 
 in each town feveral large houfes for the Tick, fome 
 for the men, and others for the women. In thefe 
 different houfes there are perfons appointed to take 
 care of the fick, and to fee that they want nothing 
 which may be neceflary for them. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 2o6 Cbfef'catiom upon Asia, 
 
 CHAP. XXI, 
 
 i 
 
 ^be extreme mifcry of the Indians of Madura. 
 Jhe means they have of enrichbtg themfelves ; 
 their avarice -, their delicacy with refpeB to 
 the precedence of their tribes • their einploy- 
 ments and government • the occupations of 
 their women ; the fruits^ herbs ^ and ani- 
 mals of the coimtry. 
 
 T Madura we find, as in other places, fome 
 people who are poor, and others who are 
 ricli. The number of the former is very great, 
 and many of them arc fometimes obliged to fell 
 their children, and even themfelves, for fubfiflence. 
 Some of them labour the whole day like galley- 
 flaves, and hardly earn what is jull fufficient to 
 fupport themfelves and their families. There are 
 multitudes of v/idows^ who have nothing to fup- 
 ply their wants, befides a kind of fpinning wheel. 
 Such is the extreme indigence of many others, 
 both men and women, who have nothing to cover 
 their nakednefs, except a fmall piece of fluff all 
 in rags, and who have not io much as a mat to 
 lie upon. The houfes of the country people in 
 Europe are palaces, in comparifon of the miferable 
 hovels in which thefe Indians lodge. Three or 
 four earthen pots make up all the furniture of 
 their cottages. 
 
 There are, however, rich men in the Indies. 
 Agrirulture, commerce, and employments, are 
 there the ordinary means of becoming rich ; but 
 the poor have a great deal cf diificulty to preferve 
 
 then^-
 
 Africa, and America. 207 
 
 thcmfelves from opprefTion. Fraud and ufury pre- 
 vail in commerce -, and the exercife of the public 
 offices is a true robbery. Theft is another and 
 fhorter means of becoming rich. It is very com- 
 mon in the Indies, and there is perhaps no country 
 in the world where petty robbers arc more deteft- 
 ed, and where great ones are better fcreened from 
 punifhment. Among the Indians, there is a whole 
 tribe who do not blufli at the name of robbers, 
 and publicly profefs to be highwaymen. The 
 labourers mufl be very careful, efpecially in the 
 night, left their cows and oxen fnould be carried 
 off. But notwithftanding all their care and cir- 
 cumfpe6lion, their lofTes of this kind are very fre- 
 quent. They thought to prevent thefe noflurnal 
 robberies, by eftablifhing guards in each village, 
 who are fupported and paid by the labourers ; but 
 the remedy is become worfe than the difeafe, fince 
 thefe guards are themfclves the worft of all rob- 
 bers. 
 
 Tiie kings and great lords, by their opprcf- 
 fion, amafs great riches ; but the common ufe 
 they make of their treafures, is to bury them un- 
 der ground, otherwife gold would be very com- 
 mon in the Indies. It is faid, that thofe who thus 
 bury their riches, facrifice human vidlims to de- 
 mons, that they may take the charge of them, and 
 not permit them to fall into other hands than their 
 own. Many, however, fearch for thefe treafures, 
 and that they may difcover them, make other fa- 
 crifices of children and pregnant women to the 
 demons. 
 
 Generally fpeaking, it is a crime at Madura to 
 be rich. There is .no accufation more willingly 
 heard, and no fault more fcverely punifhed. They 
 forthwith put the accus'd perfon on the rack, to 
 force him> by the violence of the torments^ to dif- 
 cover
 
 2o8 Ohfervatiom upon Asia, 
 
 cover where he has hid his money. Hence it hap- 
 pens, that the rich conceal their fubftance careful- 
 ly, and are neither better cloathed, nor lodged, 
 nor fed, than the mod indigent. Hence it alfo 
 happens, that tho' there are vaft numbers of really 
 poor people, there are alfo a great many others 
 who afiedl to appear fuch, v/hen they are very 
 rich. 
 
 If, on the one hand, they in the Indies affe(5l to 
 be poor in the midil of riches, they are, on the 
 other, very jealous of difhindions, and of the rank, 
 which their birth gives them. There is hardly 
 any nation which has fo much delicacy with re- 
 fpeft to thefe kinds of prerogatives. 
 
 The Indians are divided into feveral clailes of 
 perfons of the fame rank and birth, and who 
 have their particular ufages, cuftoms, and laws. 
 There are three principal clalTes, that of the bra- 
 mins, which is that of the firft nobility \ that 
 of the kchatfys or rajas, which correfponds to 
 what in England we call gentry •, and that 
 of the choutres, which fignifies the common 
 people. Befides thefe three tribes or clalTe?, which 
 are of great extent, there is a fourth called the 
 clafs of the parjas, which is compofed of the 
 vileft and bafcll: of the people. It is by all 
 others looked upon as an infamous tribe, with 
 which they cannot have any commerce, without 
 lofing their honour. The horror they have at 
 a praja goes fo far, that every thing he touches 
 is thought defiled, and unfit to be ufed. They 
 only fpeak to them at a great diftance, and do 
 not permit them to dwell in the tov/ns, from 
 which they mufl rem.ove, and build their habi- 
 tations at the diftance prefa'ibed to them. 
 
 Each of thefe principal claiTes is divided into 
 
 others, fome of which are more noble than the 
 
 reft.
 
 Africa, ^WAmf. rica.' 209 
 
 reft. The clafs of the chcutres contahis mod of 
 the fubordinate claffes, fuch as that oi the mer- 
 chants, that of the hibourers, the filver-lmiths, the 
 carpenters, the mafons, the pauiters, the wea« 
 vers, &c. Every trade is inckided in the fame 
 clafs, and only thofe of that clafs can be employ- 
 ed in ic. 
 
 Thus a carpenter would be feverely puniiTi'd 
 for working at the bufinefs of the filver-fmith. 
 There are, however, certain profelTions, to which 
 every one belonging to* any of the claffes of the' 
 choutres may apply himfelf, fuch as thofe of the 
 foldier, the merchant, and the labourer : buc 
 there are other occupations which greatly vilify 
 thofe v/ho follow them. For example, in feveral 
 parts of the Indies they place in the rank of the 
 prajas, fifhers, fliepherds, fhocmakers, and gene- 
 rally all thofe who work in leather. 
 
 The fecond thing to be obferved, is, that aa, 
 Indian cannot, without being degraded, eat with 
 a perfon of a clafs inferior to his own, nor even 
 eat the aliments prepared by a perfon of that clafs. 
 Thus it mAifb be a bramin, and not achourre, who 
 dreffes the viftuals of another bramin. The fame 
 holds true with refpecl to marriage, which no one 
 can contradt out of his own clafs. He v/ho fhould 
 contradl an alliance with an inferior clafs, would be 
 diflionoured for ever, looked upon as infamous, 
 and totally expelled from his clafs. When the 
 Portuguefe firft came into the Indies, they made 
 no dittindion of clalTcs, and mixed themfelves in- 
 differently with the prajas, fome of v/hom they 
 even took into their fervice. From that time, 
 the contempt which the Indians had for the pra- 
 jas paffed a!fo to the Europeans, and has continu- 
 ed ever fmce. 
 
 Vol. I. E II
 
 2IO Obfervattom upon Asia, 
 
 It is to be obfcrved, that tho' honour and . 
 riches may be acquir'd by great adlions, yet nobi- 
 lity cannot be attainedi n the fame manner, but is 
 the pure gift of birth. The king can neither be- 
 flow it, nor private perfons purchafe it. The king 
 has no power over the clafTes, nor can he himfeif 
 pafs to a fuperior one. 
 
 The men have various employments ; fome 
 ferve the prince, others cultivate the land, fome 
 apply to commerce, and others labour at the me- 
 chanic arts. In the Indies, .there are neither tax- 
 gatherers nor lawyers. The intendants or gover- 
 nors are charged with the adminiftration of juf- 
 tice, the raifing of the taxes, and the military go- 
 vernment. 
 
 Juftice is difpenfed without any noife or tumult,, 
 and moll Gaufes,efpecially thofe of fmall confequence^ 
 are determined in the town. Every one pleads his 
 own caufe, and the principal men are the judges. 
 They do not often appeal from their fentence, efpe- 
 cially if thefe judges are, as it generally hap- 
 pens, the leading men of the clafs. When they 
 have recourfe to the governor, the procefs is ter- 
 minated almofl in the fame manner^ except that 
 he generally fines both parties \ for he knows the 
 means of finding both guilty. Prefents often caft 
 Xht balance on one fide, but it becomes equal when 
 the judge is bribed by both parties. 
 
 As for the military government, the governors 
 from time to time raife foldiers according to the 
 exigence of the ftate. The king fometimes fends 
 detachments into the provinces; but this is gene- 
 rally to fubdue fome of the rebellious lords who 
 refufe to pay the tribute, or to chaftife thofe who 
 have committed fome terrible piece of injuftice. 
 They befiege their fortrclTes, on which occafion 
 
 the
 
 Africa, ^W America. 211 
 
 the cannon play, but very weakly, and there is 
 very little blood (hed on either fide. Provided the 
 perfbn in fault has money, and is willing to make 
 a reafonable compofition, they give him good 
 quarter, and he is permitted to defend himfelf by 
 new taxes which he lays on the poor. Thefe lords 
 are, as it were, petty fovereigns, who govern their 
 territories abfolutely, and whofe whole dependance 
 confifts in the tribute wliich they pay to the king. 
 They are hereditary, v/hereas the governors and 
 intendants are difplaced at the pleafure of the 
 prince. Some gov,; nors continue only four days, 
 and yet become rich in that time, if they are cun- 
 ning. Thefe governors are often put to the rack, 
 in order to make them give up what they have 
 acquired, after which they are re-ellablifhed in 
 their charges, whatever opprefiions they may have 
 been guilty of. 
 
 Criminal hw is not exercifed with a great deal 
 of feverity. If we have faid that a man was al- 
 ways criminal when he was rich, we may in like 
 manner fay, that as foon as he is rich he is inno- 
 cent. The raifmg of the public taxes is the office 
 of the intendants, who, as the fubfidy is real, make 
 an eftimate of the lands, and tax them as they 
 pleafe. But they generally find fo many expedi- 
 ents to cheat tht labourer, and pillage him, fome- 
 times under one pretext, and fbmetimes under 
 another, that he often reaps no benefit from his 
 toil, and the harveft on which he grounded his 
 hopes, pafies into the hands of others. 
 
 As for the women, they are lefs the companions 
 than the flaves of their hufbands. It is cuftomary 
 for the hulband to fpeak contemptibly to his v/ife, 
 and for her to fpeak to him, and of him, with th?. 
 greateft refped. A wife mull never pronounce 
 the name of her huiband, but nuift ufe periphrafes 
 
 P 2 and
 
 2 12 Obfer-vatmis upo?i A^lA^ 
 
 and circumlocutions to exprefs her refpect. Tr 
 is no furprifing thing to fee them beat their 
 wives, and abufe them in the moil terrible man- 
 ner. If they commit faults, fay they, why fhould 
 not they be correded for them. The wife is ne- 
 ver admitted to the table of the hufband, but ferves 
 him like a (lave, and the children, as if flie was 
 their fervant. Hence it happens, that the children 
 are gradually accuftomed to look upon her as fuch, 
 to treat her v;ith contempt^ and even fometimes 
 to ftrike her. The ftep-mother is a rigid miftrefs, 
 always lays the burden of the houiliold labour on 
 the ilep-daughter, and continually gives her or- 
 ders in a harlh and imperious manner. Very of- 
 ten, however, the wives reduce their hufbands ta 
 good behaviour, by making an elopement to their 
 Iriends, who take their part •, and on thele occa- 
 fions reproaches and imprecations are not fpared. 
 The wife does not return till the hufband, or fomc 
 of his relations, come for her •, and flie fometimes 
 obliges them to a great many ufelefs jour- 
 nies. When flie confents to return, they give a 
 fumptuous feaft to the husband, and reconcile him 
 to his wife, who follows him home. 
 
 The women employ themfelves in dome- 
 ftic affairs, in gathering wood, pounding rice, 
 making oil, and other things of that nature. The 
 oil is made of a fhrub, by fome European botanifts 
 called palma chriili. They boil the fruit gently, 
 and expofe it two or three days to the fun. Then 
 they pound it and reduce it to pafte, which they 
 dilute in Vv^ater, pouring two m.eafures of water on 
 two meafures ot the pounded fruit, after which 
 they boil the whole. When the oil fwims on the 
 furface, they take it off with a fpoon, or by inclin- 
 ing the veffel to one fide. Then they wafh the fe- 
 dimcnt in water, and draw a little more oil from 
 
 it, 
 
 I^he
 
 AfriCxI, ^W America. 213 
 
 The manner of pounding the rice is very fingii- 
 ^ar. The rice grows with a hard rough Ikiii 
 like barley, and ia this condition it is called nel- 
 Ion. They boil it gently in water, dry itin the fun, 
 and pound it feveral times. By the firfl: pound- 
 ing it is freed from its coarfe]f!<:in,and by thefecond 
 from the red pellicule below it, fo that it appears 
 more or lefs white according to the fpecies of the 
 neilon, of which there are morethan forty fores. 
 When it is thus pounded, it is called arifi. Two 
 meafures of good nellon yield one of arifi. It is 
 not mealy and broken like that of Europe. It does 
 not fwell in boiling, neither can it be kept long. 
 
 If the women have any leifure time, they em- 
 ploy it in fpinning ; for they never work at the 
 needle, and do not fo much as knowhov/ to handle 
 it. There are fome tribes in whicli the women 
 are not permitted to fpin, others in which they are 
 only employed in making bafkets and mats, 
 and thefe cannot pound the rice^ and others 
 in which they cannot go for water, which is the 
 bufmefs of a flave, or of the husband. In gene- 
 ral, it is not cuftomary for the women to learn to 
 read and write •, they leave the charge of this to 
 the fiaves of the pagods, that they may fing the 
 praifes of the demons. 
 
 The following are the aliments of the Indians. 
 Water is their common drink, not becaufe they 
 want intoxicating liquors, but becaufe thefe are 
 only ufed by the dregs of the people, and are 
 abhor'd by the better fort. The principal of thefe 
 liquors, is that which flows from the branches of 
 the palm-tree into a velfel fixed to receive their 
 juice. With a certain bark and the powder of the 
 palm-tree, they make a brandy which burns like 
 that ot Europe. Others ferment certain grains, 
 and from them obtain a wine which intoxicates. 
 
 P 3 Rice
 
 214 Obfervations upon k.%\K^ 
 
 Rice is the mod common food, and thofe who can 
 afford it, boil it with flefh, fifh, or pot-herbs. 
 Sometimes they eat it with herbs, boil'd like fpin- 
 nage, or with a kind of fmail beans which their 
 country produces. They aifo eat it with milk, 
 and the vulgar and poor eat it with boiled herbs, 
 whey, or fimply with a little fait. 
 
 They have not rice in every part of the country, 
 fince in fomethey have unly" millet. They have 
 very beautiful wheat on fome of the mountains, 
 but very few except the Turk?) and Europeans ufe 
 it. The Turks form it into thin cakes, and the 
 Europeans make bread of it, and bifcuits like thofe 
 ufed by failors. 
 
 In the Indies there arealmoft no European fruits 
 except fome oranges and lemiOns, which they do 
 not allov.' to ripen. They gather them and pre- 
 ferve them in ioxr,^ flrong pickle, in order to pre- 
 vent their fpoiling, and eat themvvith rice. 
 
 The mofl ordinary fruit is the banana, or In- 
 dian fig. There are alfo m.angos, efpecially to- 
 wards the mountains. Their kitchen gardens 
 produce gourds of various kinds, cucumbers, 
 and other herbs peculiar to the climate. They 
 have no forrel, the want of which is m.ade up by 
 tamarinds. They have onions -, but cabbage, tur- 
 nips, and lettuce, are foreign plants, tho' they 
 grow very well when they fow them. 
 
 As to the animals, there are in the mountains 
 elephants, tygers, wolves, apes, i^ags, boars, 
 hares, and rabbits. They leave the game pretty 
 much at reft, tho' hunting is permitted to every 
 body. The lords fometimes go a hunting or fowl- 
 ing for their diverfion, but they do not purfue 
 thefe am.ufements with keennefs 
 
 Some princes havedomeftic elephants andhorfes. 
 The horfes produced in the countfy are fmall and 
 
 weak.
 
 Africa, and AyiiL'KiQA, 215 
 
 weak. Thofe ufed in the army are brought from 
 other countries, and are very dear. Incredible pains 
 is requifite to preferve them ; fmce every day it is 
 neceilary to give them fome drug or other. Before 
 they drefs them, and when they make the leaft 
 flop on the road, they muft rub them down, in 
 order to flrengthen their lielli and nerves. If this 
 care is not taken, their nerves are fhriveled up, 
 and they in a fliort time become good for nothing. 
 Inftead of oats they give them a kind of lentils 
 which they boil. 
 
 The oxen are of great ufe in the Indies, and a 
 man's riches are judged of by the number of his 
 oxen. They are ufed for tilling the ground, and 
 for drawing carriages. Mod ot them have a large 
 bunch on their necks. When they yoke them in 
 the carriages, they put a cord about their necks, 
 to this cord they fix a pole crofs the breads of the 
 two oxen, and to this pole the beam of the car- 
 riage is fixed. 
 
 Their ploughs have no wheels, and the iron 
 which ferves inftead of a coulter, is fo narrow, that 
 it only fcratches the place where they fow the millet. 
 The rice requires much more toil and culture. 
 The fields where it is fown are always on the edges 
 of ponds, made on purpofe to keep the rain water, 
 with which they moiften the ground in times of 
 drought. 
 
 They have a great many chariots which are 
 genteelly enough made. The wheels are very 
 fmall, and made of large planks joined to each 
 other. They have no other nave than a hole in 
 the middle of thefe planks. The body of the cha- 
 riot is very high, and adorned with carving, 
 fculpture, and all forts of figures. Thefe cha- 
 riots are of no ufe, but to contain the idols which 
 they carry about the flreets in procefTion. The 
 
 P 4 great
 
 2i6 Ohje-rcatlons upon K%\K^ 
 
 great lords are carried in chairs, but not without 
 the prince's permilTion. 
 
 At Madura there are a great many bufFaloes, 
 which they employ in tiUing the ground, and 
 which they yoke in the fame manner with the 
 oxen. It is a capital crime to kill an ox, a ccv/, 
 or a buffalo. The Indians have as great a horror 
 at the fle(h of thefe animals, as the Europeans have 
 at that of horfes. None but the mcH: contemptible 
 claffes dare eat thele animals when they die of thern- 
 fevcs. 
 
 They are not of the fame opinion with refpecl 
 to bald mice, rats, lizards, and even certain v/hite 
 ants. When thefe ants become winged, and tak- 
 ing Right fall in the marilies, the Indians there ga- 
 ther them, and reprefent them as a very delicious 
 food. Goats, fhecp, and fowls are the m oil ordi- 
 nary food. There is a fpecies of tovvis, whofe ■ 
 f!<in and bones are entirely black, but they are as 
 o;ood as the others. The Indians alfo love iilh, 
 which they dry in the fun, but they, do not ge- 
 nerally eat them till they are fpoiled and corrupt- 
 ed. They then think it bed, becaufe it gives a 
 reiiih to the rice, v/hich is infipid. 
 
 The aHes are ufed in thefamie manner as in Eu- 
 rope : Eut 'tis fmgular, ti^at there is a whole 
 clafs or tribe who pretend to be defcended from 
 an als in a direct line, and boafl of it. This clafs 
 is one of the befl, and is even that to which the 
 king belongs. Thofe belonging to this clafs treat 
 alTes like their brothers. They (land up in defence 
 of them, and do not permit too heavy loads to 
 be laid on them ; nor do they fuffer any one to 
 beat them exceffively. If tkey favv any perfon 
 unng thefe cruelties, they would forthwith bring 
 him. to jufiice- wliere he would be fined. They 
 fire permitted to lay a fack on the back of that 
 
 • animal,
 
 Africa, ^;/J Aivierica." 217 
 
 animal, but if they lay any thing above the fack, 
 the cavaravadouquer (the name of this clafs) 
 Would make him fuffer for taking fuch a liberty. 
 They have Icfs charity for men than for thefe 
 creatures ^ in rain, for inilance, they will give 
 fhelter to an afs^ and refufe it to his driver, unlefs 
 he belon2;s to a p-ood tribe or clafs. 
 
 In the Indies there are feveral kinds of rats, and 
 the Indians go in quefh of thefe animals juft as the 
 Europeans do in fearch of rabbits ♦, fome of them 
 greatly refemble moles in the fmoothnefs of their 
 Ikins, but they are not altogether fo black. l"he Por- 
 tuguefe call it thefcented rat, which isfaid to attack 
 and deftroy the ferpents. There is another fpecies 
 which digs into the earth like the mole, but thefe 
 are generally found only in houfes. 
 
 l>>ere [ are alio cats which yield muflc, and 
 produce this odoriferous fubftance by rubbing 
 themftlves againft a flak?, and from this fcake they 
 take the muf[>:. As for ferpents they are very nu- 
 merous, and fonie of them fo venomous, that a 
 perfon bit by them drops down dead before lie can 
 walk i'cven or eight paces, for which reafon they are 
 call'd ferpents of eight paces-. There is another 
 which the Portuguefe call cob^a de capelo, the 
 hooded ferpent, becaufe, when it is provok'd, it 
 raifes the hair" of its body, and creeps on its tail ; 
 its neck is enlarg'd in form of a domino, on which 
 are three black fpots, which, in the opinion of the 
 Indians, add a beauty to this ferpent, for which 
 reafon they call it the good or beautiful ferpent. 
 They have fo great a refped; for it, that if they 
 fliould kill it, they wonld think themfelves guilty 
 of lacrilege. 
 
 Among other infedls there are green flies, 
 which Qiine in the night, and delight in moid 
 places. AY hen there is a great many of them, and 
 
 when
 
 21 8 Objervatioits iipo?i Asia, 
 
 when the night is dark, they make a very beauti- 
 ful appearance, like fo many fmall fluttering ftars. 
 There are ants of feverai kinds, but the moil perni- 
 cious is that caird caria. This infecft is the ordi- 
 nary prey of fquirrels> lizzards, and fome birds. 
 To fecure itfelf from fo many enemies, it has the 
 cunning to form a bank of earth almoft as high as 
 a man. For this purpofe it brings together mor- 
 tar, which it moiftens, and compacts fo firmly, 
 that a ftrong and almofi: continual rain is necelFary 
 to give it a fenfible (hock. The fields are full of 
 thefe banks, and the labourers do not beat them 
 down, either becaufe they are extremely firm, or 
 becaufe in a few days they would be built again. 
 Thefe banks are full of apartments, in form of 
 irregular canals. The caria comes out at certain 
 hours to go a foraging, cuts the grafs very 
 quickly, and carries it into its habitation. 
 
 There is another fmaller fpecies of caria, which 
 generally ihelters itfelf in houfes. In the center of 
 its habitation there is a comb almoft like that in a 
 bee-hive. Hence this infed: climbs to the roofs of 
 the houfes, but only advances in proportion, as it 
 covers itfelf, and by forming with the earth 
 which it brings, a certain pipe, which ferves as a 
 road to it. It gnaws the leaves of the palm-tree, 
 and the ftraw and ftubble with which the houfes 
 are thatch'd. They have bees, but are not at the 
 pains to make hives for them \ however, they 
 neither want wax nor honey, both of which they 
 take from the hives which the wild bees have 
 made for themfelves on the mountains. 
 
 We fhall conclude with confidering the manner 
 m which the Indians are cloath'd. Their flioes 
 are a kind of pattins, not unlike tliofe us'd in 
 France by fome of the reiigious of the order of 
 t. Francis. They are only kept on by a peg of 
 
 wood. 
 
 c
 
 AFRICA, ^;?^ America. 219 
 
 wood, which is put between the great toe and that 
 next to it. The king and the great lords ufe filver 
 pattins. The Indians pretend that iboes of this 
 kind are the moft proper and commodious for 
 their country. They are the moft proper, fay 
 they, becaufe they can wafli them at all times, and 
 wafh their feet in them, which is very necelTary, 
 on account of the heat ; they fay they are the moft 
 commodious, becaufe nothing is more eafily put 
 off and on. 'Tis not reckoned genteel to wear 
 fandals, for which reafon they always throw them 
 off before they approach any perfon who merits re- 
 fpe6l. 
 
 As for the Indian modes, they are almoft always 
 the fame, fince that people rarely vary their 
 ufages, efpecially in their manner of cloathing ' 
 themfelves. The common people give themfelves 
 little trouble about it, for they cover their body 
 only with a piece of cotton ; and it often happens 
 that the poorer fort have fome difficulty to pro- 
 cure a piece of this ftuff to cover themfelves. The 
 great lords cloath themfelves very elegantly, ac- 
 cording to their tafte, and the heat of the climate. 
 They cover themfelves with very white, fine, and 
 transparent cotton, which defcends to their heels. 
 They have red breeches and ftockings all of a 
 piece, which come no farther than the inftep. 
 They wear a kind of red leather pumps em- 
 broidered, whofe quarters behind fold under the 
 heel. They v/ear ear-rings of gold or pearls. 
 Their girdle is a piece of filk embroidered with 
 gold, and their bracelets are filver. They wear gold 
 chains or gold beads about their necks. 
 
 The ladies have nearly the fame drefs, and are 
 only to be diftinguifh'd from the men, by the 
 different manner in which they adorn their heads. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 220 Ohfervations upon Asia, 
 
 CHAP. XXII. 
 
 7he firiib which produces cotton -, maimer of 
 car dingy Jpinning^ iDorhng^ and bleaching 
 it, 
 
 CiOTTON grows in the Indies, on a Ihrub 
 \ three or four feet high, which when full grown, 
 bears a green fruit, of the bignefs of a young 
 walnut ; and when this fruit begins to ripen, it 
 opens in the form of a crofs, at which time the' 
 cotton begfns to appear. When it is quite ripe, 
 it divides itfelf into four equal parts, which are 
 fupported only by the ftalk. They then gather 
 the cotton mix'd with the feed. 
 
 But as this feed adheres clofely to the cotton, 
 they feparate it by means of a fmaii and pretty cu- 
 rious machine, about thirteen or fourteen lines in 
 diameter, and four inches in length. Two axes 
 enter into two pieces of wood, which are in 
 'height about a cubit, and twojnches in thicknefs. 
 Thefe two cylinders or axes are placed immedi- 
 ately over each other, at the difbince of a line, or 
 a line and a half at moil, in fuch a manner that the 
 feds of the cotton cannot pafs betwixt them. But 
 what is mC'fl: ingenious in this machine is, that by 
 by the motion of the handle, which holds the cy- 
 linder above, thefe two cylinders move in a contrary 
 direftion : This is performed by means of the two 
 Dieces of wood, which comm.onicate with the two 
 axes, on the fide oppofite to the handle, and be- 
 ing in the form of fcrews, grapple in each other, 
 v/hence it happens, that the handle making the 
 h-igher cylinder turn in a certain diredion, the 
 
 end
 
 Africa, ami America. 221 
 
 end of the fame cylinder grappling in the end of 
 the other, makes it turn in an oppofite direftion. 
 
 Hence it happens, that the cotton applied to 
 thefe two cyhnders is drawn through, and drops 
 the feeds that were mixed with it in its paffage. 
 Thefe feeds are preferv'd to fow the lands that are 
 proper for cotton. 
 
 They then card the cotton, which is firft done 
 ^vith the fingers, much after the manner -of mak- 
 ing hnt ; afterwards they fpread it on a fort of 
 mat, and finifh carding it with a pretty long 
 bow, which they lay upon it, and draw the cord, 
 lb that the vibrations falling frequently and ftrong- 
 ly upon the cotton, whip it, as it were, and make it 
 very line and delicate. 
 
 They then give it out to be fpun, to men and 
 women, which is performed with a wheel, fmaller 
 than thofe us'd in Europe. The beauty and good- 
 nefs of the thread depend almoil intirely on the 
 fkill of thefe aitifts -, there is a fine and a coarfe 
 fpecies, and between thefe extremes there are many 
 forts and degrees. 
 
 Befides, they do not wafii the thread, but after 
 having given it to the weaver, he immediately 
 chufes the largeft thread for the woof, and re- 
 ferves the fineft for the weft, which fuppofes 
 plainly, that in thread of the f^ame kind there is 
 always a difference. They boil fome time in water 
 the thread defign'd for the woof, and when it is 
 very hot, they plunge it in cold water \ which is 
 all the preparation necefTary, before they put in 
 the fhuttlc. 
 
 The thread v/hich ferves for the weft is pre- 
 par'd in the following manner : They fteep 
 it well in cold water have diluted a fmall 
 quantity of cows dung, firain out the water, 
 and fo leave this thread wet for three days, 
 
 ia
 
 22a Obfeycatiom upon Asia, 
 
 in an open veflel, and then dry it in the fun ; when 
 it is fufficiently dry, they divide it in the following 
 manner. 
 
 They in a ilrait line, and in a clean place^ plant 
 little laths of bamboo, of the height of three feet, 
 and at the diftance tsf a cubit from each other, in 
 a fpace equal to the length of the web they defign 
 to make ; afterwards children interlace the thread 
 in the little laths of bamboo ^ the number of 
 threads being complete, they take care to infert 
 new laths among the former, to keep the thread 
 even, and to prepare it the better •, after this, 
 they roll up the thread and laths, which form, 
 as it were a long hurdle, and thus they car- 
 ry it to a pond, where, having let it fleep a 
 quarter of an hour, and trampling it under foot, 
 that the water may penetrate more eafily, they dry 
 it. After this they examine the threads to put 
 them in order ; for which purpofe they replant the 
 hurdle upon the ground by the ends of the laths, 
 and the weavers feated near the hurdle, look over 
 the threads one after another, and range thofe that 
 are out of their places. 
 
 After this operation they think of giving the 
 thread the neceffary preparation for working it. 
 Then they pull up the hurdle, and flretch it upon 
 horfes or fupports placed at equal diftances, of the 
 height of the laths, and give it what they call the 
 cange. This cange or cleanfing is nothing elfe 
 but the liquor of boil'd rice, which having 
 been kept a long time, is become very acid. They 
 rub the thread with this cange, firfl with their 
 fingers, and afterwards more thoroughly with a 
 kind of brulh, the hairs of which infmuating be- 
 twixt the threads, cleanfe them perfedly, unite 
 them, and prefs together all the parts. This ope- 
 ration requires fome time j for, firfl, they cover 
 
 the
 
 Africa, and America. 223 
 
 the thread with a glue made of boil'd rice, and, 
 to fpread it the better, ufe the brulh a iecond 
 time. Tiiey then allow this thread to dry- in this 
 -condition, and for the laft operation oil it, which 
 is done by brufhes dipM in that liquor. We mufl 
 obferve, that thefe different preparations of the 
 thread muft be applied to both fides of the hurdle, 
 in fuch a manner, that atter having prepar'd_one 
 fide, they turn the hurdle on the other, to give it 
 a like preparation. 
 
 When the thread thus prepar'd is very dry, it 
 is fo beautiful, fo neat, clean, and equal, that it 
 refembles filk. Without this cange, and other 
 preparations, the cotton would not have near the 
 beauty it has ; for the cange being acid, unites 
 and clofes at once the minute filaments, which 
 compofe the thread, and the glue being put upon 
 it, holds and binds them in this condition, by 
 giving them more body and more confiflency, in 
 order to be work'd. Laftly, the oil ferves to 
 foften and render the thread more flexible. When 
 it is thus prepar'd, they put it to the loom, make 
 muflins, falempores, and, in general, all thofe 
 beautiful fluffs which v/e meet with in the Indies, 
 the difference of which depends on the thread, and 
 the fkill of the weaver. 
 
 The manner the weavers have of making thefe 
 cotton fluffs, is nearly like that followed ia 
 Europe. When the web is finifh'd, they muft 
 bleach it, and give it that pleafing luflre for which 
 cotton is fo famous. 
 
 They therefore put it into the hands of the 
 bleacher, who fleeps it firfl fome time in cold wa- 
 ter ; then taking it out, and preffing out the wa- 
 ter, he fteeps it again in a fecond water, which is 
 mix'd with cows dung; when he has wrung out 
 this water, he fpreads icon the ground, and leaves 
 
 it
 
 2 24 Ohfervatiom iipoji Asia, 
 
 it fome time in the air ; then he twills it in the 
 form of a concave cylinder over the mouth of a 
 great velTel of boihng water. The vapour arifing 
 from this boihng water penetrates the v/eb, pre- 
 vioufly impregnated with the moil fubtile falts of 
 the cows dung, and by its heat diliblves, and gets 
 out the fouhicfs and dirt of the web :. This is the 
 firR lie which they ^ive it. They leave it in this 
 condition a whole night, and the next day 
 walh and beat it very well upon a fbone •, fo that 
 apart of the dirt is feparatcd from it. 
 
 The fecond day they put the fame web into a 
 great earthen jar, where they dilute quick lime 
 with a kind of white and light earth, which v;ith- 
 out doubt is filled with a great deal of falts : 
 They mix this quick lime and earth in equal quan- 
 tities, and then dip and rub the web thoroughly 
 in this liquid ; after which they wring out the wa- 
 ter, and leave the web fome time flretched out, and 
 expofed to the air ; they wring it again, and hav- 
 ing rolled it as before, about the mouth of a great 
 earthen veiTel, wherein they have put water v;ith the 
 fame mixture, they give it, the fecond lie, 
 which by filtrating again thro' all the parts of 
 the web, by the help of tkofe falts with which it is 
 impregnated, removes all the remaining foulnefs, 
 and makes it perfectly white. If they find the 
 web not fufHciently white, they repeat this lie \ 
 after which they cleanfe it, and beat it v/ell 
 in clear water, and afterwards dry it in the 
 fun. 
 
 There is another method which they ufe for the 
 
 faiempores, and other fimikr fluffs. They make 
 
 ten or twelve foldings ; and after fnioothing them 
 
 on an even board, beat them with a proper 
 
 inflrument, to give them their finilhing luflre. 
 
 C H A P.
 
 Africa, and America. 
 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 befaiption of the ifie of Bourbon ; ftatitre of 
 the inhabitants ; trees^ fruits^ and particular 
 ajiimah found in this ijland -, defcription of 
 
 the lizzardj J^P^^S J^^^i'^^cl^ fly^^^S f^P^ > ^f 
 the horjied Jijh^ the racoon^ and the mar- 
 fouin, 
 
 IN the iPie of Bourbon all forts of refrefliments 
 are to be found, and the air is particularly ex- 
 cellent. It belongs to the French Eaft India com- 
 pany, who have a governor there. It was at firfl 
 inhabited bv fome French refugees, who came from 
 the ifland Dauphine, which is pretty near it. It 
 became peopled by degrees, efpecially by the par- 
 don that was given from time to time to the py- 
 rates, who in felled thole feas. 
 
 The chief boroughs or habitations of this ifland 
 are St. Denis, St. Paul, and St.Sufanna. There is 
 neither harbour nor fortitications ; fo that fhips 
 are neither Ihelter'd from the violence of winds, nor 
 raging of the fea. 
 
 The idand of Bourbon is about fifty leagues in 
 circumference, and in fome places abounds with 
 high mountains, one of which belches out 
 flames, and fills the neighbourhood with bitumi- 
 nous matter. This fire is perceiv'd in the night- 
 time, at the diftance of twenty-five leagues. There 
 are fine fpacious forefts, where we find a number 
 of trees very proper for the building of flirps. It 
 is full of cattle, fowls, and game, and is fruit- 
 ful in rice, fugar, and a great number of excellent 
 fruit trees •, and among the refV, fome vines which 
 yield very good wines. 
 
 Vol. I. Q^ Tiw
 
 2^6 Obferijations upon Asl A,' 
 
 The befl animal found here, whether for tafte- 
 or vvholfomnefs, is the land tortoife ; and the mod 
 agreeable fruit is the ananas. This tortoife is of 
 the fame figure with thofe in Europe, but very dif-* 
 ferent in fize ; they fay it lives a prodigious time, 
 that feveral ages are requir'd to bring it to its full 
 growth, and that it can live feveral months with- 
 out food. 
 
 They have kept fome young ones In the iiland, 
 which at the end of twenty years incrcas'd in bulk 
 only fome inches. 
 
 As for the ananasn it is a fruit of an^ oblon'2: 
 figure, and of the bignefs of a melon : It is co- 
 vered with fhort leaves, difpos'd very much in the 
 fame manner as the divifions of a pine apple ; and 
 it is crown'd with a tuft of leaves fomething long- 
 er : It grows on a plant refembling an artichoke^ 
 and has the tafte of feveral fruits ; but more efoe- 
 cially of a quince. 
 
 In this hland are feveral forts of curious trees and 
 plants I the fhrub that bears coffee, the tamarifk, 
 the cocoa-tree, the tree from whence benzoin dif- 
 tils, the cotton- tree, the aloes- tree, and the ebony. 
 Black ebony is not moft efteem'd, becaufe the 
 yellow is more beautiful. Wild coffee is very 
 common, and tho' wild is very good. 
 
 The bat of this idand is very fmgular, and one 
 might call it the flying fox, finee it very much 
 refembles this animal in fize, hair, the head, ears, 
 and even teeth. The female has two teats, and 
 under each wing a bag to carry her young in. The 
 length of their wings is above four ittt from one 
 extremity to the other. Their flcfh is fo good to 
 eat, that thev go a hunting for ti em with the 
 fame eagerjiefs as with us they go a fhooting par- 
 trid2:es. 
 
 D' 
 
 2 
 
 B^
 
 Africa, ^;^^ AmericA. 227 
 
 But tho' this iQand be fo agreeable, it does n t 
 come near to the beauty of the coafts of Java and 
 Sumatra 5 plains cover'd with orange-trees, co- 
 coa, and other fruit-trees^ with a nuniber of 
 rivulets, which water them ; hills adorn'd wich de- 
 lightful groves, forefts for ever green ^, villages and 
 towns fliining with all the rural graces concur to 
 render thefe coafts the mofl: charming in the world. 
 The Javanefe are neither black nor white, but of 
 a reddifh purple : They are mildj familiar, and 
 complaifanr. 
 
 In the fame road we find Poulo-condor, which 
 is a little archipelago^ about fifteen or twenty 
 leagues to the fouth of the kingdom of Gamboge. 
 It confifrs of eight or ten iQandSj or rocks, the 
 greateft of which is not above four leagues iil 
 length. This is the only one inhabited, and thera 
 is no more than one village fituated in the only 
 plain found in it. 
 
 The houfes of thefe ifianders are only a confufed 
 pile of bamboo, covered with a very long grafs, 
 which they cut on the borders of their rivulets. 
 In thefe huts there is neither a door to enter at, nor 
 a window to admit the light. They leave one fide 
 of their habitation quite open, and on that fide 
 make the covering or roof lower. They raife 
 their floors fome feet from the ground, and by 
 that means avoid the dampnefs, and obtain a place 
 for their domeftick animals during tlie nighty 
 whofe fmell does not offend them at that diftancci 
 The floor at certain diftances is raisM four or five 
 inches : They receive fl:rangers in the middle, on 
 mats : Their reception is kind and aflable, and 
 they entertain them with arrack, betony, and a 
 pipe. They are very much tann'd, and almoft: 
 intirely naked, except in their ceremonies, where- 
 in they dids themfeives, and fom? of them pretty 
 
 0^2 neatly.
 
 228 Obfervafions upon Asia, 
 
 neatly. The blacked teeth are efteem'd amongfl 
 them the mod beautiful, wherefore they omit no- 
 thing to increafe this colour. They let their hair 
 grow, which commonly is very long. 
 
 There is but very little rice in this ifland -, fome 
 potatoes, and fome very good ananas. The moun- 
 tains are almoft intirely cover'd v;ith beautiful 
 trees, proper for all forts of works, and even the 
 mafts of lliips. There is a very common tree 
 from which diftils a rofin, vv^hich the inhabitants 
 make ufe of for their flambeaux. To gather this 
 rofm, and make it diflil more freely, they make a 
 cavity in the trunk of the tree, the bottom 
 of which forms a kind of receiver. In a cer- 
 tain feafon of the year they light a lire in this 
 cavity^ the heat of which caufes the liquor to flow, 
 and iill the receiver. In this liquor they dip little 
 thin flips of wood, and afterwards inclofe them 
 in long leaves of trees. When the whole is dry,- 
 thefe pieces cover'd with rofin enlighten a whole 
 chamber, but foon fill it with fmoak. 
 
 Nothing is more com.mon at Poulo-condof than 
 the arrack nut, and leaf of belony. The iflanders 
 carry this lafl; about with them, which they chew 
 continually. No game is to be found in this 
 jfland except wild fowl and fl:ock-doves ; but there 
 are abundance of ferpents and lizzards of a mon- 
 llrous fize. There are ferpents twenty-two ^t^t 
 long, and lizzards, which fome call govenas, that 
 are feven or eight feet long. 
 
 What is moft curious in this ifland is the flying 
 lizzard, and fquirrel. The flying lizzard is little, 
 and is not more than feven or eight inches long ; 
 the fquirrel is of the flze of thof:! in Europe. Both 
 of them have very fhort wings, which extend 
 along the back, from the fore to the hinder feet -, 
 the fquirrel has them covcrVI with a thin fine hair : 
 
 Thofe
 
 Africa, ^W America. 229 
 
 Thofe of the lizzard are composM of a delicate 
 peliicLile. They are feen to fiy from tree to tree, 
 at the dillance of twenty or thirty paces, but whether 
 they could fly further is unknown, The lizzard 
 has this further particular, viz. beneatli his head a 
 purfe of a confiderable length, and pointed bciow, 
 which is inflated from time to time, efpecially 
 Vvhen he fiies. 
 
 The ifland of Foulo-ccndor is fubjcct to the 
 king of Gamboge, which kingdom, as well as 
 thele of Cochinchina and TTiompa are badly go- 
 vern'd. Thefe nations have Icarce any commerce 
 with their neighbours, and have little order or uni- 
 on among themfelves. The cuiloms and manners 
 of thele people approach in certain things to the 
 cuftoms of the Indians, and in many to thele of 
 the Chinefe. They believe the tranfmigration as 
 well as the Indians, which, however, does not 
 hinder them from eating all kinds of animals. 
 They have a great veneration for the horfe and 
 elephant, and Have pidures of them in their 
 houfes i the nobleil recompcnce which, in their 
 opinion, a man can have after his death, is, that 
 his foul fhould pafs into one of thefe beafts. They 
 look on Confucius as the chief phiiofopher of the 
 iiniverfe, and pay great honours to their dead 
 anceftors, and all thofe of their own nation, who 
 have during life diftinguifli'd themfelves. They 
 have, for this purpofe, in their houfes, and abroad, 
 little chapels, where they burn incenfe, or little 
 cakes of frankincenfe. 
 
 But the mod facred place among them is the 
 publick fquare, in the midft of which is erected a 
 large beam, crofs'd by another near the top, 
 which is a little inclin'd ; probably they place 
 on it a kind of colours, which they call touvo. 
 Hound it are placed certain Uttle oratories, 
 
 0^3 where
 
 230 Obfcr^catiGns upon Asia 5 
 
 wncre they make their profound proftrationsj 
 buri a number of fmall candles, offLT rice, 
 and facrifice viftims, efpecially goats. A great 
 feaft follows thefe ceremonies, wherein they never 
 fail to get drunk with vaque, which is a kind 
 of brandy diftill'd from rice •, then they have 
 dancing, buffoonry, and often blows and quar- 
 rels. 
 
 The palTage from Poulo-condor to China is 
 fcarce three hundred leagues, which they com- 
 monly perform in eight or ten days. The 
 coafts of the fouthern parts of China are bordered 
 with an infinity of little iilands, in the midil of 
 which it is not eafy to find the mouth of the river 
 Canton. Nothing can be more charming than the 
 profpedl which this river prefents. On each fide 
 are fpacious plains of rice, green as the m.oft 
 beautiful meadovv's, in which the fight is loft, and 
 which are interfered with a great number of ca- 
 nals •, fo that the boats which one fees come and go 
 at a diftance, without feeing the water which bears 
 them, fcem to fail on the grafs. At a greater di- 
 llance one fees rifing grounds covered with trees^ 
 and difpos'd by art along thevallies, as the ancient 
 theatre of the tuillery garden. AH this is mixed 
 with ^o many villages of a rural caft, and fo var 
 riegated, that none can be weary of feeing them, 
 and muft feel a rec^ret to leave them. 
 
 The city of Canton is larger than Parish and 
 contains at leafl as many people. The ftreets are 
 long, ftrair, clofe, and narrow. They are pav'd 
 with large flat ftones, which, however, are not 
 found everv where. There is a fmall number of 
 pretty broad ftreets, where we here and there find 
 very beautiful triumphal arches. There are fome 
 temples of their idols furrounded with the cells of 
 their bonzeSj which have a very fingular and mag- 
 nificent
 
 Africa, ^W America. 231 
 
 nificent appearance. Confucius' s hall, as well as 
 the academy where the literati aflemble to compofe 
 their exerciies, are curious pieces of architedure. 
 The gamens or palaces of their mandarins have 
 likewile their beauty and grandeur, tho' not equal 
 to what is call'd beautiful and grand in Europe. 
 
 The houfes inhabited by the people are very low, 
 and almoil all (hops. The mod beautiful parts re- 
 femble pretty much the ftreets of St. Germain, 
 during the fair. There are almoR every where as 
 many people as at this fair, when moil frequented ; 
 fo that it is difficult to pafs and repafs. We fee 
 few women, and moft of the men in the ftreets are 
 poor people loaden with burdens ; for there is no 
 other method of tranfporting the goods and m.er- 
 chandize, but on the flioulders of men. Thefe por- 
 ters have moftly their heads and feet bare, tho* 
 fome of them have a large ilraw hat, of an odd 
 figure, to defend them from fun and rain. What 
 we have laid gives us a new idea of a city which 
 has no refemblance to Paris. Tho' there were no- 
 thing but houfes only, what effedl would be pro- 
 duced on the eye by intire flreets, where one fees 
 no win;iows, and nothing but fnops, clofed for the 
 mofl part with hurdles, or bamboo, inflead of 
 doors. 
 
 When we come from the country, and go from 
 the old into the new city, we fee a vaft number of 
 agreeable gates. It is remarkable that there are 
 gates at the end of ail the flrcets, which are clos'd 
 a little later than the city gates, fo that every one 
 mufl retire to his quarter as foon as the day begins 
 to fail. This policy remedies a great many incon- 
 veniencies, and caufes all to be as calm almoft in 
 in the night in this city, as if it was but one fa- 
 mily. 
 
 Q4 The
 
 'g 
 
 232 Obfervafiom upon Asia, 
 
 The apartments of the mandarins have fonnethin* 
 fnrprizing in them to ilrangers. We mutl pafs a 
 number of courts before we come to the place 
 where they give audience, and receive their friends. 
 When they go out, their retinue is majeflic. The 
 Tfonglour, a kind ot mandarin, who has the fu- 
 perintendency of two provinces, never goes abroad 
 without an hundred men at leail. This train caufes 
 no trouble, fince each one knows his pcft \ a part go 
 btrfore him with different fymbols, and very odd 
 drelTe?. There is likewile feveral foldiers that 
 march on foot : The mandarin is in the midft of 
 this attendance, feated on a high and richly gilt 
 chair, which fix or eight men carry on their ihoul- 
 ders. This cavalcade often takes up a whole 
 llre^t, while the people place themfclves on both 
 fides, and out of refped Hand ftill till all is pafs'd. 
 
 The bonzes are very numerous, and wear long 
 robes that fall down to their heels, with huge 
 fleeves which very much refemble thofe of fome 
 European clergy. They live together in their pa- 
 gods, as in convents, beg in the ftreets, rife in the 
 night to adore their idols, fing in feveral choirs, 
 in a manner that has fome refemblance to ours. 
 Yet they are very much defpifed by the better fort 
 of people, becaufe they know that mofl of them 
 are perfons abandoned to debauchery. 
 
 Another particularity which we are not to omit, 
 is, that there is a kind of floating city on the river 
 Canton ; the boats touch each other, and make a 
 kind ofilreets. Every boat or barge lodges a whole 
 family, and like regular houfes, has all the neceffary 
 apartments. The poor people who live in thefe 
 floating houfes, go in the morning either a fifh- 
 ing, or to labour in the rice fields, which are fow- 
 ed and reaped three tinies a year,
 
 Africa, ^;z^/ America. 233 
 
 Let us finifli this chapter by the defcriptlon of 
 fome particular animals. The horr^ed iifl-i, or the 
 devil^ has its body made like a cheft, tho' imaller 
 at one end, with a flat tail, veYy long, with tour 
 equal fides, and almofl: of the fame breadth from 
 one end to the other. All its body is hard, and 
 marked every where with hexagonal figures regu- 
 larly placed, and mixed with fmall afperities, like 
 fhagreen. 
 
 I'he requin, or Ihark, is one of the moft dan- 
 gerous animals of the fea; there are fome of them 
 taken above twelve feet long. He has a throat 
 capable of fwaliowing a man whole. He has five 
 rows of teeth, which are like a grove of fleel points. 
 He is always accompanied by feveral fmall fiih, 
 which fwim before him, and are called the fhark's 
 pilots. There are other, fmaller fifh of a different 
 fort, which ftick to his body, even when he is 
 taken, and which they call fuccais. A fliark will 
 fometimes follow a fliip two or three days in hopes 
 of fome prey. 
 
 The marfouin is a true fea-hog. He has all 
 over his body a thick fat, which is very white. 
 He has no ears, but has on his head an open^ 
 ing, by which it is faid that he breathes. *Tis 
 certain he is fometimes feen to raife his head above 
 water, and replunge himfelf foon after. He has 
 iungs, and all the inward parts refembling a hog i 
 his blood is warm and copious, hefwims with incre- 
 dible fwiftnefs, and leaps fometimes fifteen or 
 twenty feet above the water. The marfouin, as 
 well as the fhark, brings forth her young like ter- 
 reflrial animals. The females have commonly, at 
 onetime, ten or twelve young, which are general- 
 ly very fat. 
 
 There are two forts of frying fifh ; one fmall, 
 that has but two wings j the other large, which 
 has four. The greatell is not in length above a 
 
 fcoc
 
 9 
 
 234 Obfervations tipojT' Asia] 
 
 foot or fifteen inches. They both fly a confide- 
 rable way ; and when the bonita, or gold fifh, pur- 
 fues them, we fee them rife from the fea like a 
 covey of partridges, and replunge themfelves at 
 the diftance of a hundred, or a hundred and fifty 
 paces. The bonita leaps after them a great height ; 
 and if it fails of its defign, it follows on the fur- 
 face of the water, to catch them when they alight. 
 This chace is a pleafant fight, efpecially when 
 there are a great number of fifh, which purfue, 
 and are purfued. This pleafure is entire, when 
 the birds of prey, as it fometimes happens, join 
 in the fray ; then the flying fifh has no retreat, 
 tither in air or water. 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 
 ^he fabulous paradife of the India?is ; their re^ 
 ligion^ temples^ and facrifices ; dijlindtion of 
 their tribes ; extraordinary cujlom of the 
 labourers y maxiuts of the Indian phyftcians ^ 
 manner in which they treat their ft ck. 
 
 THE chorkam, or the paradife of the In- 
 dians, is the recompence of thofe who have 
 offered the famous facrifice of the Ognan. The 
 mofl beautiful women are fuppofed to conftitute 
 the happinefs of this place, where there is a tree 
 imagined to furnifh all that can be defired. 
 
 The Indians acknowledge thirty millions of 
 gods •, there are three principal ones, whofe func- 
 tions are different, To the firft, they attribute the 
 creation of the world ; to the fecond, its preferva- 
 tion s and to the third^^ the power of defl;royingit, 
 
 Thefe
 
 Africa, ^z;?^ America.' 235 
 
 Thefe three gods are independent of each other, 
 and have each their refidence •, they have often 
 fought together, and beheaded each other. They 
 have likevvife, as they fay, often appeared on earth 
 under different forms, as of a filh, a hog, Sec. 
 Every obje6l that has been fubfervient to thefe 
 gods is deified, for which reafon we fee in ahnoft 
 all their temples, the figure of an ox, to which 
 they offer facrifices, becaufe formerly one of their 
 gods rode upon it. But what is moft fingular is, 
 that thefe people have a god, whom they call 
 Chriften, born at midnight in a liable, and ador- 
 ed by fhepherds. They obferve a fail on the eve 
 of his feftival, which they celebrate with great 
 noife. The life of this god is a medley of in- 
 famous ad;ions. 
 
 In this confufion all the folemnity of the fefti- 
 val confifts, which always concludes with an excefs 
 of debauchery. The Indians feldom meet in their 
 temples, where no light comes but by a narrow 
 door. Thofe who revere their gods, fend fuffi- 
 eient facrifices to the pried, which generally con- 
 fift of flowers, incenfe, rice, or pot-herbs. Gene- 
 rally none are prefent at the facrifice, which is of- 
 fered in the following manner : 
 
 The prieft prepares the repaft in a corner of the 
 temple j then he pours upon the idols feveral jars 
 of water, and wafhes them for fome time •, he then 
 puts fire on a potflierd, in which he puts incenfe, 
 and prefents it to the noilrils of each idol, pro- 
 nouncing at the fame time certain myfterious 
 words. After this he puts on a plate, viz. four 
 or five leaves ftitched together, the rice and pot- 
 herbs, and walking round tlie idols makes fe- 
 veral bows to them, as it were to invite them to 
 jthe feail j then he begins to eat with a keen ap- 
 petite
 
 236 Ohjervafiom upon Asia, 
 
 petite what he has prefented to the deities \\z 
 adores. 
 
 Mod of the princes of thefe countries are ex- 
 tremely fuperftitious, and it cods feveral of them 
 large funis to celebrate the feafts of their idols. They 
 fometimes undertake long and tedious voyages, 
 to carry confiderable fums of money to certain di- 
 vinities, but thefe fums foon fall into the hands of 
 the Moors who are mailers of the country. 
 
 One of thefe princes orders one of his gods to 
 be continually carried before him in an open ve- 
 hicle, which is preceded by a horfe and an ele- 
 phant, which he has made him a prefent of. The 
 noife of feveral inftruments brings together an in- 
 credible number of Indians who come to worfhip 
 the idol. Now and then a herald commands fi- 
 lence, and makes a fpeech in praife of this deity. 
 
 Thefe people are divided into tribes, as the 
 Jews formerly were, with whom it feems they have 
 had fome commerce \ for in cuftoms, ceremiO- 
 nies, and facrifices, we difcover many traces 
 of the old law, which they have disfigured by a 
 number of extravagant fables. 
 
 There is a tribe which bears the lingan *, this is 
 an infamous figure which they wear about their 
 necks, to denote their devotion to one of their 
 gods. They keep this with great care, and offer 
 daily facrifices to it. They are perfuaded, that 
 fhould they once lofe it, nothing but death can 
 atone fiich a crime. 
 
 We read in their hiftories, that one of thefe lin- 
 ganiils having lofl his lingan, went to confefs to 
 his gcurou, or fpiritual father. He declared, that 
 he ought to refolve on death, and that his death 
 only could appeafe the anger of the gods, at the 
 fame time condu(5ling him to a pond, in order to 
 drown him. The linganift feemed contented ; 
 but he begged the favour of the gourou to lend 
 
 bin;
 
 APRiCA, and America. 23^ 
 
 him the lingan about his own neck, to perform, 
 for the laft time, a holy lacrifice. As foon as he 
 had got it he let it drop into the water •, We are 
 both now, cried he, without lingan, wherefore v/e 
 ought in company to throw ourfelves into the 
 pond to appeafe the fury of our gods \ and im« 
 mediately he began to pull him by the legs, 
 that they might fhare the fame fate ; when the 
 gourou taking the linganift by the hand, faid, 
 b'tay, my fon, I can difpenfe with the juft penal- 
 ty -, I will repair your fault by giving you another 
 lingan. 
 
 There is a very odd cuflom in the clafs of la- 
 bourers ; for when they pierce their ears, or mar- 
 ry, they are obliged to cut off two of their fin- 
 gers, and prefent them to the idol. They go on 
 that day to the temple in triumph ; and there, in 
 prefence of the idol, they whip off in an inftanc 
 two of their fingers with fciffars, and then apply 
 the a6tual cautery, in order to (top the hemorrhage. 
 
 People are excufed this ceremony when they 
 prefent two fingers of folid gold to the idol. 
 Others cut off the nofes of thofe they can de- 
 coy, and their prince recompenfes them in propor- 
 tion to the number of the nofes they bring him : he 
 orders them afterwards to be carefully flrung, and 
 hangs them up at the temple- doors of their god- 
 deffes. 
 
 In France we mark criminals with a flower-de- 
 luce. In the kingdom of Carnate, they give mo- 
 ney to have their fhoulders burnt. Men and wo- 
 men croud to the gourou, who has always a red 
 hot iron in a chaffino;-difh. He begins the cere- 
 mony by being well paid, without which neither 
 prayers nor tears can oblige him to do the favour 
 they afk of him. When he has got the money, 
 he charitably applies to their fhoulders the red hot 
 iron, which imprints the images of their gods, 
 
 wichoQ^
 
 a 3 8 Oifervatio?i i upon A s i a ^ 
 
 without their fliewing the leaft impatience during 
 the operation. 
 
 Their government is as odd and ilrange as their 
 religion, fince the prince's will takes place of all 
 juflice. The common people are ina kind offlave^ 
 ry, and polTefs no lands which they can properly 
 call their own, fince they all belong to the prince, 
 who orders them to be cultivated by his lubjed:s. 
 At the harvcft time he orders the produce to be 
 carried off, and fcarce leaves fubfiftence for the 
 miferable labourers. It is a crime in private per- 
 fons to have money ; and thofe who have it, bury 
 it with care ; ctherwife, under a thoufand falfe pre* 
 tences, they find means of defrauding them of it^ 
 Their princes only exercife thefe cruelties towards 
 the people, becaufe the Moors, who have indaved 
 the Indies, demand exorbitant tributes of them, 
 which they are obliged to furnifh, otherwife the 
 country would be plundered. 
 
 The greateft crimes are not puniihed with deaths 
 and provided they can but find money, they are 
 furc of impunity. 
 
 In Europe the chief families are in pofieflion of 
 thrones, but of all the princes of Carnate, there is 
 not one of the firft clafs, and fome of them are 
 of the loweft tribes. Whence it happens, that 
 there are fome princes, whofe cooks would think 
 themfclves difhonoured, and would be fo in effed^ 
 if they fhould eat with their mailers ; and their re- 
 lations would expel them from their tribe, as per- 
 ions loft to honour. 
 
 Phyficians are not wanting in the kingdom of 
 Carnate ; but they are true quacks, very ignorant, 
 and make experiments at the expence of thofe they 
 attend. Their drugs and medicines are found in 
 the woods, and confift of certain fimples, from 
 which they exprefs the juice^ and glvp it to^ the 
 
 patientd
 
 Aj^rica, and America- 239 
 
 patient. In fevers, of thirty or forty days dura- 
 tion, they only give the Tick perfon a little hot 
 waten Their maxim is to remove the diftcmper by 
 Weakening nature, and if the patient dies. It is, 
 fay they, the violence of the difeafe which carries 
 him off, and not the want of proper nouriiliment. 
 
 It remains that we fpeak of two famous cere- 
 monies that are in ufe in the kingdom of Carnate. 
 The firft of thefe is the pavadam, which is obferv- 
 cd in the following manner. 
 
 One of the chief dalTeris (thefe are the men who 
 make profefTion of particularly honouring the god 
 Vichnou) gives himfelf a wound in the thigh or 
 fide •, inftantly the air refounds with cries, noife, 
 the found of horns, and brafs plates, v/hich the 
 dafferis ftrike againft each other. They raife a 
 kind of feat for the mad fool, who has thus 
 wounded himfelf; and if we may believe them, 
 they leave him without drink, meat, or even dref- 
 fmg his wound, until fome famous dafferis comes 
 to raife this pretended dead man to life. For 
 which reafon it is always expenfive to him on whom 
 the pavadam is performed. 
 
 As the Indians are perfuaded, that if the dead 
 be not quickly rais'd, fome public misfortune will 
 happen, every one is eager to accommodate th« 
 affair. When they are agreed about the fum 
 that is to be paid, the noife and outcries are re- 
 newed ; and we hear a multitude of confus*<i 
 voices, which bawl out Govinda. Then he who 
 is to call the dead to life again, after feveral pray- 
 ers and grimaces, as if he was poffcfs'd by his 
 god Govinda, orders the tent to be^ oper4'd, on 
 which the pretended dead man immediately begins 
 to dance with the reft of iht dafferis •, after which 
 he is conduced in triumph to the city, and the 
 ceremony is ended by a great feafi, to which they 
 
 iuritc
 
 246 Obfertaftons upm AstA, 
 
 invite the daflens, and alfo prefent them with 
 pieces of fluff. 
 
 The Moors do not pay thefe Impofrors ; for if 
 it happens, which is very uncommon, that the 
 daiTeris perform this kind of pavadam in the 
 places where they are mailers, it is by blows 
 that they raife them to life, and difllpate the tu- 
 mult. 
 
 After the pavadam comes the famous facrlficeof 
 cgnam, which is celebrated with extraordinary 
 pomp during nine days* They facrilife a ram in 
 it, and offer the facrifice out of the city. The 
 high priefl, whom they call faumeage, is alTifted 
 by twelve other minifters, or bramins, who are 
 drefs'd in new habits of a yellow colour. They 
 build for this purpofe a houfe out of the city, 
 where the facrifice is to be perform'd. They dig 
 a ditch, in which they light a fire, which is to 
 burn night and day, and which for this reafon they 
 call the perpetual lire •, they throw into it different 
 kinds of odoriferous wood, and pour in oil, 
 butter, and milk, while they recite certain prayers 
 taken from the books of their law. They then 
 proceed to the flaughter of the ram. They tie 
 his feet and nole, and flop his noftrils and ears to 
 deflroy refpiration •, after which the ftrongefl 
 priefls give him blows with their fills, while they 
 pronounce certain words with a loud voice. 
 When he is half dead, the high priefl opens his 
 belly, and draws out the peritonnsum with the fat, 
 which is put upon a little bundle of thorns, which 
 they hang over the perpetual fire in fuch a man- 
 ner, that the fat, as it melts, falls in it drop by 
 drop. The remainder of the peritonaeum, and 
 the fat, being mixed with butter, is fry 'd, and all the 
 facrificers mufl tafle of it. They d;fl:ribute 
 part of it to the mofl confiderable pcrfons of the 
 
 affembly^
 
 Africa, a?2J America, 241 
 
 aflembly as a holy thing, while the red of the 
 victim is cut into morfels, which they boil, and 
 throw in little pieces into 'the fire -, for nothing 
 muft remain of this kind of holocaaft. The facri- 
 fice being finifh'd, they give a feaft to a thoufand 
 bramins, which is likewife pradis'd during the 
 whole nine days. 
 
 On the ninth day the high prieft is carried into 
 the city in a chariot^ drawn by bramins, and the 
 ceremony ends by prefents made to thefe, and 
 efpecially to the high priell and his twelve af- 
 fiftants. Thefe prefents confift bf pieces of cot- 
 ton and fiik, and large ear-rings of gold, which 
 reach almoft to their flioulders. This is the mark 
 which diftinguifhes the high pried, and the chief 
 do6lor of the law; 
 
 G H A P. XXV. 
 
 'The ft tiffs iii the Indies % their manner of d^figJiing 
 JiowerSy preparing colours^ and applying 
 the?n J a fecrei to make indigo^ how they 
 prepare it ; how they bleach the web to pre-- 
 pare it for the reception of different colours j 
 defcription of the Indian pe7icils, 
 
 T^ H E Indian webs derive their value and price 
 from the fprightlinefs, tenacity^ and dura- 
 tion of the colours with which they are painted^ 
 which are fo contriv'd, that inftead of lofmg their 
 luftre when wafh'dj they become more beautiful. 
 
 I. 
 
 Before they begin to paint the ftuff, they 
 
 mud give it the following preparations. Firft, 
 
 yoL. I. R Take
 
 I42 Objer'catmii upon Asia, 
 
 Take a piece of new and dole fluff, the ufual 
 length ot which is nine cubits, and half bleacn it, 
 in the manner we fliall hereafter mention. Second- 
 ly, Take dried fruits call'd radou,orcadoucaie,to the 
 number of twenty-five, or, tofpeak more exaftjy, 
 the weight of three palams. This Indian weight 
 is equal to aa ounce and half a quarter, fince for- 
 teen palims and a quarter make a pound : Break 
 this fruit to get out the kernel, which is Oi no ufe, 
 and when dry reduce it to powder. The Indians 
 for this purpofe ufe a fiat ilone, and a cvlinder, 
 which is likewife of flone, and v/hich they employ 
 much after the manner of paflry-cooks, when 
 they prepare their patle. Thirdly, Pafs this pow- 
 der thro' a fieve, and put it in about two pints of 
 buffalo's milk, increafing the milk and weight of 
 the cadou, according to the quantity of the iluff* 
 Fourthly, A little time after dip the ftuff as often 
 as you find it neceilary, that it may be well moi- 
 llen'd with the milk. You muft then take it out, 
 wring it flrongly, and dry it in the fun. Fifthly, 
 The next day you mufl flightly wafh the fluff in 
 ordinary water, wring out the water again, and af- 
 ter drying it in the fun, you muft leave it at leaft 
 a quarter of an hour in the fliade. 
 
 After this preparation, which may be call'd in- 
 ternal, we mufl proceed to another, which, if you 
 pleafe, you may call external, becaufe it regards 
 only the outfide of the web. To make it fmooth, 
 and that nothing may obftrufl che pencil, they 
 fold it in four or fix doubles, and with a piece of 
 wood for that purpofe, beat it upon another 
 piece of fmooth wood, obferving to beat it equal- 
 ly \ and when it is fufficiently beaten in cne direc- 
 tion, they fold it differently, and repeat the fame 
 operation, 
 
 it
 
 Africa, and America.^ 243 
 
 It is proper to make here fome obfervations, 
 which will not be intirely ufelefs. Firft, This 
 fruit caird cadou, is found in the woods, upon a 
 tree of a moderate height, which grows almcft 
 every where, but principally in Malleialam, a 
 mountainous country, as its name fignifiesj which 
 extends itfelf confiderably along the coail of Ma- 
 labar. Secondly, The fruit dried, which is of 
 the fize of a nutmeg, is employed in the Indies 
 by phyficians, and is an ingredient in thofe me- 
 dicines which they give to women newly deliver'd. 
 Thirdly, tho' it is very fharp to the tafte, yet if one 
 keeps a little bit of it fome time in the mouthj he 
 will find in it fomething of the tafte of liquorice„ 
 Fourthly, If after we have moiften'd moderately, 
 and chew'd a piece in the mouth, we take it ia 
 our fingers, we find it glutinous : It is partly owing 
 to thefe two qualities^ \\t. its fiiarpnefs and unc- 
 tuofity, that we are to attribute the adherence of 
 the colours in the Indian fluffs, but efpecially to its 
 fharpnefs. This isatleail the opinion of the Indian 
 painters. 
 
 It is long fince they have fought after the art of 
 fixing colours in Europe^ and giving them thac 
 adherence which is fo much admir'd in Indian 
 ftuffs i perhaps the fecret would be found olit, if 
 they once perfe<5lly underftood the nature of the 
 cadoucaie, efpecially its principal quality, which is 
 its fharpnefs. Might they not find out analogous 
 fruits in Europe ? Do not galls, and medlaf s dried 
 before they are ripe, and the bark of pomgranate, 
 participate very much of the qualities of the ca- 
 dou ? 
 
 Let us add to thefe obfervations fome ejtperi'-* 
 ments that have been made upon the cadou. Firfl, 
 Lime diiTolv'd in an infufion of cadou produces 
 green j if there is too much lime, the colour be- 
 
 R 2 comes
 
 2 4-4 Ohfer^catiGJis upon Asia, 
 
 Comes brown •, if they pour upon this browu 
 tin(5lure too great a quantity of this infufiun, the 
 colour appears firft whitilh, and afterwards the 
 lime is precipitated to the bottom of the velTel. Se- 
 condly, A white cloth dipp'd in a ftrong infufion 
 of cadou, contrads a yellowifh colour, that is 
 very faint and pale \ but when the buffalo's milk is 
 mix'd with it, the linnen takes a faint orange co- 
 lour; Thirdly, Having mix'd a little of our Eu- 
 ropean ink, with the infufion of the cadou, they have 
 obferv'd in the feveral parts of the liquor a blueifli 
 pellicule, like that which is found on ferruginous 
 waters^ with this difference, that this pellicule was 
 \vithin the water at feme diftance from the furface. 
 It would be eafy to make experiments upon the 
 cadou, in Europe becaufe it may be had from 
 the Indies, this iruit being very cheap there. 
 
 As for buffalo's milk, which they mix with the 
 infufion of cadoucaie^ they prefer it to cc"w's milkj 
 becaufe it is much fatter and more un6luous. 
 This milk prodtices the fame effe6l in thefe fluffs, 
 23 gum, and other preparations ufed for paper, 
 that it may not fink. In reality they have expe- 
 rienced th^.t our ink painted on a web prepared with 
 cadou, extends itfelf very much, and penetrates to 
 the other fide, which is alfo the fault of the black 
 paint of the Indies. 
 
 What yet remains to obferve is, that they do 
 not ufe indifferently all forts of wood to beat the 
 fluffs, and fmooth them, The woods on which 
 they put them, and that with w^hich they beat 
 them, are generally the tamarifk, or another tree 
 call'd porchi, becaufe they are extremely clofe- 
 grain'd when they are old. What is ufcd in beat- 
 ing, is call'd catta pculi. It is round, a cubic or 
 thereabouts long, and as thick as the thigh, excepc 
 at the extremity, which fcrves as a handle. Two 
 
 work me R
 
 Africa, ^W America. 245 
 
 w Oik men feated oppofite to each other, beat tho- 
 roughly the lluff. The fight and experience has 
 taught them by degrees to know when the Ruf^ 
 is fufficiently beaten and fmooth'd as it fiiould be, 
 
 IT. 
 
 The web being thus prepared, they mufc defign 
 on it flowers, and other things, which they wai:.: 
 to paint. The Indian workmen have nothing par- 
 ticular in their manner, but ufe tlie fame method 
 as our embroiderers. The painter takes care to 
 draw his defign on paper, pricks the principal fi- 
 gures with a fine needle, then applies this paper to 
 the fluff, and afterwards palTcs the powder of 
 charcoal thro' the prickings, by which mains 
 the defign is traced upon the ituff. Every kind of 
 charcoal is proper for this purpofe, except that of 
 the palm-tree, becaufe in the opinion of the In- 
 dians, it would tear the web. Afterwards over 
 theit figures they draw with a pencil black or red, 
 as the places require ; after \yhiph the work is 
 compleated in its defign. 
 
 The principal concern npw is, to paint colours 
 on this defigning. The firft colour applied is 
 black, v/hich however is not much ufed, except 
 for certain outlines, and the ftalks of flowers. 
 I'hey prepare it in the following nianner : Firil, 
 They take feveral pieces of the fcorice of iron, 
 and ftrike them againft each other, to make the 
 mod brittle parts fall off, and referve fuch pieces as 
 are nine or ten times as large as an egg. Second- 
 ly, They add four or five pieces of old or new . 
 iron •, for it is not material which is us'd. Thirdly, 
 Having laid the iron and its fcoriae on the ground, 
 they piake ^ fire over them, with the leaves of the 
 ^Danana tree, which are befl for this purpofe. 
 y^h^r\ the iron and the fcorias become ted hot, 
 
 ^ 3 ^hey
 
 24*5 Obfervatiom upon Asia, 
 
 they tak^ them out, and let them cool. Fourth- 
 ly, They afterwards put them into a vefTel that 
 contains eight or ten pints, and pour hot canje 
 upon them -, that is to fay, water in which they have 
 boil'd rice, taking care that there be no fait in it. 
 Fifthly, They expofe all to the hotteft fun •, and 
 after having \th it a whole day, they pour the can- 
 je on the ground, and fill the veflTel with callou ; 
 ^hat is to fay, with palm, or cocoa wine. Sixthly, 
 They expofe it again to the fun for three or four 
 days together, and the colour which ferves for 
 black is then prepared. 
 
 There are lon>e obfervations to be made on this 
 preparation : The firft is, That you mull not put 
 above four or five pieces of iron to eight or nine 
 pints of canje, otherwife the tindure would grow 
 xeddifh, and corrode the fluff. The fecond re- 
 gards the quality of the palm-wine, or that diflil- 
 led from the cocoa- tree, which grows fo four in a 
 few days, that they make vinegar of it, which they 
 ufe inilead of yeafl, to ferment pafle. The third 
 is. That the want of this wine is fupplied by the 
 Icevaron, a fmall grain, which a great many Indi- 
 ans live upon. This grain for colour and fizc 
 Very much refembles the feed of turnips •, but the 
 ftalk and leaves are quite different. They em- 
 ploy likewife the varagon, another fruit, which 
 they prefer to the kevaron. They pound about 
 two handfuls, which they afterwards boil in water, 
 and pour this water into the veffel, where the iron 
 and its fcoriae are. They add the bignefs of two 
 pr three nutmegs of the native fugar of the palm 
 tree, taking care not to put more, otherwife the 
 colour woqld not lafl long, and would be effac'd 
 by wafhing. The fifth is^ That to make the co- 
 lour finer, they join to the callou the kevaron, or 
 prepared varagon, as we have faid. The fixth and 
 ' • - ^ laft
 
 Africa, ^;/^ America. * 24.7 
 
 lad obfervation is, That this tindure would not 
 appear very black, nor hold upon a ftuifthac was 
 not prepar'd by the cadou. 
 
 Ill 
 
 After having defigned and painted with black 
 all the places that require this colour, they 
 with red, defign the flowers and other parts 
 that mail be finillied with this colour. It mull 
 be obferved they have now only drawn the out- 
 lines •, for it is not proper to paint with red, 
 fince it is neceffary prcviouHy to apply the blue, 
 which requires feveral preparations. 
 
 They aiuft iirll put the web in boiling water, 
 and leave it for half an hour, and if they put v/ith 
 the fluff two or three cadous, the black will be 
 more beautiful. In the fecond place, having dif- 
 folved fheeps and goats dung, in this water, they 
 put the web in it to fleep, and leave it a night, 
 but muil take it out the following day, and ex- 
 pofe it to the fun. 
 
 When the Indian painters are afl^ed what 
 the defign of this laft operation is, they all agree, 
 that it takes from the web that quality it received 
 from the cadoucaie, which if it (till prcfcrved 
 the blue which they afterwards put on, would 
 become black. 
 
 Another reafon makes this operation neceffary, 
 which is to render the ftuff whiter ; for we have 
 mentioned before, that it was but bleached, when 
 they begin to paint it. When they expofe it to 
 the fun they do not let it entirely dry ; but pour 
 water on it now and then for a day, after which 
 they beat it on a ilone on the edge of the river, 
 but not with a beating ftalf as they do in Europe. 
 The Indians fold it in feveral doubles, and bent 
 
 R 4 It
 
 248 Ohfervaticm upon Asia, 
 
 it flrongly on a ftone, in the fame manner as lock- 
 fmirhs and farriers flrike the iron on the anvil with 
 their large hammers. 
 
 When the web is fufnciently beaten in a certain 
 pofition, they beat it in another, tho' twenty or 
 thirty ftrokcs are fufficient for this operation, after 
 v/hich tliey dip the fluff in a canje of rice. The 
 beft method, if they had the materials, would be 
 to take kevaron, pound it, put it on the lire 
 with v/ater, and before this water is infpiffated, 
 to dip the fluff, take it out immediately, let it 
 dry, and beat it with the cattapoulli, as they did 
 
 in the firfl ooeration. 
 
 i. 
 
 As the blue is not painted with a pencil, but is 
 applied by dipping the fluff in prepared indigo, 
 there is a neceffity of painting or covering the web 
 with wax, generally every where, except the places 
 where there is black, blue, or green. This wax 
 is painted with an iron pencil, as flightly as pof- 
 fible on one fide, taking care that no places are left 
 without v/ax, except fuch as we have mentioned, 
 otherwife there would be blue fpots which could 
 liOt be wafhed out. This being done, they expole 
 to the fun the fluff waxed in this' manner \ but they 
 nuifl be careful, that the w^ax melt not, more than 
 is neceffary to penetrate to the other fide. Then 
 they quickly withdraw it, turn it, and rub the 
 whole furface of it flrongly with their hands. The 
 better method would be to ufe a copper vefTel 
 with a round bottom, fince by this means the wax 
 would be difiufed every where, even to the places 
 of the other fide, which are to be tinged with blue. 
 This preparation being finifhed, the painter gives 
 the web to the blae-dyer, who returns it in a few 
 oays •, for it is to be obfcrved, thaty the are not 
 ordinary painters, but fkilful workmen or parti- 
 cular dyersj who are employed for this purpofe. 
 
 Thei^
 
 Africa, /7;7<^ America. 249 
 
 Their indigo is thus prepared. They take the well 
 dried leaves of averei, or indigo tree, and reduce 
 them to powder which they put in a very large 
 veffel full of water. They llir it itrongly in the 
 fun with a bamboo fplit in four parts, whofe 
 lower extremities are confiderably diftant from 
 each other. They then let the water run through 
 a fmall hole in the lower part of the veflel, at the 
 bottom of which the indigo remains. They take 
 it out, and divide it into pieces about the fize of 
 a pigeon's egg. They then fpread allies in a 
 Ihade, on which they lay the web, and upon it 
 dry the indigo. 
 
 After this nothing remains but to prepare it for 
 thole webs they defign to colour. The workman, 
 after having reduced to powder a certain quanti- 
 ty of indigo, puts it into a great earthen veifeJ, 
 which he fills with cold water, adding a propor- 
 tionable quantity of lime, reduced like wife to 
 powder. Then he fmells at the indigo, to 
 know if it is four ; and in that cafe he adds ft ill 
 rnore lime, as much as is necefiary to make it lofe 
 that fcent. Then taking about a quarter of a 
 bufhel of the feeds of tayarei, he boils them in 
 water for a day and a night, keeping the vefTel 
 full of water. After this he pours out the whole, 
 water and feeds, into the vefTel of the prepared in- 
 digo. This dye is kept for three days ; and they 
 niuft take great care to mix all well together, by 
 ftirring it four or fiye times a day with a flick. If 
 the indigo fhould flill have a four flavour, they 
 add a proportion of lime. 
 
 The blue being thus prepared, they dip the web 
 in it, after having folded it double, in fuch a 
 manner that the right fide of the fluff may be ting- 
 ed, while the wrong fide is not touched, after 
 which they let it deep about an hour and half, and 
 
 then
 
 250 Ohfervatiom upon Asia, 
 
 then take it out tinged with blue in the proper 
 places. One fees by this, that the Indian fluffs 
 may be faid to be dyed, as well as painted. 
 
 The length and multiplicity of all thefe opera- 
 tions to dye in blue, naturally excites a doubt, 
 viz. Whether they ought rather to paint their 
 blue flowers with a pencil, efpecially when 
 there is little of this colour in the defign. The 
 Indians agree, that this might be done ; but, 
 they fay, blue thus painted would not hold •, and 
 that after two or three wafliings it would difap- 
 pear. 
 
 The tenacity, and adherence of the blue colour 
 ought to be attributed to the feeds of tavarei,which 
 grain grows in the Eaft-Indies, tho' not every' 
 where ; and it is of a clear olive colour, cylindri- 
 cal, of the thicknefs of a line, and, as it were, 
 * cropt at each end. It is difficult to break it with 
 the teeth ; and tho' it is infipid, yet it leaves a 
 little bitternefs in the mouth. 
 
 V. 
 
 After the blue, the red mufl be painted ; but 
 they muft firft take the wax off the web, bleach 
 It, and prepare it to receive this colour, The wax 
 is taken off in the following manner. 
 
 They put the web in boiling water, by which 
 the wax is melted, then diminilliing x\\t fire, that 
 it may float on the furface more eafily, they take 
 it out with a fpoon as carefully as poffible •, they 
 make the water boil again, that they may obtain 
 the remainder of the wax ; and tho* it is become 
 very dirty, yet it will flill ferve for the fame pur- 
 pofe. 
 
 To bleach the web, they wafh it in water, beat 
 3t nine or ten times upon a ftone, and put it to 
 fleep in other water, wherein they have diflTolved 
 
 iheeps
 
 Africa, afid America. 251 
 
 fheaps dung. They v/afh it again, and expoie ic 
 three days to the iun, taking care to throw a little 
 water on it from time to time. They then dilute in 
 cold water a kind of earth called ola, ufed by the 
 bleachers •, and in this water they leave the web for 
 an hour. Then they kindle a fire under the veHcl •, 
 and when the water begins to boil, they take out 
 the web, to wafh it in a pond, on the border ot' 
 which they give it about four hundred llrokes on 
 a ftone, and wring it flrongly. Then they fteep 
 it for a day and a night in water, wherein they have 
 diflblyed a little cows dung, or that of a female 
 buffalo. After this they take it out, wafli it 
 again in the pond, and unfold it to fpread it half 
 a day in the fun, and now and then throw a little 
 water upon it. They then put it on the lire in a 
 vefTel full of water, and when the water has boil- 
 ed a little, they take out the web to wafh it again 
 in the pond, beat it a little and dry it. 
 
 In a word, to make the fluff* proper to receive 
 and retain the red, they muff reiterate the operation 
 of the cadoucaie, as has been faid in the beginning; 
 that is to fay, that they dip the web in the fimpie 
 infufion of the cadoucaie, that they wafh it, beat 
 it on a ftone, let it dry, after this flccp it in buf- 
 faloes milk, then flir it, and rub it for fome time 
 with their hands ; that when it is thoroughly im- 
 pregnated with the liquor, they take it out, wring ' 
 it, and dry it ; that if there are red flowers to 
 be made with white flreaks and other defigns, they 
 paint thefe with wax, and then with an Indian pen- 
 cil they lay on the red which they had prepared 
 beforehand. Children commonly paint the red, 
 becaufe it is lefs painful, unlefs great accuracy is 
 required. 
 
 We now proceed to the manner of preparing the 
 red. Take fnarp water, that is to fay, • water of 
 
 par-
 
 z'^z Obfervations upon Asia, 
 
 particular wells in which this taile is found. Into 
 two pints of water, put two ounces of alum re- 
 duced to powder ; add to it four ounces of red- 
 wood named vertangen, or of the wood fapan, re- 
 duced likewife to powder. Expofe all to the fun 
 during two days, taking care that nothing fliarp 
 or fait fall into it : otherwife the colour would lofe 
 much of its ilrength. If they would have the re4 
 deeper, they add alum •, and pour more water in- 
 to the vefTel, when they would have it fainter •, by 
 which means they make the red for the fhadings 
 and variations of this colour. 
 
 VI, 
 
 In order to produce a colour refembling the lees 
 cf wine with a violet call, we muft take a part of 
 the red before mentioned, and an equal part of the 
 black, whofe compofition we before fpecified. 
 They then add an equal quantity of canje, drawn 
 from rice kept a month \ and by this mixture the 
 intended colour is produced. A ridiculous piece of 
 fuperflition prevails among thefe people with re- 
 gard to this fharp canje. He that has it muft 
 make ufe of it every day in the week •, but or^ fun- 
 days, thurfdays, and fridays, he muft refufe it to 
 others who want it. It would be, fay they, to 
 drive their god from their houfe, to give it on 
 thofe d^ys. Inftead of this vinegar of canje, they 
 may make ufe of the vinegar of callou, or the winQ 
 of the palm-tree, 
 
 VII. 
 
 We may compofe various colours of a reddill^ 
 caft, about which we need not at prefent give any 
 diredlions, only it is to be obferved, that they 
 muft be laid on at the fame time, with the 
 deep red 3 that is to fay, before we proceed to the
 
 Africa, and A?*iERicA. 253 
 
 operations of which we fhall fpeak, after we have 
 made fome obfervations upon what precedes. 
 
 Firft, thefe v/ells, whofe water is acrirnonious, 
 are not common in the Indies, fince frequently 
 there is not one of them to be found in a whole 
 city. 2dly, This fpecies of water, accordir^ to 
 fome trials the Europeans have made, has not the 
 tafle the Indians attribute to it, tho' it feems to 
 be worfe than ordinary water. 3dly, They prefer 
 this water to any other, that the red may be more 
 beautiful according to the opinion of fome, and 
 according to others there is a necefTity of ufmg it, 
 becaufe the red would not hold. 4thly, It is from 
 Achcn they import good alum, and good fapan 
 to the Indies. 
 
 Whatever virtue this fharp water may have to 
 tender the red adherent, it would not fufEciently 
 hold nor be beautiful, if they did not mix with it 
 the tincture of imbourre. This is what they com- 
 monly call chaiaver, or root of chaia. But be- 
 fore they ufe it, they muft prepare the web, by 
 wafhing it in the pond in the morning, plunging 
 it feveral times, that it may imbibe the water, 
 which they have principally in view, and which is 
 not done loon, on account of the unduofity of 
 the buffaloes milk, in which they had before dip- 
 ped the web, after which they give it about thirty, 
 blows on a (tone, and then half dry it. 
 
 While they ufe this method with the web, they 
 muft likewife prepare the root of chaia, which is 
 done in this manner : take a proper quantity of 
 this root well dried, reduce it to a line powder, 
 by pounding it in a ftone, and not wooden, mor- 
 tar, which is expreQy recommended : and now 
 and then throw into it a little of this acid water. 
 Take about three pounds of this powder, and put 
 them into two meafures of common water warm- 
 ed
 
 2 54 Obfervatiom upon AsiA,^ 
 
 ed a little, and take care to agitate the whole. Tho* 
 this water becomes red, yet it only gives the web 
 a faint Colour •, {o that it is never ufed, except to 
 give the lafl perfe6lion to the other red colours. 
 
 For this purpofe they mud dip the web into 
 this dye ♦, and that it may take the colour well, 
 agitate and turn it every way for half an hour, 
 while they augment the fire under the vclTel. 
 When the hand can no longer fupport the heat of 
 the dye, thofe who would have their work corn- 
 pleat, take out the web to wring it, and dry it 
 ^ell, which they do for this reafon •, when they 
 paint the red, fome drops of it mufl neceflarily 
 fall where they fhould not be •, and tho' the pain- 
 ter is as careful to wipe them off with his finger, 
 as we do when ink falls upon the paper on which 
 we write, yet fome ftains of the chaia are always 
 to be feen. In order to prevent this, they with- 
 draw the web, and dry it •, and the workman looks 
 for the fpots, and takes them out as well as he can 
 with lemon juice. 
 
 The fpots being taken out, they put the web 
 again into the dye, and augment the fire, till the 
 hand can no longer endure the heat •, then they 
 take care to turn it over and over for half an hour -, 
 and towards the evening augmenting the fire, they 
 make the dye boil for an hour or thereabouts. Then 
 they put out the fire •, and when the dye is tepid, 
 they take out the ft:ufi\, which they wring tho- 
 roughly, and keep it moill: till the next day. 
 
 Before we proceed to confider other colours, it 
 is proper to fay fomething of the chaia. This 
 plant grows wild, tho' it is aifo fown, onaccount 
 of the abfolute necefTity they have for it. It rifes 
 no higher above ground than half afoot, has leaves 
 of a bright green, about two lines broad, and 
 about five or fix long. The fiower is very fmall, 
 
 and
 
 Africa, ^;7^ America. 25? 
 
 and blueifh, and the feed is not larger than that of 
 tobacco. This Httle plant fometimes fends a root 
 four feet deep into the earth , but this fpecies is not 
 the beft, fince it is far inferior to that whofe root 
 is only a foot, or a foot and a half long. This 
 root is very fmall, tho' it runs deep into the earth, 
 and it neither (hoots to the right or left, but very 
 few and very fmall filaments. It is yellow when 
 frefli, and becomes brown when dry. It is on- 
 ly when it is dried, that it gives a red colour to 
 water, on which they have made a particular ex- 
 periment. A workman had fleeped fome of this 
 root in water, which was become red. During the 
 night-time an accident had fpilt this liquor j but he 
 was much furprized to find on the next day, at the 
 bottom of the velTel, fome drops of a yellowifh 
 colour. This circumdance, no doubt, proceeded 
 from hisufing the beft fpecies of the chaia. In a 
 word, v/hen the workmen reduce this root to pow- 
 der, by pouring in a little water, as has been faid, 
 it generally afTumes a fafrron colour. We mult 
 obferve, that round this vefTel, which was thrown 
 down, there was fixed apellicule of a beautiful vio- 
 let colour. This plant is fold in dry parcels -, they 
 cut off the top, where the dried leaves are, and 
 ufe only the roots for this dye. 
 
 As the web has been dipped intlrely in this dye, 
 and confequently tinged with the colour, it may be 
 taken out without any fear of its fuftaining the 
 fmallcft lofs by the following operations, which 
 are the fame with thefe mentioned before-, that 
 is to fay, we muft wafh theftuffin a pool, beat 
 it ten or twelve times on a ftone, bleach it with 
 iheeps treadles, and the third day loap, beat, and 
 dry it, throwing a little water on it, now and then, 
 leave it mgift for a night, v/afli it next day, and 
 
 dry
 
 256 Obfervatiom upon h.%\ky 
 
 dry it in the evening. Laftly, about noon they 
 wafh it in warm water, to take the foap and 
 dirt from it, and then dry it thoroughly. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 The green which they paint on the fluffs re- 
 quires hkewife due preparations. Take a palam, 
 or a little more than an ounce of the fiower of ca- 
 dou, an equal quantity of cadou, a handful of 
 chiaver, and if yon would have the green finer, 
 add the bark of a pomgranate. After having re- 
 duc'd thefe ingredients to powder, put them into 
 three bottles of water, which you mufl boil to 
 three-fourths : pour out this tindtureinto a veffel, 
 pafTmg it through a linen cloth. To a bottle of 
 this tindure, put half an ounce of alum in pow- 
 der; fhake fometimes the veffel, and the colour 
 will be prepared. 
 
 If you paint with this colour on blue, a green 
 will be produc'd ; wherefore when the workman 
 has painted his fluff blue, he takes care not to 
 paint with wax the places where he defigns to 
 paint green, to the end that the fluff already paint- 
 ed blue may be in a condition of receiving the 
 green in proper time. It is fo neceffary to paint 
 upon the blue, that they would have but a yel-^ 
 lowifh colour, if they painted on white fluff. 
 
 But it is to be obferv'd, that the green does not 
 lad like the blue and the red •, fo that having 
 walhed the fluff four or five times, it difuppears^ 
 and nothing remains but the blue, upon which 
 they had painted it. There is notwithflanding a 
 way of fixing this colour ; fo that it will lafl as 
 long as the fluff, which is done in the following 
 manner : Take the onion of a banana tree, bruifc 
 ic frefh, and extra<5l the juice. To a bottle ef 
 
 green
 
 Africa, and America. '257 
 
 green tln(5lure put four or five fpoonfuls of this 
 juice, and the green will become adherent and 
 indelible, tho' this juice makts the green lofe a 
 part of its beauty. 
 
 IX. 
 
 We fhall now fpeak of the yellow, which re- 
 quires no long explication, fince the colour which 
 ferves for green in painting on blue, ferves alfo for 
 yellow in painting on white iluff. But this colour 
 is not very lading, and difappears after having 
 been wafh'd a certain number of times -, yet when 
 they content themfelves with, foaping lightly thefe 
 lluffsj wafh them in four whey mix'd with the 
 juice of lemon, or llieep them in water, wherein 
 they have put a little cow's dung, which they 
 have ftrain'd through a cloth, thefe fading colours 
 lad much longer. 
 
 X. 
 
 The Indian pencils are nothing elfe but a little 
 piece of bam boo- wood, fnarpen'd and fplit about 
 an inch at the point. To this they fix a fmail 
 piece of (luff dipp'd in the colour, which they 
 want to paint, preiTing it with their fingers, in 
 order to fqueeze it out. That which they ufe for 
 painting on wax is of iron, three fingers breadth, 
 or a little more in length, and fmail at the top, 
 which is inferted in a little bit of wood, which 
 ferves as a handle to it. It is fplit at the end, 
 and forms a circle in the middle, round which 
 they fix a quantity of hair as large as a nut- 
 meg, and thefe hairs abforb the warm wax, which 
 gradually flows from the extremity ot this kind ot 
 pencil. 
 
 Vol. I. S C H A P,
 
 2^8 Ohjervattom upn Asia, 
 
 CHAP. XXVI. 
 
 > 
 
 Difcovery of a new fynagogue ; of the Jews at' 
 Caifomjou^ the capital of the province of Ho^ 
 nan, in China. 
 
 THE moft remarkable things in this newly 
 difcovered fynagogue, are the infcriptions of 
 the ancient Jews, fome of which are in Chinefe,. 
 and others in their own language. Tliey rea- 
 dily fbew their kints, or books of religion, and 
 even let perfons enter into the moft fecret places 
 of their fynagogue, where it is not permitted 
 themfelves to enter. This is a place referv'd for 
 their cham-kia, that is to fay, the head of the 
 fynagogue, who never enters without a profound 
 refpedl. 
 
 Upon certain tables there are thirteen kinds of ta- 
 bernacles, each of which is furrounded with little 
 curtains. The holy kint, or the pentateuch of 
 Mofes, is contain'd in each of thefe taber- 
 nacles, twelve of which reprefent the twelve 
 tribes of Ifrael, and the thirteenth Mofes. Thefe 
 books are written upon long parchments, in a. 
 fair and clear character, and rolled on fticks. 
 One of thefe books was happily faved from 
 the great inundation of the river Hoambo, 
 one of the greatefl rivers of China^ which over- 
 flowed the city of Caifomfou, capital of the pro- 
 vince of Honan. As the letters of this book have 
 been wet, and are almoft effaced, thefe Jews have- 
 taken twelve copies,, which they preferve carefully 
 in the twelve tabernacles before-mention'd. 
 
 In two other places of this fynagogue, there are 
 kv-cral eld coficrs^. whcrrto they preferve with care.
 
 Africa, ajul America^ 259 
 
 Jl great number of little books, into which tliey 
 have divided the pentateiich of Mofes, wliich the/ 
 call takien, with other books of their law. At 
 their prayers they ule thefe books j fome of which 
 are written in Hebrew % fome are new, fome old, 
 and half torn j but the whole are preferv'd with 
 more care than if they v/ere gold or filver. There is 
 in the midft of their fynagogue a magnificent high 
 chair, with a beautiful embroider'd cufhion. This 
 is the chair of Mofes, on which on fabbaths, or the 
 mofl folemn days, they place the pentateuch and 
 read it. One finds there likewife a vanfcripai, or 
 a pidiure on which the emperor's name is written, 
 but there are neither ftatues nor images. Their 
 fynagogue fronts the wefb, and when they pray to 
 God, they turn their faces to that quarter, and 
 worfhip him under the names of Tien, Cham-tien, 
 Cham-ti, Teovanvoetcher ; all v/hich fignify the 
 governor of the univerfe. They have taken thefe 
 names from Chinefe writings, and make ufe 
 of them to exprefs the fupreme being, or firfl 
 caufe. 
 
 In coming from the fynagogue there is a hall, 
 where one fees a great number of perfume- vefTelsyand 
 this is the place where they honour their chingins, 
 or the great men of their law. The largefl of thefe 
 veffels, which is confecrated to the patriarch Abra- 
 ham, the head of their law, is placed in the midft 
 of this hall. After it are placed thofe of Ifaac, 
 Jacob, and his twelve children, whom they call 
 Chel-cumpaife, the twelve lineages or tribes of If- 
 rael ; then follow thofe of Mofes, Aaron, Jofhua, 
 Efdras, and feveral illuHrious perfonages, both 
 men and women. 
 
 If we compare the names and chronology of 
 Genefis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deu- 
 teronomy, which compofe the pentattnch of Mo-. 
 
 S 2 fcs.
 
 26o Obfervatiojts upon Asia, 
 
 fes, we fhall find that thefe books have an exait 
 conformity with the pentateuch, which thefe Jews 
 preferve with fo much care, which they call 
 berefith, veelefemoth, vaiiera, vaiedabber, and 
 haddebarim. They divide them into fiity -three 
 vokimes -, Genefis into twelve, Exodus into ele- 
 ven, and the fubfequent books into ten volumes 
 each, which they call kim. 
 
 As for the other books of the bible, they have fome 
 of them, but want the others, and fome they have 
 no knowledge of. What feems aftonifliing is, that 
 their ancient rabbins have mixed feveral ridiculous, 
 fables with the true fads of fcripture, and this 
 even in the five books of Mofes v which gives 
 room for fufpicion, that thefe Jews may be Tal- 
 mudifts *, who corrupt the fenfe of fcripture. 
 
 Thefe Jews, who are qall'd in China Tiao-kin- 
 kiao, v/hether they be Talmudifts or not, obferve 
 feveral of the ceremonies of the old law, for ex- 
 ample, circumcifion, which they fay began with 
 Abraham ^ the feaft of unleavened bread ;. the 
 pafchal lamb, in memory and., thanklgiving: 
 for their deUverance from j^gypt, and their 
 paflage through the red fea -^ the iabbath likewife, 
 and feveral other feftivals of the Old Teftament. 
 The firil Jews that appear'd in China -f came un- 
 der the dynafty of the Hans, and at firft there 
 w.ere feveral families of them, but their num- 
 ber 
 
 * The Talmud is a book very much efleem'd by the Jews, 
 becaufe it contains their law?, their cuflom?, and the pre uic- 
 tions of their rabbins. Thofe who follow the dodrine of this 
 book, are calPd Talmudills. 
 
 -j- Of the twenty- two families who have pofTefTed the empire- 
 of China fmce the year 2697, before the birth of Chriit, tW 
 family of Kan is the fifth, and one of the moll illuftrious, {mcc 
 It has fura fhed twenty-nve emperors to China, and governed 
 that nation for 426 years, from the year 2o6y before tlic birth, 
 of ChriH, till the year zio, aft^irhis birth.
 
 Africa, ^W America. 261 
 
 "ber being diminifh'd, there remain at prefcnt onl^ 
 feven, who contract alliances with each other, 
 without mixing with the idolaters, with whom 
 they have nothing common, either in refpefl of 
 books, or religious ceremonies *, nay, even their 
 muflachoes are turn'd in a different manner. 
 
 They have no fynagcgue, but in the capital of 
 the province of Honan, where there is no altar 
 but only the chair of Mofes, with a perfume- 
 veflcl, a long table, and great candlefticlvs, with 
 tallow candles. Their lynagogue has fome fimi- 
 litiide to the European churches, and is divided 
 into three ides, the middle one oF which contains 
 the table of perfumes, Moies's chair, and the van- 
 fcripai, or picfture of the emperor, with the taber- 
 nacles, where they keep the thirteen copies of the 
 krhia-kim, or pentateuch of Mofes. Thefe taber- 
 nacles are made like arches \ and this ifle in the 
 middle ferves for the choir of the fynagogue. The 
 two other ifles are deftin'd for prayer and adoration ; 
 and there is a beautiful walk round the whole 
 infide o\ the fynagogue. 
 
 There were formerly, and are now among ' 
 them, batchelors, and kien-fens, who are a de- 
 gree above the batchelors. Ail thefe learned Jews 
 agree, that they fliould honour Confucius in the 
 fame manner as the other learned gentiles honour 
 him, and afiift with them in the folemn ceremonies 
 that are perform'd in the halls of their grandees. 
 In fpring and autumn they pay their ancefliors 
 the honours ufual in China, in the hall which is 
 near their fynagogue^ tho' they do not indeed offer 
 to them hogs-flefli, but that of other animals. In 
 the common ceremonies they are content with pre- 
 fenting to them china veffels full of fweat-meats 
 and preferves, which they accompany with pro- 
 fo^jnd bows and proftrations. In the hall of their 
 
 6 3 de^d
 
 2.62 Obfervations upcn Asia, 
 
 dead they have neither pictures nor images, but 
 only fome perfume-vefTels ; yet we muft except 
 the mandarins, for whom onjy they put in the tlu- 
 tam, or hall of their anceftors, a pidure in which 
 their name, and the degree of their rpandarinfhip 
 are mark'd. 
 
 Thefe Jews in their infcriptions call their law 
 the law of Ifrael, yfelao-kiao : they fay, that 
 -their .anceftors came from a weftern kingdom, 
 called the kingdom of Judah, which Jofhua con- 
 quered after their departure from Egypt, and that 
 the num>ber ot the Jews who came from Egypt was 
 fixty vans, that is to fay, fix hundred thoufand 
 fouls. 
 
 They fpeak of the books of Judges, David, 
 Solomon, and Ezekicl, who animated the withered 
 and dry bones of Jonas, who was three days in the 
 whale's belly ; whence we may conclude, that be- 
 lide the pentateuch, they have feveral other books 
 of the fcripture. 
 
 Their alphabet has twenty- feven letters, but 
 commonly they only make ufe of twenty-two, 
 which -agrees with what St. Jerom fays, that the 
 Hebrews have twenty- two letters, five of which 
 are double. They call their fed in Chinefe tiao, 
 kin-kiao, to fignify that they abftain from blood, 
 and that they cut the nerves and veins of the 
 beafts they kill, that the blood may fiow out 
 more eafily. 
 
 The gentiles firft gave them this name, which 
 they received very willingly, to diftinguilh them- 
 felves from idolaters, whom they call heemakiao. 
 They call their law konkiao, the ancient law tien- 
 kiao, the law of God, or the law of Ifrael. They 
 light no firjs, nor prepare any food on faturdays, 
 but prepare on fridays all that is necefiTary for the 
 fabbath. When they read the bible in their fyna- 
 gogue, they cover their faces with a tranfparent
 
 Africa^ ^nd Amt^ricaI 263 
 
 veil, m memory of Mofes, who came down from 
 the mountain with his face cover'd, and thus pub- 
 lifhed the decalogue, and the law of God to his 
 people. 
 
 Bcfides the bible, thefe Chinefe Jews have other 
 Hebrew books written by the ancient rabbins, 
 which they call fanteo, and which are full of 
 extravagancies, and contain their rituals, and the 
 ceremonies which they ufe at this- day. 
 
 What is mofl certain is, firft, that thefe Jews 
 worfliip the creator of heaven and earth, whom 
 they call tien-chanti-chamtien, as appears evident- 
 ly by their ancient inlcriptions. Secondly, that it is 
 no lefs certain, that the learned Chinefe Jews give 
 to Confucius the honours which the other Chinefe 
 gentiles generally pay him. Thirdly, that it is 
 furc that they honour the dead in the tfutam^ 
 or hall of their anceftors, with the fame cere- 
 monies us'd in China, but without piflures, 
 which they do not ufe, becaufe they ate forbidden 
 to have images, or any thing fimilar to them. 
 Fourthly, that it is certain, that in their defcrip- 
 tions mention is made of their law, which they call 
 the law of Ifrael •, of their origin, antiquity, de- 
 fcent, and of their patriarchs, Abraham, Ifaac, 
 and Jacob ; of the twelve tribes of Ifrael •, of 
 their ]av/-giver Mofes, Aaron, Jofliua, and Ef- 
 dras ; of the chim-kim, or pentateuch, which 
 they have received from Mofes, and which is 
 compos'd of the books of berefith, veelefemoth, 
 vaiiera, vaiedabber, and of haddcbarim, which 
 when join'd together, they call taura, and St. Je- 
 rome tora. 
 
 Remarks on what has been laid. 
 
 Firft, the fynagogue which we have fpoken of 
 is very different from what we fee in Europe, be- 
 caufe it rather reprefents a temple than a common 
 
 S 4 Jewifh
 
 Cl6^ Ohfer'vatiojis upon Asia, 
 
 Jewifh fynagogue. In a word, in the Chipefe fy- 
 nagogue, the holy place, whither it is not permit*- 
 ted any but the high pricft to enter, has a refem- 
 blance with the fand;um fanclorum, where was the 
 ark of the covenant, and the rod of Mofes and 
 Aaron. The fpace that is feparated reprefents the 
 part where the priefts and levites aiTembled in the 
 temple of Jerufalem, and where the facrifices 
 were ofier'd. In a word, the hall at the entrance 
 where the people pray, and attend at all the cere- 
 monies of religion, rcfembles what v/as formerly 
 called the porch of Ifrael, atrium Ifraelis. 
 
 Secondly, the Hebrew infcriptions in the fyna- 
 gogue of China, fliew, that the Jews there, in this 
 li'oint, retain the fame cuflcm which is obferv'd in 
 the European fynagogues. But the infcriptions of 
 the European Jews are but the initial letters of cer- 
 tain words, wiiich compofe one or more fentences. 
 
 Thirdly, as for the labernacles or tents of Mo- 
 fes, and the twelve tribes, thefe are peculiar to the 
 Jews of China, finceno fuch things are found in the 
 fynagogues of Europe. On the eafl: fide there is 
 a kind of coffer or chefl, where they lliut up the 
 five books of the law. 
 
 Fourthly, the fmall books which the Chinefe 
 Jews preferve, are apparently the fifty-three fep- 
 tions of the peutateuch, which the European Jew3 
 read every Hiturday fucceflively in their fyna- 
 gogues, and divide them fo equally, that every 
 year they read over the five books of Mofes. 
 
 Fifthly, 'tis not furprizing that the Chinefe Jews 
 turn their faces to the v/efl-, when they pray, whereas 
 the Europeans turn to the eafl. The reafon of this 
 difference is, that among the Jews it is a very an- 
 cient law to turn their face towards the holy city 
 when they pray. Now, Jerufalem, fituated indeed in 
 rrgard ol Plurope to the eaft, in regard of China js^ 
 
 fituated
 
 Africa, and Ayiv^Kic a, 265 
 
 fituated to the weft. Befides, it is certain, that the 
 temple of Jerufalem was difpofed in fuch a man- 
 ner, that the Ifraehtes when praying turned towards 
 the weft, and the Chinefe Jews^follow, perhaps, the 
 fame cuftom. 
 
 6thly, It is not furprifing that there is no altar 
 in this fynagogiie •, for as the Jews offer no more 
 lacrifices, and are not permitted to facrifice but at 
 Jerufalem, an altar would be ufelefs to them. 
 
 7thly, When we fiid, that the Hebrews had 
 twenty-feven letters, we are to comprehend in this 
 number the five final letters, of which St. Jerome 
 Ipeaks, which are not properly different charac- 
 ters ; but a different manner of writing them, 
 by lengthening the ftrolyes at the end of words, 
 inftead of turning them in, as they do in the be- 
 ginning and the middle, except tiie CD which is 
 entirely doled. 
 
 C II A P. XXVII. 
 
 Afecret to make per fumes ^ and give the exhaU 
 
 ing vapour an agreeable figure ; to prefcrve 
 fire on the ivater without being extinguijhed ; 
 
 to extra^ inercury from wild puyfi^ane ; the 
 fccret of changing lead into pewter^ and to 
 
 give pewter the lujlre of fiver ; means cf re- 
 foring a compafs without a load/lone ; fecret 
 
 oj the philofopher s fione ufed in Chi?2a, 
 
 TIIE Chinefe arc great lovers of perfumes, 
 of which they have all kinds, ftmple and 
 compound, feme found in their own country, and 
 grhers imported from Arabia, and the Indies. 
 
 Some-
 
 266 Ohfervatiom upon Asia, 
 
 Sometimes they make odoriferous cakes, and at 
 other times flicks, compofed of various fcented 
 powders, which they put in a veiTd full of afhes \ 
 and thefe flicks having taken fire at one of the 
 ends, exhale flowly a fweet and light vapour •, and 
 in proportion as they wafle, the afhes fall into the 
 veflel, without falling on the floor. As for other 
 perfumes, fuch as incenfe, and odoriferous powders, 
 they, like the Europeans, throw them on lighted 
 charcoal. 
 
 A famous Chinefe author obferves, that in or- 
 der to combine different kinds of perfumes, they 
 mufl mix with them cotton, or burrs of mug- 
 wort, that the agreeable vapours of t-hefe odorife- 
 rous bodies may unite, and rife to a certain height 
 in form of a pillar, without diflipating them- 
 felves in the ambient air. He would have almonds 
 joined, or acid jujubes, after pounding them in a 
 mortar. In this confifls the feeret, but at the 
 £ime time he advifes that what is called in China- 
 cotton, or burrs of maigwort, is nothing elfe but 
 the fine mofs which is found on old pines. They 
 formerly taught, that a fovereign remedy for the 
 gout was to kindle mugwort buds, and let them 
 consume on the afilided part. If thofe who have 
 tried this remedy have not been relieved, their dif- 
 appointment might have happened, becaufe by the 
 mugwort buds they did not underfland, as the 
 Chinefe do, that fine mofs with which old pines 
 are covered in certain places. 
 
 The lame author adds another feeret, to give 
 the vapours of tbe perfumes an agreeable figure, 
 v/hen it rifes in the air. It is a cuflom in China 
 to have large vefTels in their gardens, wherein they 
 cultivate the flowers of water-Ji'.y. When in June, 
 this root fends out its large leaves, rub fome of 
 them with honey •, a few days after there will be 
 
 formed
 
 Aii-RicA, and America. 267 
 
 formed a kind of little worms, which will eat all 
 the green iubflance of the leaf, of which nothing 
 but the filaments will remain, like gauze. Thefc 
 will be foon dried, and you mufl then gather it, 
 and take off the pellkule •, after this, you mull re- 
 duce the gauze into fine powder, and when you 
 would burn feveral forts of perfumes in a velTcl, 
 and combine them together, add a little of this 
 powder ; by which means the vapour will unite 
 in a body, rifing pretty high, and terminating ia 
 a cloud, or in figures of various kinds. 
 
 The following fecrets related by the fame author, 
 are an attempt to account, not only for the fepul- 
 chral and inexringuifliabie lamps ufed in the time 
 of the firfl Roman emperors, but alfo for thatlpe- 
 cies of fire, known by the name of ignis tatuus. 
 He direds us how to make a ball, which being 
 lighted, fioats on the water without being extin- 
 guilhed. Compofe it, fays he, of tehangrao, that 
 is to fay, Chinele camphor, which is not very dear, 
 ^and which being purified and cryflallized, yields, 
 tho' in a fmalier quantity, a camphor as good as 
 that of Borneo. Take then a dram of camphor, 
 add to it half a dram of the rcfin of pine, mix 
 them with good brandy, kindle this mafs, and 
 place it immediately on the water, and it will burn 
 flowly, and not extinguilh, until it be entirely con- 
 fumed. 
 
 To have a lamp that will lad, and give light for 
 a month, gather x^ix the month of July an ounce of 
 the herb feon-ping, which grows on the furfaceof 
 the water in lakes, on the banks of flow running 
 rivers, and which is called the ever-green. To 
 this add a quantity of quen-tem, or the fmall claws 
 of ko-fuen, a kind of fliell-filli, and of hoang-ban : 
 reduce all to a fine pov/der, and to an ounce of 
 oil add a dram of the powder thus prepared. 
 
 Another
 
 268 Objervatwns upon Asia, 
 
 Another Chinefe writer teaches us how to make 
 candle which will lad the whole night, and dur- 
 ing that time confume but an inch or two fingers 
 breadth. The chief ingredients are yellow wax, 
 refinof the pine tree, flowers of the Egyptian thorn, 
 of each an ounce and fix drams. To this add a 
 dram of feouche, which is a light porous ftone. 
 They then melt the refin and the wax, and after- 
 wards add the flowers of Egyptian thorn, and the 
 flone of feouche. They incorporate thefe fub- 
 ftances, in which they carefully dip the v/ick, in 
 order to make this candle. 
 
 If they fliould ufe the dry varnlfli, refln, flnefak- 
 petrCjfiilphur, and incenfe, reduced to a powder, and 
 then of this varnifli compofe little balls of the fize 
 of a pea, lay one of thefe balls on a plate of iron, 
 light it at night, and tho* expofed to the highefl: 
 wind, it will not be extinguiflied till the next 
 morning. 
 
 The following fecret is ftill more furprizing, 
 and the experiment is not difficult. Without re- 
 gard to thofe advantages that may be drawn from 
 it, curioflty might incline one to the experiment. 
 There is a method, fays the Chinefe author, of 
 drawing mercury from wild purflane. For this 
 purpofe you need only take the little leaves of pur- 
 flane, bruife them in a mortar with a peftle of the 
 wood of Egyptian thorn \ then expofe them to 
 the riflng fun for about three days, and when they 
 nre dry, toafi: them fo as not to defiroy their na- 
 ture and virtues j put this mafs in a well varnifh- 
 ed earthen veflfel, which you mufl: dole well, and 
 bury in the earth forty-nine days \ after which take 
 out the veflcl, and you find quick-filver in per- 
 fedion. 
 
 Nothing is more certain than this fecret \ and 
 in the fliops of Peking they fell two forts of mercu- 
 ry;
 
 Africa, -^//J America. 269 
 
 the one taken from mines, which is called chan- 
 choueir ; and the other obtained from plants, which 
 is called tfao-chonien. 
 
 Thefe different operations of the Chinefc difco- 
 ver to us, that in the principles of plants there is 
 iron, which may induce us to think, that there 
 may be mercury in certain plants •, and if we re- 
 lied: on the nature of plants, and fearch for that 
 which moil probably contains quick-filver, we 
 have reafon to believe that purflane does fo •, for, 
 in fhort, the Chinefe herbaliil, who in this agrees 
 with the greateft botanifls of Europe, gives to pur- 
 flane the virtues that are found in mercury. The 
 purQane, fays he, is cold in its nature, kills worms^ 
 and all forts of vermin, is ufefully employed againft; 
 noxious humours, which it difiipates -, and becaufc 
 in its nature it is volatile, it removes obflrudi- 
 ons in the vefTels of the human body. 
 
 Be this as it will, it is very probable, that quick- 
 filver drawn from plants by the folution and fepa- 
 tion of their principles, would be free from feve- 
 ral impurities which naturally attend that obtained 
 from mines -, for by being exalted into the minut- 
 efh parts of the plants, it mufl be freed from the 
 ramous and fulphureous fibres, with which it a- 
 bounds more or lefs, and from which it is fepa- 
 rated, by pafilng it thorough a fl:ieep's fkin. 
 
 Should this receipt, by experience, be found 
 true, we may reap from it a double advantage ; 
 the firft of which is, that every where, and in a 
 Ibort time, we may procure a fufficient quaniit/ 
 of mercury. The fecond, and moft confrder::.blc 
 is, that by the quick-filver extraded from j ur- 
 flane, v/e may judge better of the different ufes 
 of this plant, and may determine more certainly 
 for what time, and with what precautions it may 
 be ufed, according to the different fituations of 
 perfons, whether in health or ficknefs. Befides, 
 
 its
 
 270 Ohfervatiom upon AsiA^ 
 
 its juice prepared in a certain manner might act 
 upon metals difpofed to receive it. 
 
 The following lecrets will llili farther fliew the. 
 acftion of the juice of plants, when mixed with 
 metals in fufion. A Chinefe author fays, that 
 melted lead, boiled with the juice txDrefTed 
 from fumitory with yellow leaves, will be chang- 
 ed into fila ; which is a Chinefe tin, much more 
 beautiful than that of Europe. 
 
 This receipt, in conjunction with the following, 
 may perfe(5l thofe proofs we chufe to make. We 
 find in another Chinefe book, that there is a polli- 
 bihty of giving a tin veflel the hardnefs of iron, 
 and the brjghtnefs of filver, by holding it over 
 the fire in chang-ka, which is only fteel-filings, 
 and in pepi, which is arfenic and fait. 
 
 Another author pretends, that by rubbing Chi- 
 nefe tin wi\h a fine powder, compofed of tan- fan, 
 which is copperas, and in two drams of pefan, 
 which is aluiti,. the tin alTumes the colour of gold \ 
 and that if they rub iron with this mixture, it will 
 become red. Perhaps the manner in which the 
 Chinefe prepare iron for gilding it, renders it 
 fofter, and confequently more proper to be impreg- 
 nated by copperas and alum. Their method is as 
 follows. 
 
 They mix a fpoonful of the juice of tfung, 
 which is onion and leek, as much four rice, three 
 heads of pounded garlic, and five drams of dog's 
 greafe. They put the iron into water with this 
 mixture, which they boil, till they perceive the 
 iron has taken a pale wdiitifh colour. 
 
 What the fame author relates of the manner of 
 refloring the virtue of the mariner's compafs, that 
 it may turn to the poles, w^ill appear, no doubt, 
 very extraordinary. They have not recourfe, as 
 v;e^ to the load flone, tho' China is abundantly 
 
 pro-
 
 Africa, an J Amebic aI 2^1 
 
 pfovided with them-, and its other virtues, as well 
 as attrading iron, are well known to them, fixnce 
 they give it the name of hibieche, or the ftone 
 which attracts iron. The knov/ledge of its qua- 
 lities has given rife to a ftory told of a lake, where 
 they dare not expofe vefTels, becaufe there is, fay 
 they, at the bottom of this lake, fuch a quantity of 
 load-ftone, that all the iron-work which holds to- 
 gether the veflels, being violently drawn to tlie 
 bottom, the vcfTel muft fall to pieces. Hence al- 
 fj proceeds the ridiculous opinion of the Chinefe 
 phyficians, that by putting the powder of a load- 
 ftone in a plaifter, it will draw out the fplinters of 
 iron remaining in a wound. 
 
 But, in a word, if the Chinefe do not employ 
 the load-ftone to reftore the virtue of the needle, 
 we muft fatisfy the reader, by acquainting him in 
 what manner they do it. 
 
 Take, fay they, in the firft place, fome tchuchs, 
 the true cinnabar, which is very fcarcein Europe; 
 and in the fecond place hiun-hoang, which isorpi- 
 ment, a certain fpecies of which is called tfe-loang- 
 tk^ which is the female, and is the deareft, and the 
 other hoang-hiung, that is to fay, male. This, 
 perhaps, is the realgal, or the yellow fandars, in- 
 clining to red. To the cinnabar and orpiment 
 add fteei filings, reduce an equal weight of thefe 
 ingredients to a fine powder, which you muft 
 mix well together with the blood extraded from 
 white cocks combs ; after which you muft take 
 twenty or thirty fine needles, which you muft co- 
 ver on all fides with this mixture ; and after hav- 
 ing wrapped them up in paper, you muft keep 
 them feven days and feven nights in a little fur- 
 nace, under which you muft conftantly keep a 
 clear fire of charcoal. After this operation, cover 
 the needles, and carry them with you three days 
 applied clofe to your fkin. Then make tryal of 
 
 your
 
 272 Obferijatlons up9?2 Asia, 
 
 your needles, and you will find chat they will turn 
 cxadly to the poles, and wili be very proper for 
 mariners compafiTes. 
 
 We muft acknowledge, that the ingredients ^ 
 which eompofe this receipt feem to have no con-^ 
 nedion with the juft direclion of the needles to the 
 pole. 
 
 In the firft place we mull for fome time putthefe 
 needles over a clear fire -, and it is certain that the 
 belt load-Hone, and the bell touched needle, lofe 
 their llrength and virtue by the a(5lion of fire. In 
 the fecond place the mixture with which they co- 
 ver thefe needles, is compofed of minerals, which 
 are no ways proper to communicate the quality 
 given by the load-done ; fulphtir, quick-filver, 
 and arfenic predominate. If there is a mixture of 
 iron, it is in powder, and has no longer the ar- 
 rangement of its parts, and its pores proper to 
 communicate the magnetic virtue. In a word, 
 the fulphureous and pinguious parts of the blood of 
 cocks, which unite the ingredients, and the fuli^ 
 ginous perfpiration of the human body, which is 
 recommended in the receipt, obllrud the llrongell 
 operation of the loacl-llone. 
 
 Befides, we might be furprized, if upon mak* 
 ing tryal of this receipt, we fhould find that a 
 n.^edle thus prepared for the compafs was lefs fuf- 
 ceptible of the declinations and variations, which 
 are found in needles touched by the load-Hone, and 
 "^.vhich lo much perplex mariners. It feems the 
 Chinefe know nothing of thefe variations, or at 
 .leaft make no mer^ion of them. 
 
 The chimerical fecret of the philofopher's Hone 
 
 has been in vogue among the Chinefe, long before 
 
 we had any notion of it in Europe. They fpeak 
 
 . magnificently in their books of the feed of gold, 
 
 ';uHi orthe poN^der of projetflion^ and v/hat cur 
 
 quacks
 
 Africa, and Amkrica. 27? 
 
 quacks call the great work, tliey call the lien-tan, 
 and promife to draw from crucibles, not only 
 gold, but alfo a fpecific univerfal remedy, which 
 procures to thofe who take it a kind of immor- 
 tality. *^ 
 
 \Vhat is fiiill more furprifmg, in thefe books, 
 the Chinefe pretend tlut the depofitaries of fo va- 
 luable a fecret, how fldlful foever they be^ and 
 whatever expence they are at, run a rifle of failing 
 in their enterprize, if they are not poireiTed of fuch a 
 fuperlative degree of virtue, as merits the beneJic- 
 tions of heaven on fuch important and delicate 
 operations. 
 
 But if fome foollili alchymifts, inf^uuated with 
 this chimera, have not been undeceived till they 
 have converted their fubftance into charcoal, there 
 are others, who by their deceitful promifes have 
 allured the unthinking herd, and enriched them- 
 lelves at the expence of their credulity, of which 
 the following is a remarkable inftance. 
 
 One of thefe quacks, who pretended to be one 
 of the firft mafters of the art, aiTefted on all occa- 
 fions a great a^ of probity, and efpecially, fuch a' 
 degree of benevolence as may be fuppoled in a 
 man who can convert the viler metals into gold. He 
 found means, at length, to get acquainted with a 
 rich nobleman, who after having born the chief 
 employments of the ftate, had retired into the 
 country. He infmuated himlelf fubtlely into his 
 houfe •, and by little and little he underftood {o 
 well how to manage his humour, by his complaif- 
 ance and affability, that he entirely gained his con- 
 fidence. Then in feveral converfations dropping 
 certain exprelTi. ns of his great (kill in thetranfmu- 
 tation of metals, the curiofity of the mandarin was 
 greatly excited -, upon which the impoflor acknow- 
 ledged to him, that he had found the fecroc of tl.s 
 
 Vol. I. T phi-
 
 2^4 'Ohfervatiofts Upon A^IA] 
 
 philofopher's (tone, and offered to communicate 
 to him this fecrer, merely out of complaifance for 
 his civilities, and the fingular marks he had receiv- 
 ed of his kindnefs. 
 
 This credulous lord fell into the fnare, .and was 
 fo infatuated with alchymy, that he was impatient 
 to fee the operation begun. He difregarded the 
 cxpence, being perfuaded he fliould find in his 
 houfe an inexhauftable mine of gold, and what 
 flattered him the mod, an infallible method of 
 prolonging his days 
 
 The alchymill did not need much importunity, 
 but chofe in the fpacious palace of this old noble- 
 man, a commodious, agreeable apartment, where 
 nothing was fpared in treating him, with his pre- 
 tended wife and domeftics : for this woman was 
 not his wife, but a courtefan of extraordinary 
 beauty, whom he had taken as copartner in his 
 quackery, and who was to play the chief part of 
 the farce. 
 
 As foon as he was prepared to begin, the al- 
 chymift received large fums to buy the valuable in- 
 gredients he was to put into the crucible, which 
 he artfully converted to his own ufe. What ftill 
 more impofed upon this old man, was to fee the 
 care which this impoflor feemingly took, to alTure 
 himfelf of .the protection of heaven. He made 
 frequent proflrationSj burnt a great quantity of 
 perfumes, and continually exhorted the man- 
 darin not to come into the laboratory without 
 great preceding purification^ becaufe the lead men- 
 tal {lain would ruin the labour of many days. The 
 ]ady, at times, and as it were by chance, fliewedher- 
 ieif; but with no vifible defign of txpofing her 
 charms. 
 
 The work went on ; and at tlie end of a cer- 
 tain time, the alchvmift diev/cd the crcdulou.i 
 
 lord
 
 Africa, ^;i^ America." ^j^ 
 
 Idrd fuch happy tranfmutations, as promlfed a 
 Iliort paiTige to the perfedion of the grand work. 
 This was to the deluded mandarin a lubjcct of 
 great joy, which was foon difturbed by the news 
 which this quack received of the death oi his mo- 
 ther. He was too good a fon, and too exaft ari 
 Obfervef of the religious ceremonies of the empire^ 
 not to go immediately and pay heh the laft duties; 
 He notwithftanding com.fortecl the mandarin^ by 
 affuring him that he would return in a few day^^ 
 adding, that the work would not be irtterritpted^ 
 becaule he \vould leave his wife and fome domef- 
 ticks, who knew enough for what remained to be 
 done. The pretended wife fecmed fo thiinder-flruck 
 at this abrupt feparation, that her tears and cries 
 proved the defireflie had of following her hufbandj 
 and partaking with him the duties of filial piety. 
 
 Duringthe alchymxift*sabfence^ theold m ari of cert 
 vifited the laboratory, while the lady afted in cha- 
 radler, and omitted nothing that might infpire hirri 
 with love. She fucceeded beyond her expedation ; for 
 the old man was foon captivated with her charms. 
 His vifits to the laboratory became more frequent^ 
 and his difcourfes longer and more fecret. The 
 fervants perceived it *, and it was the intention of 
 the lady that nothing fiiould efcape their know-* 
 ledge, becaufe in the end they were to be wit- 
 nefies. 
 
 In the mean time the alehymifl: returns, arid certain 
 iigns the virtubus lady gave him, immediately in- 
 form him of what had paiTed, After having re- 
 ceived from the mandarin the ufual compliments 
 tin his quick return, he goes to viflt the \Vork, 
 finds all in diforder, celtain and evident figns, 
 cried he, that the laboratory was defiled : and be- 
 coming in appearance mad, he overthrew crucibles, 
 and furnaces, and wanted to kill both wife and 
 
 T ?. fcr-
 
 2^6 Ohfcf-vafions upon Asia^ 
 
 fervants. The lady throws herfclf at his feet, afk$ 
 pardon with tears, and acknowledges fhe had been 
 feduced, and the domeftics, with tears in their eyes, 
 curfe the day they entered into fuch an abominable 
 houfe. 
 
 The alchymifl, more furious than ever, roars, 
 and fwears he is going to complain to the magi- 
 flrates, and demand juflice of the mandarin who 
 has dilhonoured him. In China, adultery is a 
 crime worthy of death, and capable of ruining the 
 moft opulent houfes. The unhappy old man, 
 feized with fear, and endeavouring to avoid the 
 lliame of punifhment, as well as the lofs of his 
 eftate, does all in his power to foften the mind of 
 the furious alchymift. He offers him confiderable 
 fums of gold and filver •, and to repair the honour 
 of fo challe a lady, he loads her with jewels and 
 trinkets of all kinds. The alchymift and the lady 
 not yielding without difficulty, at laft promifed 
 not to pufh the affair farther, and retired overjoy- 
 ed for having thus fucceeded in finding the philo- 
 fopher's ftone. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 AFRICA; <7«^ America. 277 
 
 CHAP, xxviir. 
 
 The different languages of the Hurom^ of the 
 Abnakis^ the AlgonkinSy the Illinefe^ the On- 
 taoiiackSy and fever al other 7iatio?is of Neio^ 
 France ; their employments^ drefes, and dex-^ 
 ferity iji JJoooting loiththe bow ; their fender^ 
 neffor their children -, ccrcrncnies of their 
 J liner ah 5 cruel manner of treating captives 
 ofivar^ 
 
 rir^HE language of theHurons is the chief lan- 
 JL guage ot the favages of Canada •, and when 
 a perfon is mailer of it, he can, in lels than three 
 months, make himfelf underftood by {ive Iroquefe 
 natioils. It is the moft majeilic, and moil diffi- 
 cult of all the languages of the favages. This dif- 
 ficulty does not only arife from their guttural let- 
 ters, but more from the diverfity of accents •, for 
 often two words compofed of the fame chara(5tcrs 
 have quite different fignifications. 
 
 Every favage nation has its particular tongue ; 
 thus the Abnakis, the Hurons, the Iroquefe, the 
 Algonkins, thelllinefc, the Miamis have each their 
 language, but have no books to inftruct them, 
 fince cuftom alone is their guide. 
 
 The Abnakis inhabit a fpreil, which is but three 
 leagues from Quebec. Their cottages are ranged 
 much like houfes in villages, and an incloiurc of 
 high poles or flakes, that are very clofe, form a 
 kind of wall, which defends them froni the incur- 
 fions of their enemies. 
 
 Their huts are foon reared -, for they plant 
 pXiks that join above, and cover them with thick 
 
 T z bark^
 
 t^yS. Ohferi:aticns upn Asia, 
 
 barks of trees. The lire is made in the mldfl of 
 their hut, and they lay roun ] it matts of bulrufli, 
 pn which they fit in the day-tirr^, and reft a-t night. 
 
 1 he mens drefs ccnfifts in a frock made of a 
 /kin, or a piece of red or blue ftuff, and t;hat of the 
 v/onien is a covering, which tails from the neck to 
 the mid-leg, and feryes them as a robe \ their 
 ftockings go from the knee to the ancle y and 4 
 fort of pumps ofelk-fkin lined with hair or wool, 
 ferve them inftead of Ihoes. This kind of fhoe is 
 abfokitely neceffary for |:hem5 to join their feet to 
 the rackets, by meansof which they pafs ealily over 
 If he fnow, and thefe rackets made lozenge- wife, 
 are more than two feet long, and a foot and a half 
 broad. 
 
 The invention of thefe rackets is of great ufe to 
 them, not only to walk over deep fnow, with 
 which the earth is covered a great part of the year, 
 but likewife in hunting wild beafls, efpecially the 
 orignal^ an animal which i? larger than the largeft 
 oxen in Europe, and confequently walks with dif- 
 ficulty on the fnow ; fo that it is no hard mat- 
 ter for the favages to catch it, and often with a 
 common knife feed to the end of a ftick they kill 
 ir, live on its flefli, and after tanning its fkin, in 
 which they are flalful, they trade with the Englifh 
 and French, who give them in exchange cloaths, 
 coverlets, cloaks, guns, axes, and knives. 
 
 In order to form fome idea of thefe favages, we 
 jnUit reprefent to ourfelves tall, adive men, of 
 an olive 'hue, without beards, v/ith black hair, 
 and with teeth v;liiter than ivory. They have no 
 ornaments but a fort of beads, compofed of a 
 kind of fi-iells or ftones, which they form into 
 imall globules, fome whitCj and others black, 
 which they firing in fuch a manner, as to reprefent 
 I'gurcs no lefs regular th;;in beautiful. With thefe 
 
 the
 
 Africa, ^;/i America," 279 
 
 the favages tie thp^f hair above their ears, and be- 
 hind. They alio make ear-rings, necklaces, gar- 
 ters, and large girdles of them. 
 
 The employment of the men is hunting or war, 
 and that of the women to remain in the villages, and 
 rnake panniers of bark, facks, boxes, fpoons, and 
 plates. They few thefe barks with roots, and 
 make feveral well-wrought moveables of them. 
 Their canoes are alfo one entire piece of bark, but 
 the largeft of them cannot contain above fix or 
 feven perfons. 
 
 It is in thefe canoes, which are hardly thicker 
 than a crown-piece, that they pafs arms of the fea, 
 fail on the moll dangerous rivers, and on lakes of 
 four or ftve hundred leagues circumference. 
 
 Nothing can equal the tendernefs which the fa- 
 vage women have for their children, fince as foon 
 as they are born they lay them on a board, co- 
 vered with a kind of fluff, and a littje bear fkin, 
 in which they wrap them ; and this is their cradle. 
 The mothers carry them on their backs, in a man- 
 ner commodious for their children, and eafy to 
 themfelves. 
 
 The boys fcarce begin to walk, but they are ac- 
 cuflomed to the bow, and become lb dextrous that 
 at the age of ten or twelve years, they feldoip fail 
 of killiing the bird they fhoot at. 
 
 Nothing can be more difagreeable than their 
 manner of eating j for after filling their kettle with 
 meat, they boil it at mofl three quarters of an 
 hour ♦, when taking it off the fire, they ferve it up 
 in vefTels of bark, and divide it among thofe phap 
 are in the cottage, who eat it as we do bread, 
 
 They are excefTively fond of tobacco, fince 
 
 men, women, and girls, finoak almoil continually. 
 
 In the beginning of June they fow Indian corn in 
 
 4be following manner. They make with the finger, 
 
 T 4 'or 
 
 If
 
 28o Obfervations upon Asia, 
 
 or a fmall ftick, feveral holes in the ground, and 
 throw into each eight or nine feeds, which they 
 cover with the earth they take out, and their har- 
 vcil is toward the end of Auguft. 
 
 The Mifihmakinaks are dillant from Quebec 
 about four hundred leagues, and attribute to 
 their nation an originalas fooUfh as ridiculous •, for 
 they pretend to defcend from three ftmilies, and 
 that each family is compofed of five hundred per- 
 jTons. 
 
 Some are faid to be of the fimlly of Michabon, 
 that is to fay, the great hare ; and they pretend 
 that this great hare v/as a man of prodigious fize ; 
 that he laid nets in the fea at eighteen fathoms 
 deep ; and that the fea fcarce reached his armpits ^ 
 that one day during the deluge he fent the beaver 
 to difcover the earth ; but that this animal not 
 returning, he fent out the otter, who brought 
 back a little earth covered with froth \ that he 
 went to the lake where this earth v/as found, 
 which formed a little ifiand ; that he walked in 
 the water round about, and that this ifiand became 
 extremely great \ wherefore they attribute to hini 
 the creation of the earth, and fay, that after he 
 had finifh'd this work, he afcended to heaven ^ 
 but that before he left the earth, he ordered that 
 when his defcendants came to die, they fhould 
 burn their bodies, and fcatter their afhes in the air, 
 that they might more eafily be cpnyeyed into hea- 
 ven i that if they neglefted this, fnow would cer- 
 tainly cover the face of the earth ; that their lakes 
 and rivers would remain frci^en, aad not being 
 able to catch any fifh, which is their ctjftomary 
 food, they fhquld all die in the fprijng. 
 
 The fecond family of the Outaouaks pretend 
 they fprung from Mancipik, that is from the 
 carpe^ ar4 lay, that this carpe haying fp^wn'd on 
 ' •■ ' t^*e
 
 Africa, and America. 281 
 
 the bank of a river, and the fun darting his rays 
 upon it, there arole a woman, from whom they 
 are defcended, for which reafon they call themfelves 
 ot the family of the carpe. 
 
 The third family attributes its origin to the paw 
 of a macho va, or bear,, and call themfelves of 
 the bears family, without explaining how they 
 proceed from it. When they kill any of thefe 
 animals, they make him a feall of his own fiefh^ 
 ipeak to him familiarly, and make harangues to 
 him. Be not angry w^th us, fay they, becaufe 
 v/e have killed thee ; thou haft fenfe, thou know'il 
 our children are pinch'd with hunger ; they love 
 thee, they defign thee for their food ; and is it not 
 glorious for thee to be thus eaten by the children 
 cf a captain. 
 
 There is none but the family of the great Iiarc 
 who burn the dead j for the two other families inter 
 them. When fome captain is deceas'd, they pre- 
 pare a large coffin, wherein laying his body clor 
 thed in his beft cloaths, they indole with him his 
 coverlet, his gun, his provifion of lead and 
 powder, his bow, arrows, kettle, difh, vicfluals, 
 pike, tinder-box, vermilion-box, looking-glafs, 
 his porcelain necklace, and all the ufual prefents 
 made at a funeral, becaufe they imagine, that with 
 this equipage he will more fuccefsfully make his 
 journey into the other world, and will be better 
 received by the great captains of the nation, who 
 will carry him with them into a region of plea- 
 fure. 
 
 While all is pacl;Ing up in the coffin, the tela- 
 f:ions of thq de;id affift at the ceremony, by lament- 
 ing in their manner ; that is to fay, by finging with 
 a plaintive voice, and beating with fticks in con- 
 cert, to which they fix feveral little bells. 
 
 The fupprllipion of theft nations appears ftill 
 
 mo:«
 
 zS-z Oifervafions upon Asia,' 
 
 more extravagant from the worfhip which they 
 pay to him, whom they call their manitou. As 
 they have but little acquaintance, except with the 
 beafts they find in the forefts, they imagine in 
 them, or rather in their fkins, or plumage, a kind 
 of genius, which governs all things, and is the 
 mailer of life and death. There are, as they fay, 
 manitous common to all nations ; and there are 
 particular ones for each perfon. Ouflakita is, 
 they fay, the great manitou of all the beafts that 
 tread on the earth, or Ry in the air, in confe- 
 quence of which, when they go a hunting, they offer 
 tobacco to him, powder and lead, and prepared 
 fkins, which they tye to a pole,, and raife it in the 
 air. Ouffakita, lay they, v/e offer thee provifion 
 for fmoaking, arms for killing beafts, vouchfafe 
 to accept thefe prefents, and fuffer none to efcape 
 our arrows •, grant that we may kill a great num- 
 ber of the fatteft, that our children may want neither 
 deaths nor food. 
 
 They call Michibichi the manitou of water and 
 fi(h \ and they make a facrifice [to him almoft in 
 the fame manner when they go a filhing, or'^under- 
 take a voyage. This facrifice confifts in throwing 
 tobacco into the water, vidluals, and kettles, beg- 
 ging of him that the water of the river may flow 
 more gently, and that the rocks may not ihatter 
 their canoes ♦, but that they may make copious 
 draughts of the largeft and beft fifh, 
 
 Befides thefe common manitous, each has his 
 own, which is either a bear, a beaver, a buftard, 
 or fome fuch beaft, or fowl, whofe fkin they 
 carry in war, in hunting, and in their journies, 
 perfuading themfelves it will preferve them from 
 all dangers, and make them fucceed ia all enter-? 
 prifes. 
 
 When a favage wants a manitou, the firft ani- 
 mal which occurs to his imagination in fleep, is 
 
 CO 
 
 ^r^..
 
 Afj^ica, ^W America. 283 
 
 commonly the objcd of his choice, fo that he 
 kills a bead of this kind, puts its flcin, or plu- 
 mage, if it is a bird, in the mod- honourable place 
 of his cottage, and prepares a feaft in honour of 
 it, during which he makes his harangue to it in 
 the moll refp.'6lful terms, and then it is acknow- 
 ledged for his manitou. 
 
 ThelUinefe are near eight hundred leagues dis- 
 tant from Quebec, and thefe favages who are only 
 cover'd about the middle, have the reft of their, 
 body naked. Several groups of all forts of figures, 
 which they engrave on their bodies in an indelible 
 manner, ferve them inftead of garments, and they 
 adorn their heads with feathers of feveral colours of 
 which they make garlands and crowns, which they 
 adjufl; very well, and take fpecial care to paint their 
 countenance with different colours, and particular-, 
 ly that of vermilion. They wear necklaces and 
 ear-rings made of little ftones, which they cut m 
 theformof jev/els, of which fome are blue, fomered, 
 and others white as alabafler, to which they add an or- 
 nament of porcelain, and then the collar is iinifh'd. 
 When the Illinefe are not employed in war or 
 hunting, they pafs their time in gaming, feafting 
 • and dancing ; of the laft of which they have two 
 kinds, fmce the one is the fign of rejoicing, to 
 which they invite married women, and young 
 ladies of thefirft dillindion, whereas the other kind 
 is intended to lliew their forrow for the death of 
 the moft confiderable of their nation. It is by 
 thefe dances that they pretend to honour the dead, 
 and dry up the tears of his relations •, and all the 
 natives have a right to bewail the death of theit 
 neighbours and friends in tjns manner. The dances 
 laft longer or fhorter, in proportion to the price 
 and value pf the prefents : after v/hich they diflri-- 
 bute them among the dancers. Their cuflom is;^ 
 not to inter the dead, but to fold them up in Ikins, 
 
 and
 
 2S4 Ohjervatiojis upon Asia, 
 
 and tye them by the head and heels to the boughs 
 of trees. 
 
 At the times when there are neither games, fefti- 
 vals, nor dance's, the men continue quiet on their 
 mats, and pafs their time either in fleeping, mak- 
 ing bows, arrows, and other things of a fimilar 
 nature, while in the mean time the women work 
 from morninof to ni"ht like flaves ; fince it is their 
 bufmefs to till the ground, fow the Indian corn in 
 fummer, and as foon as winter comes to make 
 mats, tan fkins, and employ themfelves in many 
 other fuch like works. 
 
 Of all the people of Canada, there is none that 
 lives in fuch plenty of all things as the Illinefe, 
 fmce their rivers are cover'd with fwans, buftards, 
 ducks, teal, &c. One can fcarce travel a league 
 without meeting a prodigious number of Indian 
 turky-cocks, which appear in flocks, fometimes 
 to the number of two hundred, and fome of 
 which weigh thirty-fix pounds. 
 
 In this country are great numbers of bears and ftags, 
 together with an incredible quantity of oxen and roe- 
 bucks. We may fee in meadows, in which the fight is 
 loft, four or five thoufand black cattle feeding toge- 
 ther, each of which has a protuberance on his back, 
 and a very large head. Their hair, except that on 
 their head, is curled, and foft like wool, and their 
 flefh is naturally faltifh, and fo light, that it may- 
 be eaten raw, without caufing any indigeftion. 
 When they have killed an ox, that appears to them 
 too lean, they are content with takipg put thq 
 tongue, and look out for a fatter. 
 
 Their arrows are the chief weapons they make 
 ufe of in hunting and war, which are pointed with 
 a fharp ftone cut into the form of a ferpent's 
 tongue, and which, for want of knives, they ufe 
 to cut up the animal they kill. They are fo dex» 
 
 tercus
 
 Africa, and America. 285 
 
 ter»us In (hooting with the bow, that they icarcc 
 ever mifs the mark, and do this fo quickly, that 
 they can fooner flioot a hundred arrowy than an 
 European load his gun. 
 
 They take little pains in making nets, becaufc 
 the variety of wild beafts, which they find for 
 their fubfiftence, makes them indifferent about fifh. 
 Yet when they take a fancy for tifli, they fet out 
 in a canoe with their bows and arrows, ftand up- 
 right, the better to fee the filh ; and as foon as 
 they fee them, pierce them with an arrow. 
 
 The only means of procuring efleem among the 
 Illinefe, as among all other lavages, is to gain the 
 reputation of a fl<:ilful huntfman, and a good 
 warrior. They are fo fond of this character, that 
 they undertake journies of four hundred leagues 
 in the midft of forefts, to make a flave, or to 
 bring back the hair of a man whom they have kil- 
 led, and defpife the great fatigues and hardfhips 
 they fometimes fuffer, efpecially when they ap- 
 proach an enemy's country, left the beafts being 
 only wounded, ftiould efcape with the arrows in 
 their bodies, and put the enemies on their guard ; 
 for their manner of making war, as well as that of 
 all other favages, is to furprize an enemy ♦, where- 
 fore they fend fpies to obferve their number, march, 
 or to examine whether thf y ai*e on their guard, and 
 according to their informations, they eitli^r lie in 
 ambufcade, or rufti into their cottages with their 
 poles in their hands, and never fail to kill fome of 
 the enemy before tJiey are prepar'd for defence. 
 
 Their pole is made of a ftag's horn, or wood, 
 in form of a cutlafs, ending in a large knob. They 
 kold this pole in one hand, and a knife in the 
 other ; and as foon as they have difcharg'd the 
 blow on the head of an enemy, they fcajp him, 
 
 and
 
 2 86 Ohfcr^vatioiUUpcn K^iA^ 
 
 and take off the fkin and hair with a fiirprifing 
 quicknefs. 
 
 When a favage returns into his country with a 
 number of thefe hairy fkins, he is received with 
 extraordinary honours \ but the higheft point of 
 glory is to take many prifoners, and bring them 
 home aUve ; upon which occafion^ as foon as he 
 arrives, all the village alTemble, and (land in 
 ranks, v^^here the prifoners are to pafs. This re- 
 ception is verv cruel, flnce fome pull off their nails^ 
 others cut off their fingers or ears, and fome beat 
 them unmercifully vvith ilicks. 
 
 After this firft reception, the elders affemble to 
 deliberate, whether they fliall grant their prifo- 
 ners life, or put them to death. When fome dead 
 perfon is to be rais'd to life, that is to fay^ if any 
 one of their warriors has been kilPd, and they 
 think they fhould replace him in his cottage, 
 they put into this cottage one of the prifoners 
 who holds the place of the dead perfon j and this 
 is what they call raifing the dead. 
 
 When a prifoner is condemned to death, they 
 immediately fix a great ilake in the ground, to which 
 they tye his hands, and then make him fing his 
 death fong ; and all the favages fitting round this 
 gibbet, light a few paces off a great fire, where- 
 in they heat axes, and other iron inftruments^ 
 red hot ; then they come fucceflively, and apply 
 them thus heated to different parts of his body,- 
 but others burn their captives with live coals ; 
 fome mangle and cut their bodies with knives % 
 others cut off* a part of their burnt flefh, and eat 
 it in their fight ; fome make wounds and fill them 
 with gun-powder, and then fet fire to it : in a 
 wordj each one torrnents the poor wretch accord- 
 ing to his fancy, and that for five or fix hours, and 
 fometimes for two or three days. The more 
 
 piercing
 
 Africa, and America. 287 
 
 piercing and violent the cries of the captives are, 
 the more agreeable and diverting the fpcdlacle is 
 to thefe inhuman favages. The Iroquele invented 
 this kind of death ; and it is only by way of reta- 
 liation, that the Illinele in their turn treat their 
 prifoners with equal cruelty. 
 
 CHAP. XXIX. 
 
 Of nitre, fal-armoniac ; of the Jioncs and 
 marbles of Egxpt 3 of thechicken-oven ; of the 
 eagle "Jiojies ^ a?id of the petrification of 
 
 wood^ 
 
 '' I ^HE natron, or Egyptian nitre, is produced 
 -■' in two lakes, one of which, call'd the great 
 lake, is in length four or five leagues, and about 
 one in breadth, and lies in the defart of Scitia 
 or Nitria. It is a good day's journey to thfe 
 weft of the Nile, and two from Memphis, to- 
 wards Cairo, and as far from Nauerate, towards 
 Alexandria and the fea. 
 
 The other lake, call'd in the Arabian tongue 
 Nebidee, is three leagues and a half in length, and 
 about one and a half broad. It extends to the foot 
 of the mountain on the weft, and about twelve or 
 fifteen miles from the ancient Hermopolis, now 
 called Damanchour, the capital of the province of 
 Beheira^ near Marcole, and a day's journey from 
 Alexandria. 
 
 Thefe lakes are dry during the fpring, famrtier, 
 and autumn, but in winter yield a nitrous liquor 
 ^vhick fometimes rifes four or five feet high, and 
 
 is
 
 2 S 8 Ohfervations upojt Asia, 
 
 is of a dark red, or blood colour, aad the bottom 
 of thefe lakes is always firm and fmooth as marbk, 
 even when they are lilkd with water. 
 
 This nitre is fometimes of a dirty black, and 
 Sometimes of a bright carnation red, tho' the firfb 
 is mod efteemed. The workmen employed in 
 getting the nitre fland naked in the lake with iron 
 bars about fix feet long, and as thick as one's fin* 
 ger, and ftriking with thefe bars pointed at the 
 end, as they do in quarries, they break off pieces 
 as large as cakes of foap. ../' 
 
 In thefe lakes the nitr^ is covered with a foot or 
 two of water, and is four or five feet deep in the 
 earth, but what is taken out one year, is renewed 
 the next, or fome years after, by a new nitrous fait, 
 lupplied by the juice of the earth. To prefer ve 
 this fecundity, the Arabians take care to fill up 
 the empty fpaces with fubflances of all kinds, as 
 land, mud, bones, carcaffes of animals, horfes, 
 afles, and fuch like. All which fubflances are con- 
 verted into true nitre, fo that workmen returning 
 a year or two after, find a new harvefl in thofe 
 places they had before exhaufted. 
 
 Pliny is miflaken when he fays, that the Nile 
 a61:s in the nitre beds, as the fea in thofe of fait, 
 fince thefe two lakes are, by their high fituation, 
 inacceffible to the inundations of the Nile. It is 
 however certain that rain, dew, and mifts, are 
 Xj^ true parents of nitre ; that they haften its for- 
 mation in the bofom of the earth \ that they mul- 
 tiply it, and make it red j for there is white, yel- 
 low, and black nitre. 
 
 When they have gathered the nitre, they im- 
 mediately load camels, and other beafls of burden 
 with it, without deterfion, depuration, lixiviation, 
 or other preparation, fince the nitre comes from 
 the mines pure and perfedt. 
 
 That
 
 Africa, Wir/ America." 289 
 
 'That of the great lake is carried to Terrane oa 
 the Nile, where it is piled up and expofed to the 
 air, till they fell it, and that of Nebide is tranfporc- 
 ed to Damanchourj \vhere it is laid up in maga- 
 zines. 
 
 Nitre ferves to whiten copper, fait, and linen,* 
 artd is emploped by dyer's, glafs-makers, and gold- 
 fmiths. Bakers alfo puff up their bread with it, 
 by mixing it with the pafte ', and cooks make their 
 meat tender with it. 
 
 The peafahts of Terrane are obliged to carry 
 every year from the great lake forty thoufand 
 quintals of nitre, which is inftead of a rent for the 
 lands they have fown. 
 
 The peafants about Nebide are charg'd likcwife 
 to bring from their lake thirty-two thoufand quin- 
 tals a year, at their own expence, to Damanchour. 
 Befides nitre, they gather in certain places of 
 the lakes ordinary white fait of a fine colour, 
 and they find likewife fal-gemmic, which is im- 
 ported in fmall pieces of a pyramidal figure, that 
 is to fay, fquare at the bale, and ending in a 
 point •, but this laft fait is only found in the fpring. 
 The matter of the fai-ammoniac is nothing but 
 foot, which they fcrape from their chimnies, 
 where they burn animals dung mix'd with ftraw. 
 Thefe clods impregnated with alcaline urinous 
 falts, give the foot a certain quality, which it 
 would never acquire from the fmoak of wood or 
 coal, a quality, however, abfolutely necelTary for 
 the produdion offal-ammoniac. 
 
 The vefTels which contain the matter nearly 
 refemble bombs, fmce they are large round glali 
 bottles, a foot and half in diameter, with a ne^k 
 two fingers long. They cover the infide of thefe 
 bottles with pinguious earth, and fill them with 
 foot to about four fingers breadth from the neck. 
 Vol. I. U which
 
 29^ Objervations upon Asia, 
 
 which remains empty and open. Into thefe veffets 
 are put about forty pounds of foot, which at the 
 end of the operation yields about fix pounds of 
 fal-ammqniac; and the foot of an excellent quality 
 fiirniflies above fix pounds, and others in propor- 
 tion. 
 
 Their furnaces, or ovens, are difpofed like ours, 
 except that their arches are opened by longitudinal 
 apertures, on each of which there are four bottles, 
 lb arranged, that the bottom of each bottle being 
 expofcd to the heat of the flame, the fides are 
 lodg'd in the thicknefsof the vault, and the neck of 
 the bottle is only exposed to the air j as for the reft 
 of the aperture it is w^ell cover'd, and luted. Each 
 of thefe furnaces contains fixteen bottles, and each 
 grand laboratory is compofed of eight furnaces, 
 difpos'd into two chambers, and confequently em- 
 ploys at once fix fcore of bottles. 
 
 In each furnace they keep up for three nights 
 and days a continual fire made of animals dung 
 mixed with ilraw. The furnace is deep, and the 
 fire diftant from the bottles, to avoid breaking them. 
 The firflday the grofs phlegm of the foot exhales, 
 by athickfmoak, riling from the neck of the bottle, 
 which remains open. Thefecondday the volatile falts 
 beino; exaled with thofe ofthealcahne kind, adhere 
 to the upper part of the bottle, whofe neck they 
 clofe up, by uniting and coagulating. The third 
 day the coagulation is continued, purified, and 
 perfe6ted ; after v/hich the operator makes a little 
 hole on the fide of each bottle, a Anger's breadth 
 beneath the neck, to fee if the matter be fufficient- 
 ]y prepar'd, and if there be nothing to evaporate. 
 After having well obferv'd this, he flops up the 
 liole with clay, and opens it from time to time to 
 les the progrcfs of the operat-ion. 
 
 When
 
 Al-RicA, i^W America. 291 
 
 When he fees it come to the defired perfcdion, h - 
 removes the fire, breaks the bottle,an(i throws awa/ 
 the alhes at the bottom, but keeps the white, round* 
 tranlparent mafs, of the thicknefs of three or four 
 fingers, fix*d and fufpended by the neck, and 
 which is called fal-ammoni^^c. Under this fal-am- 
 moniac is fixed a black crufl two or three fin- 
 gers thick, called aradi^ under which the aflies 
 remain at the bottom of the bottle •, they cafh 
 away the afhes, but keep the black crufl; in the 
 bottles. Of this crull is formed a fal-ammoniac, of 
 the whiteft colour and beil quality, which they 
 call mecarrar •, and this fait is dearer than the other. 
 
 In the two towns of Delta, adjacent to each 
 other, called Damanger, a league from the city of 
 Maflbure^ there are twenty-five great laboratories, 
 befides fom.e fmall ones, in which there are made 
 every year^ act lead, fifteen hundred, or two 
 thoufand quintals of fal-ammoniac. In the reft of 
 Egypt there are but three, two in Delta, and the 
 third in Cairo-, which produce yearly tv/enty or 
 thirty quintals of this fait. 
 
 The ufe of fal-ammoniac is v/ell knowh to the 
 tinners of copper vefiels ; to goldfmiths, 
 plumbers, and particularly to chymifts and phyfi- 
 cians. 
 
 Egypt abounds in marbles of different 
 kinds I the granate, or Theban marble, is maik'd 
 with feveral colours ; red prevails in f me, and 
 black in others. All thefe kinds of granate 
 marble are taken from the quarries of the higher 
 Egypt, near the Nile, between the firft catarafls, 
 and the city of AfTouan, formerly Syene. 
 
 The white and black marble are found on the north 
 of AfTouan, upon the eaftern borders of the Nile. 
 
 There are quarries of yellow, red, and black 
 marble, near the famous monaftery of St. An- 
 
 U 2 thony,
 
 :^()2 Obfei'ijatmis upon AsiA^ 
 
 thony, in the defart of the Thebaidc, at the wef- 
 tern foot of mount Golzim, in the plain of Araba, 
 feven or eight leagues from the red fea. 
 
 There were formerly quarries of thefe dif- 
 ferent marbles, and of porphyry, in certain 
 places of Egypt, and out of it ; but thefe are not 
 now to be found. The avarice and indolence of 
 the Turks have long ago made the ways to thefe 
 quarries quite forgotten, fince they ufe the ruins of 
 ancient buildings to fupply themfelves with marble. 
 Mount Sinai, and all the mountains which fur- 
 round it, are nothing but granate, as well as the 
 vallies and mountains, two days journey to the 
 north of Sinai. The mount of St. Catharine is of 
 the fined fort, and mixed with black veins, re- 
 fembling flirubs. 
 
 Towards AfTouan, betwixt the Nile and the 
 red fea, they cut out of the quarries a white 
 round flone called beram, of which they com- 
 monly make in all the Said, and at Cairo, kettles^ 
 and other kitchen utenfils. This flone bears the 
 fire, and when it happens to be broken, they very 
 neatly join the broken pieces by iron rivets, and 
 cement the joinings with powder of the fame 
 lione. 
 
 They find in the province of Fioum, for- 
 inerly Afinoite, a kind of little oblong flone, 
 of a brownifh c®lour, intermix'd with little yel- 
 low fpecks^ that are almoft imperceptible, which 
 is formed of a fand of the fame colour, in a plain 
 about two hundred paces long, and as many 
 broad. The natives call this the nut-flone, on ac- 
 count of its figure. 
 
 Two leagues to the call of Cairo, there is a 
 plain of fand called fabil-el-allam, covered with 
 pebbles, fome of which contain a kind of rough 
 diamonds. They break the flone, from whith 
 
 thfy
 
 Africa, and America^ 293 
 
 they take this little brilliant, of which, when cut 
 and polifh*d, they make rings and bracelets. 
 
 The chicken oven is a ftru6ture buried in the 
 earth, and like a dormitory ; the alley which is in 
 the middle, has four or five chambers on each 
 fide. 
 
 The entrance of the alley is very low, and nar- 
 row, and is ilopped with tow, to preferve a c6n.T 
 tinual heat through the whole furnace. 
 
 The breadth of thefe chambers is about four or 
 five feet, and their length three times as much. 
 Thefe chambers have two ftories ; that below is 
 even with the ground ; and that above has a floor, 
 wherein there is an opening in the middle, and the 
 roof is arched, and aifo open, 
 
 Inftead of a door, each ftory has afmall window 
 a foot and a half in circumference. 
 
 The lower ftory is filled with four or five thou- 
 fand eggs, and perhaps more j for the profits of the 
 undertaker, are in proportion to the nurnber •, be- 
 fides, fuch a multitude of eggs contributes to pre- 
 ferve the heat, which communicates itfelf to them 
 all thus heaped upon each other. 
 
 The higher ftory is for the fire, which is lighted 
 for eight days, but is not kept continnally burn 
 ing ; for in this cafe the heat would be exceflive 
 and hurtful. They light it only for an hour in the 
 morning, and as long in the evening, which 
 they call the dinner and fupper of the chickens. 
 This fire is made of cows dung, or that of other 
 animals dried and mix'd with ftraw, but they ex- 
 clude wood and coal, which would make too 
 ftrong a fire. 
 
 The fmoak is difcharged thro' the aperture of 
 the higher ftory \ but it is to be obferved, that 
 while it remains open, they ftop the little window 
 of the lower ftory with tow, and the round hotc 
 
 U 3 qf
 
 2 94" Obfervationi upon A s i a , 
 
 of the arch, that the heat may communicatG it- 
 j'elf by the opening of the floor to the lower ftorj^ 
 where the eggs are depofited. 
 
 After the eighth day the fcene is changed, fince 
 they extinguifli the fire •, and the ftory where it 
 was being empty, is filled with a part of the eggs 
 which are taken from below, to give them more 
 room, and diflribute them equally in the two (lo- 
 ries \ the doors or little windows of thefe two (lo- 
 ries which had been open are clofed, and they half 
 open the hole of the arch, to let in air. 
 
 This condition of the eggs without fire is afTifled 
 only by a heat which is moderate, and concentrat- 
 ed for thirteen days, which added to the former 
 eight, make twenty one. It is about the eigh- 
 teenth day, that a vivifying fpirit begins to ac- 
 tuate the v/hite of the egg, and the chick is already ^ 
 formed, fo evidently, that through the fhell 
 we fee it move, and nourifh itfelf with the yolk, 
 which it fucks in by the navel. 
 
 Two days after, viz. on the twentieth, the chicken 
 applies its beak to the fhell, and breaks it, upon 
 which the manager with his nail, enlarges a little 
 the breach, to afTift the weak efforts of the chicken. 
 On the twenty-firfl at noon, or the twenty-fe- 
 cond in the morning, all the fhells are broken, 
 and an army of little birds are feen to difengage 
 themfelves from their prifons, which is a charming 
 fpedacle. Eight chambers, but yeflerday, ap- 
 peared covered with inanimate fhells, and to-day 
 are filled with almofl fo many living birds ; I fa)^- 
 almoft, for the number of eggs always exceeds 
 that of chickens. 
 
 The m.anager will but anfwer for two^thirds of 
 the eggs, fo that the undertaker putting, for eXr. 
 ample, fix thoufand eggs into the hands of the 
 manager, requires from him no more than four, . 
 
 thoufand
 
 Africa, ^;?^ America. 295 
 
 xlioufand chickens at the end of the operation. 
 The reft are left to chance, and ahiioft one third 
 .of them generally perifhes. 
 
 But as it often happens, that the eggs fucceed 
 beyond cxpe(5lation, all the profit does not go to 
 the manager, lince the undertaker has a large Ihare 
 ■of it. The manager is obliged to reftore h'im for 
 fix medins every hundred chickens hatched beyond 
 the two thirds ; and we are to remark, that the 
 undertaker will fell the hundred chickens at leafl: 
 for thirty medins. 
 
 What feems furprifing is, that in the great 
 number of men, who inhabit Egypt, where there 
 are three or four hundred ovens, there are none but 
 the inhabitants of the village Berme, fituated 
 in Delta, who have the hereditary ind-uftry to make 
 thefe ovens, fmce the other Egyptians are entirely 
 ignorant of them. 
 
 They only work in thefe ovens for fix months^ 
 during autumn and winter, becaufc the fpring 
 and fummer are too hot, and contrary to this la- 
 bour. 
 
 When therefore the autumn approaches, we 
 may fee three or four hundred Ber means quit their 
 habitations, and fet out, in order to take on them 
 the diredion of the furnaces that arc built in feve- 
 ral villages of the kingdom. 
 
 They are neceflarily employed in this labour, 
 becaufe they are the only perfons who have tlie 
 knowledge of the art ; whether they have the 
 cunning to keep the fecret, or whether no other 
 Egyptian cares to give himfclf the trouble to learn 
 and exercife it, can hardly be determined. 
 
 The diredors of thefe chicken ovens are main- 
 tained by th^ undertaker, have forty or fifty 
 crowns falary, and are obliged to pick the eggs 
 brought to them, that none may be ufed but 
 
 U 4 fuC4
 
 2gS Obfef-caticns upon, Asia, 
 
 /uch as they think proper for the purpofe. They: 
 further engage to watch night and day, to fliift the 
 ieggs continually, and keep up the degree of heat 
 proper for this operation, fince eyer fo fmall a 
 degree either of heat or cold, more than is fuffi- 
 cient, would fpoil the whole. 
 
 Notwithllanding all the care and diligence of 
 
 - the manager, it cannot happen, but that in fo 
 great a quantity of eggs heaped on each other in 
 the furnace, there muil be feveral which do not an- 
 fwer ; but a flcilful operator knows how to indem- 
 nify himfelf from this aifafter •, for in this cafe he 
 preferves the yolks of fuch eggs as are otherwife 
 ufelefs, and with them feeds feveral hundred chic- 
 kens, which he brings up, and fattens in a fepSrate 
 place macie for that purpofe. When they are fat 
 and flrong, he fells them, and faithfully divides 
 the profit with the undertaker. 
 
 Each furnace has tv/ency or twenty-five villages 
 
 ' -which ufe it in particular. The inhabitants of thefe 
 villages are obliged, by order of the bafhaw, and 
 the fuperior tribunal of juflice, to carry all their 
 eggs to the furnace that is afTigned to them j and 
 they are forbidden to carry them elfcwhere, or to 
 fell them to any one, wrAds to the lord of the 
 place, or the inhabitants of the villages which are 
 of the fame diftrid, by which method it is eafy 
 to comprehend, that the furnaces cannot want em- 
 ployment. 
 
 The lords have yearly by thefe chicken ovens, 
 of which they are mafhers, fifteen or twenty thou- 
 fand chickens, which coft them nothing. Tbey 
 diilribute them to the inhabitants of their Iprd- 
 fhips, on condition that the half of the profit, 
 that is to fay, the vaffal who has received four; 
 hundred chickens from his lord, muft refiore him 
 two hundred, or an ec^uivalent in money. 
 
 Thefe
 
 Africa, and America. 297 
 
 Thefe diredlors of the ovens being aflced if their 
 art would fucceed in France,^ affirmed, that they 
 did not doubt it ; and that it would be eafy for 
 them to diredl thefe ovens in fuch a manner, that 
 the difference of the climate fliould prove no ob- 
 flacle to the operation. 
 
 Near Terrane, a village fituated upon the 
 banks of the Nile, we find the great fea of the de- 
 fart, which the Arabians call * Bharbelama, be- 
 caufe it is a fea without water. 
 
 As we advance into this plain, or lake without 
 water, the bottom is deeply hollowed, and in cer- 
 tain places feems, as it were, loft in an abyfs, 
 after which the ground or bottom rifes, and extends 
 itfelf in large canals, which terminate in other ca- 
 vities and abyfles ; fo that nothing more refembles 
 a dried lake, than thofe hollow places ; for on 
 the ridge of the plain, and at the brink of thefe 
 vaft ditches, we fee here and there nrjafts laid on 
 the ground, with pieces of wood which feem to 
 come froni the yvrecks of ihips ; but if wc 
 touch them, what appeared wood, whether in- 
 tire mails or broken planks, is found to be 
 flone ; a change which can only be attributed to 
 the nitre, with which the foil abounds. There are 
 above one hundred and fifty of thefe petrified 
 maffs ; and we find many as we advance farther. 
 
 The change of wood into ftone is not the 
 greateft prodigy found in the plain of Bhar- 
 belama, fmce the fand there is alfo converted 
 into the eagle-ilone, which is found in a great 
 number of places, two or three fingers breadth, 
 below the ground \ and in little quarries or mines 
 fome paces long and broad, about half a mile 
 diftant from each other. The earth fends out from 
 its bofom a kind of metalic fubftance, which fer- 
 nients with the burning fand, and in fermenting 
 
 aflumes 
 * Others call it Baharbalaama.
 
 298 Objervatiom upon Asia, 
 
 alTumes a fortuitous round figure, and takes up 
 the neighbouring fand, which is larger ; after this, 
 it is gradually baked, hardened, and becomes 
 black by the heat of the fun. In this manner is 
 .formed that hollow, founding, fliaggy ftone, 
 which is called the eagle-ilone. 
 
 It is to be obferved, that all the aerites, or 
 eagle-ftones are not naturally black, fince fome 
 are of a violet, yellow, or cineritious colour, i he 
 aerite in the mine has three qualities, which it lofes 
 when out of it. It is tender and brittle as an egg, 
 mute, and without found *, and is of a fpright- 
 jy and deep colour, but after having been expofed 
 to the air, it is hardened by degrees like coral. 
 The clay in its cavity being dried gradually takes 
 up lefs fpace, and confequently founds, when it is 
 fhaken •, its yellowifh or violet colour grows brown, 
 and darker than it Vv^as before. 
 
 The goodnefs of the mine is known by the fol- 
 lowing obfervation. If the earth you rake is hot, 
 and variegated with different colours, then the 
 eagle-ilones are excellent, and found in great plen- 
 ty. On the contrary, if the clay be dry, cold, 
 , and of an uniform colour, you will meet with few 
 or none cbnfiderable. 
 
 The ancient naturalifts have related abundance 
 of fables about the eagle-ftone, fome having ima- 
 gined a kind of propagation in it. The eagle- 
 ftone is called by the Arabians mafkee \ that is to 
 fay, containing •, probably becaufe it contains in 
 its cavity a kind of grave], which being dried, 
 and loofe on all fides, renders the flone founding 
 whea it is fhaken ; but it is not cfTential to thi§ 
 flone to have cavities. 
 
 In the fame plain of Bharbelama, we find a great 
 heap of fand, which is called the hill of eagle-flones, 
 becaufe it is all covered with them, not in little 
 
 pebbles
 
 Africa, and America. 299 
 
 pebbles, but with rocks of the fame fubflance as 
 ikt fniall eagle-ilones, this only excepted, that the 
 pieces are not hollow. 
 
 CHAP. XXX, 
 
 Of the different kinds of fijlmig in Egypt y of 
 the birds of the Nile 3 of the fea-horfes and 
 crocodiles, 
 
 ^TOne but the merchants of Damiette and Ro- 
 \ fette tranfport to the coafts of Syria the 
 falt-iifli of Egypt ; and only the inhabitants 
 of the banks of the lake of Manzale, Brulos, and 
 Beheire, furnifh the falt-fifh, exported from the 
 kingdom, fince the inhabitants of the banks of 
 other lakes fell only frefh fifh, which they difpofe 
 of on the fpot. 
 
 The lake of Manzale begins on the eaft, half 
 a league from Damiette, formerly called Thami- 
 athis, and ends at the caftle Thine, formerly^ 
 Pelufium. It is twenty-two leagues from eaft 
 to weft, and five or fix broad from north to 
 fouth, and has a bottom which is muddy, and' 
 full of herbs. It is but four feet deep, or there- 
 abouts, in any place, and is only feparated from 
 the fea, by a bed of fand, which at moft is bat a 
 league broad, which however does not hinder the 
 lake from having a communication with the fea, 
 which it has to the north by three mouths, viz. 
 that of Thine, which is the moft eaftcrn, called 
 formerly the Pelufian moi.th of the Nile; by 
 Eumme Furrege, formerly called the Tanitic ; 
 and by Dibe, or Pefquiene, formerly Menden- 
 ;iefia. 
 
 Be>
 
 3 GO Obfervatiom upon AsiA^ 
 
 Befides this communication with the Tea, the 
 Nile falls into the lalce by feveral channels to the 
 fouth, for which reafon diiring two or three 
 moiitns of the year, that is to fay, during the 
 fummer, which is the time of the overflowing of 
 the Nile, the waters of the lake Manzale are 
 fweet, whereas in the other nine months of the 
 year they are fait, and refemble the water of the 
 fea. This is not furpriling •, for then the channels 
 of the Nile are either dry, or fo empty of water, 
 tiiat very little runs thro' them into the lake. 
 
 The lake of Brulos, which is fifteen or eighteen 
 leagues long, and four or five broad, is ficuated 
 tecween Damiette and Rofette. 
 
 The lake of Eebeire, which is at moft but ^zvtn 
 leagues in circumference, is fituated between Ro- 
 fette and Alexandria. 
 
 Every one has not the liberty of filhing, fince 
 this right is confined to two thoufand, each of 
 y/hom pays about forty (hillings to the aga of the 
 lake, who accounts for it to the bafhaw. of Cair 
 ro. This is not all, fince every third part of the 
 lifh, frefh or fait, belongs to the royal treafury, 
 and they pay for the reft certain duties, lo that the 
 whole amounts to eighty purfes a year, and the 
 lake of M^nzale alone brings in forty thoufand 
 crowns a year to the Grand Signior. 
 
 It is furprifing to fee the quantity of boats, that 
 are continually employed in fifhing on the Man- 
 zale, fince there are no lefs than a thoufand of 
 them, which are only four fathoms long, and one 
 broad, flat bottom' d, and pointed at the Hem and 
 flern. 
 
 Their manner of fifliing is Angular, and divert- 
 ing, fince the fifhermen make an inclofure com- 
 posed of ruflies, which they plant in the lake, to 
 cgtch and intangle the fifb, and then furround it 
 ' v^uth
 
 Africa, and America.^ 3of 
 
 With their nets, and each fifher is proprietor of one, 
 or more of thefe inclofures. 
 
 Sometimes they are contented to fifh v/ith a 
 round net ; in which cafe, before they ufe it they 
 throw into the water, ten or twelve paces from 
 them, a rope of two fathoms length, that has at 
 one end a large (lone proper to fmk it to the bot- 
 tom, and at the other a piece of wood, which 
 floats on the furface ; they then cover it with the 
 net, while the fifh, which flock to the flione as to 
 a prey, are taken in it. 
 
 'Tis to be obferv'd, that the lake Manzale is 
 full of little iflands covered with reeds, rufhes, and 
 cops. To thefe iflands the fifiiermen carry their 
 fifh, when they want to cut up, fait, and barrel 
 them, but for fuch as they defign to fell frefh, 
 they carry them^ to Damiette, or to the towns 
 or cities about the lake. Thefe iflands are 
 charming, on account of the multitude of birds 
 of different colours, and furpriflng beauty, and 
 which only fly from one ifland to another. The 
 pelican, the rice-hen, the water-hen, the coot, 
 the Nile-goofe, the common duck, the green 
 headed duck, the teal, the black ibis, the 
 black and white ibis, the grey and white cormo- 
 rant, the white cormorant with a red bill, the 
 chevalier, the dipper, and the crane, with fevcral 
 other birds, are there found in great numbers. 
 
 The fifliermen only wear a pair of drawers, and 
 have the refl: of the body entirely naked. 
 
 The fifh taken in thefe three lakes may be re- 
 duced to feven or eight forts, to wit, the queiage, 
 the deaf fifli, the jamal, the geran, the noqt, the 
 karous, the mullet;, &d the dolphin. 
 
 The queiage, which is the belt fifh in the laTce, 
 is of the fizc of a fhad, and green under the 
 mouth. The deaf fifh and the jamal are much 
 
 larger 
 
 2
 
 302 Ohfcrvatiom upon A s i A , 
 
 larger than the qiieiage, and are excellent fifh. 
 The geran, the karous, and the noqt, which ha^ 
 this particular, that it is fpeckled, may pafs for 
 good fifh, having an exquifitely fine tafle, which 
 the waters of the lake Manzale give to all the 
 fifh that are in it. The dolphins fwarm in this 
 lake, efpecially towards the mouth, v/hich com- 
 municates with the fea, and the mullets are Hill 
 more numerous than the dolphins. 
 <-- They fait both the male and female mullet, 
 and dry it either in the fun, or in fmoak, with 
 this difference only, that they fometimes fell- male 
 mullets frefh, buc never the female, becaufe as 
 foon as they have made their dmught, they take 
 out the roes, which renders them unfit for fale, 
 fo that they are obliged to fait them. 
 
 They alfo fait the queiage, and thefe with 
 their roes are the only fpecies of fait fifh in which 
 the Egyptians trade. They tranfport all thefe 
 fpices into Syria, Cyprus, and Conflantino- 
 pie \ and furnifh Egypt with [a fuificicnt quan- 
 tity. 
 
 In Egypt we find no fait fifh imported, except 
 the carier, which comes from the black fea. 
 - The Egyptian?, in exchange for their fifh, 
 bring other commodities from Cyprus, fuch as 
 carob-bean, laudanum, and wine ^ from Syria, 
 cotton and tobacco •, from the Archipelago, 
 iponges •, and from the red fea incenfe, coffee, and 
 Indian fluffs. When European merchants bring 
 yellow amber and coral, the Egyptian merchants 
 buy thefe goods to tranfport them to Cairo-> and 
 thence into Jemen and Ethigpia. . / 
 
 In this country frefh fifh is very plentiful, and the 
 common food of thofe who live about the lakes* 
 The heat of the climate is the reafon why they can- 
 not traafport them, as they do in Europe, even to 
 
 places
 
 Africa, aitd America. 303 
 
 places at a fmali diftance. The inhabitants of Cairo 
 eat no frefh filli, except thofe catched in the Nile, 
 which generally have neither a good tafte nor a 
 falutary quality, becaufe the bottom of the Nile is 
 full of mud, on which the filh feed, and acquire 
 from it a bad fmell and relifh. Such are the boul- 
 tis, a kind of carpe, the bauri, the bayard, the 
 chalbe, the thorn-back, the chilon, the lebis, the 
 fhad, which are the principal fifh of the Nile, and 
 which none but the inhabitants of Cairo would eat. 
 
 But yet there are in the Nile four kinds of fillies * 
 of fo cxquifite a tafte and goodnefs, that formerly 
 the Egyptians built temples and cities which they 
 confecrated to their names. The fifhes of this kind 
 are the yariole, the quechoue, the bunni, and the 
 quarmond. 
 
 The variole is of a prodigious fize, and weighs 
 a hundred, and fometimes two hundred pounds. 
 
 The quechoue is of the fize of a fhad, and has a 
 very fharp fnout *, and this is the oxirinchus of the 
 ancients. 
 
 The bunni is pretty large, weighs twenty or 
 thirty pounds, and is the lepidolus fo much ex- 
 tolled by the ancient Egyptians. 
 
 The quarmond, known in authors by the name 
 of phayob, is black, one of the moft voracious 
 fifhes, and fometimes as large as the bunni. 
 
 Befides, thefe fifhes arc never out of feafon, but 
 are found in plenty throughout the year in the Nile. 
 We muft add, that they are eafily caught, fince 
 notwithflanding their fize, they are taken with a 
 common net, as frefh water fifh in Europe. 
 
 The Egyptians might take both lea and river 
 birds; fuch as ducks, dippers, &c. with which 
 the Nile is often covered -, but they are particu- 
 larly fond of catching ducks. For this purpofe. 
 the fifherman in the night goes into the water, up. 
 
 to
 
 '504 Obfervafiom upon ASiA,' 
 
 to the chin, having a black bonnet on his hea^^ 
 gently approaches the fowls, and when he is near 
 enough, fuddenly throws a net over them. 
 
 On the Nile there are two forts of birds found 
 in a furprizing quantity^ fome of which are com- 
 mon, and well known in Europe -, as the flaman, 
 the ftockdove, the curlieu, ' the curlieu with his bill 
 turned upwards, the heroft with a crooked bilU 
 the pelican, the crane, the fnipe, the plover, the buf- 
 tard, the teal, the green headed duck, the fca 
 duck, the cormorant, the dipper, &c. But the 
 Egyptians do not go a fowling, and the country 
 people only take ducks and coots, in gins, in 
 the fame manner as they do the pelicans, but 
 leave the other birds to multiply without inter- 
 ruption. 
 
 The ibis, the goofe with golden feathers, the 
 rice or Diamette henj the faq-faq, known former- 
 ly by the name of trochilus, are properly birds of 
 the Nile j and if there are any of them elfewhere, 
 as in the lake of Manzale, they originally came 
 from the Nile. 
 
 No animals in the Nile, except fea-horfes and 
 crocodiles, can properly be called monfters ; the 
 former are very common in the Upper-Egypt, 
 efpecially towards the catarads of the Nile, tho' 
 they are feldom feen about Cairo or in the Lower- 
 Egypt. Thefe animals fo feldom go in troops, 
 that it is a rarity to fee two of them together 5 
 befides, they are fo timorous and fwift that no- 
 body attempts to catch them, either by ftratagem 
 or otherwife. 
 
 But this is not the cafe with refpecl to croco^ 
 diles, which may be taken two ways •, the firfl of 
 which is entirely fimple. They take the pluck 
 of a cow, or a buffalo, or any other animal, 
 and thro* the bait they pafs a hook, to which they 
 
 tie
 
 Africa, a?id America. 30c 
 
 •tie a long cord, one end of which is fixed on tlie 
 fhore, while the other, to which the bait is fixed, 
 is thrown into the Nile. As it fwims on the fur- 
 face the crocodile catches ac it, and fvvallows the 
 hook, after which the fiflierman draws his line, 
 and brings the crocodile to lliore, where the Ara- 
 bians, who are ufed to fuch exercifes, kill him. 
 
 The ocher method is more dangerous, fince they 
 watch the crocodile, when he is on land and fleeps 
 extended on fome hillock of flmd, upon which occa- 
 fion one of them fteals fofcly behind the bank ; 
 and when he is near enough he darts into his bread 
 or belly a piece of wood armed with a harpoon, 
 which is faftened to a long rope. Upon this the 
 crocodile being wounded, runs to plunge himfelf 
 in the Nile, and drags with him the inflrument, but 
 the fifherman follows him, feizes the cord, 
 draws it, and brings the monfter to the fide, where 
 he kills him ; and in the fame manner the por- 
 poifes are caught. 
 
 The fiefh of the crocodile is white, fat, and ex- 
 quifite 'food when young. The females never lay 
 their eggs but on the fands ♦, and it is remarkable, 
 that their young come no iboner out of the fhell, 
 than they have ftrength to run with great 
 fwiftnefs towards the Nile, the care of the mother 
 not being necelTary either to defend the offspring, 
 or prevent their being taken. 
 
 The crocodiles grow very faft, and are com- 
 monly twenty or twenty-five feet long. Plutarch 
 fays they live but forty years, tho' the Arabians, 
 who know them better, fay, that feme of them live 
 a hundred. 
 
 Vol. L X CHAP.
 
 3o6 Obfervatiom uj>o?t Asia,' 
 
 CHAP. XXXI. 
 
 Of the tree which bears wad ; cf the pepper^. 
 a)id lace a tree ; of the wax produced by wild 
 laurel trees. 
 
 THE tree which bears wad, or that kind of 
 fine cotton ufed to fluff cufhions, night- 
 gowns/ waiflcoats, counterpanes, &:c. grows fpon- 
 taneoufly, and without any cultivation, and the 
 inhabitants of Siam,who have much of it, call it tonn- 
 ghiou. There are two fpecies of tlie wad-tree, the 
 greater and the fmaller •, the former, which is alfo 
 of two forts, refembles a nut-tree in its form, and 
 the difpofition of its branches, tho' the trunk is 
 generally higher and ilraiter, almoil like that 
 of the oak. The bark, in certain places, abounds 
 with fhort prickles, which are broad at the bafe, 
 regularly difpofed, and very near each other. The 
 leaves equally refemble thofe of the nut and chef- 
 nut-tree, fmce they always grow five and five^ 
 and their pedicles,, which are very fliort, unite in a 
 fixth common pedicle^ wh-ich is often more than a 
 foot long. The flower is of the form and fize of 
 a moderate tulip •, but its leaves are thicker, and 
 covered with a kind of rough down. The calix, 
 which contains them below, is thick, and of a clear 
 green intermixed with points of black ; and in the 
 form of that of the nut-tree, with this difference, 
 that it is not denticulated above, except in three 
 places. 
 
 This defcription is common to the two fpecies 
 of the large wad-trees, tho' they differ in the fol- 
 lowing particulars. Some bear the flov/er before 
 
 I the
 
 Africa, ^W America. 307 
 
 he leaf, and others the leaf before the flower. 
 The former are more prickly, and fuller of branches 
 than the latter^ bearing flowers of a citron- colour, 
 which are foft to the touch ; wkea'eas the others 
 are rough, and of a deep red within, but pale and 
 yellow illi without. In each there arifes from the 
 bottom of the flower a number of filaments with 
 little buds, which are in a greater or lefs number, 
 but divided into four little cluflers, confiiling of 
 ten buds each, and ^placed at the bottom of the 
 flower. Between the leaves and thefe, there is a 
 fifth, compofed of fixteen of ^thefe buds, in the 
 midil of which there is a piftil a little opened 
 at the top. In the others the buds are n:iuch 
 more numerous, tho' without order or diflindtion, 
 and as for the fruit, or rather the cafe which contains 
 the wad, it is of an oblong figure, and refembles 
 thofe angular banana figs, which the Portugucfe 
 call figos carocas. 
 
 The wad-treeof the fecond, or rather third fpecies, 
 is much lefs than the other two. Its trunk and 
 branches refemble ihofe of the Egyptian thorn, and 
 its leaves are of a moderate fize, of an oval figure, 
 terminated in a point, and covered on both fides 
 with a down that is very foft to the touch. The 
 principal iibres which fhoot from the midft of the 
 leaf, are very di(tin(5l, and well ranged 5 and the 
 hufl<s which inclofe the wad are compofed of two 
 tubes, terminated in points at each extremity, 
 joined together, commonly nine or ten inches long, 
 and as thick as a man's little finger; but fome of 
 them are more than a foot long. When they are 
 broken green, they difcharge a very white gluti- 
 nous milk, and within them, when well prefled, 
 we find the wad, with feveral yellow pippins of an 
 oblong figure Thefe hufl^s hang upon woody 
 
 X 2 pedicieSj
 
 308 Ohfervations upon Asia, 
 
 pedicles, which are only the continuations of the 
 branches, which form their five little foliages on 
 their furface. 
 
 Let us now proceed to the pepper-tree, which 
 is a fcandent fhrub, and requires a fupport, for 
 which reafon it is generally planted at the foot of 
 fome tree, about which it may twine : for this pur- 
 pofe they make ufe in Siam of a little prickly tree ; 
 or elfe fix near it rods, as they do in Europe 
 among French beans. It's flem has knots like 
 thofe of the vine, and the wood itfelf, when dry 
 pretty much refembles vine twigs, except in the 
 tafte, which is very fharp. This ftem fends out 
 on all fides a quantity of branches, which adhere 
 to every thing they can reach, and the leaf when 
 the tree is young is of an equable faint green, which 
 becomes deeper as the tree grows older, tho' the 
 leaf always preferves a faint colour on the upper 
 fide •, its figure is oval, but towards its extremity 
 it diminifhes, and ends in a point. It has fix little 
 ramifications which fpread from the middle, and 
 are fo incurvated towards the bottom, and joined 
 near the top in'fuch a manner as to form three ovals, 
 tho' only five of thefe ramifications are to be dif- 
 tinguifhed. Thefe ramifications communicate with 
 each other by a congeries of pretty large fibres, and 
 the greatefl leaves are about fix inches long. They 
 have a pungent tafle, and the feeds before their 
 maturity are green, and fix'd in a calix without a 
 pedicle. They are of the form and bignefs of a 
 large muiket ball, and the pepper, altho' green, is 
 very ftrong; this tree bears but little at a time, 
 fo that hardly feven or eight ounces can be obtain- 
 ed from it. 
 
 As for the lacca, it is principally found at La- 
 hos, and at Camboye, adhering to two different 
 
 kinds
 
 Africa, ^;/^/ America. 309 
 
 kinds of trees, and certain red infecls nearly 'refem- 
 biing ants, produce it much after the manner in 
 which bees make honey, by forming little cells 
 like honey-combs. Some imagine the lacca is form- 
 ed of the excrements of thefe infecSts, while others 
 afTert, that it is found about certain (h: ubs four or 
 five feet high, whofe trunks are not above an inch or 
 an inch and a half in diameter ; that it is gene- 
 rated by a fpecies of dew, which falls every year 
 in the months of June and July ^ and that certain 
 red ants, fond of this dew, foon cover thofc trees 
 with it. Thefe two accounts, feemingly fo difFx:- 
 rent, may, in my opinion, be reconciled, it we 
 fuppofe, that thefe infed:3 or red ants do not of 
 this dew produce the lacca, which is a kind of 
 dregs, as wax is in regard of honey, but that juice 
 which is extracted from it, and ferves for thofe 
 red dyes that are fo much efteemed •, and that with 
 regard to lacca, they yield it cither by their own 
 excrements which they mix with the dew, or with 
 the duft of certain flowers, or other terreftrial mat- 
 ter, which they perhaps gather like bees, nature 
 having always an uniformity in her produ^li- 
 ons. 
 
 The i(land*= fituated betv/een Acadia and New- 
 England, are furrounded with wild laurels, 
 which in autumn bear feeds not unlike thofe of the 
 juniper. They fill cauldrons with them, and boil 
 them in water-, in confequence of which the virgin 
 wax fwims at the top, in proportion as the water 
 boils. From half a fextier of thefe feeds they ob- 
 tain near four pounds of Wax, which tho' very pure 
 and beautiful, is neither foft nor yielding. After 
 fome trial it has been found, that by mixing with it 
 an equal quantity of the fuet, either of beef, mutton, 
 or lamb, they may make fine wax-candles, which arc 
 no lefs firm than ufeful. With twenty-four 
 
 X 3 pounds
 
 jio Olfervatmn upon Asia^ 
 
 pounds of wax, they can make two Hundred 
 candles above a foot long. There is fuch a num- 
 ber of thefe laurels in the woods, and on the fliores 
 of the fea, that a fmgle perfon may in a day eafi- 
 ]y cr ather tv/o fextiers of thefe feeds, which hang 
 in cluilers on the branches of the trees. 
 
 CHAP. XXXII. 
 
 Of the fa-vnge Natches^ their religion^ laws^ 
 afjemblies^ a7id fejiiijah ; form of their go- 
 "vemme^tt -, ceremonies of their marriages and 
 ftmerah ; their manner of carrying on war ; 
 their marches^ encampments^ and method of 
 entertaini?ig the amhaffadcrs who CG7ne to treat 
 of peace. 
 
 T'* HE favage Natches live on the right of the 
 river MifTiffippi, about a hundred leagues 
 from its mouth, and are the only people on that 
 continent who feem to have a national religion, 
 "which in a good many refpedts refembles that of 
 |;he ancient Romans. They have a temple full of 
 fuch idols as reprefent the different figures of thofe 
 men and anim.als for whom they have the pro- 
 ioundefl veneration. Their temple is about ar| 
 hundred feet in circum.ference, has a door four 
 feet high and three broad, but is without any win- 
 dows. The roof of the edifice is covered with 
 three matts laid over each other, to hinder 
 the rain from hurl ins; the walls. On the bat- 
 tiement are three wooden eagles, painted red, yel- 
 I0W5 and white, and before the door is a fort of 
 
 ihed.
 
 Africa, and Am-ericaI 311 
 
 'Ihed, where the guardian of the temple lodges, and 
 round the whole there are palifades, on the points 
 of which they fix the heads of thole whom they 
 have made captives in war. 
 
 Within the temple there are llielves placed at a 
 proper diflance from each other, on which are 
 placed oval bafl^ets made of reeds, wherein are in- 
 cluded the bones of their deceafed chiefs, and 
 near them thofe of the vi6lims who have deftroyed 
 themfelves to follow their maflers into the other 
 world. Upon another Ihelf are feveral baflcets ele- 
 gantly painted, and us'd as repofitories for their 
 idols. 
 
 In this temple they preferve a perpetual fire, and 
 take care to prevent its flaming, for which reafon they 
 only ufe the dry wood of the nut-tree, or the oak, 
 and the elders are obliged in their turns to bring a 
 large billet into the inclofure of the palifade. 
 The number of guardians for the temple is fixed, 
 and they fcrve quarterly, fo that he who is upon du- 
 ty is like a centinel under the Hied, from whence 
 he {gcs whether the lire is in danger of going out, 
 and keeps it in by two or three great logs, which 
 hum only at the extremity, and are never put up- 
 on each other, to prevent the flaming. 
 
 None of the women, except the fillers of the 
 ^reat chief, have the liberty of entering into the 
 temple, which is alfo forbidden to the vulgar, 
 even when they bring food for the|manes of their re- 
 lations, whofe bones are depofited in it Thefe aliments 
 are given to the guardian, who carries them to the 
 iide of the baflcet, v/here the bones are depofited ; 
 and this ceremony only lafts for 2 month, after 
 which the dillies are placed on the palifades, and 
 left to the wild beads. 
 
 The fun is the principal obje6t of their worfhip, 
 and their chief takes upon him the title of brother to 
 
 X 4 the
 
 3 1 a OhfervaizGns upon Asia, 
 
 the fun, and has a defpotic power over the people. 
 His cottage is built on an eminence, and is of the 
 fame figure with the temple. Every morning he 
 honours the levy of his elder brother, and falutes 
 him with feveral fliouts when he appears above the 
 horizon, after which he orders them to light his 
 great pipe, and makes an offering to him of the 
 three firft blafls ; then raifmg his hands above his 
 head, and turning from the eaft to the wefb, he 
 pretends to fhew him the courfe he is to fbeer. On 
 entering this cottage we fee feveral beds on the 
 left, but on the right only that of the grand chief, 
 adorned with feveral paintings. This bed is in- 
 clofed by a pal i fade of canes, is made of very 
 hard rufhes, and has only a fquare log of wood 
 which ferves for a pillov/. In the midfb of the 
 cottage we fee a fmall {lone, and none muft ap- 
 proach the bed till he has gone round this ftone. 
 Thofe who enter make their falutations by fhours, 
 ' and advance to the center of the hut, without 
 looking to the right, where the chief is ; after 
 which they make a fecond falutation, raifmg their 
 hands above their heads, and fhouting three times. 
 If it is a perfon whom the chief refpecls, he an- 
 fwers by a gentle figh, and makes him a fign to 
 fit down, on which occafion they thank him for 
 his politenefs, by another fhout. Upon each que- 
 ftion prcpos'd by the chief, they give a fliout be- 
 fore they anfwer ; and when they take leave they 
 give one continued fhout, till they are cut of his 
 prefence. 
 
 When the great chief dies, they pull down his 
 cottacye, and build another for his fuccelTor. The 
 Natches believe the foul's immortality, and fay, 
 when they leave this v;orld, they are going to in- 
 habit another, and be rewarded or punillied in it. 
 The rewards they expect confifl chiefly in feaftings, 
 
 and
 
 x^FRicA, ^;;c'/ America. 313 
 
 and their punifhment in the privation of all plea- 
 furcs. They fo impHcity obey the will of their 
 chief, that none of them dare refufe hinn his 
 head, if he demands it. One of their principal 
 articles of religion, efpccially among the domef- 
 tics of the chief, is to honour his funeral, by dying 
 with him, in order to ferve him in the other world, 
 where they hope to enjoy the mod exalted happi- 
 nefs in the retinue of their chief. 
 
 To form an idea of this flrange ceremony, we 
 mull confider, that as foon as the prefumptive 
 heir of the great chief is born, each family which 
 has a fucking child, mufl pay him homage, and 
 they chufc always among thefe children a certain 
 number, who are defigned for the fervice ot the 
 young prince ; and when they are of a competent 
 age, they give them an employm.ent adapted to 
 their talents Some of them pafs their lives either 
 in huntino; or finiinii for the fervice ot his table -, 
 others are employed in agriculture, and others only 
 wait upon him in publick. If he happens to die, 
 all his domeftics facrifice themfelves with pleafure 
 to follow fo dear a matter, put on their beft 
 cloaths, go to a place oppofite to the temple, 
 where the people are aflcmbied, and after having 
 danced and fung a long time, they put round their 
 necks a rope of oxes hair, with a noofe, and im/- 
 mediately the proper ofiicers ftrangle them, ex- 
 horting them all the time to meet their mailers 
 again, and take in the other world more honour- 
 able employments than thofe they have occupied 
 l:kere below. 
 
 The fame ceremony is alfo obferved on the death 
 of the brothers and fillers of the grand chief; and all 
 his wives fufrer themfelves to be ftrangled, that 
 they may follow him, unlefs they have chil- 
 dren at the brcafl, tho' fome of them feek for 
 p4- nur fes^
 
 514 Obfervaticns upon Asia," 
 
 nurfes, or ftrangle their children, not to lofe the 
 right of facrificing themielves. 
 
 The government is hereditary, tho' it is not the 
 fon of the reigning chief that fucceeds his fa- 
 ther, but the fon of his filler, or of the firft 
 princefs of the blood, which policy is founded on 
 the known incontinency of their wives •, for they 
 are not fure, fay they, that the children of their 
 wives are of the royal blood, whereas the fon of 
 the filler of the grand chief is at leail fo on the fide 
 of the mother. 
 
 The princeiles of the blood never marry any 
 but perfons of a low condition, and have only one 
 hufband ; but they have the liberty to divorce 
 him when they pleafe, and chufe another in the 
 nation, provided he is not of the fame family. If 
 the hufband is unfaithful to the marriage-bed, the 
 Drincefs immediately orders his brains to be knock- 
 ed out, but fhe is not fubjed to the fame law \ for 
 fhe may have as many lovers as fhe pleafes, with- 
 out the hulband daring to mutter one word -, in 
 her prefence he behaves v/ith the higheft refpecl, 
 never eats with her, and falutes her with fhouts, as 
 all her domeftics do, fo that the only pleafure he 
 enioys, is to be exempted from labour. 
 
 The great chief nominates perfons to all the 
 confiderable employments offlate > fuch as gene- 
 rals j the two m.afters of ceremonies in the temples ; 
 the other two officers who prefide over the cere- 
 inonies obfcrved when (Irangers come to treat of 
 peace -, the infpeclor of ail public works •, four 
 others appointed to regulate the feafts in which the 
 nation, and thofe ilrangcrs who come to vific 
 them, are entertained. 
 
 Every year the people affembic to fow a vaft 
 field with Indian corn, beans, pumpkins, and 
 melons, and they meet in the fame manner to reap 
 
 thwn.
 
 Africa, ^7;:^■ America.' 315 
 
 them. Every fummer, towards the end of July, the 
 people afiemble by order of the grand chief, to 
 aflift at the greati^ feall, which continues three 
 days and three nights. Some bring game, and 
 others fill), on which occafion they dance ahnoft 
 perpetually. The great chief and his fifter are in 
 an elevated apartment, which is covered with 
 leaves, from whence they contemplate the joy of 
 their fubje(5ls. The princes and princefTes, and 
 thofe of diflinguilhed rank, are pretty near the 
 chief, to whom they pay their refpecSts and fub- 
 mifiions by a great number of ceremonies. 
 
 Nothing can be imagined fimpler than the ce- 
 remonies of their marriages ; for when a young 
 fellow intends to m.arry, he mufl fpeak to the fa- 
 ther of the girl, or elfe he being abfent or dead, 
 to the eideft brother : they agree for the price to 
 be paid in fkins or merchandize, and tho' a girl 
 has been a proflitute, they do not refufe her on 
 that account, provided they think that flie will 
 change her conduct when fhe is married. As for 
 the relations cf the girl, their only care is to in- 
 form themfelves whether the lover is a good hunter, 
 a flciltul warrior, or an excellent husbandman, 
 fince tliefe qualities confiderably diminifh the urice 
 of the girl. When the parties are agreed, the 
 bridegroom goes a hunting with his friends, and 
 when he has got as much game or fiCn as will re- 
 gale the two families, they goto the bride's houfe, 
 where the new married couple, who eat on the 
 fame plate, are particularly waited on. The repaft 
 being over, the new married man prefents a pipe 
 to the relations of his wife, and then to his own, 
 after which the company retires •, and the next day 
 the hufband leads his wife to his father's, where 
 they flay till the family has built them a cottage. 
 
 Their
 
 3 1 6 Ohjervafio?2s upon Asia, 
 
 Their l:iws permit the Natches to have as many 
 wives as they pleafe 3 but the coiumon people have 
 generally but one or two. The heads have more, 
 becaufe by the privilege of having their fields culti- 
 vated by the people without any wages, the number 
 of their wives is no burden to them. They content 
 themfelves with fending for the father of the girl 
 they have a mind to marry, and declare they rank 
 her with their other wives •, the marriage is thus at 
 onec compleated, and tho* they have feveral wives, 
 only two or three ftay in the cottage -, while the 
 others live with their parents, and their hul'bands vi- 
 fit them when they pleafe. 
 
 At certain times of the moon the favages do not 
 cohabit with their wives, and the men are fo little 
 inclined to jealr^ufy, that they fometimes lend a wife 
 to a friend, which indifference arifes from the liberty 
 they have of changing their wives when they pleafe, 
 tho' after a child is born, nothing but death can fe- 
 parate them. 
 
 When this nation makes a levy for a v/ar, the 
 chief of the party fixes two flandards, which are 
 two red poles adorned with plumes, arrows, and 
 axes of the fame colour, and thefe poles are full of 
 iron fpikes towards the quarter, on which they de- 
 fign to make war. Thofe who intend to enter into 
 the army, after having bedaubed them/elves with 
 feveral colours, come to harangue the general, 
 and this harangue confifbs in a thoufand protefta- 
 tions of fervice, by which they affure him they 
 are extremelv elad to learn under fo Ikilful a warrior, 
 the noble art of fcalping, and that lor his fake they 
 neither are afraid of hunger, nor the fatigues to 
 which they may be exposed. 
 
 When a competent number of foldiers prefenc 
 themfelves, he orders a certain potion prepar'd at 
 
 his
 
 Africa, and America. 317 
 
 his hoiife, which they call the medicine of v/ar, 
 and which is an emetic compos'd of a root, which 
 they boil in great cauldrons of water. Sometimes 
 . about three hundred of the foldiers fit round the 
 cauldron, and each has a large quantity of this 
 liquor given him, which they fwallow at one 
 draught, and vomit it up v/ith fuch violent efforts, 
 that they are heard at a confiderable diflance. 
 
 After this ceremony, the general fixes the day of 
 departure, that each may prepare necefTaiy provi- 
 fion for the campaign, during which interval the 
 foldiers repair evening and morning to the rendez- 
 vous, where, after dancing and recounting their ex- 
 ploits, they fmg the fong of death. 
 
 But thefe bravoes are fo fuperflitious, that after 
 all th^fe ceremonies, they flop their march all on a 
 ibdden, if they but hear a dog howl in a particular 
 manner. 
 
 In their expeditions they always march in files, 
 and four or five of the beft pioneers go about a quar- 
 ter of a league before the main body of the army, to 
 obferve the poflure and difpofition of the enemy. 
 They encamp every evening an hour before fun-fer, 
 and lye about a great fire, every o.^e having his 
 arms by him -, but before they encamp they take 
 care to difperfe twenty foldiers to the diflance of 
 half a league from the camp, to prevent their being 
 furprifed. They never place centinels in the night- 
 time ; but as foon as they have fupped, extinguifh 
 all the fires. They alfo fix on a fpot where they 
 - arc to rally, in cafe they fliould be attacked, and 
 routed in the night. 
 
 As the generals always carry along with them their 
 idols, or what they fcall their fpirits, carefully in- 
 clofed in fidn?, in the evening they hang them up 
 on a little red pole, which th'^y incline a litdc; that 
 
 ic
 
 3 1 8 Obfervation f upon Asia, 
 
 it may point to the enemy, and the foldiers before 
 they go to deep, with iheir ax in hand, pals one 
 after another dancing before thefe pretended fpirit.^, 
 and making great menaces towards the quarter of 
 their enemies. 
 
 When the army is confiderable, and enters the 
 enemy's country, they march in five or fix columns,- 
 and have many fpies -, and if they perceive that 
 their m^arch is difcovered, they commonly return^ 
 and only a fm.all company of about twenty, leparate 
 from the army, to furprife any ftragglers trom the 
 villages, and on their return they rejoice, on account 
 of the number of the Icalps they have brought with 
 them. If they have brought any flaves, they m.ake 
 them fmg and dance fome days before the temple ^ 
 after vv'hich they make a prefent of them to the 
 relations of thofe who have been killed in the war, 
 who weep during this ceremony, and drying up their 
 tears with the fcalps, pay great refpect to the foldiers 
 who have brought thefe Haves, whofe miferable 
 lot it is to be burnt. 
 
 The Natches, as all the other people of Loui- 
 fiana, diflinguifh by particular names thofe who have 
 killed a greater or a fmaller number of enemies^ 
 and to deferve the name of a great manflayer, a 
 peribn muft have taken ten flaves, or fcalped twen- 
 ty heads. Thofe who have made their firft fiave, 
 or fcalped their nrfl: head, do not for fome time after 
 their return, either lye with their w'ives, or eat any 
 fieili, but mufh live on fifli and broth for fix months.- 
 If they fhould neglect to keep this fad, they believe 
 the foul of him tliey have flain would deflroy them 
 by incantacion, that they fliould never m.ore gain any 
 more advanrages over their enemies, and that the 
 leafl: wounds would prove mortal. 
 
 Tiiey take great care, that the general fliould 
 never expofc hiS life in battle, and li he Ihould be 
 
 killed^
 
 . Africa, and America^ 319 
 
 killed, the heads of his party, and other principal 
 warriors are put to death at their return ;. but liich 
 examples never happen, by the precautions taken 
 to prevent this calamity. 
 
 This nation, as all others, has its phyficians, wha 
 are generally old men, vvhofe art confifts in feveral 
 pieces of legerdemain. They dance, fing, fmoke, 
 1 wallow the fumes of tobacco, and put themfelves 
 into fuch violent contorfions, that tho' they are quite 
 naked, and mud fuffer cold, their m.outh is always 
 full of froth. They have a little kind of bafl^et, 
 wherein they pretend to carry their fpirits, that is ro 
 fay, little roots of different kinds, the heads of 
 owls, little packets of wild beafts hair, fome ani- 
 mals teeth, feveral pebbles anci flones, with other 
 frivolous things, and pretend to fafl:, while they 
 cure the fick. 
 
 They feem perpetually to invoke what they have 
 got in the baflcet for the recovery of the patient, 
 and fome of them, have a certain root, which by its 
 fmell renders ferpents flupid, and lays them alleep. 
 After they have well rubbed their hands and body 
 with this root, they will hold thefe animals with- 
 out fearing their bite, which is mortal, while others 
 make an incifion with a flint in the part affccfled, 
 and fuck out all the blood they can ; and in fpit- 
 ing it out on a plate, they difcharge along with ic 
 a little piece of wood, or Rraw, or leather, which 
 they had concealed under their tongue, and then 
 defiring the relations of the patient to take notice 
 of it •, behold, fiiy they, the caufe of the diforder. 
 Thefe phyficians are always paid beforehand ; and 
 if the patient recovers, their profit is confiderable •, 
 but if he dies, they are fure to have their brains 
 beat out by the relations or friends of the deceafed. 
 Thispradtice prevails univcrfallv, and the relations 
 
 of
 
 3 2 o Obfervatiom upon Asia, 
 
 of the phyfician find no fault, nor tedify any re- 
 fentment. 
 
 The fame happens to other jugglers, who under- 
 take to procure rain or fine weather. Thefe arc 
 commonly idle old men, who difliking the la- 
 bour requinte for hunting, fifhing, and the culti- 
 vation of x!^t land, exercik this hazardous profefiion 
 to maintain their famiHes. Towards the fpring, 
 this nation tax themfelves to obtain of thefe jug- 
 glers a favourable feed and harveft timej and if it 
 is confiderabie, they gain in proportion •, but if 
 otherwife, they feize them and knock their brains 
 out. Thus they who engage in this profeffion, 
 nik their lives for a precarious fubfiflence •, but in 
 other refpctSls their lif^ is very idle, having nothing 
 to do but fall and dance with a pipe or reed 
 in their mouth, which is full of water, and pierc- 
 ed at the end like a watering-pan, which they blow 
 into the air towards that quarter where the thickeft 
 clouds appear. They hold in one hand their firiou- 
 et, which is a kind of coral, and in the other 
 their fpirits, which they prefent to the clouds, call- 
 ing upon them to burft upon their fields. 
 
 If they want fine weather, they make not ufe of 
 thefe pipes, but get upon the tops of their cottages, 
 and with one of their arms extended make a fign 
 to the clouds, puffing with all their flrcngth, that 
 it may not hover over their lands, but difperfe •, and 
 when the cloud is difperfed according to their vvifh, 
 they fing and dance about their fpirits, which they 
 place properly on a pillow. On this occafion they 
 redouble their falling-, and when the cloud is pafT- 
 ed, they fwallow the fmoak of tobacco, and make 
 an ofi^ring of their pipes to heaven. 
 - Tho' they (hew no mercy to thefe knaves when 
 their fsretcnded power has no effe6l, yet the profit 
 thev i>;ain when thtv happen to fucceed, isfo great, 
 
 ti>ac
 
 AfPwIcAj^W America." 321 
 
 that there are a great number of thefe favage^. vvao 
 are regardlefs ot the danger. We ihould obferv'e, 
 that he who undertakes to procure rain, never en- 
 gages to procure fair weather^ fince another Ipecies 
 of quacks enjoy this privilege, and when they are 
 afked the reafon, they anfwer, their fpirits have hue 
 the power of obtaining one of the two. 
 
 When one of thefe lavages dies, his relations la- 
 ment over him a day, and then cover him with, 
 his hefl cloaths j that is, they paint his hair and 
 flice, and adorn him with his plumages, then car- 
 ry him to the grave defigned for him, placing ac 
 his fide his arms, a kettle, and victuals. For a 
 month, his relations go at break of day, and ac 
 the approach of night, to weep for half an hour 
 over the grave, every one mentioning his degree 
 of confanguinity •, if it is a father of a family, the 
 widow bawls out, my dear hufband, how much I 
 bewail the lofs of thee -, the children fay, my be- 
 loved father j fome, my uncle •, fome, mycoufin> 
 &c. The nearefl relations continue this ceremony 
 for three months, cut off their hair to denote their 
 forrow, ceafe to paint their bodies, and never go 
 to a place of diverfion. 
 
 When any foreign nation comes to treat of 
 peace with the favage Natches, couriers are fent to 
 give notice of the day and hour of their entrance* 
 The great chief gives orders to the mailer or the ce- 
 remonies, to prepare all things for this grand tranf- 
 adion, and they begin by nominating thole who are 
 to maintain the ftrangers daily ; for the chief is never 
 at this expence, but always his fubjecfts. They 
 then clear the roads, fweep their cottages, place 
 bench'^s in a great hall, which is on the elevated 
 ground of the chief, at the fide pf his cottage. 
 His feat, which is on an elevation, is painted and 
 
 Vol. I, Y adorned.
 
 322 Obfervations upon AslA, 
 
 adorned, and the bottom is covered with large 
 mats. 
 
 The day on which the ambafladors make their 
 cntryj all the nation aflembles, and the mailer of 
 the ceremonies places the princes, the heads of vil- 
 lages, and the elders of families, near the grand 
 chief. When the ambalFadors come, and are fifty 
 paces from the great chief, they ftoop, and fmg 
 the fong of peace •, and this embafly generally 
 confifts of thirty men, and fix women. Six of the 
 fineft perfonages, and who have the beft voices, 
 march firft, and are followed by others, who fing 
 iikewife, regulating the cadences with their coral^ 
 while the fix women form the treble. 
 
 When the chief bids them approach,they advance ; 
 and thofe who have the pipes fing, and dance with 
 great agility^ turning round each other, and 
 fometimes appearing in front, but always with 
 violent motions^ and extraordinary contorfions. 
 When they are come into the circle, they dance 
 about the chair, on which the grand chief is feated, 
 rub themfelves with their pipes from head to foot, 
 and then fall back to thofe of their train. They fill 
 with tobacco one of their pipes, and holding fire 
 in one hand, they advance in a body to the chief, 
 and defire him to fmoke. They blow the firft 
 mouthful of the fmoke up into the air, the next 
 towards the earth, and the others round the ho- 
 rizon : After which they without ceremony prefent 
 the pipe to the princes, and all the chiefs. 
 
 This ceremony being over, the ambafladors, 
 in fign of the alliance, go and rub their hands 
 upon the breaft of the chief, and rub themfelves 
 all over the body ; after which they place their 
 pipes before the chief upon fmall foiks. The am- 
 baflador who is charged particularly with the or- 
 ders of his nation, harangues for a full hour, and 
 
 svhtn
 
 Africa, a72d America^ 323 
 
 when he has done, they make a fign to the flran- 
 gers to fit down upon Teats ranged near the grand 
 chief, who anfwers them in a difcourfe of the 
 fame length : after which, the mailer of the cere- 
 monies hghts a great pipe, or tube of peace, and 
 makes the flrangers fmoke, whofwallow the fumes 
 of the tobacco. The great chief afks them if 
 they are well, while others about him fhew them 
 the fame politenefs -, after which they are condudled 
 to a cottage prepared for them, where they are re- 
 galed. 
 
 In the evening, about fun-fet, the ambafladors with 
 their pipe or reed in hand go to meet the grand 
 chief, and taking him on their fhoulders, carry 
 him to their own tent or cottage, where they fpread 
 a large fkin, upon which he fits him down. 
 One of them places himfelf behind him, and put- 
 ting his hands upon his flioulders, agitates his 
 whole body, while the others, feated in a circle or> 
 the earth, fmg their noble exploits. After this ce- 
 remony, which is performed evening and morning,' 
 for four days, the great chief returns to his own a- 
 bode, and when he pays the laft vifit to the'ambaf- 
 fadors, they fix in the ground a flake or pole, at the 
 foot of which they fit down : the foidiers of the 
 nation put on their fine drefTes, dance, and flrike 
 the pole, and relate in turn their martial adions ; 
 they then make prefents to the ambafladors, which 
 conflft in cauldrons, axes, gun-powder, ball, &c. 
 The following day the ambafladors are permit- 
 ted to walk all over the village, which they coul4 
 not do before ; after which they every evening 
 entertain them with fhcws, that is to fay, the men 
 and women in their befl dreffesmeet in tl>e market- 
 place, and dance till midnight ; and when they 
 are ready to return, the mailers of the ceremonies 
 furniih them with provifions necelfary for their 
 
 y 2 voyage.
 
 324 Ghfervations iipoji Asia,* 
 
 vova2:e. Such are the ceremonies, fuch the re- 
 nius of the favage Natches. 
 
 CHAP. XXXIII. 
 
 The fingtdar dexterity of the Chijiefe in imitating 
 
 jruits^ infecis^ and buttef'jiies -, the fir ub that 
 
 fiirnij}:es the matter of "which thefe fowers are 
 
 made ; colours laid on them^ and the manner 
 
 of giving them their lujlre, 
 
 THE Chinefe workmen, efpecially thofe irt 
 the palace, manage filk with great inge- 
 nuit)'-, and know how to paint with a pencil all 
 kinds of leaves upon paper. They refemble pret- 
 ty much thofe embroidered papers which are alike 
 on both fides. 
 
 Thefe flowers which fo nearly refemble nature, 
 are neither made of filk, nor any kind of (luff, 
 nor paper, but of a reed, or fpecies of cane, 
 tho' they neither employ its bark nor root, which 
 feemingly might be divided into fmall fhreds. 
 
 But we mull firft know what this reed or fhrub 
 is which affords this fubftance. 
 
 The tong-tfao, or fhrub of which we now fpeak, 
 grows in the moft lliady and covered places. They 
 have likewife given it the name of tongt-mou, bc- 
 caufe, according to the Chinefe phyficians, it is 
 aperitive, laxative, proper to open the pores, and 
 remove obft ructions. This fhruD grows on the de- 
 clivity of mountains, and ics leaves refemble 
 thofe of the palma chrifti : The middle of its trunk 
 is full of a white medullary fubihncej which is 
 
 very
 
 Africa, ^WAmericaJ 325 
 
 very light, fmooth, and agreeable to the eye •, fo 
 that ths ladies make ornaments of it. 
 
 This plant grows more than a fathom high, 
 and its leaves, fays a famous Chinefe author, re- 
 femble thofe of the water lily, but are more oily : 
 there is in the middle of the trunk within a kind 
 of wood like a reed, a very white fubftance, which 
 is not fo clofe as the flefli of a melon ; but is as 
 fmooth, andk'fs fpongeous than the marrow or pith 
 of other trees, efpecially that of elder. This light 
 body is a mean betwixt wood and common pith. 
 When thefe reeds are tender, they boil them, and 
 make a fyrup. The infpiflated juice which ap- 
 proaches in confiftence to foft eleftuaries, fuch as 
 that of treacle, or turpentine, is fweet, agreeable, 
 and if mixed with fruits, gives them a better and 
 more exquifite tafte. 
 
 Its ftem is divided, fays the fam»e author, like 
 the bamboo, by different knots, which have be- 
 twixt each two of them twigs or tubes of a foot 
 and a half long, which are largeft near the root of 
 the plant. They cut this fhrub every year, and 
 the next it fhoots out again. Topreferve the pith 
 from moiflure, which is pernicious to it, you mult 
 keep it inclofed in a dry place, without which pre- 
 caution it cannot be ufed. 
 
 Perhaps fome may imagine, that the tong-tfao 
 is the fame with the papyrus which grows in 
 marfhes and ditches about the Nile, fix cubits 
 high, and from the ftalk of which the ancients ex- 
 tracfhed the pith, and made a kind of liquor of it, 
 with which they wafh'd the leaves they defigntd 
 to write on. It muft be granted they extrad: from 
 the pith of tong-tfao a kind of leaf, which at firft 
 one would mlftake for paper-, but this leaf is very 
 different from that of the papyrus^ fince they agree 
 
 Y 3 in
 
 326 Obfervations upon As i A^ 
 
 in nothing but in this, that their woody parts arft 
 equally inflammable. 
 
 The medicinal qualities attributed to the tong- 
 tfao, will perhaps make it be looked upon as a 
 kind of a m.edullary elder tree. 
 
 If thefe hints could enable us to find out in Eu- 
 rope a fiirub like to that which furnifhes the Chi- 
 nele with the matter of which their artificial flowers 
 gfemade, it would not be difficult for an European 
 to imitate, or even furpafs the Chinefe artifl:s in this 
 particular, fince fuch a one would be able to apply 
 more delicately agreeable colours to a fubflance 
 that is adapted to receive them, and to preferve 
 them in their vivacity and bri^htnefs ; but this art 
 of the Chinefe deferves explanation. 
 
 The firit operation of reducing thefe flicks of 
 pith into leaves of a fine delicate texture, is not the 
 -work of thofe who make the flowers, fince they are 
 brought prepared from the province of Kianguan, 
 and might be taken, as I have faid, for true reams 
 of paper, cut into fuch a form, with a particular 
 intention. 
 
 A piece of pith thicker or longer, as they would 
 have the leaves broader or narrower, is put upon a 
 plate of copper between other two plates ; and at 
 the fame time that they make it Aide gently with 
 one hand between the two plates, with the other, 
 and an inflrument not unhke a fhoemaker's knife, 
 they raife ofi^ a fine furface, which feparates, juft 
 as v/e take off with a plane thin fhavings from a 
 piece of fmooth wood. What is thus taken off 
 from the pith refembles large rolls of paper, or 
 very fine parchment, and is made up in parcels, 
 which the workmen ufe for their artificial flowers ; 
 but it muff be obferved, that to hinder thefe films 
 or pellicules of the pith from tearing in handling 
 them, either in painting or cutting them, they 
 
 muft
 
 Africa^ ^;;^AMERicAr 327 
 
 muft be dipped in water -by plunging them, and 
 drawing them out inflantly ; and this intention 
 might be alfo anfvvered by leaving them fome time 
 before the operation in a cool and moid place i 
 fo that by means of either of thefe precautions, 
 there is no fear of their breaking or feparating. 
 
 There is another obfervation to be made upon 
 the colours they apply ; for the Chinefe painters 
 employ none but foft colours ; which have neither 
 gum, nor mercury, nor cerufs, nor alum, nor vi- 
 triol, in their compofition. Thefe are a fort of 
 water colours, and confequently not the flrongefl. 
 "We fee in the places where their workmen are em- 
 ployed, feveral little leaves to which they have 
 given different dyes, which are, as it were, the 
 preparation for other colours, which different pain- 
 ters are to apply to them, that they may reprefent 
 nature. Tho* this labour, when confiderable ex- 
 pence has been laid out on it, is delicate and va- 
 luable, yet their works are not generally fold dear, 
 tho' more than a day is required to finifh the 
 fmalleft flowers with their ftems and leaves. They 
 give them the different figures they ought to have, 
 by preffmg them on the palm of the hand with in- 
 ftruments made for that purpofe. It is with fine 
 pincers that the workmen take hold of them, and 
 join them with the glue called nomi, which is a 
 kind of rice well boiled and thickened. The hearts 
 of flowers, for example, of rofes, are made of the 
 fine filaments of flax that are delicate and coloured, 
 and the little heads of thefe filaments are formed 
 of the fame fubftance. 
 
 The Chinefe workmen give a ludre to the flowers 
 by applying th^ pellicules of tong-tfao already 
 painted on melted wax, but they mu^t ufe a great 
 deal of art and attention, that the wax be neither 
 too hot, nor cold , fince either of thefe inconve- 
 
 Y 4 niences
 
 ^zS Ohfervafions tipojt Asia] 
 
 niences would fpoil the whole work. They muft 
 likewife chufe a ferene day •, becauie rainy weather 
 is not proper for fuch performances. They have 
 an eafier method, which is to dip a pencil in melt- 
 ed w-ax, to pafs it lightly over the leaf, and rub it 
 with a linen cloth. 
 
 It is with the pith or marrow of the fame tree, 
 that they imitate perfectly fruits, the fmall infeds 
 •which adhere to them, and efpecially butterflies, 
 than which nothing can be imagined more natural. 
 They execute their defigns in the following man- 
 ner : if they want to form a peach fo as to re- 
 femble nature, with pieces of canes finely fplit they 
 make the body of the work, which they fill with 
 a pa fie compofed of the fawings of that odoriferous 
 wood, of which they make their perfume ilicks, 
 rriixing with it the faw-duft of an old peach-tree, 
 which gives the painted fruit the fmell of a peach. 
 Then they apply the fkin, which confifts in one 
 or two leaves of the tong-tfao, which reprefentthe 
 fkin of a peach much more naturally than filk, or 
 the beft prepared wax i after which they give the 
 proper colours and fhadings. 
 
 But mod commonly they take little flicks, or 
 pieces of the pith of cane or common reeds, which 
 they mix with flrong glue, and of this make the 
 body of the fruit ; after finifhing it with the fcif- 
 fars, they put on a layer of odoriferous pafte ; and 
 when all is dry, they apply a leaf of paper, which 
 they cover with the leaves of tong-tfao •, after 
 which they paint the fruit, wax it, and make it 
 glofly, by rubbing it with a linen cloth. 
 
 The wings of the butterflies, which are fo art- 
 fully imitated, that one would take them for natural, 
 are made by the fame art as the leaves of certain 
 flowers, and thefe are the butterflies? which are call^ 
 cd in the Chinefe language yefer, or flying leaves. 
 
 " ' Som^
 
 Africa, j;?^ America.' 329 
 
 Some of them have fuch fliining colours, and are 
 fo variegated, that they may be called flying 
 flowers •, and indeed they are always produced in 
 the finell flower gardens. 
 
 There is a lemoa in China, unknown in Eu- 
 rope, which is much efteemed for its beauty and 
 fmell, is very fweet, and may be kept a long time. 
 They candy it with fugar, and it is an excellent 
 fweetmeat. Its uncommon fhape makes the Chi- 
 nefe call it focheou, which flgnifles the hand of 
 the god Fo, fince it refembles the fingers when 
 clinched. The workmen, who imitate this fruit 
 with the pith of tong-tfao, put fome wires under 
 the matter which form the fingers, and give them 
 the due proportion. This fruit is of a furprifing 
 figure, and is fomctimes of the fize of the largeft 
 lemon. 
 
 CHAP. XXXIV, 
 
 * 
 
 Situation and extent of the lejfer T'artary ; the 
 authority and revenues of the kan ; manner i^ 
 cujloms^ and religion of the Tartars^ whether 
 called Precops^ Nogaisy CircaJJians^ or KaU 
 mouchs. 
 
 THE kan of the lefler Tartary is mafter of 
 a large country, and is looked upon as the 
 hereditary heir of the Turkifli empire, in default 
 of heirs male of the Ofmans. Notwithftanding 
 thefe pompous titles, he is but a vaflal of the 
 grand fignior, who cftablifhes, and depofes him 
 arbitrarily, yet always fhews him fo much refped', 
 
 as 
 2.
 
 330^ Ohfervafions upon A^iA,^ 
 
 as never to put him to death, but only fubftitute i 
 princs of the blood in his ftead. 
 
 Thefe princes of the blood of Tartary, who 
 are called fultans, are not excluded from public 
 affairs, and fhut up like thofe of Turky, fince 
 they have great places, and each his palace and 
 equipage. The dignity of their birth procures 
 them many friends, who are devoted to their in- 
 tereft and fortunes, which often produces commo- 
 tions in the ftate, and would caufe more if their 
 fultans were rich, who indeed are commonly very 
 indigent. 
 
 The kanhimfelf has a fmall revenue for a fove- 
 feign prince, fince the rents of his own lands, a 
 part of the taxes, and fome fmall perquifites, are 
 very near his whole income ; tho' it is true, he 
 has not occafion to live in anexpenfive manner : his 
 guard, which confifls of about twothoufand men, 
 IS maintained at the grand fignior's expence, fo 
 that his greateil armies coft him nothing, either in 
 levying or maintaining. The Tartars are all fol- 
 diers, and tlie place of rendezvous is no fooncr 
 affigned, than they come at the day appointed 
 with arms, horfes, and all provifions. The hope 
 of booty, and the liberty of plundering, are their 
 recompence. 
 
 The Tartars fubjeft to the kan are called by the 
 different names of Precops, Nogais, CircafTians, 
 and Kalmouchs. The Precopian Tartars are thofe 
 who inhabit the great peninfula of Krimea, which 
 was the Cherfonefus Tauricus of the ancients. 
 Geographers make it about feventy or eighty 
 leagues long, and about fifty broad. Its figure 
 nearly refembles a triangle, the bafe of which 
 to the fouth confifts of a chain of high mountains, 
 which run eight or ten leagues high into the 
 country. The two fides are fpacious open plains, 
 
 where
 
 Africa, and America. 331 
 
 where the winds blow with uncommon violence. 
 In all the Krimea there are not above fix or feven 
 cities, which deferve the name : Bagchfara, Kaffa, 
 Karafou, Guelo, Orkapi, and the fortrefs of Yeg- 
 nikalce : Bagchfara, the capital of the country, and 
 the common refidence of the kan, is fituated in 
 the midft of his territories, and is a city confid- 
 ing of about a thoufand houfes, ill built and ill 
 tenanted. 
 
 The foil, tho' naturally good, is not univerfally 
 cultivated, but fuch parts as are taken any care 
 of, produce excellent corn. The gardens and paf- 
 turage take up a great part of the ground, and ri- 
 vulets are wanting in the plains, but are fupplied by 
 many deep wells, that plentifully fupplyfeveral vil- 
 lages with water. The climate would be fufEcient- 
 ly temperate, were it not for theimpetuous windsj 
 for in winter the raging north wind is hardly fup- 
 portable. 
 
 The Precopian Tartars are of a middling ftature, 
 well made, and have very robuft conftitutions. 
 They are accuftomed betimes to fuffer hunger and 
 thirft, heat and cold ; they content themfclves 
 with little, when they have but little ; and when 
 the fpcy takes them, they readily run into the 
 greateft exceffes. Their language is a Turkifh 
 jargoh, as ill pronounced as French by an igno- 
 rant Swifs.; and their religion is Mahometifm, ac- 
 cording to the Turkifh creed. 
 
 Tho' the plurality of wives is allowed, few of 
 them have more than one, but rather chufe to 
 keep good horfes for the purpofes of war. Tho' 
 their law forbids them to drink wine, yet they 
 make very free with it, when they can get it, and 
 fay it is juftly forbidden men of letters, and calm 
 life, fuch as lawyers, clergymen, merchants, &c. 
 but that it gives courage to the foldiers, fuch as 
 
 the 
 
 y
 
 33^ O/^rTw//^;?^ upon Asia,' 
 
 they all are. When they have it not, they fupply 
 the want of it with a very ftrong and intoxicat- 
 ing liquor made of four milk, and fermented 
 millet, which they call bofa. Their common food 
 is fleih, milk, and a pafle which they make of 
 millet meal fbeeped in water. They eat neither 
 roots nor pot-herbs, which, they fay, are the food 
 of beafts. Horfe-flefli is a delicate repaft for them, 
 and their manner of cooking it, is to broil it a 
 little on the coals, or if they are on a journey, to 
 heat it under their faddles ; and when they have 
 "with this a little mares milk, they think their re- 
 paft delicious. Tiie Precopians have two great 
 faults, fince they are impudent lyjrs, and extreme- 
 ly feliifh. In the time of v/ar they can raife from 
 twenty to thirty thoufand men. 
 
 The Nogais Tartars wander in the defarts, like the 
 ancient Scythians, whofe favagenefs and brutality 
 they have ftill retained. Their country begins at 
 the ifthmus of Krimea, and extends itfelf over im- 
 inenfe tracks in Europe and Afia, from the Bud» 
 ziak to the river Koubam, which feparates them 
 from the CircalTian Tartars. The Nogais are na- 
 turally barbarous, cruel, revengeful, mifchievous 
 neighbours, and worfe guefts. All this is {z^vi in 
 the air of their countenances, which are hideous 
 and deformed. They are born blind, and do not 
 fee for feveral days. Their language has not fuch 
 a Mixture of the Turkifli, as that of the Precopians ; 
 and they have not amongft them either villages, 
 towns, or fixed habitations, fince their houfes are 
 "covered waggons, in which they tranfport their 
 baggage and families. When they have a mind 
 to flop in any part, either for the conveniency of 
 a river, or plenty of pafturage, they pitch their 
 tents, which are huts covered with felt, round 
 which they make an inclofure of ilakes to fecure 
 
 their
 
 Africa, and America." 333 
 
 their families and flocks. They have a captain call- 
 ed bey ; but thofe of Budziak are governed by a 
 lord commiflioned by the kan, and who is Ibme- 
 times a fultan. Their food is milk, flefh, and 
 bofa, in which they commit the moll monftrous 
 cxceffes. When a horfe dies, or breaks a leg, he 
 is a great feaft for them, to which they invite 
 their friends, and drink till they are ready to burlt. 
 It is from the Nogais the kan has the greateft num- 
 ber of Ibldiers, fmce they can furnifh him, in cafe 
 ofnecefllty, with a hundred thoafand men. Each 
 man commonly is proprietor of four horfes j that 
 which he rides, another for a change, and to car- 
 ry his provifions, and the others to carry his flaves 
 and booty. Wo to the countries into which they 
 come, fmce their marches refemble conflagrations 
 or hurricanes-, for where ever they pafs they leave 
 nothing but the earth behind them. 
 
 A particular cuftom of the Nogais is, that 
 which they obferve at their marriages, fmce fome 
 of the common relations of the bride and 
 bridegroom divide into two companies and 
 fight together, that they may receive fome flight 
 wounds, from whence a little blood may flow ; 
 which, according to them, is a fure prefage^ 
 that the male children of the marriage will be 
 flout warriors. It is another cufl:om eftabli(he4 
 among them, that at the birth of their childreit 
 the friends and relations come to the door of the 
 father's houfe, and make a great noife with pots 
 and kettles, to fright, as they ^dij^ ^^^ ^c^rt the 
 Devil, that he may have no power over that 
 child. 
 
 The Nogais Tartars pay annually to the kan 
 two thoufand flieep, which they fend him at three 
 different times. At the great bairam they are obr 
 liged to wifli him happy fellivals, by four of their 
 
 principil
 
 334 Olifarvations upon Asia, 
 
 principal mirzas, who are equivalent to our knights, 
 with a pr®fent of fome horfes, and two birds of 
 prey trained up for the game ; upon which occa- 
 fion the kan prefents each of thefe mirzas with 
 a compleat fuit. 
 
 The proceedings againft criminals in this country 
 are Very fhort, fince, when a Nogais has wounded 
 one of his comrades, they fend for all the neigh- 
 bours of the criminal, and the relations and friends 
 of the wounded perfon, to come with whips in their 
 hands, with which they often beat the crirpinal, fo 
 as to leave him for dead. If the crime is murder, 
 they put the criminal inftantly to death, without 
 the lead pity j but if it is a duel in form, and they 
 find that every thing was done without treachery, 
 the furvivor is not punifhed. 
 
 In all this country we find nothing remarkable, 
 except the remains of an ancient city, where there 
 are feveral marble tombs with latin and greek in- 
 fcriptions, which are now almofl effaced. There 
 is a fort of fortification near the river, which 
 comes from the neighbourhood of Azak, where 
 they have a guard to watch the motions of the 
 Cofacks, and hinder them from invading their 
 country by furprife. 
 
 Their tents are fomething like w^indmills, and 
 their chimney is fo contrived as to turn with the 
 wind, that they may not be incommoded by the 
 fmoke. The tent of a mirza is diflinguifhed from 
 others by a fabre, painted near the top of the 
 chimney. When they celebrate a feftival or mar- 
 riage, they kill a horfe, make a halh of the 
 fiefh, and ferve the head up intire. If there is 
 in the company a diftinguill:ied perfon, they prefent 
 him with the fattefl inteftine of the horfe, which 
 is efteemed a great deUcacy. In their journies they 
 carry with them fome of thefe entrails dried and 
 
 fmoaked^ 
 
 \
 
 Africa, /7W America.^ 335 
 
 ftTJoakcd, to regale thofe who diftinguilh them- 
 felves in battle, or gain the greateft booty, which 
 they never fail of dividing in equal portions. 
 
 Thefe tartars can bear hunger live or fix days, 
 and their horfes can do the fame. They often un- 
 dertake journies of three months, without carrying 
 any provifion with them, relying upon what chance 
 may furnilh them with. 
 
 I'here are no mountains in their country, but 
 fpacious plains, watered by fome rivers, whofe 
 banks they cultivate, in order to fow their millet. 
 When they are marching to attack a city, they fay 
 they fmell the air of it above two leagues off, be- 
 caufe that which they breathe in the open fields is 
 infinitely more pure. 
 
 In time of war they are obliged to furnifh the 
 kan with forty thoufand men ; but they always 
 fupply him with fixty thoufand, not being able to 
 Jive but by the booty they make on the lands of 
 enemies or neighbours. 
 
 The gentlemen carry always a bird on their 
 hand, and there is nothing that can force them to 
 do an adiion inconfiftent with their nobility, whicU 
 however they have no knowledge of, but by oral 
 tradition. 
 
 Thefe are the maxims of thofe who go to war. 
 They look upon every thirteenth year as unhappy, 
 for which reafon aNogais does not go to war till he 
 is fourteen years of age ; nor does he enter the field 
 of battle in the twenty -fixth and thirty-ninth years of 
 his age, nor do they carry about with them in thefe 
 years any arms, which, fay they, would prove fatal 
 to the bearer. They pretend to have had this reve- 
 lation from one of their prophets ; and they affirm 
 that none of their warriors ever returned, who 
 went to war in thofe unhappy years, which they 
 generally fpend in faftings and prayer. On thefe 
 
 occafions
 
 ■ 3 3 6 Obfervatio?! f upon A s i A ^ 
 
 occafions they afe forbidden to contract marriage,cff 
 bear about them the weight of a pound. Bac 
 this clima6teric year being over, they make a great 
 feaft for their friends and relations^ in which they 
 intoxicate themfelves with their bofa, which is 
 made of fermented millet, and is as flrong as 
 
 brandy. 
 
 The Nogais have neither corn nor wine, nor 
 fait, nor oil, nor fpices ; and the millet of the 
 country, and milk of their cattle, is their commoa 
 food. They have oxen, fheep, and v/ild fowl, 
 but are fo fenfelefs as to boil their milk till it be- 
 comes hard as a (tone ; after which they make 
 balls of it, and dry them in the fun, and when 
 they want to ufe them, they dilute them in water, 
 and compofe a drink, which is delicious to them 
 in hot weather. 
 
 The CircafTian Tartars inhabit Adda, which is 
 bounded on the north by the Nogais, on the fouth 
 by the black fea, on the eaft by Georgia, and on 
 the weft by the Cimmerian Bofphorus, and the 
 gulph that feparates them from the Krimea ; and 
 upon this gulph there is a iea-port of great trade^ 
 called Taman, from which they export fkins, ho- 
 ney, wax, and other commodities. The taxes are 
 paid, one half to the grand fignior,^and the other 
 to the kan, each of whom has three per cent. 
 
 The mountain Circafiians live in woods, and are 
 not fo fociablc as the reft ; but thofe who live in 
 the plains have villages, and fome fmall cities on 
 the borders of the red fea, where there is a trade 
 carried on. The beys, or lords who govern them, 
 deal in the fale of their vafTals, and fathers and 
 mothers in that of their children. The Circaffians 
 are reckoned better hunters than warriors -, and it 
 may be faid of them in general, that they are the 
 leaft difpofed to war of any of the Tartar nations. 
 ^ One
 
 Africa, mid America^ 337 
 
 One fide of Circaflia is full of high hills, and 
 deep vallies, fliaded by a number of large trees. 
 The capital of this canton is Kabartha, from which* 
 the kan of Krimca draws his greateft revenues in 
 flaves, and every one who fees the country allows 
 it to be extremely beautiful. None are remarkably- 
 pitted with the fmall pox, by the method of tak- 
 ing care of their children in their infancy. 
 
 There is a bey who commands in this coiintry^ 
 under the authority of the kan, who has feveral 
 officers under him, and thefe are oblisred to 2;ive 
 as a tribute to the kan three hundred flaves, name- 
 ly, two hundred girls, and an hundred boys, who 
 are not above twenty years old. Very often the 
 beys give their own children, the more eafily to 
 induce the parents to deliver up theirs. 
 
 When the CircafTian beys are at variance, they 
 fend to the kan for an aga, and fometimes for a 
 prince of the blood, to determine their differences; 
 and their commilTaries never return without re- 
 wards, fince they make them prefents of the beft 
 and moil valuable things they have •, and we may^ 
 fay, that in CircafTia they make a traffic of men 
 and women as they do in other places of diiTcrenC 
 commodities. 
 
 The Circaffian Tartars live better than the No* 
 gais, fince they daily eat beef, mutton, wild fowl,' 
 and very rarely horfe fiefh. Their bread differs 
 fomething from that of the Nogais, fince it is 
 made of millet-meal, kneaded with water, of 
 which they make a foft pafte, which they half 
 bake in earthen moulds, and eat very hot. 
 
 The country is fine, and abounds with fruit- 
 trees ; and tho' uncultivated, is yet watered with 
 charming rivulets. The air is very good and whol* 
 fome, which is no doubt the reafon why theCircaf- 
 
 VoL. L Z fiaa
 
 33 S Ohfi.r'vatiojis upon Asia, 
 
 fian women have a degree of beauty far fuperio^ 
 to the other Tartars. 
 
 Thefe people greatly efteein chrifllans, and fay 
 they are defcended from fome Genoefe, who long 
 polTelTed the principal part of this great country, 
 and fhew in feveral places the ruins of the cities 
 they had built. The Circaflian beys are generally 
 Mahomt'tans, and only accept the place out of 
 complaifance to the Tartars, with whom they have 
 continual connexions. As for the people, they 
 are neither chrifkians nor mahometans, and neither 
 ufe baptifm nor circumcifion. They have a par- 
 ticular language quite different from the reft of the 
 Tartars, which, however, fcems to have a great 
 fv/eetnefs. There are no exercifes of religion 
 amongft them, but certain fuperftitious aflem- 
 blies, which are held at ftated times, beneath large 
 trees, to which they tye wax candles,, while he 
 who is their papas or prieft, makes, at their head 
 three or four turns round the tree, muttering fome 
 prayers,, on which occafion they generaiiy eat 
 hogs fleih openly, and without referve. 
 
 The CircafTianSjwho are fo beautiful, have fornergh- 
 hours the Calmouchs, who are fuch monfters in na- 
 ture, that when one looks at their face, he knows not 
 of what colour to call it, rvor where their eyes or 
 nofes are. As a part of thefe Calmouchs are 
 tributary to the kan, and the others to the czar, 
 they are obliged yearly at the grand bairam, 
 to fend a deputation to the kan of Krimea, wifh 
 him a happy feftival, and fend him their tribute, 
 which confifts in two covered cliariots, one drawn 
 by four korfes, and the other by two camels, in 
 which are two furs of fable, one for the prince, 
 and the other for the fultana his mother, or the 
 chief ot his wives. They alfo give furs of the 
 
 fame
 
 Africa, ^;;^ America. 339 
 
 fame kind to the firfl princes of the blood, whe- 
 ther Tons or brothers of the kan, as well as to his 
 iirll vizir, and the mufti. 
 
 The head of the deputation is one of the princi- 
 pal Calmouchs, and when they are at the entrance 
 of the iilhmus of Krimea, they give notice to 
 the kan of their arrival. The little city built on 
 that neck of land, which joins the Krimea to the 
 continent, is in French called Porte-or, and in the 
 Turkifh language Orkapi. When the kan receives 
 the news of their arrival at Orkapi, he fends a 
 courier with orders for them to enter, and money 
 to defray their expence to the capital -, after which 
 they have an audience the fecond day, and then the 
 kiaia of the vizir goes to their lodgings, and con- 
 dudls them to the palace with their prefents. They 
 give them the kaftan, or robe of honour-, then 
 two kapigis-bachis taking each of them by the 
 arm, condud: them in that manner to the • a- 
 partment of the kan, where they fall proifrate, 
 and kifs the hem of his garment. The kan tells 
 them they are welcome, upon which the chief de- 
 puty affures him of the fidelity of the Calmouchs, 
 and offers hina their prefents. Soon after they go 
 to the apartments of the vizir, where they are re- 
 galed with coffee, fhirbet, and perfumes, accord- 
 ing to the cuftom of the Turks. The kan during 
 their (lay at Bagchfaray, gives them a daily fubfift- 
 ence of bread, meat, fowls, fpices, butter, wood, and 
 oatSj and ftraw for their horfes i and gives them, 
 fuits of cloth cloaths at their audience of leave. 
 
 The kans of Tartary take the name of Guiraf, 
 on the following account. About two centuries 
 ago, when the inhabitants of the LefTer Tartary 
 were fo deeply involved in civil wars, that all their 
 princes perifhed, except one of ten years of age, 
 
 Z 2 whoKl
 
 340 Obfervafions upon AsiA^ 
 
 whom a labourer called Guirai, faved out of com- 
 paffion. The Tartars feparated into feveral faflions, 
 and the war became long and bloody, but bein§ 
 at laft weary of it, and not being able to agree 
 about a prince, they confented, that if they could 
 find one of the race of their kans, they would 
 place him on the throne, upon which Guirai pre- 
 fented the young prince, who was then eighteen 
 years old, and was known by feveral indubitable 
 marks. The Tartars obeyed him, the public 
 peace was reflored, and the young kan willing 
 to fhew his gratitude to his fofter-father, and de- 
 liverer, made him be fent for, and afked him what 
 favour he defired ; upon which the labourer re- 
 plied, that riches and employments were not what 
 he wanted, that having flill a fenfe of honour, he 
 defired he would take his name, and oblige his 
 defcendants to ufe it •, fince which time the Tartar 
 princes join Guirai to the name,which they receive 
 in circumcifiCDr 
 
 CHAP,
 
 Africa^ ijW America.^ 341 
 
 CHAP. XXXV. 
 
 ^he caurfe of the Ganges ; the opinio?! which 
 the Indimis heme of this river 3 defcription 
 of the ijland of Ceylan 3 of the names of the 
 Mogul emperors 3 af the famous paged of 
 Cachi -y oj Pondicheri -, of St, Thomas-, of 
 Golconda ; of Madura 3 andfome other prin- 
 cipal cities of the Indies, 
 
 TH E Eaft Indies are divided naturally by that 
 chain of mountains of Gata, which extend 
 from the extremity of the fouth-fea, to the moft 
 northern part. They begin at Cape Comorin, and 
 terminate at Mount Ima. As the river Indus was 
 the molt known by ancient geographers, they have 
 called by this name all the people who lived beyond 
 this river, as far as the Eailern Tea •, and becaufe 
 Delhi has been lone; the relidence of the fove- 
 reigns, it has been looked upon as the capital ot 
 the Indies, and at this day they give the name of 
 Indoftan to this vaft country, which lies between 
 the Indus and the Ganges. 
 
 We cannot liiy in what part the Indus firfh be- 
 gins. It is in the country of Cachemira, if we 
 believe fome Indians, but others place it higher 
 among the mountains of Ima. It takes its courfc 
 towards the fouth as the Ganges •, with this diffe- 
 rence, that the Ganges inclines a little to the eaft, 
 and the Indus on the contrary to the weft, and the 
 laft difembogues itfelf into the Indian fea, by fe- 
 v^al iiiouths. 
 
 Z I The
 
 34^ Ohfervaticns upon Asia, 
 
 The Ganges is the largeft, and the moll famous 
 river of all Afia, and its fource, according to the 
 opinion of the Indians, is celeftial, fince they fay- 
 one of their gods pours it from his mouth on 
 mount Ima ; from whence pafTjng over many 
 ftates, and direding its courfe to the fouth, it wa- 
 ters many great cities, the mod famious of 
 -which is, fay the Indians, Cachi ; then itpailes in- 
 to the kingdom of Bengal, and throws itfelF into 
 the fea by feveral mouths. 
 
 If v/e may believe the Indians, the Ganges is a 
 holy river, whofc virtue confifts in wafliing away 
 fins. Thofe who are fo'happy as to die on its banks, 
 are admitted into a delicious region, where they 
 continue, till their fouls animate other bodies -, it 
 is for this rcafon that they throw {q many dead 
 carcafTes into this river; that the fick order them- 
 felvcs to be tranfported to the Ganges, and that 
 pthers who are too far diftant, carefully inclofe in 
 urns the afhes of burnt bodies, and fend them to 
 be caft into the river. 
 
 This general efteem which they have all over the 
 Indies for the Ganges, is of great benefit to the priefts, 
 who fill bamboos with the water of it, which they fix 
 to the two extremities of a pole feven or eight feet 
 long, and, putting it on their ihoulderSj carry it all 
 over the Indies, and fell this falutary water very- 
 dear, which they pretend is not fubjedl to corrup- 
 tion. This high idea the Indians entertain of the 
 Ganges, arifes from the perfuafion they have with 
 moil idolaters, that great rivers are the abodes of 
 fome god or goddefs •, befides, it is certain, that 
 the Indians have heard of the terrefbrial paradife, of 
 the river |:hat watered it, and of the tree of life ; 
 and it is probable, that not knowing any finer ri- 
 ver than the Ganges, they have attributed to it 
 what they have hearci of that river. With this 
 
 knov/-
 
 Africa, and America. 343 
 
 knowledge of the terreftrial paradife, which they 
 have received by tradition from their forefathers, 
 they have intermixed many fables agreeable to their 
 own tarte •, for example, that the Ganges runs 
 through a delightful garden, whofe fruit reftores 
 youth to thofe who eat of it, and adds a century to 
 their life ; fo that v/hofoever iliould be fo happy as 
 at the end of each century to find fome of this 
 fruit on the banks of the Ganges, might be afcer- 
 tained of an immortal life. They add as a certain 
 fad, that they have known fome who have lived 
 three hundred years, becaufe, fay they, they had 
 found fome of this fruit at the end of each cen- 
 tury -, but not being fo lucky as to find any at the 
 beginning of the fourth, they inftantly died. 
 
 After the defcription of the Indus and Ganges, 
 let us now proceed to the mod remarkable places, 
 which are on the banks of the Indus, beginning with 
 the famous ifland of Ceylan. The king of Portu- 
 gal having one day alked an officer juft come 
 from the Indies, an account of this ifland, was an- 
 fwered, that it was an ifland whofe furrounding 
 feas were fown with pearls, whofe woods were cin- 
 namon, its mountains covered with rubies, its ca- 
 verns full of cryftal •, and, in a word, the place 
 which God chofe for the terreflrial paradife. This 
 defcription is certainly exaggerated, tho' it cannot 
 be denied but it is the moil beautiful ifland in the 
 world. The Indians call it Cachi, and ail the 
 idolaters of Afia look tipon it as the abode of their 
 gods. The famous Ramen, the chief of the In- 
 dian gods, according to1:hem, refided there *, and 
 the Pegouans afiirm, that Anouman, a famous ape 
 which they worlhip, accompanied Vichnou 
 thither, who was mctamorphofed into Ramen. 
 THe Siamefe afHrm, that their god Somonacodon 
 
 Z 4 l^as
 
 344 Ohfervations upon AsiA,^ 
 
 has left the print of one of his feet in it j and the 
 Chinefe themfelves, who are not wilHng to be in- 
 debted for any thing to fbrangers, acknowledge 
 that one of their principal idols came from Ceyian, 
 which is an ifland about two hundred leagues in 
 circumference, watered by a number of fine rivers, 
 and blefl with plentiful harvefts, . 
 
 Pondicheri is the largeft eflablifliment the 
 French have in the Indier, fince it has a regular 
 fortrefs, where none of the works neceffary for a 
 good defence are wanting. The city is fpacious, 
 the ftreets parallel, and the houfes, inftcad of be- 
 ing built like thofe of Europe, are but earth co- 
 vered with limej but as theycompofe (Irait ftreets 
 they have an agreeable appearance. In fome of the 
 ftreets are fine avenues of trees, under whofe fhade 
 the weavers work thofe fine cottons fo much efteem- 
 cd in Europe. The difference of time betwixt the 
 rneridian ot Pondicheri and Paris is five hours, ^nd 
 eleven or twelve minutes, which are equal to 4- 
 bout feventy-eight degrees. 
 
 In going from Pondicheri to the north, follow^ 
 inc the coaft, we fee the city of St. Thomas, alfo 
 called Meliapam, or to ufe the Indian name, Mai- 
 jabouram ; that is to fay, the city of peacocks, 
 becaufe the former princes of this country had a 
 peacock for arms, and had it painted on their 
 colours. It is probably in imitation of the empe- 
 rors of Bifnagar, that the Mogul emperors place 
 fo beautiful and rich a peacock on the canopy of 
 their throne, the platform of which is all covered 
 with pearls and diamonds, and furrounded with a 
 fringe of pearls. Above the canopy is a peacock, 
 whofe expanded tail is of fapphires, and other pre- 
 cious ftones j the body is of gold enamelled with 
 jewels ; and in a word, there is a large ruby in 
 the middle of the breaft, from whence hangs a 
 
 j)e^r}
 
 Africa, and America. 34^ 
 
 pearl in form of a pear, which weighs fifty ca- 
 rats. 
 
 The Indians do not fpeak lefs pompoudy of 
 Cachi, than of the Ganges, fince the former, ac- 
 cording to them, is the abode of their gods, and 
 by confequence, a facred and holy place. Ramen, 
 and the moil celebrated hermits, performed their 
 penances in the woods near the Cachi ; and who- 
 ever dies in fo holy a place, has all his fins par- 
 doned, and goes diredtly to heaven , 2l man who 
 has made a journey to Cachi, is reverenced upon 
 that account, tho' he has no other merit, the wane 
 of which is fupplied by having been there. In a 
 word, they complain, that they have not exprefli- 
 ons fublime enough to reprefent, as they ought, 
 the fandlity of fo venerable a place. 
 
 As for Cachi, which certainly is the fa me as 
 Banares, it is one of the befl built cities in the 
 Indies. Almofi: all the houfes are of free-ftone, or 
 bricks, and there are very beautiful caravanferas ; 
 but the flreets are narrow. The Ganges wafhes 
 the walls of this city, whofe fituation is fine, and 
 the country round about delightful and fertile. 
 From the temple-gate to the Ganges are feveral 
 done flairs, with platforms between each of them. 
 This defcription is agreeable to that which the 
 Indians give us of the pagod of Cachi, which 
 proves that Banares and Cachi are the fame. 
 
 The city now called Golconda, was formerly 
 only a garden of a pleafant fituation, two leagues 
 from the fortrefs of that name. They called it ac 
 firfl Bagnagar, and afterwards Golconda, which is 
 very near as large as Orleans, well fituated, and 
 adorned with beautiful ftreets. The river which 
 runs thro' it, and throws itfelf into the fea of Maf- 
 fulipatan, is broad and clear, over which they 
 Jiaye built a magnificent bridge, and the palace is 
 
 very
 
 346 Obferuations upon Asia, 
 
 very fumptuous. Since this city is become fubjedl 
 to the Mogul, it is not fo well peopled as before; 
 for Auren-zeb pillaged it entirely, before he took 
 the citadel •, and it is in this kingdom of Golcon- 
 da, that we meet with the famous diamond mine. 
 
 Madura is the capital of the kingdom of this 
 fsame, and is furrounded by two walls, each of 
 which is fortified after the ancient manner, with fc- 
 veral fquare turrets with parapets, and furnifhed 
 with cannon. The fortrefs, which is fquare, is 
 furrounded with a large deep ditch, a fcarp, and 
 counterfcarp. There are no covered ways to the 
 fcarp ; and inftead of a glacis there are four fine 
 ftreets, which front the fides of the fortrefs. One 
 may walk round it eafily in two hours •, and the 
 houfes of the ftreets have large gardens on the 
 country's fide, which is fine and fertile. 
 
 The infide of the fortrefs is divided into four 
 parts ; and thofe on the eaft and fouth contain the 
 king's palace, which is a labyrinth of ftreets, 
 ponds, woods, halls, galleries, colonnades, and 
 feveral houfes placed here and there -, fo that when 
 we have once entered it, it is not eafy to find the 
 way out. When the kings of Madura refide<i 
 here, there were none in it, but women and eu- 
 nuchs, and the famous Troumoulanaiken, who con- 
 tributed moft to the embelliftiments of it, had a fe- 
 raglio in this palace, whofe halls of audience 
 were fuperb and grand. 
 
 At the entrance was a great gallery, fupported 
 by twenty large pillars of black marble well 
 wrought. From thence we paffed into a fpacious 
 court, where we faw %\it four fides of the building, 
 which corrcfponded to the four quarters of ^the 
 world. Each fide of the building had in the midft 
 a very elevated dome, ornamented with works 
 of fcylpture, and thefe domes were joined by 
 
 eight
 
 Africa, and America. 347 
 
 eight galleries, whole angles were flanked with 
 turrets. The plan of this palace had been drawn 
 by an European ; for we fee in it many European 
 ornaments mixed with Indian architedure. 
 
 In the fecond part of the fortrefs is the temple 
 of Chokanadon, which is the idol worfliipped at 
 Madura. To the eaft of the pagod are many beau- 
 tiful porticos, and to the north of one of thefe 
 is feen a magnificent chariot defigned to carry 
 the idol in triumph on his feftival day. The 
 pagod is furrounded with three walls, between 
 each of which are many fine avenues, very fmooth, 
 well gravelled, and adorned on each fide with 
 rows of lofty trees. There are four great towers 
 at the entrance of the principal gates of the pa- 
 lace, and the reft of the ground within the for- 
 trefs, is divided into feveral ftreets, ponds, and 
 public fquares. 
 
 The river which runs by Madura would be 
 beautiful, if it was not drawn offinto great lakes, 
 which drain it, and reduce it to a rivulet. Below 
 the city there is a canal which runs from north to 
 fouth, and throws itfelf into five beautiful ponds 
 on the weft of Madura, which have other canals 
 for conveying the water into the ditches. 
 
 To the eaft of the fortrefs we fee three other tri- 
 umphal chariots, which are magnificent when adorn- 
 ed. The greateft cannot be drawn, as the Indians 
 fay, but by feveral thoufand perfons -, which is no 
 wonder, confidering the enormous bulk of this 
 machine, yrhich carries four hundred perfons at 
 leaft, whofe offices are different. With large 
 beams they form five ftories, each of which has 
 feveral galleries j and when this machine is cover- 
 ed with painted ftuffs, filks of different colours, 
 ftreamers, ftandards, umbrellos, feftoons of flowers, 
 reprcfenting diflfcrent figures j and when all this is
 
 34^ Obfervaiions upon As^A,' 
 
 fcen in the midfl of the night, by the light of a 
 thoufand flambeaus, it cannot be denied to be a 
 a verv agreeable fpedlacle. The drums, trumpets, 
 h.utboys, and feveral other inftruments, accom- 
 pany the motion of this chariot, which is fo flow, 
 that they are three days in drawing it round the 
 fortrefs. 
 
 On the north fide, above the fortrefs, in the 
 ftreet that runs eaft and weft, were formerly the 
 Chriflian churches, which were overthrown when 
 the city was taken and ruined entirely by the king 
 of MayfTur. 
 
 Madura has loft much of its ancient fplendor, 
 ^nct the irruptions of the MayfTurians, and fmce 
 the laft kings have removed their court to Trichi- 
 rapali, which is a large well peopled city, and 
 contains above three hundred thoufand inhabitants. 
 It is the greateft fort between cape Comorin and 
 Golconda, fo that numerous armies have often be- 
 fieged it, and always in vain ; for which reafon 
 the Indians fay it is impregnable. It has a double 
 inclofure of walls, each fortified with fixty 
 fquare turrets, diftant from each other about eigh- 
 ty or a hundred paces. The fecond inclofure is 
 more elevated than the form.er ^ and is furnilhed 
 with a hundred and thirty pieces of cannon, 
 of a pretty large bore ♦, this fecond inclofure is 
 ftill divided into two fortreffes, which are called 
 therefore the north and fouth •, the latter of which 
 has Its internal walls lower than the other ; and 
 there is an eminence from whence they can dif- 
 cover an enemy, towards the midft of which 
 is the arfenal, and at the bottom the prince's 
 palace. The infide of this fortrefs is very agree- 
 able, and confifts of a great fquare amphitheatre, 
 with flairs on all fides to afcend to the ramparts. 
 Befides the turrets on the double inclofure, there 
 
 are
 
 Africa, ^«^ America.^ ^49 
 
 are eighteen larger, wherein they lay up the pro- 
 vifions and ammunition of war, which cannot be 
 lodged in the arfenal. They renew yearly the 
 rice provifion ; what is taken from the (lores is 
 given to the foldiers as part of their pay, and the 
 garrifon confifts of about fix thoufand men, and 
 fometimes more. 
 
 The ditch which furrounds the fortrefs is large, 
 decp^ full of water, and abounds with crocodiles, 
 Trichirapali has four large gates, two of which are 
 only left open, and that towards the wefb is only free 
 to women belonging to the palace. Every night 
 they patrole three times in the palace; the firft: 
 with the found of drums and trumpets, towards 
 the evening ; the next about nine o' clock, with 
 hautboys and other inltruments ; the third in fi- 
 lence, about midnight ; and fometimes they make 
 a fourth about three in the morning. 
 
 The palace of Trichirapali is far from being fo 
 magnificent as that of Madura, and only confifts 
 in a heap of halls, galleries, and chambers. The 
 divan, or tribunal of juftice, is fupported by fine 
 high pillars, contrary to the cuftom of the Indians; 
 and above it there is a fine platform. The gar- 
 dens are very magnificent •, for we fee in them 
 four or five little fountains, and at the entrance a 
 great hall, open on all fides, and furrounded with 
 deep ditches, which are filled with water when 
 the queen comes to enjoy the frefh air, on which 
 occafion the pillars which fupport the hall are co- 
 vered with gold, and the roof ornamented with 
 feftoons of fiowers, and pieces of damafk of diffe- 
 rent colours. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 35^ 03/?ri;j//i;;/j upon Asia, 
 
 CHAP. XXXVI. 
 
 T^he tnajiner of inoculating the fmall-pox among 
 the Chine fe • rules to be obferved for that pur- 
 pofe ; remedies ufed in this artificial pock ; 
 a particular fecret to remove or mitigate the 
 fmall'pox. 
 
 WE, perhaps, fhall not be a little furprized 
 to find that a method very like that which 
 was brought from Conftanrinople into England, 
 Ihould have been in ule for above a century in 
 China. It may be afked, whether it was in this 
 empire that this invention had its birth, or in fome 
 neighbouring kingdom ? If the Englifh are to 
 be believed, the Greeks of Conftantinople got this 
 fecret from the countries adjoining to the Cafpian 
 fea, which might induce us to believe, that China 
 had it from the fame fource, by means of the cara- 
 vans of the Armenian and other merchants, who 
 have for many years traded to China. Yet this 
 conje6t:ure will equally prove, that it was from 
 China that this fecret came to the Cafpian (hore. 
 
 But what proves that this invention was not 
 brought from Tartary to China is, that the Tartars 
 have hitherto been intirely ignorant of the method 
 of inoculating, and making thereby the fmall- 
 pox milder and fafer. They look on this difeafe as 
 a kind of plague ; and as foon as any of them get 
 it, he is abandoned by all, and has nothing to 
 truft to but providence and his conftitution. 
 
 Whatever we may conjedure, none can difallow 
 but the Chinefe receipts about inoculation may be 
 cf great advantage j the fiifl of which is as follows : 
 
 When
 
 Africa, and Amekic a. 351 
 
 When you have found a child from one to fcverv 
 years of age, whofe pock came out happily, with- 
 out any malignant figns, who had them diftind, 
 and was well on the thirteenth and fourteenth day» 
 fo that the fcales of the puftules fell off •, gather 
 up the fcales or pellicules of the dried puftules ^ 
 put them in a China veiTel, whofe mouth you 
 muft carefully clofe with wax", by which means 
 you may preferve their efficacy many years, which 
 would evaporate in one hundred days, was there 
 the leaft opening in the vefTel. 
 
 It is fuppofed that the child to be inoculated is 
 in a good (late of health, and is, at leaft, a year old. 
 If the preferved fcales be fmall, take four •, if 
 they are large two are fufficient, and mix a grain 
 of mufk in fuch a manner, that the mufk may lie 
 between the two fcales, which prefs it ; and the 
 whole muft be put into a piece of cotton, wrapped 
 up in form of a tent, which is to be put into the 
 nofe ; and you muft fill the left noftril, if it is ^ 
 boy, and the right if it is a girl. 
 
 We muft obferve whether the child has the fron- 
 tal future clofed ; for if it is not confolidated, or 
 the child has a flux, or any other diibrder, it h mi 
 proper to inoculate him. 
 
 When this remedy is put into the nofe, and a 
 fever comes on, if the puftules appear not till the 
 third day, we may reckon, that of ten children, 
 eight or nine will do well. But fhould they come 
 out the fecond day, one half will be in great dan- 
 ger, and fhould the puftules make their appear- 
 ance the firft day of the fever, then the phyfician 
 cannot anfwer for the life of the patient. 
 
 For what remains with refpedt to the ufe of this 
 remedy, we muft condu(5t ourfelves as in the natu- 
 ral fmall-p )x, and only once ufe cxpelknt medi- 
 
 cincsy
 
 352 
 
 OhfiT'vations upon A^tAy 
 
 cmtSy and then give the patient potions and fortify" 
 ing cordials. 
 
 This recipe contains circumflances of more \m^ 
 portance in praftice, than at firfl appears. FirfV, 
 they chufe the pock of theyoungtft children for 
 the feed to be inoculated •, becaiife they judge it 
 is freert from heterogeneous mahgnity, and that 
 its virus is not too ftrong for the defigned opera- 
 tion. They alfo judge that the puilules of the dif- 
 tind: kind are better nourifhed, of a milder qua- 
 lity, juft as it happens to fruits which are left in 
 fmall numbers on a tree. AsforthemufK itfeemsa 
 meer vehicle; tho' as it is very fpirituous, the mor- 
 bific feeds with which it is mixed infinuate more 
 eafily. They have probably confidered that good 
 mufk ftrengthens the head and heart; and by its 
 heat opens the pores of the veflels ; which has laid 
 a foundation for faying, that being 'fmelled to 
 fafling, it caufes bleeding at the nofe. But we now 
 proceed to the fecond prefcription. 
 
 To fucceed in inoculating, we mufl: chufe the 
 fcales of the beft conditioned pock. Thefe recent 
 fcales ftand in need of a preparation to corred 
 their acrimony : they cut in little dices the root of 
 fcorzonera, to which they add a little liquorifh, 
 which they put into a china cup full of hot v/ater. 
 They then cover this cup with fine gauze, over 
 -which they hold for fome time the pocky fcales, 
 expofed to the benign heat of this compofition. Af- 
 ter this they remove and dry them, and then they 
 have their proper force. The fcales that have been 
 laid up for a month or two have no need of this 
 preparation, fmce it is fufficient to temper them by 
 the gentle perfpiration of a healthy man, who car- 
 ries them about with him for fome time before 
 they are made ufe of. 
 
 We
 
 AFRICA) anJ AwLtRicA. 353 
 
 We mufl obferve that fcales taken from the 
 trunkof the body, whether on the bread, or on 
 the back, are the bed •, and that we mull -uard 
 againft ufing thofe which are taken from the head, 
 the face, the feet, or hands. 
 
 When we would give the fmall-pox without In- 
 cifion, we mufb take the down of a filk worm's 
 egg, and put into it a fuiHcient quantity of fcales ; 
 then put it into the left noftril, if it be a boy, and 
 into the right noflril, if it be a girl, and leave it 
 there three hours. There is another method of 
 making a thick mixture with pulverized crufls, 
 by mixing them with a little warm water. They 
 inclofe this pafte in a thin piece of cotton, which 
 they put into the child's nofe, and leave it for fix 
 hours, by which means the fever will foon fuc- 
 ceed ; and on the fixth day the marks of the fmall- 
 pox will begin, and the puftules will dry, and fall 
 at the end of twelve days. To mix thefe crufts ia 
 water, we mud ufe a ftick of mulberry wood. 
 
 There are fix cafes, in which we mull not inocu- 
 elate. I [I, If the child be under the age of a year. 
 2dly, Should it be a young man pad fixteen. ^dly. 
 If the perfon has at that time any external diforder. 
 4thly, If he has inwardly an ailment. 5thly, Dur- 
 ing the fummer, and great heats, we muft not 
 venture. 6thly, When the pocky feed is not of a 
 favourable kind. 
 
 It is probably with a great deal of reafon that 
 they caution us againfl inoculating in fummer^ 
 but chufe thofe feafons of the year when the vi- 
 tal fpirits are lefs difTipated, and more concentrat- 
 ed, on which occafion natore adls better, provided 
 flie is fortified againft the external cold ; which ic 
 is far more eafy to guard againfl than it would be 
 in fummer, to give precifely the degree of flrength. 
 requifite. 
 
 Vol. I. A a In
 
 354 Obfervations upon Asia, 
 
 In both thefe methods, they judge it dangerots, 
 for the fmall-pox to come out too foon •, but 
 this danger is common to them v/ith the natural 
 fmall-pox. A premature effort of nature is thecaufe 
 that her forces are never totally reunited •, as it 
 happens in demicrifes, which being reiterated, fave 
 not the fick perfon as a perfed: crifis does. The 
 matter which is not prepared, being pufhed be- 
 twixt the flefli and Ikin, cannot be there fuffi- 
 ciently conco6led, juft as the aliments which fall 
 into the ilomach, before the firfl digeflion has been 
 performed in the mouth by maftication, and that 
 diffolution which is effe&d by the faliva. Thus 
 thefe acids entering into the blood, are never tho- 
 roughly expelled from it, and produce the moft 
 uncommon fymptoms. 
 
 The laft receipt comprehends the rules which 
 We are to obferve, in inoculating. 
 
 iff. It is neceffary that the child, whom they 
 want to inoculate, fhould be healthy, robuft, and 
 free from all diftempers. 
 
 2dly, They muil take care, that the fagittal fu- 
 ture be perfectly united and clofed -, wherefore care 
 fhould be taken in general, that children be three 
 years old, at leaft, before they are inoculated •, and 
 it is an experiment which Ihould not be made, 
 when they are pad feven. 
 
 3dly, The child muft be free from internal and 
 habitual infirmities •, have, on no part of his body, 
 either itch, impoftume, tetters, nor even the lead 
 ebullitions of blood ; and, in a word, he muft not 
 have the fmalleft fymptom of a flux. 
 
 4v:hiy, We muft refrain iromx inoculation, when 
 a child Irequently cafts his eyes on one fide, as if 
 he fquinted *, when he is dull of hearing, much 
 4-?^ore when he is totally deaf-, vvhen his noftrils are 
 • -^-'d- or when he makes water with diiiiculty. 
 
 ' ■ 5chly,
 
 \ 
 
 Africa, /?;zi America. 35^ 
 
 , 5t(ily, Inoculation would be an ufeltjfs attempt, 
 if the child had large eyes, without the caruncles 
 which are fituate in their corners, or if he had the 
 hircus (that part of the eye ntxt the temple) very 
 pointed, and not round, as the generality of men 
 have. 
 
 6thly, The feafons of great heat, or excefiive 
 cold, would be prejudicial to this operation, as 
 likewife thole times, when any epidemical diftem- 
 per rages, or when the weather is irregular, either 
 in refpecft of drynefs, humidity, or cloudinefs. 
 
 When we have obferved, that the child has 
 all the necefTary dilpofitions, we mull: prepare 
 him by a potion proper to dilTipate malignant 
 humours, and purify the blood and juices ; 
 and it mufl be at leafl: ten or twelve days after the 
 ufe of this remedy, before we undertake inocu- 
 lation. The remedy is compofed in the following 
 manner : 
 
 We miuft take red, black, and green peas, and. 
 liquoriih, of each an ounce, and reduce all to pow- 
 der, which we mufl: put into a tube of bamboo, or 
 elder, whofe bark is peeled OiT, leaving the knot 
 on each end. We muft fill this tube vv^ith the me- 
 dicinal powder, and dole the two openings with 
 wedges of fir, over which we mull put a thick 
 covering of v/ax, that the leaib aperture may 
 not remain at the extremities ot the tube: all 
 being thus difpofed during winter^ we muft hang 
 this tube m a vault or necefiary-houfe, where ic 
 mud remain for fourteen months. After we have 
 cleaned the outfide, we muft add to one ounce of 
 this mixture dried in the fhade, three mas (a mas 
 is the tenth part of an ounce) of the flower masifte, 
 which is a wild apricot, that flowers in win- 
 ter •, and there are fome of them which have only 
 flowers, but we muft not with our fingers gather 
 
 A a 2 thefe
 
 356 Obfervations upon Asia^ 
 
 thefe leaves, when they are fallen upon the fnowi 
 but mull take them up on the point of a needle, 
 lay them on paper, and expofe them to the heat of 
 a clear fire to dry them entirely •, and when they 
 are fo, they muft be reduced to a very fine pow- 
 der, and mixM with the other powder, which is 
 to be exhibited in the following manner: The dofe 
 is a mas, or half a mas, in proportion to the child's 
 age •, and they muft dilute this powder in a po- 
 tion of water, wherein they boil the creeping ftalks 
 of the long, flender, and downy gourd ^ and when 
 thefe ftalks cannot be had, we may in their (lead 
 ofe the flowers of xirinhoa. 
 
 When they give this remedy, all food muft be 
 forbidden, that is of too pungent and acrimonious 
 a tafte or fmell. Ten or twelve days after we may 
 inoculate \ and for this purpofe, muft chufe in a 
 good feafon, a young, robuft child, who has a 
 pock that is well conditioned, and not too clofcy 
 we muft colled the thickeft fcales of thefe puftulcs, 
 and ftiut them up clofe in a veflfel, fo that the fpi- 
 rits may not evaporate, after which precaution, 
 they may ferve during a whole year, without lofing 
 their efficacy. 
 
 When we would inoculate the fmall-pox, we 
 muft take five or fix of thefe fcales ; tho' if the 
 child is a little advanced in age, we join two grains 
 of hiunghoang, and pounding them together, 
 wrap them up in a piece of cotton, which is to be 
 put into the nofe of the child, and left two or 
 three days ; after which the fmall-pox will break 
 out ; but if the child is very young, two or three 
 fcales are fufficient \ and we muft proportionably 
 retrench the quantity of muflc, and hiunghoang. 
 The fecond day after inoculation, they make the 
 child take a dofe of two or three pulverized fcales, 
 which are to be put into a broth of chinma, which 
 
 IS
 
 Africa, <7«^AMERicAr 357 
 
 Is fo called becaufe the chinma prevails ; but it is 
 not the only ingredient, fince with the fcales they 
 alfo boil kotem, choyo, and liquorice. When this 
 potion, which muft be a pretty large dofe, is ready 
 to boil, they throw into it the powder of two or 
 three fcales. After which they wait for the etFedl 
 of the remedy •, and if, after the third day, we 
 fee the marks of the fmall-pox, it is a good 
 omen. 
 
 Should the fmall-pox appear on the fecond day, 
 there is danger ; and this danger would be greater, 
 fhould they appear the firft day. This is what 
 they fay ; but we need not be difcouraged, fince 
 by obferving the method which we prefcribe, and 
 taking the remedy which diflipates the malig- 
 nity of the humours, there will be no great fear of 
 the accidents and fymptoms above mentioned. We 
 muft then have recourfe to the remedies, which 
 they employ for the natural fmall-pox, when they 
 are dangerous. 
 
 In a word, they defire, that if, after the ufe of 
 thefe remedies the fmall-pox does not appear, nei- 
 tlier on the fourth nor fifth day, we muft remove 
 the powders put into the nofe of the child, and 
 have recourfe again to the remedies prefcribed for 
 abating the malignity of the venom. By this pre- 
 caution they affirm, that the child will afterwards 
 be proof againft the fmall-pox. We muft only ia 
 the fourth and fifth moon give this medicine for 
 fome days fucceftively, and the child will be freed 
 from danger after he is ten years old. 
 
 The Chinefe phyficians agree, that artificial 
 fmall-pox are of the fame kind with the natural ; 
 that they are fubjedl to the fame fymptoms ; that 
 the venom comes out at the fame time ; that is, on 
 the third or fourth day, and not on the feventh, as 
 it happens in purple fevers •, that the puftulcs arc 
 
 A a 3 fimilar
 
 35^ Obfcrvations upon Asia, 
 
 fimilar in figure, the quality of the matrer, and in tho 
 timerequifite for its maturation. They do not, like 
 fome of the authors who have wrote on the Greek 
 method of inoculation, affirm, that the artificial 
 puftules are not proper for {^t^A^ and the propaga- 
 tion of other pox ; and it is for this reafon, that 
 phyficians do not chufe to inoculate thole, who 
 would inevitably be in danger from the natural 
 pox, fiich as p^rfons conndcrably advanced in 
 years. 
 
 We muft, no doubt, have cblerved, that the 
 Chinefe are very circumfped in ufing expellent re- 
 medies, for f::ar of diflurbing nature, which is in 
 a kind of crifis during the firfl: days of the morbi- 
 fic fermentation ; and the principal care ought to 
 confift in ufing remedies which refift the corrup- 
 tion of the blood, which would otherwifc be pro- 
 duced by the too great a(5livity of the introduced 
 virus. It is alfo to be-obfervcd, that they advife 
 us to ufe, according to the necefilties of the ar- 
 tificial, all the remedies ur::d in the ccurfe of the 
 natural fm all- pox. 
 
 The fame author gives us the two follov/ing re- 
 ceipts, which the Chinefe fay are not only proper 
 to prevent the troublefome fymptoms of the fmall- 
 pox, but likewife to preferve us from them all our 
 lives; and thefe receipts ferve to illuftrate v/hat was 
 faid in the lail paragraph upon the artificial pox. 
 
 When the fmall-pox begin to fpread in a place, 
 regulate the eating and dhnking of the children, 
 let them not go abroad, take care that they be 
 conveniently clothed, and give them fome gentle 
 prefer vatives. 
 
 Take, fays he, a cup of red, one of black, and 
 another of green peas, with two ounces of liquo- 
 rice, Vv'hich you muft reduce to fine powder, and 
 then put thefe four ingredients into an earthen pet, 
 
 auc^
 
 Africa, ^;;^ America. 359 
 
 ■flnd boil them till they form a kind of pafte, 
 which you mufb make the chiki eat. The red 
 peas drive from the heart all the peccant matter, 
 the black are good againft the malignity of the 
 kidnies, and the green againft that of the ilo- 
 mach. 
 
 Other phyficians, as well as the lad mentioned, 
 highly extol the following recipe. 
 
 Take, fay they, feven eggs of a hen that is 
 ready to fit : Take one of them, pierce it to make 
 the white and yolk flow out ; then fill it with 
 four mas and nine condorins of very fine tchucha, 
 a kind of cinabar, (an ounce contains ten mas, and 
 the rnas ten condorins) pafte paper on the hole, 
 and ffop it well up. You muft put this egg un- 
 der the hen, to be fat on with the fix others.' When 
 the others are hatched you muft take away the me- 
 dicinal egg, from which you muft take out the 
 tchucha, which you muft expofe to a clear fun 
 and moon during feven or eight days and nights ; be- 
 fides, you muft take the beft and ripeft gourd, and 
 dry it, and when you have burnt it, without calci- 
 nation, you muft reduce it to powder ; for each 
 dofe mix five condorins of tchucha, and as much of 
 gourd powder, with a fuificient quantity of pure 
 honey, which medicine muft be taken three times 
 fucccfilvcly, and is an excellent prefervative. 
 
 7'hey likewife ufe another remedy as agreeable to 
 the palate, as proper to prevent and remove the dif- 
 order, and this is the frequent ufe of Corinthian 
 grapes, which the Chinefe call fofo poutao. 
 
 Perhaps the Chinefe method of procuring the 
 fmall-pox is milder and fafer than that of England, 
 which is performed by way of infertion. The 
 latter immediately conveys the virus to the mafs 
 of blood, whereas in the Chinefe pracflice, 
 ilibrile fpirit?, and thofe tempered, or afiifted, 
 
 A a 4 in-
 
 360 Ohfer'vafions upon As i A^ 
 
 infinuate themfelves by the olfadlory nerves, of 
 fuch as digeftion prepares in different pafTages. The 
 pocky virus has without doubt a kind of maUg- 
 nity ; but whether it be cold or hot, thick or fub- 
 tile, it mufl be more dangerous when it is inferted 
 into the fiefh than when it is infmuated by refpira- 
 tion, or deglutition. The venom of vipers or toads, 
 Iwallow'd or fmelt at a long time, does not hurt at 
 all, or at leaft much lefs than if it was introduced 
 by incifion, fince every one knows that the flightefl 
 bite of a ferpent proves mortal. 
 
 In the management of thofe in whom we pro* 
 duce the fmall-pox, we mull have recourfe to the 
 method obferved in the natural pox. Except in vene- 
 iediiion, v/hich is not ufed among the Chinefe, there 
 is a great analogy betwixt their method and that of 
 the Europeans. 
 
 The reader will not perhaps be difpleafed, that 
 in the excretion of the fmall-pox, they ufe peas, or 
 little beans. There is a probability that they ufe 
 them to temper the too great acrimony of the 
 blood and humours ; and what confirms this is, 
 that the Chinefe phyficians, when the fever con- 
 tinues without the appearance of the fmall-pox, put 
 in their common remedies a little opium, v/hich has 
 the virtue of uniting the fpirits, and giving them 
 the ftrength of expelling the venom. 
 
 We muft obferv^e that the Chinefe authors who 
 treat of the fmall-pox, fpeak of it asadiflemper 
 known in the earliefl ages, fmce, notwithftanding 
 the filence of Hippocrates and Galen, we cannot 
 doubt of its antiquity. When they inveftigate the 
 caufe of fo common and fo univerfal a diforder, 
 they pretend that the infant brings the principles 
 of it with him into the world from the mother's 
 womb, which occafional caufes augment, retard, 
 or intirely deflroy. But hov/ can it happen that 
 
 the
 
 Africa, and America.' 361 
 
 thefmall portion of matter which caufes the fmall- 
 pox, and which commonly the firll time one is in- 
 fed:ed, isexhaulled intirely, and fecures us from a 
 fecond attack, notvvithftanding external caufes, 
 and our approaching fuch as are covered with 
 them, Ihould remain fo many years in the mafs of 
 blood, or in any other parts, and this in youth, 
 which is fufceptible of the flighteft impreflions •, 
 that in procels of time this matter is neither atte- 
 nuated nor difTipated, even after burning fevers, 
 and violent crifes, which mud have renewed 
 the humours, the alcalies, the acids, the fulphurs 
 of the blood, and all the principles of life and 
 health, from whence arifes, as it were, a new con- 
 ftitution ? Nothing is found in the Chinefe writers 
 which has the leaft tendency to illuftrate this diffi- 
 culty. 
 
 However, what we have faid touching the Chi- 
 nefe method of procuring the fmall-pox, fhcWs 
 fufficiently that the knowledge of diftempers and 
 their remedies have not been fo negledled in Chi-, 
 naas fome in Europe perhaps imagine. 
 
 We now proceed to give an explication of the 
 different drugs in the preceding receipts, which 
 cannot be better known than by a Chinefe treatifc-, 
 of which the following is a faithful tranflation. 
 
 The plant chirma buds in the fpring, and rifes 
 three or four feet high. Its leaves, which are of 
 an obfcure black, refemble tJiofe of that hemp 
 which is called tchama, and a kind of flax called 
 hongma. 
 
 In the fourth or fifth moon, and at the end of 
 the fixth, the plant produces a black {zt6, and its 
 root is Uke that of hao, which is a kind of 
 wormwood -, it is blackifh, and the only part em- 
 ployed in medicine. As its virtue is fudorific, 
 ;hey think it good againft poifon, the corruption
 
 362 Obfervatlons iipoji Asia, 
 
 of the air, the external incommodities produced 
 ^by heat or cold, and in general againft all kinds of 
 smpoftumes. 
 
 Kdcen, that is -to fay, the root of the ko, is the 
 external pellicule of this creeping plant, which is 
 4:ak-eR off in long ibreds, and ferves to make the 
 iluff kopon. The root is medicinal, and they 
 make iife of it to care calentures, violent head 
 sches, and great colds ♦, in order to procure fweats, 
 to refifl poifon, and generally for all kinds of di- 
 stempers cauTt:d in children, by an excefTive heat of 
 the blood. 
 
 Tchi-tiao-teou, are little crimfon pea?, the 
 green and black are fufficiently known, and the 
 red or crimfon ones are fown after the fummer fol- 
 '^ic.t. Their leaves and Bowers are intirely like 
 thofe of kia-teou, that is to fay, peas with ilrait 
 cods, and about a foot long. Thefe tchi-teou 
 have an external covering like green peas, but 
 Ibmething larger. They eat them either boii'd in 
 •water, fry'd, or reduc'd to a kind of broth : they 
 alfo ufe them in medicine, and chufe the fmallefl:, 
 which are of a faint crimfon. They diffipate the 
 dropfy, dilTolve impofiumes, and extravafated 
 blood, and are of great ufe in contagious diflem- 
 pers. 
 
 The root of ch-oyo, or piony, is ufed againfl im- 
 purities of the blood, or diftempers produced by a 
 rcdimdancy of humours, and is alfo thought pro- 
 per to diffipate either clofe or open cancers, to 
 ilop dyfenteries, or tenefmufes, and to cure the in- 
 conveniencies which precede or follow child-birth. 
 
 Kin-in-hoao, a gilded orfilver'd flower, is the 
 honey-fuckle, which is found every where. The 
 plant which bears this flower, does not wither in 
 winter *, they therefore call it gimtomtem, the 
 plant that be;ars winter, It attaches itfelf to 
 
 the
 
 xA^FRicA, ^//^ America. 36-^ 
 
 the neighbouring trees, and begins to twill itfelf on 
 the kit fide of the trunk. The ftem is fomething 
 of a violet colour. The leaves come out from each 
 knot, and are downy, and fliarp. The flowers 
 which blow the third or fourth moon, are a fino-er's 
 breadth, fix'd by twos to the fame pedeftal, and 
 each confiibng of two leaves, the one greater and 
 the other lefs ; thcv are at firft: white ; after two 
 or three months they become yellow; and as thefe 
 y/hire and yellow fiowers caufe an agreeable va- 
 riety, as they come out fooner or later, they call 
 them golden and filver flowers. They ufe them 
 with fuccefs in abcefi'es, cancers, ulcers, impof- 
 tumes, when the blood is heated : in fliort, to re- 
 fifl: every kind of poifon, and internal malignity. 
 
 Tchucha is a kind of mineral, perhaps the cin- 
 nabar ol Diafcorides, fo rarely to be met with. The 
 beft comes from the city of Chienteou, in the pro- 
 vince of Houquang, where it is found in the 
 mines, and is lull oi mercury. They affirm like- 
 wife, that from a pound of tchucha they can ex- 
 trad: half a pound of mercury -, but the tchucha 
 is too expenfive for this purpofe. The large pieces 
 are dear, and when kept long lofe nothing of their 
 ftrength and colour. It is ranked amongft inter- 
 nal remedies, and for this end reduced to a flne 
 powder ; and in the lotion they take nothing but 
 what the water, when agitated, raifes up and fup- 
 ports. It is an excellent cordial, which refl:ores 
 the fpirlts, and all the parts to a fl:ate of health 
 and vigour. They ufe it in fu miner, to make a 
 pooling drink, and it is particularly afllfling in the 
 convulflons, and other diforders of children. 
 
 Hiung-hoang, another mineral, is a fpecies of 
 prpiment, furniflicd by all thofe mines wherein 
 fhfre js fulphur, lead, iron, or other metals. The 
 
 coarftft.
 
 364 Ohjcrvatiom upon Asia, 
 
 coarfefl, which they never ufe, contains pieces of 
 iron and gravel. The lump, which is cut into 
 large parts, fometimes, tho' very rarely, contains 
 a diamond. In phyfick they ule the moft tranf- 
 parent hiung-hoang againft the bites of ferpents 
 and other venomous inleds \ and have recourfe to 
 it in malignant diftempers, as well as epidemical, 
 cither to cure or preferve themfelves. 
 
 CHAP. XXXVII. 
 
 Singnlarities of the Tartar lajigtiage ; the great 
 ^variety of terms in this tongue ; four diffe^ 
 rent ivays of writing it -^ the Tartar cha-^ 
 raBers legible in every dirediion. 
 
 THE Tartar language compared with the 
 French, has this particular, that if, for ex- 
 ample, they ufe the verb faire, it muft be chang- 
 ed almoft as often as the fubftantive that follows 
 it. They fay faire un ^ma'ifon, faire un ouvrage, 
 des vers, faire un tableau, un ftatue, faire un per- 
 fonage, faire le modefle, faire croire, &c. This 
 phrafiology is com.modious, and burdens not the 
 memory -, but it is what the Tartars cannot bear, 
 fince they have different verbs as often as the fub- 
 ilantives governed by the verb faire are different 
 from each other •, and when one fails of this, it is 
 pardoned in common converfation ; but never in 
 a fet difcourfc, or even in common writing. 
 
 The return of the fame word in the compafs of 
 two lines is infupportable -, and to their ears pro- 
 duces fuch a monotony, as is contrary to the har- 
 mony of ftyle J wherefore they are apt to laugh 
 
 when
 
 Africa, ^;/^x\merica. 365 
 
 when they hear a French book read, on account of 
 the frequent repetition of the words, que, qu'ils, 
 qu'eux, quand, qu'on, quoi, quelque fois, &c. 
 The frequent repetition ot thefe pronouns difpleafes 
 them greatly; and it is in vain to tell them, fuch 
 is the genius of the French tongue, to which they 
 cannot accuilom them lei ves. The Tartars avoid 
 this very carefully, fmce the pofition of terms 
 alone fupplies its place among them, without ever 
 producing ambiguities, equivocations, agingleof 
 words, or unnatural allufions. 
 
 Another fingularity in the Tartar language is the 
 vail quantity of terms, which it has abbreviated j for 
 it never needs thofe pcriphrafes, or circumlocutions, 
 which lengthen out a difcourfe, fince fhort nervous 
 words exprefs with clearnefs what without their 
 means could not be exprclTcd but by a multiplicity of 
 founds, as is eafily obferved in their fpcaking of 
 domeilic or wild animals, of terreftrial or aqua- 
 tic fools. When we want to give an exad: defcrip- 
 tion in our language, how many periphrafes muft 
 we necefTarily ufe for want of terms proper to figni- 
 fy what we mean. Bun it is not thus among the 
 Tartars, as will be obvious from the example of a 
 dog, which, of all domeflic animals, has the feweft 
 terms in their language, which however abounds 
 with a great many more than ours. Befides the 
 comm^on appellations of great and little dogs, of 
 raaftiiTs, grey- hounds, fpaniels, &c. they have 
 fome words which denote their age, their hair, 
 and their good or bad qualities. Thus would 
 you fay, a dog has the hair of his ears and his tail 
 very long and thick, the word taiha fupplies all •, 
 and if a dog has his fnout thick and long, with 
 hanging lips, the fingle word yolo exprefles the 
 whole. If this dog fhould couple with an ordi- 
 nary bitchj which has none of thefe qualities, the 
 
 whelp
 
 366 OhfervatioJis upon Asia, 
 
 v/help is called peferi. If any dog or bitch 
 above the eye-brows two tufts of white or yellow 
 hair, we need only fay tourbe •, and it he is mark- 
 ed like a leopard, it is couri. If he has only the 
 fnout marked, and the reft of an uniform colour, 
 then he is called palta. If he has fome hairs upon 
 his head falling backwards, he is called kalia. 
 If his eye is half white and half blue, he is then 
 called tchikiri. If he is of a low fize, the legs 
 fhort, the bo :y thick, the head upright, he is then 
 capari, &c. Indagon is the general name of a 
 dog •, nieguen that of a bitch. The young are 
 called niha till feven months old •, after that, to 
 eleven miOnths nouquere -, and at fixteen months 
 they take the gcnerical name of indagon. The 
 fame is obferved in regard to their good and bad 
 qualities, two or three of which are expreffed by 
 one word. 
 
 It would be tedious to fpeak of other animals, 
 and efpecially of horfes, fince the Tartars, from 
 their great regard to this animal, fo ufetul to them^ 
 have multiplied names in his favour, to fuch a de- 
 gree, as to give him twenty times more than the 
 dog. They have not only proper words for his 
 different colours, his age and qualities, but alfo 
 for his feveral difpoiitions •, whether, when tied to 
 a place he cannot ftand ftill ; whether he gets 
 Icofe of himfelf, runs wildly about, and is lond 
 of being in company with other horfes \ whe- 
 ther he is frighted at the fall of his rider, or the 
 fudden appearance of a wild beaft ; or when he is 
 mounted, how many paces he is mafter of, and 
 how many different jolts he gives his rider. For 
 all thefe, and many other qualities, the Tartars 
 have appropriated particular terms. 
 
 Whether this variety of words is good, bad, or 
 ufelefs, we fliall not pretend to determine j it is 
 
 cer-
 
 Africa, a?id America. 367 
 
 Certain, that if it loads the memory of thofe who 
 karn it, it is a great advantage to them in conver- 
 fation, and is abfolutely necellary in comporuion, 
 fince without this multiplicity of names for all the 
 external and internal parts of animals, we could ne- 
 ver tranflate any of their books which defcribe 
 them. 
 
 As for .what remains, the Tartar language 
 wants none of the terms necefiary for the defcrip- 
 tion of the human body *, but it ieems not eafy to 
 guefs from what neighbours they could have bor- 
 rowed them. They have to the weft the Mogul- 
 Tartars ; and in thefe two languages there are not 
 above feven or eight fimilar words j neither can it 
 be faid from whom thefe names originally came. 
 To the eaft there are found certain little nations near 
 the {tc\^ who live as favages, and v/hofe language 
 they as little underftand as they do the language of 
 the northern people. To the fouth they have the 
 Coreans, whofe tongue and alphabet, v/hich are 
 Chinefe, have no affinity with the language orcha- 
 ra6ters of the Tartars. 
 
 After the conqueft of the Chinefe empire, the 
 Mantcheou Tartars were afraid left their lansuaoe 
 fhould be impovcrilned, or rather entirely loft 
 by the oblivion of their terms, and the mixture of 
 the Chinefe language with their own •, for thefe two 
 tongues are incapable of being united. The old 
 Tartars died by degrees in China, and their chil- 
 dren learned more eafily the language of the con- 
 quered country than that of their fathers, becaufc 
 the mothers and domeft"ics were almoft all Chinefe, 
 To remedy this inconveniency, under the firft em- 
 peror Chuntchi, who reigned but eighteen years 
 and fome months, they began to tranflace the ciaf- 
 fical books of China, and make di(5lionaries of 
 words ranged alphabetically : but as thefe expli- 
 
 c^iions
 
 368 Obfervations upon Asia,^ 
 
 cations and charafters were not Chinefe, and the 
 Chinefe language could not exprefs the founds and 
 words of the Tartar tongue, this labour was very 
 ufelefs. 
 
 It was for this reafon that the emperor Canghi, in 
 the beginning of his reign, ereded a college, or 
 fociety of the moft fkilful men in the two lan- 
 guages of Tartary and China, ordered Ibme to 
 trandate the hiftory and clalTical books, which are 
 not finifhed, and others to trandate pieces of elo- 
 quence; and the greateft to compofe a dictionary 
 of the Tartar language. 
 
 Tho' the Tartars have butonekind of charaflers, 
 yet they write them four ways, the firft of which 
 is that refembling fuch as are grav'd on wood or 
 (lone 9 and as this is the moft refpedlful manner of 
 writing, the books prefented to the emperor, are 
 all done in this manner •, fo that the perfon em- 
 ployed in this work cannot write above twenty or 
 twenty-five lines a day ; and if any application of 
 the pencil, by too heavy a hand, forms a ftroke 
 thicker or broader than it fhould be ; if, by the 
 defedt of the paper, it is not clean, if the words 
 be too clofe, or at unequal diftances, or if any 
 one of them is left out-, in fuch a cafe the writer 
 muft begin again. It is not permitted to ufe re- 
 ferences, nor fupply the defeds in the margin, 
 neither is it allowable to begin a line by a fyllable, 
 which could not be contained in the foregoing ; 
 for which reafon, writers muft be very cautious, 
 and careful to meafure their fpace, that thefe in- 
 con veniencies may never hapjpen. 
 
 The fecond manner of their ^vriting, tho' very 
 beautiful, and not very different from the former, 
 is yet lefs troublefome. 'Tis not neceffary to form 
 with double ftrokes the final letters of each word, 
 nor to re-touch fuch as are made, either becaufe 
 
 the
 
 Africa, ^;?// America. 369 
 
 the ftroke is fainter in one place than another, or 
 becaufe it is a little blotted. 
 
 The third manner of writing differs more from 
 the fecond than the fecond from the firR. This is 
 their running hand, which is fo expeditious, thac 
 the writer can foon fill with it, both fidts ot a 
 leaf. As the pencil preferves the ink better thai) 
 our pens, little time is loft by dipping it in rhe 
 ink ; fo that when they didlate to an amanuenfis, 
 we fee his pencil run on the paper with an incredible 
 rapidity, without flopping a mojnent ; and this is the 
 ufual character for writing the regifters of tribunals, 
 law-fuits, and other proceedings j but tho' theft three 
 methods of writing are equally legible, yet fome 
 of them are lefs beautiful than others. 
 
 Tho' the fourth method is the coarfeft of all ; 
 it is the fliorteft and moft commodious for thofc 
 who compofe, or take down the minutes, or ex- 
 tracts of a book, in the Tartar writing there is 
 always a principal hne, which falls perpendicular- 
 ly from the top of the word, to the bottom, and 
 on the left of the line, they add like fo many- 
 teeth of a faw, the vowels a, e, i, o, diftinguifh- 
 ed trom each other by points placed on the righc 
 of this perpendicular, li' they put a point oppo- 
 fite to a tooth, it is the vowel e ; if they omit this, 
 it is the vowel a -, if they place a point to the kfz 
 of the word near the tooth, this word ftands for 
 the letter n, and muft be read nc ; but if there 
 was a point oppofite to it on the right, you muft 
 read na. Befides, if on the right of the word 
 there is inftead of a point, an o, this is a fign that 
 the vowel is afpirated, and muft be read, ha, 
 he, as in the Spanifli. 
 
 Now a man who would exprefs himfelf politely 
 in the Tartar language, does not readily find the 
 words he wants, but is perplexed and uneaf) , and 
 
 Voir. I. Bb when
 
 37© Obfervatlons upon Asia,* 
 
 when once he is brought to a good humour, and 
 wants to commit his thoughts to paper, if poHi- 
 ble, without writing them, he then forms the 
 head of the charadler, and draws the perpendicu- 
 lar to the bottom ; and it is much if he puts one 
 or two points, but continues thus, till he has ex- 
 prefled his thought. If another thought comes 
 into his head, he does not give himfelf the trouble 
 of reading over what he has written, till he comes 
 to a difficult tranfition, in which cafe, he flops 
 Ihort, examines his perpendiculars, and adds fome 
 ftrokes in the places, where none but himfelf 
 could guefs at his meaning. 
 
 If in reading he perceives that he has omitted a 
 word, he adds it on the margin, making a mark, 
 where it ought to be inferted 5 but if there is a 
 word too much, or ill placed, he does not eraze it, 
 but inclofes it with a large dafh : in a word, if he 
 obferves that the word is good, or is told fo by 
 others, he adds on each fide two 00, which de- 
 notes to the reader, that fuch a word Hands. This 
 laft manner of writing is legible, efpecially when 
 we are well acquainted with the fubjedl, and are 
 habituated to the language. 
 
 Tho' they commonly ufe a pencil for writing, 
 there are Tartars who ufe a kind of bamboo, cut 
 very like an European pen : but becaufe the Chi- 
 nefe paper is without alum, and very thin, a 
 Chinefe pencil is more commodious than a pen. 
 Yet if they write with a pen, or make ufe of one 
 to paint in the Chinefe fafliion, flowers, trees, or 
 mountains, they mud firft moiften the paper with 
 water wherein is diffolved a little alum, to hinder 
 the ink from fmking. 
 
 A remark not to be omitted is, that the Tartar 
 characters are of fuch a nature, that one may 
 equally read them inverted, that is to fay, that if
 
 Africa^ and America. 371 
 
 a Tartar prefent you a book open, in the common 
 pofition, and if you read it (lowly, he who only 
 fees the inverted letters, will read quicker than 
 you, and anticipate you, when you hefuate, whence 
 it happens that it is impoflible to write in the Tar- 
 tar lano;uao;e fo as to conceal what is written from 
 thofe in the fame room, efpecially if the charaders 
 are large. 
 
 Wcfliall finifh this chapter by fbmeobfervations 
 on the Tartar language. i.They cannot join two 
 confonants, whence it happens, that the Tartars 
 cannot write the European languages-, fince in- 
 ftead of the French words prendre, platine, grif- 
 fon, friand, they would write, perendee, palatine, 
 feriand, gerifon, &:c. becaufe they are obliged to 
 place a vowel betwixt two confonants. 
 
 2. Their alphabet is defetitive in this, that they 
 want the two initial confonants B and D, for which 
 reafon, they cannot begin any Words with thefe 
 letters, but are obliged to fubflitute the P or the 
 S, fo that inflead of writting beftia, dens, they 
 write peftia, fens. Whence it proceeds, that 
 there are an infinity of European founds, which 
 they cannot write, tho' they can pronounce them. 
 
 3. They pronounce and write the vowel e always 
 broad, and never ufe the e mute, but at the end 
 of fome words, which end in n : but they have no 
 fign for this. 
 
 4. The Tartar language is very unfit for a concife 
 and pointed flile, upon account of the redundance 
 of long words, which makes it ufelefs for po- 
 etry, becaufe the elifions and rhime are inconfiftent 
 with this language : thus none of theTartars ever at- 
 tempted to give us any other than profe tranflati- 
 ons of the Chinefe poets. 
 
 In the Tartar language, there are few tranfitions, 
 and thofe ^o delicate, and difficult to comprehend, 
 
 B b '^ th:i;
 
 372 Obfervatlom upon Asia, 
 
 ^hat they perplex the moft fagacious. We fome- 
 ^imes fee a Tartar hold his pencil a long time in 
 the air, before he proceeds from one fentence to 
 another ; and after having paufed, he is obliged to 
 bloc out what he has written j when they are 
 afktd the reafon, they give none but this -j.that 
 founds ill, that is harfh, this is not current lan- 
 guage, there is need of another connexion, &c. 
 but what proves that thefe tranfitions are but few 
 in this language is, that thofe who are not perfe(5l- 
 ly mafters of it, generally lengthen the final let- 
 ters, by adding the word yala, which fignifies no- 
 thing. If in a converfation they only repeat this 
 word, once or twice, they think they ought to be 
 efteemed for it. But in a compofition of an ele- 
 gant nature, the Tartars dare not ufe it, efpecially 
 fince the emperor has difapproved of it •, but the 
 authors, who would avoid it, find themfelves 
 puzzled, when they are to pafs from one fubjeft 
 to another. 
 
 CHAP. XXXVIII. 
 
 Of the pro'-aince of Sirvajiy or antie?2t Albania -y 
 the extent of this provijice ; Jertility of the 
 foil, the fruits^ plants ajtd flowers, which 
 grow there 5 the particular ma7iJier of culti- 
 vating the lajids, and getting in their har- 
 left ', description of Cha??iake, Derbent and 
 Bakou, 
 
 THE province which at this day is called Sir- 
 van, is the ancient Albania, bounded on the 
 north by mount Caucafus, now called the King's 
 mount \ on the eafl by the Cafpian fea \ on the 
 
 fouth
 
 Africa, ^W America, 375 
 
 fouth by the river of Cyrus, above its union wich 
 the Araxes, and by a river, which difembogues it- 
 felf into the Cyrus, called by ancient geographers 
 Azaron, on that fide of Sirvan which borders on 
 Georgia. It is about thirty leagues from n:»rth to 
 fouth, as broad from eaft to weft, and contains 
 but three cities, Chamake, Derbent, and Bakou •, 
 the reft are but villages, of which there are about 
 lixty inhabited by Armenians. 
 
 Strabo, Pliny, and Ptolomy agree that Alba- 
 nia is fituated betwixt mount Caucafus, the Caf- 
 pian fea, and the river Cyrus, and thefe bounda- 
 ries have not been changed fmce their time; but 
 they do not agree in other particulars. 
 
 Ptolomy fuppofes a great diftance betwixt the 
 mouths of Cyrus and Araxes. Plutarch in the 
 life of Pompey is uncertain, whether thefe two 
 rivers fall into the fea by the fame mouth, or whe- 
 ther they do not fall feparately, near to each other. 
 Pliny fays, that according to the m.oft common 
 opinion, Cyrus carries with it the Araxes, twenty 
 leagues betore it falls into the fea •, and it is true 
 that the Araxes lofes its name, about twenty leagues 
 from the fea. 
 
 According to Pliny, Albania was watered with 
 feveral rivers, which difembogued into the Caf- 
 pian fea, among others, v^ith the Cyrus, Camby- 
 les, Albanus, Cafius, and Gernus, the four laft of 
 which are not to be found at prefcnc, unlefs they 
 are reduc'd to rivulets. 
 
 The Pirfahade is the only river in Sirvan, runs 
 above Chamake, and has a large channel which is 
 only fiird by the melting of the fnow. This river 
 has been divided into three branches, one of which 
 (lowed near the city garden, tho' all three furnilli'd 
 but a little water. 
 
 B b 3 I^toloiiiy
 
 «74 Obfermttons upon AsiAJ 
 
 Ptolomy reckons up a great number of cities in 
 Albania, and in the province of Capulaca, which 
 Pliny thinks was the capital, and gave its name 
 to the province. 
 
 But v/e muft iay of thofe cities what Ptolomy 
 faid of the rivers ; for if thefe cities ever fubfifted, 
 $hcy arc now no more. 
 
 Strabo appears more to be believ'd than Pliny, 
 "when he fays that the Afiatic Albanians liv'd in 
 the manner of the Nomades, without towns or 
 fix'd habitations, employing themfelves Jfolely in 
 breeding and feeding cattle. 
 
 Sirvan is a province of Perfia, of which Cha- 
 make is the capital, and the refidence of the kan, 
 the Perfian name for a governor. Derbent and 
 Bakou are two fmall feparate flates, under princes 
 ilii'd fulcans, who are vafTals of the king of 
 Perfia. Derbent ihuts up the entry of Albania on 
 the north, takes up about a league from Cau- 
 cafus to the fea, and is probably what Ptolomy call^ 
 the gates of Albania. Strabo talks of a wall built 
 near this place to prevent the irruption of favage 
 people who liv'd beyond it, and this long wall, 
 where ruins are yet fe^n on the mountain, and 
 which the inhabitants fay reach' d the Euxin fea, 
 may have been what Ptolomy calls the gates of 
 Albania. 
 
 The inhabitants boaft of haying Alexander for 
 the founder of their city, and maintain that this is the 
 Alexandria which that conqueror built near Cauca- 
 fus. Quintus Curtius and Arrian report, that the 
 Macedonians, to flatter Alexander, took away the 
 name Caucafus from the Scythians, and that Alex- 
 ander near tins mountain built a city, to which he 
 gave his own name. 
 
 But it is certain Alexander never enter'd Alba- 
 raa, which was cover'd by that part of Media 
 
 whic h
 
 Africa, and AMERiCiK 375 
 
 which Atropatos preferv'd from his rapid con- 
 quefts. Atropatos was a lieutenant of Darius, and 
 that part of Media which he preferv'd was call'd 
 Atropatenian Media, of which he always continued 
 mafter, and in the time of Strabo, his fucceflbrs 
 were ftill in poffefiion of it. This part of Media 
 is what is called at this day Guylan. 
 
 Derbent is fituated on the declivity of the moun- 
 tain, and defended by a caftle built a little above it, 
 where the fultan refidcs. The plain down to the 
 fea retains the name of the Grecian city, and we 
 only fee a few ruins in the plow*d lands. 
 
 It is alfo obferv'd, that Derbent is not what was 
 called the gates of Caucafus, which according to 
 Pliny were oppofite to Harmaftis, the capital of 
 Iberia. Thefe gates were a great work of nature, 
 for we fee, fays Pliny, the mountains naturally fe- 
 parated to form a paffage betwixt them, but the 
 people who inhabit on this fide the paffage, dread- 
 ing the irruptions of a numerous people who liv'd 
 beyond it, clos'd this entrance with bars of iron as 
 thick as beams, under which flow'd the river Yro- 
 donis. Not content with this defence, they built 
 ■upon the rock a caflle call'd Camania, which fe- 
 cur'd them from their enemies. 
 
 Strabo, who exaflly defcribes four ways of en- 
 tering into Iberia, fays nothing that feems to have 
 the leaft relation with thefe memorable gates^ 
 but perhaps they were not made in his time. 
 Towards the north, adds he, and on the fide of the 
 Nomades, three days are requifite to alcend the 
 mountain, and then defcend into a narrow paf- 
 fage where the river Aragus flows. The extremi- 
 ties of this paffage are fortified with a good wall 
 on the fide of Albania, and there is a way former- 
 ly cut out of the rock, and a marlh to be pafTed 
 on the fide of Armenia. This is a neck or (trait, 
 
 B b 4. where
 
 376 Ohfervations upon Asia, 
 
 where the Araxegus falls into the CyruSi Above 
 the jundion of thefe rivers, and upon the moun- 
 tains, are the cities of Harmozica, Saumara, or 
 Subamara; the firft near the Cyrus, and the other 
 rear the Aragus. It was thro' this palTage that 
 Pompey, and afterwards Canidus, pafTed into 
 Iberia. 
 
 Bakou is fifteen leagues above the mouth of the 
 Cyrus, upon the fhore of the Cafpian fea, to 
 which this gives its name ^ for it is often called the 
 fea of Bakou. 
 
 The adjacent country is of a light foil, and 
 abounding with faffron, but its principal riches 
 confift in its mines, which are wells, from which 
 thtv draw naphtha in fuch abundance, and with fo 
 much profit, that they allure u?, the king's reve- 
 nues from it, amount yearly to ten thoufand to- 
 mans, or fix hundred thoufand abalTis •, each abaf- 
 fis is worth about twenty pence, and each toman 
 about four pounds 
 
 The naphtha, which is a kind of oil, rifes with 
 the water, from which thev feoarate it, and draw 
 it off by pipes •, there is a black and a white fpecies 
 of it, and the latter being efteem'd the beft and 
 properefl: for fale, is tranfported to foreign coun- 
 tries, whereas the former is confumed at home 
 in fuch plenty, that they burn it in lamps, and 
 put wicks into it as thick as the thumb. 
 
 Sirvan agrees with the elogium Strabo gives of 
 'iMbania ; for the air is wholfome and ten:perate. 
 The neighbouring mountains covered with fnow, 
 and the fea breezes, moderate the heat ; befides, the 
 whole country is unequal and mountainous, which 
 contributes to keep the air in motion, and confe- 
 quently to purify and cool it. The winters are 
 commonly more moid than coldj and the fnows 
 which fail there do not lye long on the ground. 
 
 Fine
 
 Africa, and America. 377 
 
 ' • Fine weather, rain, and fnow have their regular 
 ieafons according to the neceflities of the climate; 
 fo that if all i\\& years be not equally plentiful, 
 none are abfolutely barren, or infufficient to fup- 
 port the inhabitants, who often negled: part of 
 their harveft. 
 
 The lands are fo good that they have no need of 
 manuring, but are only lefttallovv for a year or two, 
 and in fpring they give them the firit opening. The 
 hufbandman always puts in the plough five pair of 
 oxen, whofe yoke is as long again as thofe of Eu- 
 rope, but of lighter wood. The labourer fits upon 
 the yoke of the two firft oxen, and regulates their 
 motions. The plough has but one fmall fide 
 wheel, and the plough fhare enters no further than 
 is neceflary to turn up the clods fill'd with the 
 roots of grafs and weeds, which have fprung up 
 during its lying fallow Thefe clods remain all 
 fummer thus expos'd to the rays of the fun, which 
 reduce them to a very light earth. 
 
 The fecond ploughing is in autumn, in which 
 they likewife employ five pair of oxen, with this 
 difference, that each pair draws a particular plough, 
 and thefe five ploughs make five furrows, which 
 perpendicularly cut thofe made in the fpring. 
 The ploughs are followed by a man, who lows 
 the ittd mix'd with earth, that too much of it 
 may not fall in one place; and at tlie time of the 
 harvefl the reapers cover their bodies with flieep* 
 fl<;ins, to lave themfelves from the filings of gnats. 
 Without fi:ooping they cut the ftraw about a foot 
 beneath the ears, which they carry away on a 
 fledge, and tread out the corn with horfes ; but 
 the fifth part of the corn is for the owner of the 
 land, and the reft for the husbandman. This corn 
 is very beautiful, and makes fine bread, tho' they 
 uf^: no fieves, norfeparate the bran from the corn. 
 
 'The
 
 o 
 
 ^ 
 
 78 Obfervaticns upon Asia, 
 
 The great quantity of ilraw which remains on 
 the ground after harveft is not ufelefs, fince they 
 either cut it at the end of autumn for fuel, or tor 
 food for their cattle, or elfe fet fire to it to burn 
 the rats, which are fo very numerous, and caufc 
 fuch a ravage, that without the plentiful rains 
 which regularly fall, they would be oblig'd to 
 abandon their country. 
 
 A part of the tillage is managed by a kind of 
 Tartars cali'd Turquemis, becaufe they are of the 
 Turkifh fed. l^hey live in tents, which they eredt 
 in the winter in the plain^,^ and in fummer on the 
 tops of the mountains. The greateft part of the 
 inhabitants of this province were formerly tranf- 
 ported to the other extremity of Perfia, which lies 
 in the mountains betwixt Belk-kaboul, and Can- 
 dahar, where they have preferved their ancient 
 name, and are caird with very little change, 
 Akvans. But the favagenefs of the place has per- 
 verted their natures ; for they are become 
 robbers, and are formidable to the caravans which 
 travel into the Indies. 
 
 The vines, without cultivation, bear excellent 
 grapes, of which they might make excellent wines 
 did they not at the vintage mix them with about 
 a tenth part of water. The black grape is of two 
 kinds, the one very little, the other very large j the 
 white is without ftones, and has the relifh of muf- 
 catel. There is not in all Sirvan either a vault or 
 cellar^ fo that they bury their vcfiels in the gar- 
 den or court, draw thejr wine as they do water, 
 and when a veuel is empty, they content them- 
 felves with walliing it, without removing it from 
 its place. 
 
 The fruit-trees, which are of all kinds, grow 
 promifcuouP.v in the mountains and lorcfts as well 
 as in the plains, and their fruit is as good as caii 
 
 be
 
 Africa, <7;/^ America.' 379 
 
 be expe(5led from uncultivated trees ; for the inha- 
 bitants of Sirvan are ignorant of the art of graft- 
 ing and inoculating. They have almofl all th^ 
 fruits found in Europe *, but the wood ufed by car- 
 penters, and for fuel, is only to be had in the 
 mountains, from whence they are obliged to bring 
 it. 
 
 Pulfes are here very plentiful, as well as fruits ; 
 there are melons, cucumbers, afparagus, and, in 
 general, all kitchen herbs and roots found ia 
 Europe ; but it feems as if nature defigned Sirvan 
 for the faffron country, efpecially about Bakou, 
 where the foil is extremely light. They do not fell 
 faffron pure, but mix it in a pan with a little wax» 
 and then cut it out in fmall cakes. 
 
 All the country is covered v/ith odoriferous 
 herbs, fuch as thyme, marjoram, balm with yel- 
 low flowers, from which they draw an excellent 
 cordial. 
 
 Among thofe different plants, there is a remark- 
 able one which grows on the fides of the mountain 
 Pidrakou, about three quarters of a league from 
 Chamake. Its ftem is very high, and as thick as a 
 'Oman's leg ; it fpreads at the top, as wide as 2 
 fmall wind-mill, and diffufes a very agreeable 
 imell, but dries up in autumn, and revives in 
 the fpring. 
 
 The fields are adorned with a thoufand flowers, 
 and their tulips are very fine •, fome being yellow 
 and fmall, and others red and large, which have a 
 black yellow ground •, and if thefe colours were 
 mixed in the leaves, it would be the fined flowei^ 
 in the world. It is feen every where, not only 
 in tilled or corn fields, but even in the high- ways -, 
 and rofe and caper trees grow fpontaneoufly in the 
 forcils, and among the cops. 
 
 The
 
 380 Obfervatlo?is upon K^iA, 
 
 ' The lands which are iintilled, nouridi innumer- 
 able herds of cattle and flocks of fheep. Oxen are 
 made ufe there for carriages, and bear the burdens 
 on their backs. 
 
 They have two different methods in Sirvan of 
 managing horfes. When the Tartars come there 
 to trade, they kt their horfes feed at large in the 
 plains, and thefe horfes continue together like a 
 Hock of fheep, and will never quit each other. 
 The Perfians, on the contrary, take great care of 
 theirs •, for they always cover them with a thick 
 cloth, both in fummer and winter *, and if they 
 turn them out to grafs, they tie them, or put a 
 great clog to their feet. When the grafs feafon is 
 over, they only give them towards the evening a 
 fack of ftraw cut fmall, with four or five handfuls 
 of barley, yet thcfe horfes, with loads oa their 
 backs, will travel, without refting, twelve or fif- 
 teen long leagues in a day •, and what is very com- 
 modious is, that ten or twelve loads of ftraw, and 
 half a load of barky, will maintain two hundred 
 horfes two days march. 
 
 Befides domeftic animals, the forefts are full of 
 wild boars, ftags, foxes, and wolves. There is at 
 Chamake a confiderable trade in foxes Ikins for Af- 
 tracan. Larks and quails are fcarcer in Sirvan than 
 in Europe •, but as a recompence, partridges are 
 very common, as well as buftards, heathcocks, 
 and pheafants ; and there are likewife geefe, ducks, 
 pigeons and cranes. Storks come there in fum- 
 mer to build their nefts, and bring up their young, 
 but foon after difappear. 
 
 When the winter becomes fliarp, one may pur- 
 chafe four heathcocks for five pence, a buftard tor 
 five or fix, and a live pheafant for ten pence -, thefe 
 birds thrufting their heads into the fnovv, and fuf- 
 
 ferin^ thcmfelves to be taken, 
 
 A
 
 Africa, ^72^/ America. 381 
 
 A country fo happy, and which furniflies fo li- 
 berally every thing which renders life commodious 
 and agreeable, is inhabited by a poor miler- 
 able people, either becaufe their natural lazinefs 
 hinders them from profiting by the (lores which 
 nature offers them, or becaufe they are impove- 
 rifbed by theexceffive taxes laid upon them; for 
 it is faid that the king of Perfia annually draws out 
 of Sirvan two millions of abalils; the common 
 food of the inhabitants is garden herbs and fruits. 
 Their moft delicate repafts confrR of rice, four 
 curds and cheefe. Their cloathing is coarfe fluff 
 like a caflbck, under which they wear a loofe fhirt, 
 and few of them have another for change, which 
 makes them to be eaten up with vermin -, but 
 what is mod aftonifhing is, that they fuffer lb 
 patiently their bad company, that they never give 
 themfelves any trouble to be freed of them. 
 
 Their fhoes are made of the flvin of an ox's 
 head, or the head of a wild boar, and rifing pret- 
 ty high on the foot, are tied with cords. 
 
 They are efteemed cheats and lyars ; and it is 
 faid of them, that they are perfuaded without a 
 lye, no bufinefs can fucceed •, but in other refpecls 
 they behave themfelves tolerably. 
 
 There are three languages fpoken in the coun- 
 try ♦, the Turkifh, which is the moft common ; 
 the corrupt Perfian, and the Armenian ; ail of 
 which they learn, and fpeak thefe three languages 
 without confufion. 
 
 In Sirvan the different nations are diflinguifhed 
 by the different head-dreffes. As the Perfians love 
 the red turbant, they call them kelel-bafchi, or red- 
 caps •, the Armenians kara-bafchi, black-capp, ; 
 and the Georgians, who have a very little bonnet, 
 bafchi-achoiik, bare heads. 
 
 Let
 
 382 Ohfei-^catiois upon Asia, 
 
 Let us proceed to the defcription of Chamake, 
 which was formerly no more than a fortrefs fur- 
 rounded with a wall, with turrets here and there^ 
 of which there nothing remains now but a few 
 ruins. The city is enlarged on the fouth-fide, and 
 extending over five or fix little hills, is quite open^ 
 without walls or ditches, and compofed of about 
 feven thoufand houfes, fome of which are built of 
 ftone, with earth inftead of mortar ; but the great- 
 eft part are only of earth and clay, tho' fome have 
 araifed roof, covered with boards, inftead of (late 
 or tile, and others have fiat roofs. Thefe are of 
 one ftory, having the door and windows on the 
 fame fide, and feveral houfes have only the door to 
 give them light-, as thefe flat roofs are only of pre- 
 pared earth, with a mixture of chopped ftraw, 
 and laid about a foot thick on little pofts or 
 beams, they cannot ftop the rains, if they con- 
 tinue any confiderable time, but the whole houfe is 
 deluged. 
 
 People of eafy fortunes take the precaution of 
 having a tin roof, and that the fun may not pre- 
 judice it, they fmeer it with naphtha. 
 
 There is not in all Chamake any public building 
 worth notice, nor one fine mofque, and yet it is a 
 town of great trade, and the florehoufc of Muf- 
 covy and Perfia. TheMufcovites have a magazine 
 there, and bring to it tin, copper, fkins, furs, and 
 other merchandizes from their country. The Per- 
 fians and Indians there fell their ftuffs, filks, and 
 cottons, with embroidery in gold and filver, and 
 variety of coftly flowering and ornaments. The 
 Tartars bring hither horfes and fiaves, and there is 
 a market where feveral ftreets meet together, with 
 fhops on each fide fhaded from the fun. 
 
 As for the religions pubUcly exercifed at Cha- 
 make they 2S<. almoft of all forts \ mahometifm is 
 
 F 

 
 Africa, and America. 383 
 
 predominant, but is divided into two fe(5ls, viz. 
 that ot Jonis and Cahis, or Jehais -, the one are 
 followers oi" Omar, and the others ofAii, and they 
 continually curie and deteft each other. 
 
 The Jews have a fynagogue, and the Indians a 
 pagod, and thefe lad, who are in number about 
 two hundred, carry on the greateft trade, and are 
 the richeft merchants. 
 
 The Chriftians who inhabit the city are Arme- 
 nians, and have not above two hundred houfes, 
 and the Mufcovites have a chapel in their magazine. 
 The priefts of both thefe nations are drefs*d in 
 green, and have this \n common, that they love 
 wineexceflively. 
 
 The governor of the city and all the province, 
 has the title of kan, and the magiftrate who is ir^- 
 truftcd with the police and the adminiftration of 
 juftice is called kalenter. 
 
 It rarely happens that Sirvan is exposed to the 
 calamities of war -, for tho' it is at the extremity 
 of Perfia, its fituation fecures it ^ for mount Cau- 
 cafus is a rampart which enemies cannot break 
 thro' -, notwithflanding which, the king of Pcrfia, 
 for the fake of peace from this quarter, gives a 
 penlion of thirty-five thoufand abafiis to the cham- 
 kal -, for thus they call the prince of the Lefchi, 
 a Tartar nation who inhabit beyond the moun- 
 tains in the Dagueftan, whence they fay that Lcf- 
 chus, firft prince of Poland, came. 
 
 In this place, and all over Perfia, they cele- 
 brate, during ten days, the memory of UfTaia 
 the fonof Ali. In the nine firft days we fee little 
 beggars, half naked, befmcer'd with black, and 
 divided into companies, run up and down the> 
 city with drums, finging and bawling out with 
 all their ftrength, UlTain ! UfTain ! On the tenth 
 day they carry thro' the flreets a child upon a 
 
 kind
 
 384 Ohfervations upon Asia, 
 
 kind of bier, fupported by twenty men. The bier 
 is ornamented with rich fluffs and loolving-glaffes 
 which make them itill more fplendid. The 
 child counterfeits death, that he may reprefent 
 Uffa^n, and during the proceflion, trumpets, drums, 
 and the fhouts of the people, make a hideous noife. 
 This burlefque ceremony is changed the following 
 day into a battle, which is fought in the great 
 market place of the city, which is above five hun- 
 dred paces long, and one hundred and fifty broad. 
 
 The city is divided into two parties ; the one 
 called Leideris, and the other Clahmedautais, from 
 the names of two brothers, formerly princes of 
 Chamake. The combatants are armed with flicks 
 of half a pike length, with flings, and even fire- 
 arms, fo that the battle never ends without blood- 
 Ihed. The governors endeavour to flop this dif- 
 order •, but they cannot curb the youth, who glory 
 in fignalizing themfelves in this fkirmifh. 
 
 CHAP. XXXIX, 
 
 The loadjlone ufed by theChinefe ph;ficians -, pro- 
 perties which they attribute to believe derc -^ 
 the Chinefe camphire ; manner of their ex- 
 tracing it from the tree^ and preparing it 5 
 the qualities which they attribute to it, 
 
 7^ H E Y fuccefsfully ufe the loadflone in China 
 againfl all fudden, painful, and malignant 
 tumors, fince Chinefe phyficians look upon this 
 remedy as admirable \ becaufe, as they judge, it 
 attrads the venom, and deflroys the evil in its ori- 
 gin. They take fleel Elings, that are made as fine 
 
 as
 
 Africa, ^W America." 385 
 
 as poflible, and throw them into the ftrongeil vine- 
 gar ; they then mix both well together, and after 
 three or four boilings, take out the fteel, and 
 fpread it on the affeded part, after which they 
 take a hf:gfi loadftone, and apply it often to the 
 filing?, which atti-adl the hidden caufe of the ma- 
 Jady, and difiipate the malignity of the poifon. 
 How many doubts may be propofed concerning 
 this remedy ? Can the load-ftone vivify the fteel 
 filings, as it does the needle ? Can the fteel fil- 
 ings prepared in this boiling liquor be more pro- 
 per to be agitated by the load-ftone ? Can the 
 acids of the vinegar with which it is impregnated, 
 render it, by a new arrangement of its pores, better 
 prepared for the motion given by the load-ftone ? 
 After all, may it not happen, that the load-ftone 
 may have fome virtue againft the poifon, which it 
 never exerts, but conjointly with the filings im- 
 pregnated with the acids of vinegar, which caufes 
 a particular impreflion on the affe^led part. 
 
 From the properties of the load-ftone, letuspafs 
 to thofe which the Chinefe attribute to the belie- 
 ved ere. This plant, as the Chinefe botanift fays, 
 grows in the end of March, or the beginning of 
 April ; its fprouts, when they are eight or nine 
 inches high, afllime the figure of a child's fift, 
 when it is half clofed •, it extends afterwards, and 
 pufhes out an infinity of branches, ornamented 
 with leaves like thofe of tiax. Thefe branches gra- 
 dually become round as they crofs each other, and 
 are naturally difpofed in the form of an agreeable^ 
 pyramid. T\.t fame author adds, that the leaves of 
 the beilevedere, while they are tender, have a juice 
 of an agreeable tafte ; that they may be eaten in fal- 
 lad with vinegar, if you mix but fome flices of gin- 
 ger ', that being prepared as other pot-herbs, and 
 boiled with the meat, they give it a fine and deli- 
 
 Vol. I. C c cate
 
 386 ObfervattGHs upon AsiaJ 
 
 cate tafte ; that when it is in all its beauty, if 
 leaves become hard, but that then they find in its 
 flalk and root a food that will fupply the neceflity 
 of life in years of famine. When the plant, fay 
 they, is arrived at its natural height, they feparate 
 the principal item, and draw from it a lixivium of 
 allies, which foftens, purifies, and cleanfes it from the 
 flcin and bark. After this fleeping they expbfe it 
 to the fun •, and when it is dry, they boil and fea- 
 fon it. As for the root, whofe colour inclines to 
 violet, they take ofi^ the fKin in filaments, or fhreds, 
 which after being boiled, are eatable. 
 
 But what they principally feek is the white fub- 
 llance of the root, which they eafily reduce ta 
 meal, of v/hich they only take what remains in a 
 pafte at the bottom of the veflel, v/hich they after- 
 wards bake in little loaves or rolls. The botanift 
 quotes the example of four mountaineers, who liv- 
 ing generally on the leaves, ftems, and roots of 
 bellevedere, which their country furniflied in plen- 
 ty, preferved themfelves in perfect health to ex- 
 treme old age. 
 
 Befides, this author advifes, that to render the 
 bellevedere more plentiful and fubfbantial, they 
 ihould fet fire to thefe mountains which are cover- 
 ed with it, fometimes in one place, and fometimes 
 in another, becaufe its own afhes enrich its plants, 
 • and give them a more nutritive juice. 
 
 He then proceeds to the medicinal virtues of 
 this plant. The bellevedere, fays he, has no hurt- 
 ful or malignant quality, is cold by nature, of a 
 fweet tafte, full of benign juice, frees from excef- 
 five internal hears, is diuretic, opens the urinary 
 pafiages, and procures fleep •, being toafted, reduc- 
 ed to a powder, and taken in a draught to about 
 two drachms, it expells flatulencies of the abdo- 
 men, and is a wholfome remedy againil all dirtem- 
 
 pers
 
 Africa, and America.' 387 
 
 pers caufed by excefTive heats. In a word, the 
 root of the plant reduced to afhes, diflblved in a 
 little oil, and applied to the bite of ferpents, and 
 other venomous infers, deadens the poifon, draws 
 it out, and cures the wound. The Chinefe phyfi- 
 cian has neither recourfe to faltsj acids, nor alka- 
 lies, whether intrinfical to the plant, or chemically 
 cxtrafled from it, but only relates plainly its ef- 
 fei?:s, and leaves to fkilful chemiftsto feek out and 
 unravel the hidden caufes of them. 
 
 If thefe effe6ls be true, fuch difcoveries, fimple 
 as they are, ought to induce our European che- 
 mifts and phyficians, to make different experiments, 
 to convince themfelves of the properties of this 
 planti which, perhaps, is only negleded, becaufe 
 we are ignorant of its virtues. 
 
 What we are about to relate of camphire. Will 
 not appear lefs amazing, or interefting, than what 
 we have related of the bellevedere. We are per- 
 fuaded in Europe, that this precious gum diftils 
 from the ftem and branches of the tree, and is col- 
 lefted near the foot of it, where they tal^e it up 
 mixed with earth. The dictionary of arts takes it 
 for a truth, that this gum diftils from a tree. 
 *' They bring, fays the author, camphire from 
 *' China into Europe entirely crude, and in cakes; 
 ** but as it has not pafifed the lire, it is reputed 
 *' coarfe, and is fo in reality." 
 
 The extra(fL of a Chinefe book lately publiihed, 
 affords fuch difcoveries on this fubje(^l as deferve 
 attention ; for the book has great authority, and 
 was printed by the order and care of the emperor 
 Changi, who has inferred in it his own refleclions. 
 They cite a great number of learned men, who have 
 been the authors, or revi'isrs of the work ; and 
 alTure us, that the camphire brought from China, 
 does not drop to the ground, ?.s it happens in 
 
 C c 2 othe;;
 
 388 Obfe7'vatio7is upon Asia,' 
 
 other refinous trees^ v;hich for their own preferva^ 
 tion only difcharge what is too un6luous in their 
 fubflance \ and that it does not diflii from the 
 top of the tree to the bottom, by an incifion which, 
 they made in it. They would life this art in 
 China,- if they could do it with fuccefs ^ for fuch 
 incifions miade in refinous trees are much ufed in 
 that country. In the article preceding that which 
 treats of camphire, it is related, that to lofe no- 
 thing of the varnifh, they alv/ays fix to the place 
 of the tree,, where the incifion is made, a little tube, 
 and to it a vefTel, which prevents the mixture of 
 dirt and foulnefs, and as much as pofiible, the eva- 
 poration of the diftiiling juice. In another article, 
 where mention is made of the pine-tree, which fur- 
 nilhes a refin, to which they attribute great vir- 
 tues, they fpeak of a method of incifion, which 
 perhaps is unknown in Europe. They dig the 
 earth, fays the author, round about an old pine- 
 tree, and uncover one of its principal roots, in 
 which they make an incifion, from whence dift ils a 
 fpirituous juice ; but they muft take care, that 
 during the operation, the place above the root be 
 covered, that the light of the fun or moon never 
 reach it ; without doubt the defign of this method 
 is to extra(5l from the pine a liquor which is natu- 
 rally fluid, and will continue fo. 
 
 But it is in a quite different manner that they 
 extrad: camphire in China from the tree called te- 
 hang ; for they take, fays the Chinefe author, frefli 
 branches from this tree, cut them into fmall parts, 
 and fceep them three days and nights in fofr water. 
 When they have been macerated in this m^anner, 
 they throw them into a kettle where they are boil- 
 ed, during which tin-iC, they perpetually ftir them 
 with a {tick of willow- wood ; and v/hen they fee 
 that the particles of this juice adhere copioufly to 
 
 the
 
 Africa, ^Tf/^ America. 389 
 
 the (lick in form of a hoar-froll, they ilrain it off, 
 taking care to throw away the lees, or fediment. 
 Then this juice is gently pour'd into a new var- 
 nifhed earthen veffel, where they leave it for a 
 night, and on the next day find the juice coagulat- 
 ed, and become a kind of mafs. 
 
 In order to purify this firic prodt!(^lio^, thev' ufe 
 a copper bafon, look for feme ola mud wall, of 
 which they take a part, and reduce it ro a very 
 fine powder. They put this powder at the bottom 
 of the bafon, and upon this bed of earth they fpread 
 another of camphire, and thus difpofe them alter- 
 nately to the number four •, and on the lait, which 
 is finely pulverized, they make a covering of the 
 leaves of the plant called poho, or penny-royal. The 
 copper bafon being thus filled, is covered with ano- 
 ther bafon, and they take care that both are exact- 
 ly clofed ', and that they may exa6lly fit each other, 
 they fecure them at the cd^es with a yellow earth, 
 which unites them ftrongly together. 
 
 The bafon being full of this mixture, they place 
 it on the fire, which muft be regular, equal, and 
 neither too ftrong, nor too weak ; -but pra6lice a- 
 lone can teach the due proportion. We mufttake 
 care that the earth which joins the bafons, holds 
 both clofe, and leaves no chink, for fear the fpi- 
 rituous parts fhould efcape, which would ruin the 
 whole operation. When they have given it a fuf- 
 ficient heat, they wait till the bafons are cold, and 
 then feparating them, they find the camphire fub- 
 limed, and adhering to the cover. 
 
 If the operation is repeated two or three times, 
 the camphire will come out in beautiful parcels. 
 Whenever they chufe to make ufe of it in certain 
 quantities, they put it betwixt two earthen veflels, 
 the edges of which they bind round with feverai 
 folds of wet paper, and keep this veffel over a mo- 
 « C c 3- derate
 
 39^ Ohfervafions upon Asia,' 
 
 derate and equal fire about an hour •, then letting 
 the veflel cool, the camphire is found in its per- 
 fedion, and fit for ufe. 
 
 An European chemift who had frefli branches 
 of the tehang tree, would certainly abridge the^e 
 operations, with fome advantage with regard to 
 the quantity and purity of this gum. Perhaps alfo 
 all the Chinefe operations have their particular ufe, 
 fmce they know how, in lefs time, and at a fmaller 
 cxpence, to fublime mercury •, forinitance, in twa 
 well luted crucibles, fuch as filver-fmiths ufe in 
 the fufion of filver. 
 
 At leaft, we cannot fay truly, as is affirmed in 
 the diftionary of arts, that the Chinefe camphire 
 is brought into Europe crude, without having paff- 
 ed thro' the fire, fince we find that it is fubjeded 
 to it feveral times, tho' it may happen, that the 
 Chinefe, to increafe the quantity, and the profit 
 from it, fell, or have fold it formerly to the Euro- 
 pean merchants in crude lumps ; that is to fay, 
 after a flight boiling given to their mafs, or mix- 
 ture of earth and camphire, and the plant penny- 
 royal. The form of the camphire cakes imported 
 from Holland, which, according to Mr. Lemery, 
 refemble the cover of a pot^j eafily lays a founda- 
 .tion for fuch afufpicion. 
 
 Befides, this manner of extraflirig camphire 
 from the inmoU: part of the tree, may be pradifed 
 in all the feafons of the year ; which never could 
 be, was it extraded like other refins, which flow 
 not but a fhort time. Befides, by fhaking the 
 camphire tree, it is lefs hurt than by extrading 
 its juice by incifions, which are always preju- 
 dicial. 
 
 Whatever the camphire is, which is fold to the 
 Iiuropeans, it is certain, that in the fliops of Pekin 
 they ieli fome very cheap, which yet is well gra- 
 
 i nulated.
 
 Africa, a?id America. 391 
 
 nulated, fufficiently pure, very fubtile, eafily eva- 
 parated, and when inclofed in a double veflel may 
 be preferved a long time. But the beft Chinefe 
 <:amphire, in the opinion of the Chinefe themfelves, 
 rcannot be compared to the good camphire of 
 Borneo. 
 
 Might not one procure at Canton a little plant 
 
 ■of the camphire tree, and tranfport it to fome of 
 
 the French iflands, where it might eafily grow; 
 
 and it may pofTibly happen, that there are fome of 
 
 them there, tho' not known. 
 
 'Tis faid the Chinefe camphire comes from Hol- 
 Jand into France ; fo tliat, perhaps, the Dutch 
 .have found it in their own iflands, or from other 
 parts tranfported the trees, which bear that cam- 
 .phire, which they fell under the name of Chinefe 
 -camphire ; but it is more probable that the Chi- 
 nefe of Batavia buy it in China, and then fell it to 
 the Dutch. 
 
 They had reafon to fay, in the dictionary of 
 arts, that the Chinefe camphire is qxtrafted from a 
 ■very high large tree, fome of which, fays the Chi- 
 •nefe author, are found one hundred and three cu- 
 bits high, and fo thick, that twenty perfons with 
 extended arms, can hardly grafp them. There are 
 fome feen that are computed to be three hundred 
 years old ; and this wood, which is of fervice for 
 :the conftrudion of houfes and fhips, is intermixed 
 with beautiful veins^ and feveral fine works are 
 made of it. 
 
 This tree grows faft, and about its foot and 
 larger roots, (hoots forth fuckers that are proper 
 for tranfplantation. The old trunks emit fparks 
 of fire, probably, becaufe this wood, which is rot- 
 ten, and full of worms, produces thofe falfe fires, 
 which are the natural effeds of the efFufionof cam- 
 
 C c 4 phorated
 
 3 9 2 Cbfervations upon Asia,' 
 
 phorated fpirits, which arc inflammable by the lead 
 motion, when continued but a few moments. The 
 fiame is fo lubtile, and there is fo little fear of its 
 communicating itl'eif, that the fofteO: hairs are not' 
 fet on fire by it, as is proved by the experiment 
 of burning camphire in the fpirits of wine in the 
 ciofeft places. 
 
 It now remains that we fhould fpeak of the vir- 
 tues which the Chinefeafcribe to camphire. Tho% 
 fays the fame author, it is fomewhat acrid and hot, 
 yet it is fo far from being hurtful and defliructive, 
 that it opens the feveral vefTels of the body, ferves 
 to diflblve and carry off the phlegm of the intef- 
 tines, dilTipates the impurities of the biood, re- 
 moves the inconveniencies arifmg from cold and 
 humidity, appeafes violent cholics, the colera 
 morbus, and the pains of the heart and llornach. 
 It cures tetters, the itch, and troublefome cutane- 
 ous diforders, and is fuccefsfully ufed in faften- 
 ing loofe teeth, and is fo efficacious a remedy 
 againfc worms, that it delivers thofe who are fub- 
 jed to them, and prevents that diforder in others. 
 All the low part of the tree impregnated with the 
 fubftance of the camphire, has aim oft all its quali- 
 ties, in a much inferior degree. This wood is of a 
 moderately fharp tafte, and may be ufed internally 
 without any apprehenfion of its difordering the 
 flomach or abdomen ; and if there is any violent 
 indifpofition in thefe, it dries up the humours 
 which caufe it, or if there be a neceffity of throw- 
 ing them up at the mouth, this effedl is produced 
 Tv'ithout any violent efforts, by fwallowing a pretty 
 rich decoclion of the powder of this wood, which 
 aho I-efolves indis-eftions after meals. Thofe who 
 are troubled with acid erudtations, ought to ufe a 
 -decoction of this wood in a rice-wine, which
 
 Africa, and America.' 393 
 
 is weaker than fmall beer. Fomentations of this 
 Avood remove obftinate troyblefome iweatings of 
 the feet. 
 
 Let us finifh thefe obfervations with a very effi- 
 cacious remedy ufed againft a diftemper of the 
 eyes, which is very extraordinary, and far more 
 common in China than in Europe, and which is 
 called nyctalopia. This malady is fuch an affecti- 
 on of the eyes as caufes perfons to fee well in the 
 day, imperfedlly in the evening, but nothing at all 
 during the night. The accelTions of this periodi- 
 cal diftemper, which is thought incurable in Eu- 
 rope, come on at the approach of night. Kimun- 
 gyen is the name v, hich the Chinele give to this 
 diftemper, and the three letters which compofe, 
 in the Chinele language, this word, fignify eyes^ 
 fvibjeCl to be darkened, like thofe of fowls. The 
 Chinefe imagine, that by comparing the diforder- 
 ed eyes of the patient to thofe of a fowl, -which 
 are darkened towards the evening, they have dif- 
 clofed the myftery of this diforder, without re- 
 fledling, that this efte6l in fowls is as natural as the 
 falling of the eye-lids in a perfon opprefTed with 
 fleep. 
 
 But the cafe is not the fame in the nyflalopia, 
 fmce the patient, tho' his eyes are open, fees no- 
 thing, but gropes about even in the places to which 
 he is moft accuftomed, and perceives neither in- 
 flammation, heat, nor the leaft twitchings in his 
 eyes : and it he be placed in the day-time in a dark 
 place, with the leaft light he fees diftinclly ; but 
 when the night comes on his diforder feizes him to 
 fuch a degree, that if a taper be prefented to him, 
 he perceives no object enlightened in the room, 
 not even the taper itfeh ; and inftead of a clear 
 jight, he perceives nothing but a large blarkjfh 
 
 globe.
 
 394 OhfervatioJts upon Asia, 
 
 globe, wkhouc any luflre. This imperfedl feniii- 
 tion feeiiis to indicate, that the membrane of the 
 retina, become flaccid and obflrudled, cannot, for 
 want of its natural fpring, feel the gentle imprefTi- 
 ^ns of the vifual rays, and is only agitated by fuch 
 ,as are very ftrong. If the eye is darkened gra- 
 dually as the night approaches, it is not enlighten- 
 ed in the fame manner, nor fuccefiively, which is a 
 comfort to the patient ; for he knows that the fol- 
 lowing day his fight will be good till fun-fet. The 
 following is the remedy which the Chinefe phyfi- 
 jcians ufe againft this dilorder. 
 
 Take the liver of a fheep that has a black head, 
 cut it with a knife made of bamboo, or hard wood; 
 take out the nerves, pellicules, and filaments •, then 
 cover it with a leaf of water-lily, after having pow- 
 dered it with a little good falt-petre. Then put 
 all into a pot, and let it be flowly boiled ^ ftir it 
 ,often while it boiis, having on your head a large 
 linen covering, which hangs down to the ground, 
 that the fmoak which exhales from the liver in 
 boiling may not be dilTipated, and that you may 
 receive the whole. This falutary fleam rifing up 
 to your eyes, which muft be kept open, will make 
 the morbific humour diftil from them, and you 
 will be cured. If you fhould ufe this remedy 
 about noon you v/ill find yourfelf in the evening 
 perfedlly relieved from this fymptom \ but fome, 
 to render the remedy more efficacious, advife the 
 patient to eat a part of the liver thus prepared, and 
 drink the broth of it -, but others affirm, that this 
 is not necelTary •, and that perfons have been cured 
 by fumigating themfelves at leifure with the fmoak 
 of the fheep's liver while it was boiling •, and that 
 it was equally ufelefs to regard the colour of the 
 
 fiieep, whether black or white. 
 
 • This
 
 Africa, aiid Aue-ricaI 395 
 
 This is an «afy, fpeedy, and efficacious remedy, 
 whofe virtue has been experienced by a great num- 
 ber of Chinefe for a malady known in Europe, 
 looked upon as incurable j and fhould this remeiiy 
 fucceed in Europe, China mull be judged to havq[ 
 inade it a beneficial prefent. 
 
 CHAP. XL. 
 
 Tbe Lidians opinions about the tranf migration of 
 
 fouls^ 
 
 M 
 
 OST of the Ir>dians believe the foul to be 
 immortal, and fame think that it isaparticle 
 of God himfelf; but tho' the generality of them 
 are perfuaded of this immortality ; yet they only 
 prove it by the metempfychofis or tranf migration 
 of fouls into different bodies. 
 
 Not only the Indians beyond the Ganges, but 
 the people of Aracan, Pegu, Siam, Camboya, 
 Tonquin, Cochinchina, China, and Japan, are of 
 the fame opinion, and fupport it by the fame rea- 
 fonings as the other Indians do. 
 
 We even find in America fome flight traces of 
 the tranfmigration of fouls -, but how can we ac- 
 count for the introdudlion of this fenfelefs notion 
 among a people, who were fo long unknown to 
 the reft of the world? It is not equally furprifing, 
 that it fhould fpread in Africa and Europe. The 
 Egyptians may have taught it to the Africans, and 
 Pythagoras, the head of the Italian feci, had efta- 
 blifhed it in fcveral nations, but particularly in the 
 two Gauls, where the druids looked upon it as the 
 bafis and foundation of their religion -, and it evea 
 
 enter-
 
 3 9 ^ ObfervatioJi f upofi Asia,' 
 
 entered their policy, fince when their generals de- 
 figned to infpire into their armies a contempt of 
 death, they aflured them that their fouls would no 
 fooner leave one body, than they would immediate- 
 -ly ^nter another to ac^tuate it. 
 
 This dodrine was taught in the infancy of Chri- 
 ftianity by theSimonian heretics, and the Bafilidians, 
 the Valentinians, the Marcionites, the Gnoftics, 
 Manichseans, and even many Jews embraced this 
 extravagant fyftem -, fo that we read ia the talmud, 
 that the foul of Abel pafied into the body of Seth, 
 and afterwards -into that of Mofes. 
 
 Some imagine, that this doftrine was originally 
 taught by the ancient Egyptians, and that from 
 them it fpread itfelf to the Indies, and over the 
 reft of Afia. Others, on the contrary, afcribe the 
 invention of it to the Indians, who afterwards com- 
 municated it to the Egyptians. Philoftratus af- 
 fures us, that Pythagoras was the inventor of this 
 fyftem ; that he communicated it to the bramins, 
 in a voyage which he made to the Indies ; and that 
 from thence it was imported into Egypt. Accord- 
 ing to the Indian chronology, feveral thoufands of 
 years are elapfed fmce this do6lrine was in vogue 
 there, -but unluckily the chronology of thefe nations 
 is filled with fuch incoherences, that no credit 
 can be given to them ; fo that it is more probable, 
 as feveral ancient authors have faid in exprefs 
 terms, that it was from the Egyptians, rather 
 than the Indians, that Pythagoras and Plato drew 
 what they have written about the metempfycho- 
 fis. 
 
 The Indians, as well as the Pythagoreans, un- 
 deriland by the metempfychofis, the paffage of 
 a foul through feveral different bodies, which it 
 fucceflively animates, to produce thofe operations 
 which are pj:oper to it. At firft they only fpoke 
 
 of
 
 Africa, ^W America.' 397 
 
 of the pafiage of fouls into different human bo- 
 dies, but afterwards enlarged their fyftem, and 
 the Indians have ftili improved upon the difcipies 
 of Pythagoras and Plato. 
 
 I ft, The Pythagoreans in eftablilhing their fyf- 
 tem, founded their principal procf on the autho- 
 rity of their mafter, vvhofe words were to them 
 fuch oracles, that it was not permitted them to 
 entertain the lead doubt about any thing that was 
 advanced by this great philofopher. Our mafter 
 has faid it, w^ould the Pythagoreans reply, in dif- 
 pute •, and this anfwer fupplied the place of all 
 proofs. 
 
 This is juft the anfwer of the Indians. Bruma, fay 
 they, is the chief of the three gods worfhipped in 
 the Indies •, it was he who taught this celeftial doc- 
 trine ; it is therefore infallible. It is Bruma, who 
 is Abaden ♦, that is, who fpeaks eflentially conform- 
 able to truth, and all whofe words are oracles. He 
 has, add they, a perfed knowledge of what is 
 paft, prefent, and to come ; it is he who writes 
 all the circumftances of the life of each man •, it is 
 he who has taught all fciences ; and can we, after 
 this, doubt of the reality of the metempfychofis^ 
 fince it has been revealed by Bruma ? 
 
 ^2dly, The difcipies of Pythagoras were to keep 
 filence for a certain number of years, before they 
 were allowed to propofe their doubts -, after which 
 they were permitted to make their objedions. Some 
 of his difcipies having afkcd of him, if he remem- 
 bered to have exifted before, he anfwered them^ 
 that he had appeared in the world under the name 
 of Etalides the fon of Mercury •, and that after- 
 wards he was born again in the perfon of Euphor- 
 bus, and finally killed at the fiege of I'roy by Me- 
 nelaus j that afterwards he was known by the nam? 
 
 of
 
 -^9^ (iifer'vations upon AsiA,^ 
 
 of Hermotimus ; that he afterwards was a fifher- 
 man in the ifland of Dtrlos, and went by the name 
 of Pyrrhus^ but at that time was the individual 
 Pythagoras; 
 
 The Indians, bti their fide, quote an infinity of 
 changes in their gods, beginning with Brumaj who* 
 they fay, has appeared under a thoufand different 
 figures ; and the metamorphofes of Vichnou are al- 
 moft as numerous. There is one which they are 
 llill in expectation of j which they call Kelki-vada- 
 iran ; that is to fay^ Vichnou turned to a horfe \ 
 and they mention many other changes, efpecially of 
 Routren. 
 
 The worfliippers of X^ichnou pretend, that this 
 god, by an heavenly light, inlightens fome favou- 
 rite fouls of his votaries, and informs them of the 
 different changes which have happened to them in 
 the bodies which they have animated •, and the zea- 
 lous worfhippers of Routren affirm, that this goi 
 has revealed to feveral among them the feveral 
 ilages of being in which they were, in the various 
 tranfmigrations of their fouls. 
 
 3dly, The Indians and Pythagoreans have re- 
 courfe to comparifons, that, they may the more 
 clearly explain their fentiments. The foul, fay the 
 Indians, is like a bird in a cage, and as a man in a 
 houfe which he inhabits, takes care to repair the 
 weakefl parts, jufl fo the foul of man is in thd 
 body, lodges in it, and endeavours to preferve it; 
 Befides, as a man leaves his houfe when it is no 
 longer habitable, and goes to another, fo the foul 
 leaves the body when fome ficknefs or accident ren- 
 ders it incapable of being animated, and takes pof- 
 feffion of another body. In a wordj as a man 
 goes out of his houfe when he pleafes, and returns 
 in the fan;e manner, fo there are great men, whofe 
 
 fouJs
 
 Africa, <7;z^ America. ^99 
 
 fouls have the privilege to feparatc from their bo- 
 dies, and return again when they pleafe, after hav- 
 ing run thro' feveral parts of the univerfe. 
 
 We read in the Yi^e of Vieramarken, one of the 
 moll powerful kings of the Indies, that a prince 
 begged of a goddefs in a private temple, to teach 
 him the mandiram ; that is, a prayer which has 
 the virtue of feparating the foul from the body, and 
 making it return when it would ; he obtained thi3 
 favour •, but by ill-luck the domeftic who accom- 
 panied him, and flood at the door of the temple, 
 over-heard the mandiram, learned it by heart, and 
 refolved to ufe it at a favourable conjundure. 
 
 As this prince entirely confided in his domeftiCy 
 he communicated to him the favour he had receiv- 
 ed ; but took care^as he thought,that he fhould not 
 know the mandiram. It happened that this prince 
 often hid himfelf in a remote place, where he gave a 
 loofe to his foul j but in the mean time he ordered 
 his fervant to watch carefully his body, till his 
 foul was returned again. He then repeated to 
 himfelf this myflical prayer, and his foul difengag- 
 ing itfelf inflantly from his body, flutter'd here and 
 there, and afterwards returned. One day when 
 the domeftic ftood centinel near his mafter's body, 
 he took it into his head to repeat the fame prayer, 
 and his foul immediately feparating from his body, 
 entered into that of the prince. The firft thing 
 that this falfe prince did was to cut off the head of 
 his firft body, that his mafter might not re-animate 
 it. Thus the prince's foul was reduced to the ne- 
 ceflity of animating the body of a parrot, with 
 which it returned to the palace. 
 
 We muft not think it ftrange, that the Indians 
 believe, that the great men among them have had 
 ihc power of thus feparating their fouls from their 
 
 bodies.
 
 40 o Obfervatlons upon Asia/ 
 
 bodies, fince Pliny reiates in his natural hiftbrj^j 
 that one Hermotimus h ^d thi3 wonderful fecret, of 
 quitting his body as otter* as he pleafed ; that his 
 foul thus feparated, travelled into feverul countries, 
 and returned to its body, that it might relate what 
 palled in the remoteft nations. Indeed Plutarch is 
 not of Pliny's fentiments, but imagines that the 
 foul of this Hermotimus was not really feparated 
 from his body, but that a genius was continu- 
 ally at his fide to inform him of what paffed elfe- 
 
 where. 
 
 The third comparifoh which the Indians make 
 is taken from a fhip and pilot. The pilot, fay they, 
 is the governor of the fhip, direifls it as he pleafes, 
 conducts it into diilant climates, furrounds iflands^ 
 enters with it into rivers, and fails in it to all the 
 fea ports in the world. If it be hurt in any part, 
 he refits it, and abandons it intirely when the planks 
 beginning to rot, denounce an approaching, fiiip^ 
 wreck, it is thus that the foul ads in the body of 
 man. It conduds it every where, is the caufe of 
 its voyages, leads it into towns, makes it afccnd 
 and defcend, walk, or reft ; when it is fick, fearcheS 
 for remedies to cure it ; and never leaves it but 
 when it is in fuchbad repair that it can no long-er 
 perform its fun6lions. 
 
 4thly, In the books of the ancient Indians we 
 find, that the fouls are portions of the fubftance of 
 God himfelf-, that this fovereio;n mafter diffufes 
 himfelf thro' all the parts oi" the univerfe to- 
 animate them ; and it muft be fo, add they, be- 
 caufe God alone can vivify and produce new beings-. 
 Imagine to yourfelF, fay fome of their bramins-, 
 feveral millions of vefTels, fome great, fome fmall, 
 fome of a middle fize, filled with water : imagine 
 likewife that the fun fliines perpendicularly upoa 
 
 them,
 
 Africa, and America. 401 
 
 tkem, is it true that he imprelTcs his image in each 
 of them •, that a fmall fun is feen in each, or ra- 
 ther a Colletlion of rays, which flow from the body 
 of that refplendent ftar. This happens in our 
 world ; the vefTels are thofe different bodies, 
 whofe fouls are emanations from God, as the rays 
 in the Vefiels are from the fun. If they are afked. 
 Whether they think, that in the diffolution of bo- 
 dies, thefe fouls ceafe to be, as the images of the 
 fun fubfift not in thefe vefiels after they are broken, 
 they anfwer, that as thofe rays which formed the 
 images in the broken vefiels, ferved to form other 
 images in other vefielsj fo fouls, when they arc 
 obliged to quit decaying bodies, animate again 
 fome others, that are more frefh and vigorous. 
 
 Others believe that God is an extremely fub- 
 tile air •, that our fouls are parts of the divine 
 breath ; that when we die, this fubtile breath 
 which animated us, reunites itfelf to God, unlefs 
 it ft:ands in need of purification by feveral tranfmi- 
 grations, or metempfychofes ; that when thefe 
 fouls are thoroughly purged from all impurities, 
 they obtain final happinefs, which has 'nwt degiee^>, 
 and is confummated by an identicity with God. 
 
 This dodrine was taught by the difciples of Py- 
 thagoras, as well as Plato, and the followers of Ori- 
 gen, who had taken it from thefe two philolophcrs, 
 as is evident from what Cicero puts into the mouth 
 of Plato •, to wit, that the Italic philofopht rs did 
 not doubt but the fouls of men were derived from 
 the fubftance of God himfelf. 
 
 It is true, however, that feveral pafiages in Plato, 
 fufficiently prove that God created human fouls, 
 and afterwards united them with the fi:ars, that 
 they might there contemplate the ideas of ail 
 created beings j and in this, Plato, the faithful 
 fcholar of Pythagoras, thought as his inafter. 
 
 Vol. I. D d The
 
 4^21 Obfefvations upon Asia, 
 
 The fame dodlrine is found in the writings of 
 the Indians, efpecially in regard of the rajas, 
 who conftitute the chief clafs after that of the bra- 
 mins. There are many clafles of the rajas fubordi- 
 nate to each other, which yet are confined to two 
 principal ones. The firil is that of thofe who are 
 come from the fun -, that is to fay, their fouls for- 
 merly inhabited the body of the fun, or according 
 to others, were luminous parts of it. I'he fame 
 almoft may be faid of the fecond clafs of the rajas, 
 who fay they are come from the moon ; and when 
 they are afked, whence proceed the fouls of the 
 other claffes, they anfwer that they come from the 
 liars, a decifive proof of which, fay they, is drawn 
 from thefe ftreams of light, which appear in the 
 night - time, when the air is inflamed ; for 
 they pretend that thefe are fouls falling from 
 the flars, or from Chorkam. The Indians believe, 
 that thefe fouls which thus fall from heaven, hap- 
 pening to light on the grafs, enter into the bodies 
 of cows or fhcep, which happen to be feeding, and 
 then animate calves or Iambs, and if this light ihould 
 fall upon fome fruit, which fhould be eaten by a 
 pregnant woman, they fay it is a foul going to ani- 
 mate the infaat in its mother's belly. 
 
 In a word, the Indians, as well as the Platonics, 
 affirm, that thofe fouls, being difgufted with their 
 former joys, and ilimulated with the defire of ani- 
 mating material bodies, enter into them, and^ con- 
 tinue till they have fufficiently purified themfelves, 
 and deferve to return to the happy regions from 
 whence they came •, but that if t hey therecontra^ 
 new impurities, they are at lafl condemned to hell, 
 from whence there is no return till almoft an inE- 
 nite feries of ages has elapfed. 
 • 5thly, As for the reft, this pajflage of fouls into 
 bodies more or lefs perfe<^, as they have praftifed 
 
 virtue
 
 Africa, ^W America." '403 
 
 virtue or vice, is not done by chance, but ftrid: 
 order j and there are different degrees by which 
 they mount, or defcend, to their recompence or 
 reward. This is what Plato, a faithful diicipleof 
 Pythagoras, explains in this manner : ifb, Should 
 it be a foul which has had a great deal of perfedlion 
 while it was united with God, and had difcovered 
 many truths while irithis fpecies of beatific vifion, 
 it enters into the body of a philofopher or a fage, 
 whofe higheft pleafure is contemplation. 2dly, It 
 animates that of a king or a great prince, sdly, Ic 
 pafTes into the body of a magiftrate, or becomes 
 the head of a great family. 4thly, It animates 
 that of fome phyfician. 5thly, It enters into the 
 body of a man, whofe bufmefs it is to take care of 
 the worlhip due to the gods. 6thly, It pafTes into 
 the body of a poet. 7thly, Into that of a logician. 
 And finally. Into that of a tyrant. 
 
 According to the Indians, thofe fouls which im- 
 mediately defcend from heaven, ifl. Enter into 
 the bodies of their bramins, who are their wife 
 men or philofophers. 2dly, Into thofe of kings 
 or princes. 3dly, Into thofe of magiflrates or in- 
 tendants ; and finally, into thofe of the lowcft and 
 meaneft clafTes, from whence they may, ncverthe- 
 lefs, afcend in proportion to their purification On 
 certain occafions, fouls mufl pafs, lay they, a thou- 
 fand times into different bodies, before they are re- 
 united to the fun, where they becon:e fo many 
 rays. 
 
 The Chaldeans pretend that fouls have wings, 
 'which growftronger, in proportion to their practice 
 of virtue, and weaker as they immerfe themfelves 
 into impurity and vice. 
 
 Plato alfo fays, that when fouls are not elevated 
 to a higher degree when they change their abode, it 
 
 D d a is
 
 404 Obfervatiom upon Asia, 
 
 is becaufe their wings are not ftrong enough* 
 When the Platonics are afked, how long a time is 
 required for fouls to recover the vigour of their 
 wings, impaired by vice, they fay, that at leaft ten 
 thoufand years are neceffary for great finners •, but 
 that for the good, who have lived in three ftates 
 of innocence, it is enough that they undergo three 
 thoufand years. 
 
 The Indians attribute wings, even to the moun- 
 tains j which, fay they, were formerly fo infolent 
 as to endeavour to cover and overwhelm cities. 
 Devendiren purfued them, fay they, with a fword 
 of diamonds, and coming up with the body of the 
 whole army of thefe mountains in their flight, 
 cut off their wings, which has produced that chain 
 of mountains, which divide the Indies into two 
 parts. As for the other mountains feparated 
 from the main body, they fell here and there in 
 the parts where we now fee them, while thofe 
 which fell in the fea, formed the iflands obfervablein 
 it. All thefe mountains, in their opinions, are ani- 
 mated ; and they fuppofe their children to be rocks, 
 and even gods and goddelTes. 
 
 6thly, According to Plato, fouls, except thofe 
 offomephilofophers, are judged immediately after 
 ■ their feparation from the body, to be either punifh- 
 ed in hell, or rewarded in heaven ; but that, after 
 a thouiand years, they return to the earth, where 
 they chufe a kind of life conformable to their incli- 
 nations, on which occafion it happens, that thofe 
 which have animated human bodies in the preced- 
 ing life, pafs into thofe of beafts ; while the others, 
 who have been in thofe beafts, at length animate hu- 
 
 'man bodies. 
 
 But we are not to believe, that the choice, which 
 thefe fouls make, is fortuitous or indifferent with 
 
 ' refpeft 
 
 i 
 
 *#
 
 Africa, ^«^ America. 405 
 
 refpe^ltoall kinds of beaf^s, fince amongall animals 
 they make choice of fuch as have the greatefl ana- 
 logy with the conditions in which they were in a 
 pre-exiftent ftate. Thus Orpheus cKofe the body 
 oi a fwan, and the foul of Tamiris was lodged in a 
 nightingale ; that of Ajax in a lion -, that .of Aga- 
 memnoa in an eagle j and that of Therfites in an 
 ape. 
 
 The Indians are of Plato's opinion, with this 
 difference, that they believe that fouls enter into 
 different bodies, by a fatality, which they call the 
 .chankcharam, or determination of Bruma, who 
 takes care to write down all the adventures of this 
 foul in the futures of that body v/hich it is about 
 to animate. 
 
 ythly. According to Plato and Pythagoras, fouls 
 alfo pafs into trees, plants, and vegetables of every 
 kind. This is alfo the do(ftrineof the Indians, as 
 is obvious from the following fable told by them : 
 
 Chourpanaguey was fifler to the giant Ravanen ; 
 fhe had a fon whom fhe moft tenderly loved: this 
 youth, one day, went into the garden of a devotee, 
 and happened to fpoil fome trees ^ the reclufe was 
 offended at it, and immediately transformed him 
 into a tree called almaram. Chourpanaguey hav- 
 ing begged the hermit to moderate his pafTion, he 
 yielded, and confented, that when Vichnou tranf- 
 formed into Ramen, fhould come into the world, 
 and cut a branch off this tree, the foul of the 
 young man fhould fly up into th,e Chorkam, and 
 never undergo any other tranfmigrations. 
 
 8thly, The difciples of Plato and Pythagoras 
 never thought that fouls pafs into flones, a;)id fjjch- 
 like inanimate fubftances. 
 
 The Indians are perfuaded that foulsa^flually ani- 
 mate IJones, mountains, and rocks, of which the 
 
 Dd 3 fol-
 
 4o6 Obfer'uatiojis upon Asia, 
 
 Jowing is an example. They relate, that there was 
 near the Ganges, a devotee called Cavoudamon, 
 whofe life was extremely rigorous •, that he had 
 one of the moil beautiful women in the world for 
 his wifci that (he had the misfortune to difpleafe 
 Devendiren, the fupreme king of the deities of 
 the Chorkam •, that the hermit perceiving this, 
 gnafh' d his teeth for anger, and immediately 
 curfed them both; that his wife was forthwith 
 transformed into a rock, where her foul was con- 
 lined •, but in length of time, that Ramen touch- 
 ing with his foot this rock, delivered by his power 
 thjs unfortunate foul *, and as fhe had expiated her 
 crime by this tranfmigration, Ihe took her flight 
 immediately into Chorkam. 
 
 9thly, It will be aflced, perhaps, if this pafTagc of 
 fouls from body to body is inftantaneous, or if there 
 Ssan interval between the different animations ^ The 
 Indians are divided in their opinions on this fub- 
 je(51:, fince fome think that fouls continue near their 
 bodies, and even in thofe places which contain the 
 <afhes of burnt carcafies, till they find others pro- 
 per to receive them, while others think that hu- 
 man fouls have the indulgence of coming and 
 eating for feveral days of what is offered to them ; 
 and this is the mofh common opinion, fo that they 
 rejoice when they fee ravens come and fnatch away 
 what they prepare for thefe fouls. The common 
 people, efpecially, are perfuaded that the louls of 
 the dead enter, for fome days, into thefe ravens or 
 crows, or at leafl return in bodies of the fame fi- 
 gure, that after this they go into the Chorkam, if 
 they have deferved it, or into hell, if their crimes 
 deferve that punifhment. 
 
 As for Plato, he aiTures us, that fuch fouls as 
 are thoroughly purified, return to heaven from 
 
 whence
 
 Africa, ^//^ America. 407. 
 
 whence they firfl came •, and that the fouls of bad 
 men are obliged to remain near the afhes or tombs 
 of the dead, till they are permitted to enter into 
 .other bodies, and by that means expiate their 
 crimes. 
 
 The ancient poets, who, for the moft part, were 
 Pythagoreans, believed, that fouls, whether good 
 or bad, accompanied, for fome time, the 
 carcalfes. The commentator Servius, explaining 
 thefe words of the third i^neid, Animamque fe- 
 pulchro condimus, fays, that the foul continues 
 near the body, or afhes, as long as there are any 
 vifible remains. It was to hinder fouls from going 
 fooner into other places, that the Egyptians em- 
 balmed with fo much care their dead relations. 
 Myrrh, perfumes, and bandages of fine linen dip- 
 ped in gum, made thefe carcafTes as hard as if 
 they had been compofed of marble •, for which 
 reafon they alfo built thofe llupendous pyramids, 
 of which we read fuch fnrprifmg accounts. 
 
 The Indians allow not to human fouls fuch a 
 long continuance near their carcalfes, fince twelve 
 or fifteen days with them are fufficient. After ' 
 which a natural propenfity inclines thefe fouls to 
 look out for other bodies, which may give them more 
 pleafure than thofe which they firft animated ; and 
 this continues till they have palfed thorough feve- 
 ral hundreds of tranfmigrations. 
 
 The caufe of fo many new births or regenera- 
 tions is accounted for by the bramins in the follow- 
 ing manner, who all agree, that Bruma writes on 
 the heads of children, at their birth, the hiflory of 
 their future life -, and that, afterwards, neither he, 
 nor all the gods together, can efface it, or prevent 
 its effecfls. But fome pretend, that Bruma writes 
 what he thinks proper ♦, and by confequence, that 
 " • it
 
 4o8 Ohfervattom upoji Asia, 
 
 it depends on his fancy whether a man fhould be 
 happy or miferable, while others maintain, that 
 he is not free to follow his own caprice *, and that 
 what he writes on the heads of children mufl: 
 be conformable to their adions in a ilate of pre- 
 C3^iftence. 
 
 This writing of Bruma is a thing fo diverting 
 that it deferves to be explained. The cranium has 
 futures which enter into each other, and are form- 
 ed almoft like the teeth of a faw. All thefe teeth, 
 according to the Indians, are fo many hierogly- 
 phics, which form the myftic writing of Bruma in 
 the three principal futures. It is a lofs, fay they, 
 that we cannot read thefe characlers, nor compre- 
 hend their meaning, fince by this we Ihould know 
 all the occurrences of a man's life. 
 
 This is the true fyflem of the ancient brarpins, 
 who affirm, that every good adion ought to be 
 cflentially recom.penced, and every bad one necef- 
 farily punifhed, in confequence of which no inno- 
 cent perfon can be punifhed, nor any vicious one 
 rewarded. Virtue and vice are therefore the ge- 
 nuine caufes of the diverficy of conditions. This 
 is the decree which none can refift, this is the fatal 
 hand of Bruma -, and it is by explaining this prin- 
 ciple, that they give a reafon why fome are happy, 
 and others miferable in this world. If you have 
 done good in a preceding life, then you will en- 
 joy all manner of pleafures in this: but if you have 
 committed crimes, you will be punifhed for 
 them . 
 
 They call this fatality chankaram, which is a 
 quality imprinted in the will, and precipitates us 
 to do ?.ood or eviL according to the adlions of a 
 preceding life. 
 
 When
 
 Africa, and America. 409 
 
 When this principle is eflabliflied, the bramins 
 reafon from it in the following manner. The God 
 whom we adore is juft, and theretore can commit 
 no injuftice ♦, yet many we fee are born lame, blind, 
 ugly, poor, and unprovided of all the necefTaries 
 of life, who- by confequtnce are very unhappy. 
 They have not deferved fo melancholy a fituatioa 
 at their birth, fince they had not the ufe of liber- 
 ty •, their fate muft then be afcribed to the fins 
 which they have committed formerly, in a preced- 
 ing exiftence. On the contrary, we fee others 
 born to kingdoms, refpeded, honoured, and fup- 
 plied with every thing that can contribute to plea-, 
 fure. By what adlion could they have deferved fo 
 agreeable a condition, if not by the virtues they 
 praftifed in their pre-exiftent ftat-e? Thus all the 
 various tranfmigrations derive their origin from 
 the nccefiity of punifhing vice, and rewarding 
 virtue. 
 
 They are fo effedually convinced, that all the 
 events of this life depend on the good or evil 
 people have done in another, that when they fee a 
 man raifed to high dignity or riches, they doubc 
 not, but that he has been an exadt obferver of vir- 
 tue in another life ; when another, on the contrary, 
 leads a moft miferable hfe, in poverty, and all the 
 difgraces attendant on it, we need not be aftonilh- 
 cd at it, fay they, he was a wicked man. 
 
 It was Plato who invented the river of oblivion, 
 and affirmed, that the demon who prefided over 
 the return of fouls to earth made them take a 
 draught of it, fo that they forget every thing that 
 had happened to them in their preceding exiftences. 
 He added, however, that the forgetting of what 
 pafied in another life, was not always fo univer- 
 fal, or profound, but; that fome few traces remain- 
 ed
 
 41 C) Obfervaiiom upon AsiA, 
 
 ed of it, which being excited by obje6ls, or the 
 application to fludy, recalled the remembrance of 
 a preceding exiftence. It is thus that he explains 
 the manner in which the fciences are learned, and 
 according to this principle he affirmed, that the 
 fciences were rather reminifcences of what we had 
 formerly known, than new acquifitions of know- 
 ledge. There were befides this certain privileged 
 fouls, who* remembered the different bodies which 
 they had animated, and all they had done in 
 them. Thus Pythagoras perfectly remembered 
 •that he had been Euphorbus. But this was a fm* 
 gular favour, which was only granted to a fmall 
 number of excellent and divine men. 
 
 The Indians advance fomething like this ; for 
 they affirm, that there are certain fpiritual lights, 
 :which are communicated to fome favoured foujs, 
 ^"which make them remember all that they have 
 ever feen or done. This privilege is particular- 
 ly granted thofe who know certain myftic prayers, 
 and "repeat them : but the misfortune is, few 
 .'know thefe prayers •, and hence comes this igno- 
 rance of what we have formerly been or known. 
 An example will better fhew their opinion on 
 this head. 
 
 It is faid, in a book which they call Brumma- 
 puranam, that a king called Bimarichen, born in 
 the kingdom of Tiradidejam, had married one 
 Commatondi, who was a great princefs, born in 
 the kingdom of Hirreinehia-dejam. This king 
 was very vicious, and did not obferve the ajaramSj 
 or cuftoms of his nation, which made him odious 
 and contemptible to his fubjeds. The queen 
 grieved to fee him negled the very^ things in which 
 the Parias are very exaft, reproached him fevere- 
 ly J but the prince was fo far from being offend- 
 ed.
 
 Africa, and Amf.ric a. 411 
 
 ed, that after having heard her patiently, he dif- 
 clofed to her a great fecret. The devotion I pay the 
 gods, has obtained for me a favour which is re- 
 lerved for few amongft mankind ; for they have 
 difcovered to me by a fpiricual hght which they 
 have given me, that I was a dog in my former ex- 
 iflence. I then entered by chance into a tempk 
 " where they were performing a facrifice i and leap- 
 ing upon the altar, fwallowed up the rice which 
 they were offering. They drove me out three 
 times ; but I as often returning, tliey gave mc 
 fuch a confounded blow that I died upon the fpot, 
 before the door of the temple dedicated to Chiven, 
 Luckily formeChiven had defcended into the tem- 
 ple to fee the facrifice, and regale himfelf with the 
 ileam. He was touched to fee me die before him, 
 and procured me a new birth in the perfon of that 
 king whom I now am. If then, you fee that 1 
 am fo negligent of the ajarams, it is becaufe my 
 former inclinations are not quite deftroyed, but I 
 am ftill hurried on by my former propenfities. 
 This ftory greatly furprized the princels ; and her 
 natural curiofity prompted her to afk of her huf- 
 band, with no little importunity, what Ihe herfelf 
 had been before. The king; lookino; over old re- 
 €ords, with the afTiflance of his fpiritual light, 
 told her, Ihe had been purfued by a bird of 
 prey, and devoured at the fame time he was kill- 
 ed at the door of the temple •, and that this merci- 
 ful God ordered flie fhould be born again a ra- 
 jatti. But what will become of us at laft ? replied 
 the queen. The king looking once more into fu- 
 turity, difcovered that he and Ihe muft live fuc* 
 cefTivcly three ftages of life in the. ciafs of the 
 rajas, 
 
 Tb^ End 0/ Vol, I,