C H A P . in Dr. Morrison’s Dictionary is translated king, and that his residence
May,
18-27.
to was not far from Napa-kiang; but An-yah provoked me much by
always evading this question. Sometimes he said it was four days to
the north-east, at others that it was only one, and at last that it was at
a place called Sheui, or Shoodi. Some of the natives whom I interrogated
on this subject declared it was at Ee-goo-see-coo, about nine leagues to
the northward; others, liowever, told me tbe name of his residence was
Shoodi, or Sheui, as before. Mr. Collie was also informed it was at
Shoodi; therefore, Sheui, or Shoodi, is in all probability the correct
name of the place. As the natives pointed out to me the town upon
the hill at the back of Napa-kiang as Shoodi, and as another party
named it to Mr. Collie Shuini, we may presume that this town is the
capital of Loo Choo; and this is the conclusion, as already remarked,
that Captain Hall came to after many inquiries on the same subject.
Indeed I should think there could not be much doubt about it, as it
answers very ivell both in name and position to the capital described
by Supao-Koang, who remarks that the king holds his court in the
south-west part of the island. The ground it stands upon is called
Cheuli*, and that near this place the palace of the king is situated
upon a hill. In another part he says that the space between Napa-
kiang and the palace is almost one continued town-t-. Mr. Klaproth,
however, has published extracts from some Chinese documents, which
place the capital twenty Us (ten miles ?) east of Napa-kiang.
In the journals of my officers, I find that some of them were
informed by the inhabitants that tribute was sent to China only once
in seven years, and others, that it was paid every year. Kmmpfer also
says that tribute is sent every year to the Tartarian monarch, in token
of submission. By the Chinese accounts it is demanded every second
year, as I have already stated. M. J. Klaproth, quoting one of these
authors, says, in 1654 Loo Choo sent Chang-Chy, the king’s son, with
an ambassador to Pekin, when it was arranged that every second year
an ambassador should be sent to that court with tribute, which should
* Cheuli b y th e L oo Chooans would be pronounced Cheudi, in the same way as th e y call
Loo-Choo Doo-Choo.
t L e tte rs Edifiantes, p . 34.0.
consist of 3 0 0 0 lbs. of copper, 1 2 , 6 0 0 lbs. of sulphur, and 3 0 0 0 lbs. of C H A P .
a strong silk; and that the number of his suite should not exceed a
hundred and fifty persons.
May,
Lord Macartney, when on his embassy to the court of China, met
the mandarins from Loo Choo, who were going with this tribute to
Pekin, and rvho informed him their chief sent delegates every i®o years
to offer tribute*. And when we were at Loo Choo, both Ching-oong-
choo and An-yah informed me to the same effect, viz. that it was sent
every second year. We may therefore conclude, that this is the period
agreed upon between the two countries.
M. Klaproth, p. 164, informs us, that notwithstanding tribute is
paid to the court of China, Loo Choo is also compelled to acknowledge
the sovereignty of Japan, to send ambassadors there from time to time,
and to pay tribute in sivords, horses, a species of perfume, ambergris,
vases for perfumes, and a sort of stuff, a texture manufactured from
the bark of trees, lacquered tables inlaid with shells or mother of pearl,
and madder, &c. I shall merely observe upon this passage, that some
of the articles ivhich are said to be carried as tribute to Japan are
actually taken from thence, and from China to Loo Choo, such as the
vases and lacquered tables; and that mother of pearl is said by the
natives not to be found upon the shores of their island.
The highest point of Loo Choo which we saw was a hill situated
at the back of Barrow’s Bay, in about the latitude of 26° 27' N ., ansiver-
hm in position nearly to a mountain which appears on the chart of Mr.
Klaproth, under the name of Onnodake. The height of this mountain
is 1089 feet. The next highest point to this, which was visible from
the anchorage, was the summit of the hill of Sumar, on which the
capital is built; the highest point of this is 540^ feet. Abbey Point
is 984, and a bluff to the northward of Potsoong 9 9 i feet. The Sugar-
Loaf (Ee-goo-se-coo) ivas too far distant for us to determine its height;
but I think Mr. Klaproth is wrong in saying it may be seen twenty-
five sea leagues, as our distance from it was only ten leagues, and
• Embassy to Cliiim, by Sir Ge o rg e Staunton, vol. ii. p. 459.