were to feaft on thofe parts o f the meat-offering, which were
confidered as unworthy the acceptance o f heaven, which parts,
by the way, were always the beft o f the victim, one might,
perhaps, aflign a reafon for the ftrong injunction o f offering fait,
this being a fcarce article in many countries o f the Eaft and the
bed preservative o f meat againft putrefaction *.
T he cups, the flabghtered animal and feveral made-diihes
remained on the forecaftle, the Captain Handing over them on
one fide and a man with a gong in his hand on the other. On
approaching the rapid part o f the ftream, at the fignal given by
the gong, the Captain took up the cups one by one, in order
that, like the Greeks o f old, he might “ perform the rites and
. pour the ruddy wine which he did by throwing their contents
over the bow o f the.veffel into the river; The libation performed,
a quantity o f crackers and fquibs and gilt tin foil were
burnt, with uplifted hands, whilft the deep-founding gong was
inceffantly ftruck with increafing violence as the veffels were
lwept along with the current. The vidim and the other difhes
were then removed for the ufe o f the Captain and crew, and
the ceremony ended by three, genuflexions and as many
proftrations. The Emperor is never fatisfied with lefs than
nine.
* The Far et mica falis were parts o f moil of the Roman facrifices, and fait, in
particular, was held in fuch veneration, and in fuch general ufe, that when any one
obtained a falary or penfion, he was faid to have got his Solarium, or fomething to
procure his fait, in the fame fenfe, as we fay, to get one’ s bread ; and a common ex-
preffion in India, denoting fervice, is, I eat the fait of fuch a one; and . the Dutch
in ipeaking of a dependent fay, he owes his fait to fuch a one. Theie coincidences
o f opinion, or cuftom, among remote nations, however difficult they may be to explain,
áre neverthelefs extremely interefting and are on that account here noticed.
Our
Our fleet confifted o f about thirty fail, and from each veflel
there proceeded, on its launching into the ftream, fuch a din
o f gongs and crackers and fuch volumes o f fmoke from the
burnt offerings, that the deity o f the river muft have been in a
very furly humour i f he was not pleafed with fuch a multitude
o f oblations. The fafe arrival, on the oppofite bank, o f the
Whole fquadron Was a proof o f his having accepted the homage,
and accordingly he was again addreflfed in a volley o f
crackers as a token o f thanks for his propitious and friendly
aid.
The width o f the river at this place was full three quarters
o f a mile ; and the ftream, where ftrongeft, ran with the rapidity
o f feven or eight miles an hour ; and the water was as
thick and muddy as i f the heavieft torrents o f rain had juft de-
fcended, whereas, in fad , there had not fallen a ihower for many
months.
The length o f that part o f the canal which lies between the
Eu-ho and the Yellow River, arid which we had now failed
over, is about two hundred Englilh miles! The natural Hope
o f the country being from North to South, the projedors o f
this work feem to have fixed upon the middle point, or nearly
fo between thefe two rivers for the commencement o f their
operations : fo that from this middle point to the northward,
or rifing part o f the country, they have been under the necef-
fity, in order to preferve their level, o f cutting down to the
depth o f thirty, forty, and even to feventy feet, below the fur-
face; whilft fròm the fame point to the fouthward, or defcend-
ing part of the country, they have been obliged to force up thè
water