needle Is knownt o .have, more'or lefs, towards the .horizon
■in different parts o f the world. T he Chinefe, however, do
not feem to have adopted their Ymall needle from any knowledge
either o f the variation, or o f the inclination o f the magnetic
needle. Although the needle be invariably fmall, yet it
fometimes happens that the margin o f the b o x is extended to
fuch a fize, as to contain from twenty to thirty concentric
circles, containing various charafiers o f the ¡language, confti-
tuting a compendium, o f their agronomical (perhaps more
properly fpeaking) aftrological knowledge. As numbers o f
fuch compaffes are in the mufeums o f Europe, it may not .perhaps
be wholly unacceptable to give fome notion o f what thele
circles o f characters contain.
i . Central circle, or the needle.
3. 8 myftical characters denoting the firft principles o f
matter, faid to be invented by Fo-Jhee, the founder
o f the monarchy.
3. The names o f the 12 hours into which the day is divided.
4 and 5. Names o f the circumpolar Ears.
6. Characters o f the 24 principal meridians or colures.
7 . The 24 fubdivifions or feafons o f the year. ,
8. T h e characters o f the cycle o f 60 years.
9. Numerical characters relating to the above cycle.
10. Characters denoting the 28 figns o f the Zodiac.
I I. Certain aftrological characters.
; 12. Eight fentences explanatory o f the 8 myftical characters
on the fecond circle.
1 2. A different arrangement o f the Chinefe cycle.
14. Characters o f the five elements.
15. Re-
15. Repetition o f the characters on the eighth circle.
16. Repetition o f the eighth circle.
1 7 . and 18. Characters o f obfcure mythology.
19. Names o f 28 conftellations and their places in the heavens;
20. Relates to the fixth and fifteenth circles.
21. The world divided according to the fidereal influences.
22. Correfponds with the eighth and fixteenth circles.
23. Contains the fame as the above with the addition o f the
fourteenth circle.
24. and 25. Are inexplicable even by the Chinefe.
26. A n arrangement o f certain characters and marks for cal-
. culating lucky, unlucky, and neutral days.
27, is the fame as the nineteenth, and furrounds the w ho le* .
The greateft depth o f the Yellow Sea, in the track o f the
fhips, did not exceed thirty-fix fathoms, and it was frequently
diminiihed to ten fathoms. The weather, as ufually happens
in ihallow feas, was generally hazy. In doubling the
projecting promontory o f the province , o f Shan-tung, the
land was hidden in thick fogs. And 011 thefe, fortunately,
diffipating, it was perceived that the whole fquadron was
within four miles o f the main land, and one o f the fhips clofe
upon a rocky ifland. T he pilots were as ignorant o f our fitua-
* I f any argument were wanting to prove the, originality o f the magnetic needle as
ufed in China, thecircumilance of their having ingrafted upon It their molt ancient and
favbhrite mythology,1 their cycles, conftellations, elements, and, in ihort, an abftraft of
aft their aftronomical or aftrological fcience, is quite fufficient to fettle that, point. Thofc
who are acquainted with the Chinefe character will not readily admit that their long
eftabliihed fuperftitions fhould be found incorporated oh an inftrument of barbarian invention.
' ' ' ' 1
tion