the parapets twelve feet"; fa that the fides o f the wall have a;
very coniiderable Hope, much more however within than without.
The middle part was compofed o f the earth that had been
dug out o f the ditch ; and was kept together by two retaining
walls, part o f which were o f brick and part o f ftone., The
famous barrier on the borders o f Tartary, and the ramparts o f
all the cities in the country, are built in the fame manner.
No cannon were mounted on the walls nor on tliebaftions; but
in the high building which furmounted the gate, and which was
feveral ftories one above the other, the port-holes were clofed
with red doors, on the outfide o f which were painted the re-
prefentations o f cannon, not unlike at a diftance the iham ports
in a fhip o f war. The gates o f a Chinefe city are generally
double, and placed in the flanks o f a fquare or femicircular baf-
tion. The firft opens into a large fpace, furrounded with buildings,
which are appropriated entirely for military ufes, being
the depot o f provifions and ammunition, place d'armes, and
barracks. Out o f this place, in one o f the flanks, the fecond
gate, having a fimilar high building erefted over it as the firft,
opens into the city.
T he firft appearance o f this celebrated capital is not much calculated
to raife high expectations, nor does it in the leaft improve
upon a more intimate- acquaintance. In | approaching an
European city it generally happens that a great variety o f objects
catch the eye, as the towers and fpires o f churches, domes,
obelifks, and other buildings for public purpofes towering above
the re ft; and the mind is amufed in conjecturing the form and
3 magnitude
magnitude o f their feveral conftruCtions, and the ufes to which
they may be applied. In Pekin not even a chimney is feen rifting
above the roofs o f the houfes which, being all nearly o f
the fame height, and the ftreets laid out in ftraight lines, have
the appearance and the regularity o f a large encampment. The
roofs would only require to be painted white, inftead o f being
rqd, green, or blue, to make the refemblance complete. Few
houfes exceed the height o f one ftory, and none but the great
fhops have either windows or openings in the wall in front,
but moft o f them have a fort o f terrace, with a railed balcony
or parapet wall in front, on which are placed pots o f flowers,
or ihrubs, or ftunted trees.
This city is an oblong fquare, the outward boundary o f which
is forty lees, each lee being fix hundred yards, fo that the in-
ciofing wall is near fourteen Englifh miles, and the area about
twelve fquare miles, independent o f the extenfive fuburbs at
every gate. In the fouth wall are three gates, and in each o f the
other fides two, from whence it is fometimes called The city with
nine gates ; but its ufual name is Pe-cbing, or the Norther®
Court. The middle gate, on the fouth fide, opens into the Imperial
city, which is a fpace o f ground withi® the general in-
clofure, in the ihape o f a parallelogram, about a mile in length
from north to fouth, and three-fourths o f a mile from eaft
to weft. A wall built o f large red polifhed bricks, and
twenty feet high, covered with a roof o f tiles painted yellow
and varniihed, furrounds, this fpace, in which are contained
not only the imperial palace and gardens, but alfo all the tribunals,
or public offices o f government, lodgings, for the minifters,