D u t c h ,
C o&è n g a ;
B o u n d a r ie s
o f C h in a .
T h e Dutch made their firft Settlement for the benefit o f the
Cbinefe on the ifle o f Fyrnmfa-, and deceitfully, under .pretence o f
building ia houfq, eredtqd a Strong fort, fo as Jo command the entrance
injto the port they had fixed-on-; it-was faid that-they made
ufe o f the Stale) Pbcenkidrt. ftrafcagem of the ox's hide, in the
buildingjof Byrja, or the famous Cafthagei The Japanefe had
not long- befor4 made; a conquelt o f the ifiand, but were too
weak to irefent tihis perfidy. The Dutch) now were in pofiefiion
o f a flourishing ¡trade, with the (wo great empires o f China and
Japan. It was loft to tjhepa in tfie year j66 j by the .fault o f the
factions which reignedjat pataviaTthe. feat o f the DutePgovernment
in India, 'pquon, a taylor, who lived in the Dutch town on
the iiland of Formofa, si man o f undaunted courage, had revolted
from the Cbirtefb empire, and became fo powerful as to induce the
Emperor to get him Seized by perfidy and poiforied; his Son Cox-
enga, inherited all his abilities: At firft he applied to the Dutch
for fuccor; but being refilled, turned his refentment againft
them. He prepared a vaft fleet, and army; landed near the
Dutch Settlement, and notwithstanding every effort o f the go vernor,
Frederick Cojet (whofe defence was gallant and obftinate)
at length compelled him to Surrender by capitulation. Cojet had
been at firft negleited by his countrymen, who when it was too
late, fent a Strong fleet from Batavia ; it met with a Severe re-
pulfe, and was compelled to leave their colony to its.fate. We
Shall hereafter meet the European nations at their common per-
miffive Settlement at Canton. 1 Shall quit the fubjecft I have been
on, and change it to that o f a particular topography o f the coafts
of the vaft empire.
To Speak generally; the country may be faid to be di-
6 Vided
vided to the South from Thibet'and Boutan, by chains of rhoft
exalted mountains, branches o f the Imaus and Hemodus; they
penetrate even into various parts o f China: other mountains
equally high, Separate the empire from weftern Tartary. Thefe
vaft Alpine chains are the defences o f this mighty empire from
invasions by land. The great wall (hereafter to be mentioned)
Secures the parts unprotected by nature. The coaft is
ufually rude and rocky, and the interior often rifes into craggy
picturefque mountains, or is interfered by numerous rivers and
canals. The feas are Shallow, fo that even from a naval attack
the country has its proteition.
N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g part o f China is within the tropics, and
the great remainder does not exceed Lat. 43 north, yet the cold
is, during winter, intenfe. There is no country in which
exifts fuch a neceffity for furs ; their own empire, Tartary,
and Siberia is almoft exhaufted for the Supply; the Englijh
even furnifh them with quantities from North America. Ice has
been feen at Canton an inch in thieknefs. Between Ntmpo and
Peking the cold has been fo Severe in January and February that
travellers have been forced to lie by, till the icq could be broken
on the river Hoambo, the largeft in China, before they could
pafs over. Mr. Kirwan fays, that the greateft cold at Peking (in
Lat. .39”. 55') is 5°, the greateft heat 98; yet on July 25th, 1773,
the thermometer rofe to 108 and 110. .The. extremeft cold is
produced by a north-eaft or north-weft, jvind ; the laft blows
over the vaft trait o f Tartary and Siberia., In Peking^ during
winter, the. animals and fowls of all kinds are expofed to Sale in
the markets, frozen, and fo preferved from putrefaition for
.weeks together.