memory. They were written and printed originally in Dutch.
Churchill has given us his voyage to the Brazils and to the Eafl
Indies in the fecond volume o f his collection. The learned Hor-
nius has tranflated into Latin the famous journey from Canton
to Peking. This is fo curious and novel, that I fhall attend the
able traveller in his route, and briefly notice the moil remark-
H i s T r a v e l s t o able things. An embafly was determined on by the Dutch to the
P e k in g , ' .
coaft o f Peking, to the great emperor Kang-hi. Nieuhoff was fortunately
appointed fecretary. His account is a firft-rate performance
; and the more pleafing, as it is attended with views of
the country, cities, a,pd buildings, engraven from drawings done
by his ikilful pencil.
T h e embafladors had every poflible refpeit paid to them;
they embarked at Canton, on board a magnificent jonk, on
March 17th, 1656, amidfl: the acclamations of the people, and a
general difcharge o f the artillery. The Cbinefe fent avant-cou-
riers from place to place to make provifions for their reception,
even till their arrival at Peking.
T h e y began with afcending the river Pei-kyang-ho, all their
route was marked with beautiful fcenery, and various towns
and' cities, moil of them furrounded with embattled walls, and
ilrengthened by fquare towers. Many o f the landfcapes are moll
pidturefque. We are ftruck with the river flowing by the vail
mountain Sang-won-hab, over-hanging on both fides; and on
S t r a n g e R o a d , one a great frequented road, cut out o f the folid rock, impending
over the water. At the foot is a pagoda, the nightly haunt (fay
the natives) of daemons.
C i t y X a o c h e w . F a r t h e r on, not remote from the city Xaochew or Tchau-tchoofoo,
a vail mountain feems to open its. fides to make room for the
famed pagoda Konjan-Sjant, filled with horrid idols, to whom al-
moit conllant faerifices are offered by the fanatical vifitants.
A l i t t l e farther is the great caille Mongley, o f a quadrangular
form, with a fquare tower at each corner; equal in fize within
to a town ; feated on a lofty eminence, and aceefiible by a numerous
flight o f iteps cut out of the live rock.
T h e city Xaochew next appears, near the conflux o f two rapid
rivers, infamous for frequent wrecks. A pagoda is ereiled on the
banks, famed for its idol, to which mariners fend up their prayers
for a fafe paflage, as the Romans did o f old, and as the Chriitians
o f many parts o f Europe do to their Saint Elmo to this very day.
T h e rocks called the Five horfes heads, and the Hill more cu- F i v e H o r s e s
rious rocks named Suytjeen, or the five horrible devils, near to the EADS‘
ferry Suytjeen^ as much dreaded as Scylla and Charybdis for the
frequent ihipwrecks near them. They are o f a columnar form,
and appear as i f placed in order by human art.
Nanhang or Nan-Jheun-foo, in Lat. 35* 11' 58", is-the lalt City
in the province o f %yang-tung, and a confiderable trading city ; Nanhan0-
to the north of it is a famous road over the mountain Meylin, cut
through the rock, three miles in length, with precipices on
both fides, but of a fecure widenefs. This Angular road being a
great communication from north to fquth, is perpetually crowded
as much as the ilreets o f the moll populous cities ; on the fum-
mit is built a temple in honor of the mandarine who made this
ufeful way at his own expence.
A f t e r travelling fome dayson horfeback, Mr.N/^o/'reached N a n c a n .
the great city Nangan, in the province o f Kyang-fee, feated on
VoL- IU- \ | ’ T ' ^ H ~ I S ‘ the