T h e K y a n g
R iv e r .
N y m p h js a
N e lu m b o .
V a n n u n g a .
P e k k in s a .
P ie r c e d H il l s *
C II I N A,
the river Kanhyang,in Lat^aS* 37' 12". This river runs through
the middle o f the province;, and divides it into two equal parts.
The Chinefe call it Kan-kiang, or fon o f the fea, and added that
“ the fea is without fhore, and the Kyang without bottom this
fiftion arifes from the fifbermen. never ufing any f o u n d i n g lines
above iixty fathoms; long, but even that depth is a vaft one for a
river. By means of the numerous canals that branch from it, the
city has vaft commerce, and was once celebrated for its porcelain
o f a fnowy whitenefs. The province is rich in mines o f gold,
fiv e r, iron, lead, and tin. The filks are very beautiful; and the:
rice* and wine.made frpm it, is-in high efteem in all parts of the-
empire.
T h e la k e s o f t h i s p r o v in c e a r e In t h e fe a fo n c o v e r e d w i t h t h e
b e a u t i f u l b lo f lb m s o f the Nympbaa Lotus cht&Nelumho-, n o f lo w e r s
a r e in f u c h r e q u e f t w i t h t h e Chinefe a s t h e f e . T h e g r e a t m e n h a v e
t h em t r a n fp la n t e d in t o t h e i r l i t t l e p o n d s , f i l le d f o r t h e p u r p o f e
w i t h m u d a n d w a t e r , in t h e i r c o u r t s . T h e p h y f i c ia n s e f t e em t h e
f r u i t as h i g h l y r e f t o r a t i v e a f t e r l o n g f i c k n e f s ; a n d t h e r o o t o f t h e
Nelumbo is a c o m m o n f o o d , e i t h e r e a t e n r a w o r m a d e in t o m e a l ;
f o th a t t h e f e p la n t s a r e o f t h e f i r f t u f e in t h i s em p i r e .
Vannunga, o n t h e r i v e r Kan, w a s a c i t y o f g r e a t f i z e a n d
fp le n d o r , n o w a h e a p o f r u in s f r o m a n in r o a d o f t h e 'Tartars;
a m e la n c h o l y f i g h t to t h e n u m e r o u s p a f le n g e r s w h o f a i l u n d e r i t s
w a l l s . Pekkinfa is t h e n e x t c i t y , a m o f t f l o u r i f h in g p la c e , w h i c h
fu p p l i e s t h e m a r in e r s w i t h a l l k in d o f n e c e f i a r ie s f o r t h e i r
v e f i e l s .
N o t f a r f r o m t h e n c e a r e v a r io u s fp e c im e n s o f le v e r a l l o f t y
r o c k y h i l l s , c u t o r p ie r c e d t h r o u g h b y h u m a n a r t , in t o g r o t e f q u e
* f o rm s
N IE U H .O F F ’is I M B A S S y . 139
iforuas merely to pleafe the eye. Thofe engraven by Mr. Nieuboff*
are: pierced through in various places, others have great
flights o f lleps, cut out o f the live rock, either, to the fummit or
half way up, round whidh a walk is conduited, guarded by rails,
and forming a gallery beneath the impending remainder o f the
mountain.
: Nang-tchang-fav is a city feated in Lat. 29“ 30', near the lake N a n - t c h a n g -
FOO.
Po-yang, which is about four leagues broad and thirty in length, L a k e P o- y a n g ,
abounding with excellent fifh, among which are many European,
fuch as fturgeon, fa-lmon, carp, chubs, trout, fhads, and 1am-
pries.
A b o u t thirty 'miles farther to the north of Nan-tchang, the
■waters o f the lake unite with thofe o f the great river Kyang,
•which Is-continued from thence to the fea. The city Hoo-tchm Hoo-tckso.
Hands-on the eaftern hank o f the junftion. -A few-miles up the
river to the weft, is the City Kyew Kiang, the rendezvous of the
barks o f many parts o f the-empire. The river runs gently from
-heneeto the fea with a courfe rilmoft imperceptible ; but is at
fu ll and new moon affefited by'the tide.
In the Kyang-nezx that city, where the river is a league broad, T h e F is h
isfoundthe Whang-yu oryellowfifli,that often weighs eight hun- Whang-yd-
dred pounds ; i t is remarkably firm, and moil excellent eating ;
thefe flfh are-taken in certain feafons whért they come out o f thè
lake Payang into the river. We cannot afcertain the fpeeiesl
'Du fialde + fpeaks of another he calls the Cbo-kyaryw or armour A rm o u r F is h .
fiih, being covered with ftrong fcales, placed like tiles in the roof
o f a houìè. I fufpetft it to be the efvx Vjfeu's Of Urintèus, or the
* P. 73. .*0 .'1 « t Vol. i. p. 315,
T 2 acus