the corps, undertook his converfion, not through principle, but
the hopes of promotion on his arrival in 'England. Innes had dif-
covered him to be an impoftor, but for their joint intereft they
united in the deceit. Pfalmanazar formed a Formofan alphabet ;
■he pretended to be converted in form, was baptized by Innes by
the name o f George, and the credulous governor o f Sluys flood
godfather. Innes had, by bis correfpondence with the good
‘Compton, the biihop o f London, been encouraged to bring him
to our capital. The prelate was made moft completely the dupe
o f thefe villains. Pfalmanazar had many patrons and many opponents,
but his- abilities and impudence baffled all deteiüon.
He Undertook a hiftory o f Formofa (which he pretended was
fubjedt to Japan), a moft fabulous compofition ; yet, as the
Englijh are always delighted with the marvellous, it was fo greedily
bought up as to induce him to prepare a fécond edition.
Innes attained his end, got preferment, and then bafely deferred
the taufe o f his promotion. Pfalmanazar lived feme time by
Various tricks and impoftures. At length, at the age o f thirty-
eight, he began to feel compunction at the infamy of his life,
and was ftruck with moft fincere remorfe. He became a moft
lively penitent, and applied his great abilities to ufefui learning.
'He wrote his own life, Which was not to be publilhed till after
his death. I believe it to be a true narrative, and that he concealed
nothing but his real name and the place o f his birth,
fearing to leave reproach Upon his family. The lift of his works,
many o f which are on important fubjeéts, may be found in the
Gentleman's Magazine*. He lived till Augujl 1763, when he died
* V o l. XXXV. p . 13.
at the age o f eighty; having long led an exemplary life, fully
atoning for the irregularity o f his early career.
, T h e ifl.es o f Pong-ho form an Archipelago off the weftern coaft hiss or
o f Formofa, having the tropic palling over them. They are
deftitute o f all the neceflaries of life, even to fuel, fo that every .
thing muft be brought from Formofa to fupply the Chinefe gar-
rifon. They conlift of only rocks or fand ; yet, as they polfefs a
fine port (which Formofa is deftitute of), they become effential
in the prefervation of that great illand. The Dutch built a fort
at the entrance o f the harbor, of which nothing except the
name remains. The Chinefe remember it by that of the fort o f
the Red hairs. It was the famous Coxinga who took thefe illands
from the Dutch, and kept them for his own ufe.
T h e province of T’che-Lchiang continues the maritime parts o f T c h e - t c h i a n g .
China from Foo-tchien. This, like the reft, is amazingly commercial
; remarkable for its rich filks, embroidered with gold
and lilver ; for its timber, vaft foreits o f the ufefui bamboo ; for
its mulhrooms, hams, and the vegetable tallow. Salt is made’ Saet.
in abundance along the ihores, and ferves to cure the quantities
o f filli taken on the coafts, which are packed in barrels,
and fe-nt to the more diffiant provinces. The fait itfelf is
tranfported to feveral o f the internal parts within any reafonable
diftance ; but thofe which border on Lar-tary are fupplied from
certain falt-pits, providentially given for- the ufe o f the inhabitants
*.
T h i s province, and that of Kyang-nan are fuppofed to have Provinces
GAINED FROM
* For many interéfting particulars relating to the preparation o f fait in China, thè reader is THE S e a *
referred to Sir George Staunton’s Account o f the Embafly, vol. ii, p. 20. E.
V o l. HI. X I been