gtiefe ihould inftantly quit the empire ; thus, fays Hamilton *'r.
“ ended the moft opulent colony at that time in the world.”
T o the north o f this city an open bay runs deeply weft ward'
into the country, the vaft eftuary o f the river ‘Echen.-tang-tchiang
H a k g - t c h o o . The great city Hang-tchoo ftands at fome diftance from its difi-
charge into the bay, on a fpot where the river is a league broad
here is carried on a great manufactory of filk, as thè province is-
diftinguifhed for the cultivation o f the worm. In Hang-tchoa
fixty thoufand workmen live within- the walls, and feveral:
hundred thoufand in the adjacent country. -
S i - h u L a k e . N e a r this city is a moft beautiful little lake called St-hu, about
two leagues in compafs. The water quite cryftalline ; caufeways-
are made through it for the convenience of walkers, and elegant
open halls raifed on pofts for the amufement o f the citizens. It
G o l d e n F is h , is full o f the famous golden filh-, which fliew to great advantage
among the leaves and flowers o f the Nympbaa, with which the
lake is filled. This favorite fifh o f the Cbinefe is found in many
other provinces ; here it forms a fpecies of commerce, the fpawn
and fry being tranfported to all parts o f the empire which do not
produce them.
T h e golden filh is o f the moft vivid colors ; Linnaus names it
Cyprinus auratus ; the gold is highly refplendent, but varies in part
o f the fame fifh into the brighteft filveror richèft blues which can
be imagined. It feldom reaches the length o f eight inches, commonly
is much fmaller ; has one dorfal fin, which fometimes is-
wanting, and the back marked by one or two finali protuberances ;-
in many the tail is moft remarkable, being fo formed as to exhi-
* Vol. ii. p. 284,
bit
bit the appearance o f two, and even three tails. Mr. Edwards',
tab. 209, and Bloeb. iii. tab. 92. give figures of the varieties:
They have been introduced into all parts o f Europe, and will
not only live but multiply prodigioufly in our little ftews.
Du Halde gives the following, account of the treatment of
them in- China : “ The next thing remarkable (fays the accurate
“ hiftorian) is the Kin-yu or golden fifh ; thefe are kept, either id
H little ponds, made for that purpofe, wherewith the houfes of
“ pleafure belonging to the princes and great lords are embel-
“ lifhed, or elfe in baiins, that commonly adorn the courts of
“ their houfes ; in thefe baftns,, which are more deep than widej
“ they put the leaft that can be found; for the fmaller they are;
<( they think them the more b eautifulbe fid e s, the greater
number may be kept of them, and they- afford more di-
“■ verfion.
“ T h e prettieft o f them are o f a curious red-, fpeckled as it
.u were with gold duft, efpecially towards the tail, which is forked
“ with two or three points; fome are of a filver color, others
“ white, and fome fpotted with red;, both forts are extraordinary
“ lively and aitive, delighting to play on the furface o f the water1;
“ but then their fmallnefs renders them fo tender, that the leaft
“ imprefiion of air, and even any violent fhaking o f the veffel,
“ will kill great numbers o f them. Thofe that are bred in
“ ponds are of various fizes ; fome are bigger than our largeft
pilchards they teach them to rife up to- the top o f the water
“ at the noife o f a clapper, which the perfon ufes who feeds
“ them, What is moft furprifing is, that according to all
“ accounts, the beft way to preferve them is to give them
“ nothing