iö4
G iä g - s e n g .
I n A m e r ic a
ALSO.
nine modern. The value of the root iticreafes; it was formerly
worth its weight in filver; “ at prefent,” fays Du Halde*, “ it
“ is fold for nearly its weight in gold.’’
In 1709, when the great Kang-bi Was on one o f his pro-
greffes into his Manchew dominions, he was defirous to give his
favorite Tartdrians a valuable perquilite, and fent ten thoufand
of his foldiers to collet: all the Ging-feng they could find. Each
was to give him two ounces o f the befly and to receive for the
remainder an equal weight o f fine filver. They fallied forth,
and collected in the year twenty thoufand pounds weight; but
fuffered fufficiently, for they were allowed neither tent or
any fort o f covering, and the places o f fearch fwarmed with
tigers. Thofe who did not return on the fignal o f moving their
quarters, were fuppofed to have been devoured by thofe dreadful
animals.
In the Chinefe dominions Ging-feng grows between the thirty-
ninth and forty-feventh degree north Latitude, arid between ten
and twenty eaft Longitude from Peking: but is not confined to
the old world; it was difcovered in Canada, in 1704, by M. Sar-
rafm, who fent fpecimens to Paris. It was introduced into England,
in 1740, by the worthy Peter Collinfon, and now flouriihes
in Kew garden. Linnaus firft called this plant Sion Ntnß, afterwards
Panax quinquefolium. Ehret, in drew, tab. 6. names it
Araliafirum; and Catefby, Appendix, tab. 16. Aureliana Cana-
denfis, after Lafilau. Dodtor Woodville, i. 270. retains the Linnaan
name.
In America it is not confined to Canada. It is found even as
* Vol. ii. 215.
far
far fouth as Virginia*, being difcovered on the ihady hills and
vallies of that Hate, towards the end of the laft century, by doctor
John. Clayton. The fix Indian nations, call it Garangtoging, or
the human thighs. The Europeans have imported a great deal
into China; but it is not in the fame efteem, fays Ofbeck, in which,
the roots of the Chinefe dominions are held. The Indians o f
America do not apply them to any ufe, but multitudes are employed
in collecting them for fale to the merchants of Quebec.
Our phyficians depreciate the virtues o f this root fo much, that
notwithftanding it has .found a place in our difpenfatory, yet is
not mentioned in the Pharmacopoeia of the London College. The
power of the medicine may poflibly have been exaggerated, in
China., but I never can believe that a root fo univerfally efteemed
in that empire for ages can he. deftitute o f virtues. Father Jar-
toux- fpeaks highly o f its qualities from his own experience, .and
on the very fpotf. To him I give full credit, but at the fame
time ihall obferve that the trial he made was from the frelh
roots. The experiments on which the Engli/b phyficians founded
their opinion, were from drierl and exhaufted fpecimens.
A d j a c e n t to the eaftern fide of Liau-tong'vs the peninfula
o f Korea, extending from Lat. 42° 50'to Lat. 34°, bounded on
one fide by the gulph o f Pe-che-li, and the approach to it, on
the eaftern, by the Japanefe gulph. Japan extends the whole
length o f the coaft, and even ftretches beyond its fiouthern part.
Korea is o f an oblong form; about a hundred leagues in breadth;
its greateft length extends a hundred and eighty. It lies between
three mighty nations, fo that the inhabitants are a mixed people,
* Groan. FI. Virg. 162.. t Phil. TranCAbrjg. iv. partii,p. 3:15.
but
K o r e a ,
I t s S i t u a t io n ,