but call themfelves o f Tartar origin; boaft o f great antiquity;
and produce fome books which are two or three thoufand years
old. They have been conquered by the Cbinefe, Japanefe, and
Tartars; fince the conqueft o f China by the latter, their yoke
has been light; they only are obliged to fend four ambafiadors
to Peking annually, to perform homage, where, after their
audience from the emperor, they remain in a ftate o f confinement
till their return. The Cbinefe fear that fome time or other
they may unite with the Ruffians, who have advanced far towards
the Cbinefe frontiers; this may occafion a revolt, and the confe-
quences prove fatal to the repofe o f the empire.
Korea had its wall to the north-weft, which has long fince
been in a ruinous ftate; but even when complete, did not prevent
the conqueft o f the country by the Mancbew Tartars.
T h e Korea is mountainous, and not very fertile, except the
vales. It is full o f woods, and produces moft o f the European
fruits and foreft-trees. The fouthern part yields rice and excellent
grain. It breeds a hardy race o f horfes, exclufive o f a fmall
variety not three feet h ig h ; alfo cows, and black fwine; abounds
with various animals; among others are numbers of tigers, the
ikins o f which are a confiderable article o f commerce in their
intercourfe with Japan. Among the noxious reptiles are crocodiles
o f an enormous fize.
T h e y have great quantities o f feathered game, and a variety
o f birds; polfibly many o f thofe we have defcribed in the ArSiic
Zoology, as belonging to the Tartarian or Siberian world. But
the fpecies o f the pheafant kind, with feathers of the tail three
feet long, are confined to this country. The feathers are fent
from
from Korea an article o f commerce to various parts o f the Cbinefe
empire.
T h e natives o f the northern part are a fine race of men, tall, N a t iv e s .
robuft, adlive, and without any o f the Tartarian alpedt. Thofe
o f the fouthern part refemble the Cbinefe, o f a fallow complexion,
and tender conftitutions.
T h e i r government is regular, and its cuftoms and laws re- Goternmeht.
femble thofe of the Cbinefe. This makes it likely that their
origin may more fafely be derived from China than Tartary.
The Cbinefe. pretend that they werefubdued as early as the reign
o f Tau, eighth emperor from Fo-bi, which may well account,
i f true, for the fimilitude o f laws and cuftoms. Their rulers are
abfolute and: iole matters o f the land, which is granted to every
man according to his family; but the perfonal eftate defcends
from father to fon. Their religion is that o f Fo, with all its
fuperftitions ; they are very fond o f literature, and have triennial
examination of Dodtors, Bachelors, and Mailers o f arts. Theie
adopt the pure dodtrine o f Confucius, and defpife the ridiculous
idolatry o f Fo.
T h e Koreans of rank are very fplendid in their habits, wear
fur caps and brocade cloaths; and affedt purple-colored filk
richly ornamented with gold and filver. Furs are much in ufe.
The learned are diftinguiihed by two feathers in their caps.
T h e produdtions o f the country are Ginfeng, cotton, paper, Productions.
gold, filver, iron, mineral falt, the ikins of fables and beavers;
and a beautiful varnilh which refembles gilding, made from the
gum o f a tree.
T h e natives carry on a great commerce with China', about T r a d e .
f i f t y