.chu*san or angles existing in their^origlnal formation, had sheen
gradually worn off into a globular and uniform shape.
Many of those islands, tho close to eaeh other, were divided
by channels of great depth. They rested-upon a foundation
of grey or red granite, some part ieisembling porphyry,:
except in hardness. They were, certainly, nBt
formed by the successive "riluviomfrom the earth brought
into the sea fey the great river at whose mouth they were
situated, like the numerous low and muddy islands^ at
the mouth of the Po, -and many others; but:should
rather he considered as the remains iof' part of the ebm-
tinent thus scooped ashdfurrowed,»sit were,into islands,
by the: force: of violent torrents carrying off, further into
th3^&r,: whatever was less resistible than the rocks
mentioned. Some of them wore'arvery inviting aspect;
one in particular, called Pdortocr, is described as a perfect
paradise; this spot-was chosen," no doubt; Jbr its natural
beauties, and afterwards embellished by a set dfireligious
men, who, to the number of three thousand, possess the
whole "of it, living there in a state of celibacy. It contains
four hundred temples, to each of which are annexed
dwelling houses and gardens, for the accommodation
of those monks. This large monastery, as it may be
called, is richly endowed, and its fame is spread throughout
the empire.
During the absence of the Clarence, the Lion moored
between the Plowman and Buflaloe’s Nose islands, the
former*bea]|fog§n®^6bM^e§^ by? north1, and, the north end
o f the-datter aoTtfoeasfeiby, north. This is,# most excel- =
le*nt>diarbaur, sg c ^ ^ fo om all winds^and the holding
grpund-soj^od; that itfr#fjpMfod?the whole,- strengtfopf the
ship’s-,« cre®5, with, the*a^sjs|a®,G^ of ;©v^ry purchase,; 40
weigfothe.anchors: t^ h f^ d e p th ' ©fi/yfefcfrfos- bom -twelve
to twenfeyl^oTathoms;, ^Thftddf^iinsthk sf
tMel^ed©Ifeand runs' at,<dis; fo il and^th ,mpon-,
ty,n.-.imjftmlialf'f.ArTiyli.our■■ Its latitude is.t\sent)j;-
lqngifpde one
hundred-and mingt|seast>
The Bfc»man,s, islan d|pa$|{inhabjte.^> angl cgj&tain several
cp/^^£heainifiil-,verdufie-:jbut; not,a ©xepptayery
fowd-lw^ldruLt?tie^Qak>>: and W(§m^nth pine,-; .The
’locks suponfetheiPlowman’s'dftesi^ji^^f^u^^iefiature^as
those already mentioned on tbedSadrone^; but with the
addition, in.i^mep^r,#,perpendiculas<ypip^phyrhite,
and: of bfoe^nd
The ship was supplied fr^^t-hehpe,>.atmod^T?aEe rates,
with bullocks,%gt3|S;,)(» and fp^ls^^and/rom som^qbthe
surroundingobpa^v with a y|fi©,tyv©,f e^#len£ fish.
The sight-of af-yessel o f unpp#Bfton gagstructskm, as! well
assize, such i s the&Lion.plainlywa p f^ fd ’M M a put,
fora time, almost an ei|d .to laboug-by se^aiagd land. Her
deck« • were soj, crowded 'with, visifors-^anch were,
waiting with such eagerness to come «pn^b^rds -that it
-became^necessary toy dismiss,.?after- a_ short, visit, the
■ 's i.
Chu-san
Islands.
V O L .I.