n i l
Visit to dM Ernp|TQF*s
B ÇOÙrt^r ' I
must have lived and perished before -the1 formation of thé
mountains, of which those bones form now a-pari."
The ascent to Tartary is such, that some parts of it
havebeen ascertained to be fifteen thousand feet above
the surface of the Yellow sea. This elevation" is known
to increase considerably the cool temperature of the atmosphere/
'
Amidst these high grounds, and a little beyond the
inverted pyramid above described, the-mountains receding
somewhat from each other, opened to the present
travellers the valley of Zhe-hol, where I f f Imperial
Majesty retires in summer from his'Chiuese dominion %
to a palace and pleasure grounds; the former calf|| the -
Seat ^ gratefubCoolness, and the latter the Garden of innumerable
Trèps. The several stages route thither .
from Pekin, as well as to that capital from the sc^smf>,-
together with notices^of the adjoining country,life iüark-
ed on thé cfiart, No. 9, of the folio volume. ^
The Embassador with his suite 'and"guafdj@rgccedea'.
in due order towards Zhe-höï.; The road near||b' it 'Was
perceptible from an eminence in the Emperor Is garden.
From thenefe, as was afterwards reported to his Excellency;
his Imperial Majesty had the curiosity to iie'w
the procession of the Embassy. It was received with
military honours, amidst a crowd of spectators, on horseback
and on foot. Several of the lattèr ^erfe entirely
clad in yellow garments. Their heads were covered with
round yellow hats. Semeboys also were in tie same attire.
A ll these||weiie a -sort ofinferff rlamas jpr friftrSj aad no<-
yjneé belonging m the (temples o f th*i,sf©t-of To to >whfcb
the Emperor was; attached. Theydid not seem,
staridingtle iwnsdrandcfs of which they formed a .part,
§ndth§iga®bi of honour in which they were clothed, to
be' muefitregptoted b y tbe ^urroundâig jiiiultitiidfi' nor
did their own -demeanour imply, jimy .con^uioibffliess of
digSMty, iorf/ajiy, attentiofi te le^efiôrKdeoofiiffln, which
pér^oes of rank in Ghiii&a are jgsneMll^iis^b^osi'i to
maintain.
Th e>edi fieéjior su iteofiedi fseesyde stin &dfor ifrhe Embassy,
was,-situated near t’be'mmtbern"e>xtrem'ity îoftbetfown
of Zhfehol, Whiefcd^bitWooa £fsîîildlïii^afeést®ate&.
•It wasisituafeed(©a theigemleilopetofiajWili.'PidjcansMtid
of different !CQuris,e<eaqih upon »>frighfir ilevidstikaja >l»lie
preceding, simdécmuTOuiiicating-byi steps- &&grandejMtfb
eadh (©tber*. The whole wss-^ü b Settt|y spac iou s. a-nd
convenient, with a pleasant pros poet M f<th.e Tartar Mils,
a view’iof itbe town, and of ft small part of thé ?Empçrfi>s
pafkf TheSfçwn of Zhethol,«exeeptiiBgdbei%wsespf mandarines,
consisted,gfimisesràbleshovobsfulkQf^opte, The
streets .ako wiere crookedr (Unpaved, iandduify, .Immediately
beynfcd It, the imperi}aljgarden, fthe palaces, the
mmples^displayedimuefisgmndetoijaodsfflagnillconsfinnd
wretchedness'knewonm medium.
;; The ^principal buildings inftbis pôrt-fofSfaitâry.ilîf-
Visit to the
Emperor’s
£OUOt-.