jori^eyto appearance of the country, it was .still a plain surface to
foo. the eye ; but it**had gradually risen so much above its
" former level, that the canal was^ut down twenty1^ ! at
least helow:?the adjoining grcmndsIhlA
" The water lost ill this part-of it*was madeup by-Supplies
from-the extensive lake^of Wee-chaung-hoo adjoining
it,- which dividesf the 'p ro v in eeo f Shamtting
from, that of Xiang-nan. The situation reminded thfe
Embassador o f th e great canal of Russia; with w hich he
was well acquainted. This ran in like manner, at certain
distances,', parallel to the lake Ladoga, from w®BEit
was separated by vast earthen embankments, but was
occasionally supplied from it.
The prospect of the lake of Weeichaung-hbbJ from me
rising ground, was delightful in the morning atsim-risc;
exhibiting to advantage its borders fringed with wood
houses and pagodas on the sloping grouiidsjbehind, and
the surface of the water almost covered with vessels
crossing in different directions, and by all the various
modes of navigation that poles, paddles, oais, and sails,
could furnish. Fishing forms a considerable part of the?
occupation of the people upon this lake. Various methods
were employed for that purpose, of which that by
nets was perhaps the most general. Another method is
more singular; to one side o f a boat a flat board, painted
white, is fixed, at an angle of about forty-five degrees,
the edge inclining towards the water. On moonlight
nights, the boat'isi^o (placedithat, th b painted board is journey»
tuimèd^to th e ^ iM ^ feo tb wheéo&ihe ray^hi’lig te^ rik - foo-;
ing«.on.‘the whitfn^d? surfoceygiviei to itrthei appearance
of-movlngi watër$höm v$tófêh$ïÉfee flfishfhjöirig- temptedft®
leap as on jthdiruelements the boatmen raising^.! fth a
string thè board", turn .the fish into the boat.H Every
successful method of fcatchyagvfish is.;followed? with avf-
dity by«th®i^bfeese,!t® make^uptf®fr{theijpa®citys4*ftthe
flesh 'éïfhquajdrüpeds,:- Of the lar’ger;»kind, the/GommoU’-
people have- little>opporfeunity of i ©v eintastirigdudiebsiof
such, a^die-jby accident, or ^disease, In ;iur0hyoisèsf<the
app^thfi of a Chinese surmounts .all,scruple whether it
be ampx.ori camel,? a sheqp’nuass, it is-equallydBGBptaMefit
This people know ;nocdhdnction,*©f kclearir.ajnd unclean!
meat. I Thp?; Chinese c^n^easilyidbne'eisi’e-the^ffo^’oia ©*
disgust which a nation, subsisting constantly-©ri a rvegö#;
table diet, must feel-at first upon^hsftTQpbsal ofedestritys
ing any sensitive beingj ifór .the purpose iof gorgingiupo n
iftMtals; but when nn4&req-anciled to such'dideedfthéyb
ïèfikon the preference j^iven- to-one sspe&iesVof-animaf
before another,, asdittle <mord than ^matteraof'Wte'i off -
fanqy. Quadrupeds.that; camfinth some' resouECesefbr subsistence
about jdwellinglhouses, -such1 as hogisf andcdögs^
are the móst common- animal ffoofl-, and arnfeèM'Mbthe
public markets.;
| Persons . not sóopulei^nasntö beid'e-lieate^dajjteusom’e-J
times, found to,, ransack* fesvery depaartmenWof nkture 4to;
VOJL. I I . I IB