EMBASSY TO CHINA.
othërs öfail elliptical form, with the vertex dfthé ellipsis
at the top of the arch. Some are in the form of ^!horSe
shöe, the space' belfig widest near the top-of thexarch.
Thé SMfies that form thé a f e h é f aff^iaeseyfelti# are
fiöi t»f a square form, leaving mt théA p a triangular «pact
filled by a kèy*Möwê adapted to fit thé v a c a t e ^ h n l #
the stones of the arch were so many wedgesün o lin ^ fae-r
cötdiiig to the tiurVe-of the arch,* which i when arrayed
in their proper placeisythey completed.-m
For passing uildër éhes&bridges thé str©ng.sirigfepasfs
of thé yachts and barges7 were taken dowii^ ahd others
eoflsistidg<uf two polls* nniting- at the" top; and-diverging
to thé breadth of the respective! jvessqls, like thfc-pvsoilegS
of an isoscblfes triangle* as appears in the espposit&erigmy.-
iftg, were erected by thé ndea-rrs of trtro iron bolts' passing
intO the ends of those poles,and iiitd ridteheseut in two
post#, fixed ort each side of the vessel. Thlds'e masts were
readily lohteredto pass-under the b r id g e someof wbijdli,
however, were so lofty as to allow the vessels tö,-paSs under
them ift full sail. Those bridgefrwere here-necessary for a
communication between the opposite sides of-the canal,
along which ;#as an uninterrupted chain and
villages. The height of the arches, and the steps upon
them, prevented the passage of wheèl-carriages over them,
the number of which was small, and the twe infrequent,
as all heavy articles and most passengers, are carried upon
the rivers and canals with which the country is inter-
EMM£&Y Hi fC HINA. 421
sgcted^lmost oh - eyegy I n f l a t e 40 o l tpe folio volume!
itwi y ;iew of-ClhinesejJ^fgSs pfepaFingmqTass under
a< bridge. On the left 'bund* ^d&jof the-pi*®; appears
a commupication-under tfie briolgeffl^w&n jrhe grand
canal and another branching from ilho.ui any incon*-
yepiende to foot passengepy-ofto the people employed’to
p a ck the^ arg n syti1
The sheets ofjthe ciLyf^, ^Qiuj-.ghpokfe©, through the
suburb^,-Qf wfmfen the gl^filnowp.assedjiwer.e'dividedj
like Vepfce, b y branches from the principal ganal. Over
Journey to
Han-choo-
• foti.