joumey to each of those branches was erected an elegant stone
bridge. The fleet of the Embassy was nearly three hours
in passing the suburbs of Sou-chod-foo, before they arrived
at thecity walls, under which’was drawn tip3an irm
mense number of vessels. In one ship-builder’s yard were
sixteen upon the stocks close to each other, each of the
- burden of about two hundred tons. In the walls of the city
are turned several arches,’through which the canal passés,
not unlike those % the Walls of the city of Batavia.
Sou-choo-foo appears to be an uncommonly large and
populous city. The houses were generallyAvell, built
and handsomely decorated. The inhabitants, mojfc,,,of
whom were clad in silk, appeared cheerful and prosperous
■The it was understood that they still regretted the
removal of the court from Nan-kin, in their neighbourhood,
which had formerly been the capital of the empire.
Nothing, indeed, but .very strong political considerations,
could-have induced the sovereign to prefer1
the northern regions of Pe-che-lee, on the.copfines of
Tartary, to this part of his dominions, on which all the
advantages of climate-soil, and productions, have been
lavished by nature with an unsparing hand ; andLjwherç
nature itself has been improved by industry and in-
'g'eriuity. Sou-choo-foo has. been termed b y travellers
the paradise of China. Among the natives it is .a com-’
mon saying, that “ heaved is above them ; but on the
“ earth thephave Sou-choo-foo.”
*; The gentlemen affthe Embassy also-thought thewomen, jwim^to!
of Sotf^jh^0-foo;handsomer'jfairer; and di?e‘ssed jn a better foo* _
ta^g’^thanmost'offbhnsjl they .had seen to-the northward;
wherS-the necessity.of ki the open aarj o nn
IfeSs;futile i.soil, and of Sharing in t-h'e; rudest labours with
the-men, the. confined and homely, far&Lw|iiph peeves
them.,for subsistence^;, and the {liittle^leisure t > therfi
for attending fQ-rhek persons, m^y^ave.fcorifiributftdj td
d ai|kenjfhejrce.omplexiohs| as, Well as to hardens»,and di-d-5
|igure wany of th eir features, more fchahfcbuld be effected
by the occasional rays* o£aa*mofebsduthem sum falling
upon^theTenfales-, atjthe distances bf thfr-tyfld§f$t©f S* from
the. Ec|uata^ij The- ladies; of Sb.u^chd©>-f90v.:are^iSomeT
times ^distinguished b y . a* small cap . .on .the^forebead
broughtfdO’VKn, -tojj a ip_ea-k;?bgjt W©e-mth e' \i©p‘eb®owp IroaHE
o-f black satin,r*and set *wkh 1-ik e wisd
wear,t©ar- -pendents ©f fcrystjl ©j^gold;
from Sou-choo-foo i&the beautiful
lake of Tair^h^b^ surrounded by a ehrin ©f picturbstpie
hillsf ThiS’ fok^which furnishes- fish for tlje 'inhabitants
?of, S©u-eh(0Q--f°b, serves them, also tas;h place- of
public resort'and,-recreation. Many of the pleasure-boats
were rowed 'each-day cringle; female.-oaEv#y-: hoatjiad’ a
neat and ceyered-^bin ; and'the.rowerstWere supposed
to-,follow more than one .professipn. The laktet divides
the prpvince of Kiang-nanand that^ft|jbd-kiang, toi the
capital'of which the Embassy^ was-now appdajching/ „