PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 223 



derived from an alliance with Loo Choo, which had 

 so long continued faithful to the empire of China, 

 turned his attention to the improvement of the coun- 

 try w^ith great earnestness and perseverance. He built 

 a palace there in honour of Confucius, and a college 

 for the instruction of youth in the use of the Chinese 

 character, and established examinations for different 

 branches of Hterature. Several natives of Loo Choo 

 were sent to Pekin, and educated at the expense of 

 the emperor, among whom was the king's son. The 

 tribute was better adapted to the means of the people ; 

 and those articles only, which were either the produce 

 of the soil, or the manufactures of the country, were 

 in future to be sent to Pekin for this purpose. In 

 short, Kang-hi lost no opportunity of gaining the 

 friendship and esteem of his subjects. On the occa- 

 sion of great distress in Loo Choo, which occurred in 

 1708, when the palace of the king was burned, and 

 hurricanes did incalculable mischief, and when the 

 people were dying daily with contagious diseases, 

 Kang-hi used every endeavour to mitigate their dis- 

 tress, and, by his humanity and generosity, secured to 

 himself the lasting gratitude of the inhabitants of Loo 

 Choo. 



In 1719 he sent Supao-koang, a learned physician, 

 to make himself acquainted with the nature and pro- 

 ductions of the island, and to inform himself of every 

 particular concerning the government and the people. 

 Since that period nothing is mentioned of Loo Choo 

 in Chinese history, beyond the periodical payment of 

 the tribute, and the arrival of ambassadors from that 

 country at the court of Pekin. 



In 1771 the well-known Count Benyowsky touched 



