586 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1817. 



vantages to be made of its situa- 

 tion and productions. 



Cochin China, called by the na- 

 tives Anamj extends from about 

 the twentieth degree of north la- 

 titude to Pulo Condore, which lies 

 in eight degrees forty minutes. It 

 is bounded by the kingdom of 

 Tonquin on the north, from which 

 it is separated by the river Sun- 

 gen ; by the kingdom of Laos, 

 and a range of mountains which 

 divides it from Cambodia on the 

 west ; and by that part of the 

 eastern ocean, generally called 

 the China Sea, on the south and 

 east. 



The kingdom is divided into 

 twelve provinces all lying upon 

 the sea-coast, and succeeding 

 each other from north to south in 

 the following older. 



In the possession of the Ton- 

 quinese. Ding oie, Cong-bing, 

 Ding-cat, Hue, or the Court. 



In the possession of Ignaac, 

 Cham, Cong-nai, jQuinion. 



Dubious whether subdued by 

 Ignaac, or in the possession of 

 the king. Phuyen, 13ing-Khang, 

 Nha-Tong, Bing thoan or Champa. 



In the possession of the king, 

 Donai. 



The breadth of the country 

 bears no proportion to its length. 

 Few of the provinces extend fur- 

 tlier than a degree from east to 

 west ; some less than twenty 

 miles ; Donai, which is properly 

 a province of Cambodia, is niucli 

 larger. 



The whole country is inter- 

 sected by rivers, which although 

 not large enough to admit vessels 

 of great burthen, yet are exceed- 

 ingly well calculated for promoting 

 inland commerce. Their streams 

 are gentle, and the water clear. 



The climate is healthy, the vio- 

 lent heat of the summer months 

 being tempered by regular breezes 

 from the sea j September, Octo- 

 ber and November, are the season 

 of the rains. The low lands are 

 then frequently and suddenly over- 

 flowed by immense tonents of 

 water which fall from the moun- 

 tains. The inundations happen 

 generally once a fortnight, and 

 last for three or four days at a 

 time. In December, January, and 

 February, there are also frequent 

 rains, brought by cold northerly 

 winds, which distinguish this 

 country with a winter different 

 from any other in the east. 



The inundations have the same 

 effect here as the periodical over- 

 flowings of the Nile in Egypt ; 

 and render the country one of the 

 most fruitful in tlie world. In 

 many parts the land produces 

 thiee crops of grain in the year. 

 All the fruits of India are found 

 here, in the greatest perfection, 

 with many of those of China. 



No country in the east, and per- 

 haps none in the world, produces 

 richer, or a greater variety of ar- 

 ticles, proper for carrying on an 

 advantageous commerce : cinna- 

 mon, pepper, cardamoms, silk, 

 cotton, sugar, aglua wood, (lig- 

 num aloes) sapan wood, and ivory, 

 are the principal. 



Gold is taken almost pure from 

 the mines, and before the troubles 

 great quantities were brought 

 from the hills in dust, and bartered 

 bv the rude inhabitants of them 

 for rice, cloths, and iron. It was 

 from them also the Agula and Ca- 

 iambae woods were jjiociired with 

 quantities of wax, honey and ivory. 

 For some years j)ast, the commu- 

 nication between the hills and the 



lov.' 



