COCHIN-CHINA. ^g 



about twenty-five miles from the lea, on a river navigable for 

 vefTels of fifty or fixty tons up to the city ; but the bar has on 

 it at low water only four feet. The city is extenfive ; the palace 

 a large fquare, the ftreets near it wide, long, and regular ; the 

 reft of the city confifts of ftraggling houfes ; feveral branches 

 of the river meet here ; every family keeps its covered boat ; 

 and there are numbers befides kept for hire, for moft of the 

 conveyance is by water. It is a place of great trade, both from 

 KankaOy and all parts of their own coafts. 



The celebrated M. he Poivre was here in 1749, and appeared 

 at court with great fplendor *, bearing a letter from the king of 

 France, and fome very paltry gifts for the Cocbin-Chinefe mo- 

 narch. Le Poivre was too open, and boafted fo much of his 

 Grand Monarque, that his veracity was called in queftion, and 

 in the end he and his countrymen forced to make a hafty 

 retreat. 



The government of Cochin-China is monarchical. It had once Government 

 been a province to Tonquin, but was feparated from it in the China. 

 beginning of the laft century. The ftory is differently re- 

 lated. I refer the reader to Hamilton's account + of the caufe 

 ^nd manner : Le Poivre relates it differently ; yet both may be 

 ;ri^ht in the chief circumftances of the event. The ruling re- 

 ligion is that of the Chinefe, not the pure and primaeval worfliip 

 of the Sbangti, the, patriarchal religion ; but that of China in its 

 corrupted ftate. Chriftianity (introduced by the Portuguefe 

 during the time of their favor at the court of Cochin-China) got 

 ground for fome little time : milTionaries were fent, churches 



• Oriental Repertory, 251. t Vol, ii. 2H. 



eretfled. 



