^h INDIA BEYOND THE GANGES. 



ercvfled, and multitudes of converts made. At length a king 

 arofe unfriendly to our doftrine, who expelled the mifiionaries, 

 and compelled his fubjeits to return within the pale of the na- 

 tional church. Having premifed this, I fliall treat the reader 

 with Le Poivre's elegant account of the revolution, and the 

 happy flate of this kingdom; but I muft mix my fears with if, 

 that as he hints at corruptions creeping faft into the original 

 fyftem of government, it may be found at prefent as abfolute, 

 as tyrannical, and as abfurd as other eaftern dominions, under 

 the rule of the infirm individual. To begin, 



" A 'Tonqiiinefe prince, -unfuccefsful in a war he carried on 

 " againft the king of Tonquin (under whom he enjoyed an 

 *' ofRce fomewhat refembling the Maires de palais under the 

 " Merovingian race of the kings of France) retired with his 

 ** foldiers and adherents acrofs the river which divides that 

 *' kingdom from Cochin-Chlna. The favages, who then pofTelTed 

 ** this country, fled before thefe itrangers, and took refuge 

 *' among the mountains of TJiampa. After a long war with 

 ** their old enemies, who purfued them, the Tonquinefe fugi- 

 " tives remained at length peaceable pofleflbrs of the country 

 *' known under the name of Cochin-China\ it extends about 

 " two hundred leagues from north to fouth, but narrow and 

 " unequal from eaft to weft. They then applied themfelves 

 « entirely to the cultivation of rice, which, being the ordinary 

 <* food of the inhabitants of Afia, is to them an objedl of the 

 « greateft importance. They feparated into little cantonments, 

 *' and eftablilhed themfelves on the plains, which extend along 

 ** the banks of the rivers. 



« The 



