T O N Q U I N. 75 



Eocks. The Tonquinefe take them in nets fet on poles, which 

 the birds flrike on in the twilight. 



Fish is in equal abundance. That delicate fauce we call Soya Soya sauce. 

 is made here of one fpecies ; and of a fort of flirimp, is pro- 

 duced another relifliing luxury called Balichaun. 



The chief river of the country is called the river of Tonnuin, 

 which empties itfelf into the bay by two channels, one called 

 Rok-hot the other twenty leagues to the north-eaft, which Dant" 

 pier named that of Domea. The firft, frequented by the fmaller 

 veflTels, has not above twelve feet water at the entrance, and is 

 the moft convenient for the Siamefe and Chinefe, The other is 

 ufed by the European fhips on account of the depth. Before 

 the mouth is a line of hard fand two miles long ; the entrance 

 is diftinguifhed by a high ridgy mountain far up the country 

 called the Elephant. About fix leagues from the mouth of the 

 river is the village of Domea., ufually confifling of a hundred 

 houfes, yet on the arrival of the European fliips it foon increa'fes 

 to a lar^e town; the natives refort for fake of trade from all 

 parts ; houfes fiiddenly fpring up ; for being only conftructed of 

 frames of bamboo, and the roof of palm or other leaves, a tem^ 

 porary town is quickly formed, in which a fair is kept as long 

 as the fliips remain in the harbor. 



The river is fubje6l to the fame periodical floods as others 

 in the tropical regions; and the fame fertility is the confequence. 

 The wet feafon commences the latter end of April or beginning 

 of May^i and lafls till towards the clofe cii Augujl. The rains are 

 intermittent; fome are of two or three days continuance, others 

 of only a few hours, with intervals of fine weather, efpecially 



L 2 towards 



