T O N Q U I N. 8i 



'two bifliops, one ftyled of AJcalon, the other of Adran\ but 

 neither they nor the priefts were fufFered to come to Cachao^ their 

 refidence being fixed at Hean \ the profelytes they made were 

 among the meaneft of the people, and it is fuggefted were gained 

 over, more by the charitable donations of rice in times of fear- 

 city, than by any arguments of the pious miffionaries. The 

 priefts were all mafters of fome mechanic arts which were ufeful 

 in this country, and which feem to have been the grounds of 

 their toleration. By reafon of fome imprudence on their part, 

 or fome fpirit of perfecution in the reigning powers, they were at 

 length expelled ; and four of the principal miffionaries put to 

 death by decapitation. 



I WILL conclude with the extent of the kingdom oiTonquin^ Extent; 

 and with a brief account of the inhabitants. It commences towards 

 the fouth at the Cochin-China wall, and is there very narrow ; to 

 the weft it is bounded by the Cocbin-Cbinefe chain, which foon re- 

 tires, and gradually leaves a larger and larger expanfe to the great 

 plain of this kingdom. Thefe mountains keeping to the north- 

 weft unite with thofe oi China, and by their branches turning eaft- 

 ward, conftitute the boundaries between Tonquin, and the mighty 

 empire of which the 'Tonquinefe feem originally to have been a 

 colony. The weftern limit is at the river Gannan Kyan, in Lat. 



21° V 



The province bordering on Chi7m on the fide of the bay is 

 that of Tenan, fmall, but extremely fertile in rice ; ofFrhe coaft 

 are multitudes of ifles, very properly called, by the Dutch, the 

 IjUnds of Pirates. They are inhabited by fiftiermen, who make 

 no fcruple of robbing every fhip they can mafter. Thofe ran 



Vol. III. M only 



