TOPOGRAPHY. 123 



vided to the fouth from 'Thibet and Boutan, by chains of mod 

 exalted mountains, branches of the Imaus and Hemodus ; taey 

 penetrate even into various parts of China : other mountains 

 equally high, feparate the empire from weftern Tartary. Thefe 

 vaft Alpine chains are the defences of this mighty empire from 

 invafions by land. The great wall (hereafter to be men- 

 tioned) fecures the parts unprotedled by nature. The coaft is 

 ufually rude and rocky, and the interior often rifes into craggy 

 pi^lurefque mountains, or is interfedted by numerous rivers and 

 canals. The feas are (hallow, fo that even from a naval attack 

 the country has its prote<5lion. 



Notwithstanding part of China is within the tropics, and 

 the great remainder does not exceed Lat. 43 north, yet the cold 

 is, during winter, intenfe. There is no country in which 

 exifts fuch a neceffity for furs ; their own empire, Tartary, 

 and Siberia is almoft exhaufted for the fupply; the Engii/Jj 

 even furniili them with quantities from North America. Ice has 

 been feen at Canton an inch in thicknefs. Between Nimpo and 

 Peking the cold has been fo fevere in January and February that 

 travellers have been forced to lie by, till the ice could be broken 

 on the river HoambOy the largeft in China, before they could 

 pafs over. Mr. Kirwan fays, that the greateft cold at Peking (in 

 Lat. 39° 55) is 5% the greateft heat 98; yet on July 25th, 1773, 

 the thermometer rofe to 108 and no. The estremeft cold is 

 produced by a north-eaft or north- weft wind ; the laft blows 

 over the vaft tradl of Tartary and Siberia. In Peking, during 

 winter, the animals and fowls of all kinds are expoled to fale in 

 the markets, frozen, and fo preferved from putrefas5tion for 

 weeks together. 



R a * The 



