146 



JoERWOE. 



TONC-TCHOO- 

 HJO. 



CHIN A. 



pire, and are filled with palaces and pagodas. N}eubqf\m:xQ,me^ 

 this city to have been the ^mfay of Marco Polo * which he fays 

 " was like Venice built on a morafs." The emperor, he informs 

 us, had a magnificent palace here; and adds, that no lefs than fix 

 hundred thoufand families were to be found in this vaft place. 

 What is lingular, the Nejlorians had a church in the city ; a 

 proof that Chriftianity was tolerated in this empire in the thir- 

 teenth century. 



Near Joerwoe Mr. Nieuboff went along another canal, made 

 in the river Chaolcang ; he pafled by Focheen, Sanfianfweyy and 

 'fong'tcboo-foo. At the diftance of four miles from Peking the na- 

 vigation ends. The reafon affigned for its not being brought to 

 the walls of the city is, that multitudes of the poor entirely fub- 

 fift by the carriage of goods and the necefTaries of life into the 

 capital. At this place the Dutcb embaffadors were met by a 

 magnificent cavalcade of mandarines and people of rank, fent by 

 the emperor to do them honor ; and they entered the city in a 

 moft pompous proceflion. After being treated with the utmoft 

 external refpedl, they were difmiflTed without obtaining the end 

 of their embaffy. 



I SHALL not attempt the defcription of this magnificent city^ 

 but will content myfclf with fpeaking to the eyes by the plates 

 of Mr. Nieuboff, which I believe reprefent with great fidelity the 

 various cities, pagodas, and other bviildings he paflTed by ; in 

 thefe may be feen the different forms of houfes, and public 

 edifices. The fplendor of the emperor's palace, and a general 

 view of the city, are fhewn in the 158th page. The pagodas, 



* Bergeron's Coll. p. ij6, 



the 



