PROVINCE OF TCHE-TCHIANG. 155 



warden, furrounded with hills, and divided by a principal canal 

 "branching from it, with fixty-fix others. On one of thefe canals, 

 between Sbau-hing-foo and this city, is an example of the fingular 

 method of pafling from one level to another, and feemingly a 

 very awkward one *. The waters of one canal not being on a 

 level with that of another, the boat, by means of two capftans, is 

 hoiiled upon a ftone glacis, or flope, which being made flippery 

 with water, the boat glides down into the fecond canal, as 

 fwift as an arrow out of a bow. For this reafon, they are 

 made in form of Gondolas^ with keels of a wood hard enough to 

 fuftain the weight of a bark. Thefe boats are proper only for 

 carrying goods from Ning-po, and the towns depending on it, as 

 far as the canal of Sbau-hing. They differ much, both as to fize 

 and make, from the imperial barks, which would be broken to 

 pieces, or at leaft receive fome confiderable damage in the 

 defcent. 



Ningpo carries on a confiderable trade with Batav'm^ Siam, and 

 Japan. The Portugueje had early a fettlement in this city, where 

 they acquired immenle wealth, and with it, all the vices atten- 

 dant on riches. Infolent and highly debauched, they dared to pj^ofligacy 

 feize the moft beautiful young girls they could hear of, and em- ""^^l^^^^^,^^ 

 ployed a fet of profligates for that purpofe. When they 

 had kept thefe poor viaims as long as they thought proper, they 

 returned them to the unhappy parents. Enraged at this, the 

 Cbinefe cut off a party of the infamous Chajfeurs. The Portu- 

 gueje had the audacity to complain; the affair was brought 

 before the higheft tribunal ; and fuch fcenes of iniquity were 

 difcovered, that a decree was immediately made that the Portu^ 



* Emhojy to China, vol. ii. p. 450, and plate 34 of the folio volume. E. 



X 2 r^^^f^ 



