TEMPLE OF EL KPHANI A. 481 



three large provinces from the irruptions of the Tartars*." But 

 in the History of China, contained in his first volume, he ascribes this 

 erection to the second emperor of the dynasty of Tsin, namely Chi 

 Hoang Ti j and the date immediately preceding the narrative of this 

 construction is the year 137 before the birth of Christ t. Hence 

 suspicions may well arise, not only concerning the epoch of this 

 work, but even with regard to the purity and precision of the Chi- 

 nese annals in general. Mr. Bell, who resided for some time in 

 China, and whose travels are deservedly esteemed for the accuracy 

 of their intelligence, assures us , that this wall was built about six 

 hundred years ago (that is about the year 1160), by one of the em- 

 perors, to prevent the frequent incursions of the Monguls, whose 

 numerous cavalry used to ravage the provinces, and escape before 

 an army could be assembled to oppose them. Renaudot observes 

 that no oriental geographer, above three hundred years in anti- 

 quity, mentions this wall : and it is surprising that it should have 

 escaped Marco Polo ; who, supposing that he had entered China 

 by a different rout, can hardly be conceived, during his long resi- 

 dence in the north of China, and in the country of .the Monguls, to 

 have remained ignorant of so stupendous a work H. Amidst these 

 difficulties, perhaps it may be conjectured that similar modes of de- 

 fence had been adopted in different ages; and that the ancient rude 

 barrier having fallen into decay, was replaced, perhaps after the in. 

 vasion of Zingis, by the present erection, which even from the state 

 of its preservation can scarcely aspire to much antiquity. 



[Du Halde. S taunt on. Pinkertqn. 



SECTION V, 



Temple of Elephanta. 



WE got into our boat at Ma za gong a little before sunrise, and 

 had the pleasure of marking the gradual increase of day as it broke 

 over the Mahratta mountains. First the woody tops of Caranja 

 and Elephanta became illuminated, then Bombay, with its forts and 

 villages stretching along the north of the bay, while the bases of 

 the rocky islands to the south, slowly became distinguishable from 

 the reflecting waves. After an hour's row, during which we 



* Tome ii.. p. 51. t Tome i.S40- 



| Travels, ii. 112. 8vo. S Ut supra, 137. 



y Some, however, deny that be entered Cbina. 

 TOL. YI. 2 I 



