VOL. XVI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 281 



peror, the kings, and the grandees of the court, quitted the great road, to take 

 that of the mountains of the north, which are extended without interruption 

 towards the north-east : there, some days were passed in hunting, which was 

 performed in this manner : the emperor chose 3000 men of his life-guard, 

 armed with arrows and javelins, and disposed them so, that they occupied a 

 great circuit about the mountains, which they environed on all parts, forming 

 a kind of circle of at least 3000 paces in diameter ; then drawing nearer to- 

 gether with equal progress, and without quitting their range, whatever might 

 be the obstacles in their way, they reduced this great circle to another much 

 less, of about 30O paces in diameter : so that all the beasts which had been 

 enclosed within the first, found themselves taken in this last as in a net : for 

 the men stood locked together so closely, that they left no meshing place for 

 the beasts to make their escape by. Then they pursued them so vigorously in 

 this small place, that the poor animals, tired with the violence of their coursing, 

 fcame and fell down at the feet of their chasers, and suffered themselves to be 

 taken without trouble. I saw taken in this manner 2 or 300 hares in less than 

 one day, besides a great number of wolves and foxes. I have seen more than 

 1000 deer so pent up by these sorts of nets, which came to cast themselves 

 into the hands of the hunters, having found no passage to save themselves by : 

 they killed also bears, boars, and more than 6o tigers, but these by other means, 

 and with other weapons. 



After having travelled about 400 miles in hunting daily after this manner, we 

 arrived at last at Xyn-Yam, the capital city of the province, where we remained 

 4 days. During which time, the emperor with the queens went to visit the 

 sepulchres of his ancestors, which are_ not far distant, from whence he sent 

 back the queens to Xyn-Yam, and continued his own journey into the Eastern 

 Tartary. After several days marching and hunting, he arrived at Kirin, 400 

 miles from Xyn-Yam : this city is built along the great river Songoro, which 

 has its source in the mountain Cham-pe, 400 miles to the south : this mountain, 

 so famous in the east for having been the ancient seat of the Tartars, is always 

 covered with snow, from whence its name Cham-pe, signifying the white moun- 

 tain. As soon as the emperor saw it, he alighted from his horse, and fell on 

 his knees on the bank of the river, and bowed himself three times to the 

 ground to salute it: after which, he caused himself to be carried on a glorious 

 throne of gold, and so made his entry into the city : all fhe people ran in 

 throngs before him, testifying by their acclamations the joy they had to see 

 him. This prince took great pleasure in those testimonies of their affection ; 

 and that he might give them some marks of his being very sensible of it, he 

 was pleased to suffer himself to be seen by all, and forbid his guards to hinder 



VOL. III. O o 



