vol.. XTI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 28» 



and resolved in his council to make every year expeditions of this kind in several 

 seasons, that by hunting of deer, boars, bears, and tigers, they might learn 

 to overcome the enemies of the empire, or at least to prevent the cooling of 

 their courage, or the degenerating from their pristine valour by the luxury of 

 China in a long course of peace. In effect, these kinds of hunting had more 

 of the show of a military expedition than of diversion, the men being all armed 

 with arrows and cymeters, divided into companies, and marching in battle array 

 after their standards, with the sound of drums and trumpets; during their 

 hunting they entirely invested the mountains and forests, as if they had been 

 cities which they designed to besiege ; imitating in this the manner of hunting 

 of the Eastern Tartars. This army had its van and rear-guards, its main body, 

 its right and left wing, commanded by so many generals and petty kings. 

 More than 70 days were spent before they set out on their march, in bringing 

 together the ammunition for the army. For in all the Western Tartary, so 

 called, not in respect of China, which is itself westward of it, but in respect of 

 the Eastern Tartary, there is nothing to be found but mountains, rocks, and 

 valleys, there being neither cities, towns, nor villages, nor even single houses. 

 The inhabitants lodge under tents pitched in the open fields. They are mostly 

 shepherds, and remove their tents from one valley to another, as they find pas- 

 ture, living by hunting and on the produce of their cattle, and being subject ai 

 slaves to the will of their masters, and their lamas or priests, for whom they 

 have a great veneration. This part of Tartary lies without the prodigious 

 Chinese wall about 1000 stadia, or 300 European miles, and extends from the 

 north-east towards the north. The emperor rides on horseback at the head of 

 his army through these desert steep mountains, far from great roads, exposed 

 all day to the scorchings of the sun, to the rains, and to all the injuries of the 

 weather. : 



The 2d reason for undertaking this journey, was to keep the Western Tartars 

 an their allegiance, and to prevent any pernicious designs forming against the 

 state. It was for this reason that he entered their country with so great an 

 army, and with such warlike preparations ; and that he often caused great guns 

 to be discharged, to strike terror into the route. Besides this great retinue, he 

 would also be accompanied with all the marks of grandeur of the court of Pekin, 

 mz. with a multitude of drums, trumpets, timbrels, and other musical instru- 

 ments, which formed concerts during his sitting at table, when he entered the 

 ipalace, or when he went out ; by this outward pomp that he might astonish 

 these barbarous people, and impress them with a fear and respect of his imperial 

 majesty. For the empire df China never had any enemies more to be feared 

 *han these Western Tartars, who beginning on the east of China, encompass it 



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