L297") 
illuftrate the fubject very well. Bontius publifhed another, and 
though drawn in India, where he might have feen the plant, it 
does not much furpafs the preceding. ‘The figure given by 
Plukenet is better than either of the former; and after his, 
Breynius publifhed one ftill better: but of all the engravings for- 
merly executed, that given by Kampfer mutt be allowed to be 
the moft accurate"; yet even this icon, like all the others pub- 
lithed by this induftrious naturalift, is extremely imperfect ; al- 
though he certainly faw the living plants which he has repre- 
fented, however expert ihe Chinefe may be in deception*. 
* Ameenit. Exotic. p. 618, et feq. See alfo his hiftory of Japan by Scheuchzer. 
Lond. 2 Vol. Fol. App. p. 3. Geoffr. Mat. Med. Vol. I p. 276. Other figures of 
this fhrub are reprefented in Pifo Itinere Brafilico, Kircher’s China Illuftrata, and 
Dutch Embafly. ; 
* Ofbeck, in his voyage to China, {peaking of the Camellia, fays, ‘* I bought 
one of a blind man in the ftreet, which had fine double white and red flowers. But, 
by farther obferving it in my room, I found that the flowers were taken from ano- 
ther ; and one calyx was fo neatly fixed in the other with nails of bamboo, that I 
fhould fearce have found it out, if the. flowers had not begun to wither, The tree 
itfelf had only buds, but no open flowers. I learned from this inftance, that who- 
ever will deal with the Chinefe, muft make ufe of his utmoft circumfpection, 
and even then muft run the rifk of being cheated.” Vol. VII. p. 17. Mocquet in 
his Travels and Voyages, An. 1606, 1. 4. p. 264, relates a curious piece of deception 
prattifed by a Chinefe of Canton. ‘* A Portuguefe,” he fays, “* bought a roafted 
duck at a cook’s fhop in Canton. Seeing it look well, and appearing to be very fat, 
he carried it with him on-board his veffel, to eat it; but, when he had put his knife 
within it to cut it up, he found nothing but the fkin, which was upon fome paper; 
ingenioufly fitted up with little fticks, which made up the body of the duck ; the 
Chinefe having very dexteroufly plucked away the flefh, and then fo well accom- 
modated this fkin, that it feemed to be a true duck.” | 
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