1838.] Geography of Cochinchina, 819 



persons who visit these parts to rectify the same. In drawing the map 

 of this country I am guided merely by the interests of science and must 

 openly say what I think of the work, and of the ameliorations or changes 

 that I have thought proper to make. 



One of the most essential alterations and which I had the greatest 

 hesitation in adopting, was — what do you think ?— to change the course 

 of one of the finest and largest rivers in Asia. The present map is alto- 

 gether different in this respect from the ancient ones* In all the Euro- 

 pean maps this great river of Laos is represented throughout the whole 

 of its course as strait as an arrow until it reaches Cochinchina. I think 

 it a decided mistake ; I will give you my reasons for thinking so. I was 

 always persuaded that in regard to a geographical map, the same rule 

 holds as for a geographical dictionary ; — one copies the maps of another 

 and enlarges it more or less, and adds a few more names, and it is lucky 

 if in thus copying the errors are not augmented. The geographical 

 dictionary of Vosgten offers an example. For his day it was a very good 

 work ; since then new editions have been made, enriched, augmented, im- 

 proved, &c. and nevertheless the greater part of the original mistakes 

 still remain, and what was really the case in the time of Vosgien, but 

 has disappeared within the last 50 or 60 years, is not corrected : v. g, 

 the town of Chandernagore is always the same ; — it is said that a great 

 quantity of velvet, silk, brocades, saltpetre, &c. are bought and sold 

 there : I could give further examples of this, but it would be superflu- 

 ous. 



I return again to the geographical map of Cochincltina. I have given 

 to the river which flows through Laos a course quite different from that 

 in all the other maps, because the two maps I had with me drawn 

 by engineers of the country gave it this direction. They know the 

 country, they visit it every day and have measured all the windings of 

 the river Laos which is also called Meykon or Mecon. To lay down 

 interior of Carnboge, Laos and a part of Thon-king, I have used an 

 ancient and a modern map of the country designed by his majesty's engi- 

 neers ; for the coast I have used a map made by Mr. D'Ayot, a French 

 officer, formerly in the service of his majesty the emperor of Cochin' 

 china. I think it the best map for the coasts that I have as yet seen : in 

 truth no one had such a good opportunity, for Mr. D' Ayot's occupations 

 obliging him often to pass and repass this shore, he could make his ob- 

 servations and rectify them often. The knowledge I have had of the 

 greater part of the places of the interior of Cochinchina properly called has 

 greatly aided me in placing them on this map. You would probably 

 wish to know if any confidence is to be placed in the map made by these 

 2 s 



