1849.] Notice of a Chinese Geographical work. 163 



Wan ku Ice, which is separted from the opposite coast of Kd la pa by 

 the sea. The ships of the Red Hairs returning to the Great West- 

 ern Ocean, must pass through this sea: and thence proceed south- 

 west to the Kap* of the Black Devils, and turn westward to the Great 

 Western Ocean. 



Now to speak of the voyage from the Central Kingdom to Kd Id pa ;f 

 you must go by Kivan Icen and Chhd pan, guided entirely by the point 

 wi of the needle. You go west as far as the hills of Wan ku lce% and 

 thence to Kd Id pd. It is reckoned a voyage of two hundred and eight 

 keng from Hea man. It originally belonged to the Wu la yu coun- 

 try, but now the Ho Idn Red Hairs possess it. The officers are 

 denominated Kd pi tan. Beyond these are the three countries of Hea 

 kong, Wan tan,§ Chhi wan. The first produces pepper. Wan tan is a 

 separate country. Chhi wan produces pepper and sandal wood. But 

 Kd Id pd is the most productive of all these places ; hither the ships 

 of all countries come for commerce : here are to be found all the 

 valuable commodities of the Central Kingdom, the Great Western Ocean, 

 the Little Western Ocean, the White Heads, the Black Devils, and 

 the Wu la yu. The Ho Ian have a city there, and divide the country. 

 There are many natives of the Central Kingdom settled there for trade 

 and agriculture. Every year they pay a tax of five or six pieces of gold 

 each, and receive a ticket of permission to dwell. The number of the 

 natives of the Central Kingdom is very great ; it may be about a hun- 

 dred thousand. Now the Ho Ian have prohibited more from settling : 

 they send back such as come in ships. 



The island of Chd pan is situated to the south of Kwan Icen, east of 

 the hills Wan ku Ice. It is on the highway of the navigation of these 

 parts. The inhabitants live by fishing. It produces grass for fine 

 mats of the very best quality. But each year produces enough for only 

 two mats for the palace of the king. These mats are never infested with 

 ants or other insects. They are worth forty or fifty pieces of gold. 

 The second quality are worth twenty to thirty. Those that are worth 

 one or two pieces of gold are still very beautiful and superior to cloth." 



* Cape of Good Hope. 



f Java. 



% Bencoolen. 



§ Bantam. 



Y 2 



