Dr. Cantor on the Flora and Fauna of Chusan. 365 



came to China for only a single season, that improved the 

 opportunity to extend the knowledge of its natural history. 

 Other ports, as Shanghae and Amoy, were once open to 

 foreigners, but the desire for gain was then so strong as to en- 

 gross all the time of those who visited them. From the time 

 of Osbeck till the embassy under Macartney in 1793, we read 

 of none who explored these wide fields. No Tournefort or 

 Pursh was found who would willingly endure the fatigues and 

 dangers of visiting China from a love of natural history. The 

 embassy under Lord Macartney was provided with competent 

 naturalists, and the advantages enjoyed were many ; yet the 

 results do not appear to have been considerable. In a journey 

 from Teentsin to Jeho (Zhehol) and then through Peking to 

 Canton, abundance of opportunities must have been presented 

 to enlarge our knowledge of this country. But the same 

 causes which will retard future labourers hindered the re- 

 searches of the members of this embassy; the jealousy of the 

 Chinese government prevented them from examining most 

 of the interesting objects which came in their way while tra- 

 velling through the country. The works of Staunton and 

 Barrow, however, contain many valuable notices of the natural 

 history of China ; and if the embassy did not open a more 

 favourable trade to its projectors, it enabled us to form more 

 correct ideas of the real aspect of the country, both in a poli- 

 tical and natural point of view. The remarks were such as 

 would naturally be made by those travelling in a circumscribed 

 manner, and relate principally to agriculture and the natural 

 scenery. The Dutch embassy to Peking in 1795 under Van 

 Braam does not appear to have made many remarks concern- 

 ing the natural history of the districts through w 7 hich it passed. 

 From the time of that embassy to the one under Lord Am- 

 herst in 1816, very little was done in this branch of know- 

 ledge in China. When that expedition was proposed, the ad- 

 vantages that would accrue from having an able and scientific 

 naturalist were duly appreciated by the projectors. Such a 

 one was found in Dr. Abel, and the result showed that the ex- 

 pectations of those who recommended him were not ill found- 

 ed. Everything necessar} T to enable him to transport the 

 specimens, whether on shore or on board the ship, was done, 

 and no expense spared in affording him all the facilities pos- 

 sible during the journey. From Teentsin to the capital the 

 way was closely examined ; but from Peking to Canton few 

 observations were made or specimens collected, on account of 

 the rapidity of travelling. Besides, Dr. Abel was taken sick 

 on his return and prevented from personal research to the ex- 

 tent he wished. The gentlemen of the embassy, however, 



