Vol III. Mifce/Iaw4 Curiofa. 27 j 



SIR, 



I Formerly told you, that the Emperor de* 

 fign'd to have come to the Ifland of Pou^ 

 to (a place of great Devotion) to worfllip 

 in the Month of May laft, being the 40th 

 Year of his Age, I fhould have faid of his 

 Reign ; but all things being prepared there 

 for his Reception, he was difTuaded from his 

 purpofe by fbme of his Mandarines , who 

 made him believe that the terrible Thunder 

 there was very dangerous. This Pou-to is 

 a fmall Ifland about 5 Leagues round at the 

 Eaft end of this Ifland, famous for the Su- 

 perfl:itious Pilgrimages made thither for the 

 Ipace of eleven hundred Years : It's inhabit- 

 ed only by Bonz^es^ to the number of 3000, 

 all of the Seft call'd Hojhang^ or unmarried 

 Bonzesj who live a Pythagorean Life and 

 there they have built 460 Pagodes , two ' 

 whereof are confiderable for their greatnefs 

 and finery, being lately covered with greeii 

 and yellow Tiles brought from the Empe- 

 ror's Palace at Narjkin^ and inwardly adorn'd 

 with Mtely Idols finely grav'd and gilded^ 

 the chief whereof is the Idol Ouon-em. Tp 

 ihefe two great Pagodes belong two chief 

 Priefts, who govern all the reft. They have 

 feveral Ways and Avenues cut through the 

 Ifland, fome whereof are pav'd vnth Flag- 

 ftones, and over-lhaded with Trees plantecl 

 on each fide: Their dwellings are th^ beft 

 1 have yet feen in thejfe Parts. All which ar^ 



T maift- 



