Japan.] 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



511 



city, and is navigable for vessels of considerable burthen. The articles 

 manufactured here, are in general very superior to those of the other parts 

 of the empire, particularly China-ware, and various kinds of silk-goods, 

 the raw silk being of the best kind. 



SECTION XXIX, 



JAPAN. 



OPPOSITE the coast of China are many islands running in a N. E. 

 direction towards the Japanese Archipelago, the principal of which are For- 

 mosa, and two groups of small islands, the Patchow and the Lieu-chew 

 Islands. 



FORMOSA. — This island, called also Ty-o-van and Pa-kan, is about 

 70 leagues in length, extending nearly N. N. E. and S. S. W. The S. 

 part has on it a high double-peaked mountain, discernible at 20 leagues' 

 distance in clear weather ; from this the land slopes down, terminating in 

 a low projecting point, called the South Cape, or S. E. point of Formosa. 

 This point is situated in latitude 21° 54' N., and longitude 121° 5 E. 

 About 25 leagues to the N. W. is the harbour, where the Dutch had 

 formerly a settlement and fort, from which they were expelled by the 

 Chinese. 



Europeans are not allowed intercourse with this island. Some par- 

 ticulars of its internal character have been lately obtained from a native at 

 Batavia. 



The capital of the island is Seng Tyan-hu, where the Dutch fort 

 Zelandia stood ; this place and Lo-kang are frequented by Chinese ship- 

 ping. Seng Tyan-hu is a large town, and well fortified. Besides the 

 Chinese population of the island, there are tribes of aborigines distinct 

 from each other ; some of whom are in an uncivilized state, and in con- 

 stant hostility with the Chinese. The soil of the island is described as 

 fertile ; the principal agricultural product is rice ; the next, sugar, which 

 is generally of a coarse quality. The tea plant is cultivated on the 

 hills; it is of the green sort, and chiefly exported to China. The g&atest 

 river of the island is the Howdg-he; it passes by the fort of Chu-lo-kwan, 



