148 
LAKES. 
Having entered the southern division of the canal, the Embassy 
proceeded, with the stream in its favour, through a succession of what 
the Chinese call Hoo, or “ lakes.” These, which in ordinary seasons 
are little else than swamps, had been swelled and united, by late 
heavy rains, into a waste of water, bounded in one direction by the 
horizon, in another by distant mountains. The embankments of the 
canal, supported, in the time of the former Embassy, by “ retaining 
walls of coarse grey marble, cut into large blocks, bound together 
with clamps of iron,” no longer giving it the appearance of an aque- 
duct much elevated above the adjoining country, were broken down 
by the inundation. 
Cottages half submerged, or raised on little platforms of soil, occa- 
sionally interrupted the uniformity of the scene, which derived a very 
peculiar character from the Nelumbium in fruit, which every where 
appeared. Inhabitants of all ages were seen paddling about in search 
of it, in small machines, more like baskets than boats. Here and 
there, indeed, a more picturesque view was obtained, and enabled 
Mr. Cook to take the accompanying characteristic sketch of the lake 
Nan-wang. 
The Embassy crossed a corner of the province of Kiang-nan on the 
30th of September, and re-entering the province of Shan-tong, they 
next day crossed the mouth of the Sheh-tze-ho or “ letter ten 
river;” the Chinese characters for ten being two crossing lines. 
Leaving the inundated country, and passing the mouth of the 
river Koo-shan-yin, whose waters accelerated the current of the 
canal, we reached, on the 3d, the borders of the province of Kiang-nan. 
The country now, for some distance, altered its character. Fields 
highly cultivated, and interspersed with innumerable hamlets buried 
in the shade of trees, covered undulating ground on both sides of the 
canal. 
On the 5th, the masts and sails of vessels were seen, at no great 
distance, navigating the Yellow river, parallel with the course of the 
canal. This being the day of Chung-tswe-Tsee, or “ full harvest 
moon,” the boatmen made propitiatory sacrifices to their idols. Mr. 
