TA-KOO-TANG. 
167 
The entrance to this lake was grand, from the immense chain of 
mountains forming its western boundary, the most conspicuous of 
which was distinguished by its five peaks. On entering the lake, the 
Embassy passed the Ta-koo-shan, or great orphan rock, less interest- 
ing in all its characters than the smaller one of the same name. 
On the 14th, the boats reached the small town of Ta-koo-tang, 
and were detained there by boisterous weather till the sixteenth. 
During this delay, parties visited the neighbouring country, and 
found it abounding in several plantations of oaks and firs ; to 
which were now added occasional plants of the Pinus lanceolatus, 
brought to Europe by the former Embassy. A very distinct new 
genus also rewarded the pursuits of my friends, with a description 
of which Mr. Brown has enriched this work, and called Abelia 
Chinensis. This plant, which was not met with after leaving the 
Po-yang lake, is a straggling shrub with pendant branches. Its 
flowers were, for the most part, faded when it was found ; but its 
permanent pink calyces, clustered into thick heads, gave it a beautiful 
appearance. The tallow-tree also grew here in abundance, and was 
a most magnificent plant. I shall have occasion to describe it 
elsewhere. 
Leaving Ta-koo-tang on the morning of the 16th, the Embassy 
arrived the same day at the city of Nan-kang-foo, situated at the 
base of a lofty mountain forming part of an extensive ridge. Snow 
covered the summit of the mountain, which, according to the Chinese, 
would remain till the fourth moon of the ensuing season, but melted 
before a bright sun the next day. 
The city of Nan-kang-foo scarcely repaid those who visited it the 
trouble of the walk. The appearance of the walls, which had lately 
been repaired, had promised a populous and thriving city ; and such 
it had been in former ages ; but it now contained very few houses, 
compared with its extent; and was filled with beggars. A number of 
stone archways still remain, that appear formerly to have been supe- 
rior specimens of their style of architecture : men, quadrupeds, and 
birds, are sculptured upon them in relief: they bear the dates of 
