Chap. III. from Muscovy to China. 
me with Tea arid Tharafm Wine, I and my all Retinue 
were treated with a Comedy, and the Diverfion of fee- 
ing a great many different Sorts of exquifite Juglers, 
who, by a dextrous Slight of Hand, feem to produce not 
only all Sorts of Fruits, as Oranges, Limons, Grapes, 
Cfc. but live Birds and Crabs, and perform ail the 
Dexterities of that Kind praftifed in Europe. Others fo 
nicely play’d with round glafs Balls, as big as a Man^s 
Head, at the Point of a fharp Stick, toffing them feve- 
ral Ways, without breaking or letting them fall, that it 
was really furprizing. After this a Bamboo Cane, about 
feven Foot high, was held upright by fix Men, and a 
Boy about ten Years old crept up to the Top of it as 
nimbly as a Monkey, and laid himfelf on his Belly upon 
the End of it, turning himfelf feveral times round ; after 
which rifing up, he fet one Foot on the Bamboe, hold- 
ing faft to it with one Hand, and then loofing his Hold, 
clapped his Hands together, and run very fwifrly down, 
and fhewed feveral other Fears of Agility, which were 
very wonderful as well as highly entertaining. 
The Comedies had alfo a very good Effedt, by rea- 
fon they were a 6 led in the beft Manner by the Emperor’s 
Players. They frequently appeared in Changes of very 
rich Dreffes, embroidered in Gold and Silver *, and the 
Plot turned on the Story of a Triumphant Hero, in 
which was brought in their Idols, and a late Emperor, 
whofe Face was painted of a Blood Colour ; which was 
intermix’d with a Farce, or diverting Entertainment, of 
two young Women richly drefs’d, who flood each on a 
Man’s Shoulder, and nicely play’d with their Fans, bow- 
ing to one another, and keeping Time to the Mufick as 
exa( 5 Uy as if they had danced on the Ground. Two little 
Boys play’d Hojticki or Harleqtuns^ in very fantaflick 
Habits, and recited their Parts very well. After the End 
of the whole, 1 thanked the Mandaryns and return’d 
home. On the fame Day the Emperor went out a Ty- 
ger-hunting, without the great Wall, purfuant to his 
annual Cuftom, and returned in a few Days to Peking. 
On the fame Day I was invited to a Repafl by the 
Viceroy, or Sungut Eoriamba, with which Invitation I 
complied, and after fome Difcourfe pafling betwixt us, 
he led me by the Hand out of his Bed-chamber into his 
befl Hall, or Parlour, where feveral Tables and Stools 
flood ready the Tables were adorn’d with rich Ta- 
peflry Carpets of Silk and Gold, which were full wrought 
with Figures. I was feated on one, and the Mandaryns 
on the other Side of the Viceroy. The Tables were 
alfo fet off with very fine Flower-pots, full of Flowers 
of all Sorts of Colours, work’d in Silk, which not only 
looked very beautiful, but very natural ; Crimfon Vel- 
vets, and the moft charming colour’d Silks being cho- 
fen to make them, it being Winter, when no natural 
Flowers were to be gathered : On the fore-part of thefe 
Tables were alfo placed Silver Cups, in which was laid 
lighted Pieces of the fragrant Wood Kalamba.^ which 
afforded a very good Perfume ; next which flood fine 
Wooden Images, and Variety of fraall Figures or Pup- 
pets, finely painted and gilt. The Chairs or Stools on 
which the Viceroy and I fit, were, according to the 
^Tartarian Fafhion, hung at the Back with Leopard and 
Tyger Skins, which appeared very magnificent ; and a 
larger Difh of Tea than ordinary, in which was put 
peel’d Walnuts and Hazle-nuts, with a little Iron 
Spoon to take them out pn Occafion, was placed before 
each Perfon. After the Tea was drank off, which 
rafted very agreeably, feveral little Agate Cups, filled 
with Brandy mix’d with diftill’d Waters, were ferv’d 
about ; and after that, feveral Difhes, or rather Cups, 
of fry’d or broil’d Fifli, cut into fmali Pieces, were fet 
in Heaps one upon another, garnifhed with fine Herbs 
and Flowers, and as an Ornament fet on the Fore-part 
of the Table in a Row *, by them were placed fix Cups 
of very agreeable Soops, difli’d up with very fine ftew’d 
Flefli and Fifh ; and when we had eaten of thefe, we 
were regaled with feveral Courfes of the richeft Edibles, 
which were followed by all Sorts of fine bak’d Meats ; 
and after this laft Courfe all Kinds of delicious Con- 
fers, as candy ’d Grapes, Limons, Oranges, Cheftnuts, 
and Shell’d Nuts. 
V OH, II. N® 134. 
During bur fitting at Table ih the Room where we 
eat, was adled a Play, interlarded with Songs and 
Dances, by little Boys drefs’d in Girls Cloths, who ve- 
ry skilfully meafured their Steps in Proportion to the 
Time of the Song, and playM on the Flute, withal di- 
ftorting their Bodies into antick Poftures, and playing 
with a Fan In their, Hands. His Lady and Daughter 
alfo appeared at the farther Parc of the Hall, ftanding 
at a Door, which was but half open r They were very 
richly drefs’d according to the Mode of the Mongalian 
Tartars. After I had very agreeably fpent threi 
Hours there, accompanied by my Retinue, I rode to 
my Apartment. 
Some Time after I was invited to the Houfe of the 
Treafurer of the Empire, who is called Schiloy\ where 
I was fplendidly entertain’d. His Hall was very well 
furnifhed according to the Cbinefe Fafhion : The Floor 
of it was laid with a Sort of fine Stone, at three Cor- 
ners of which, on Ebony Feet, were three extraordk 
nary white Marble Tables naturally ftiaded with black 
Veins, which reprefented beautiful Woods, Mountains, 
and Rivers : On thefe Tables were placed high Silver 
Flower-pots, very naturally adorn’d with all Sorts of 
fine Flowers. The Pillars, clear up to the Roof, were 
painted with very fine Colours. While we fat at the 
Table we v,^ere entertained with a Ball, and after this 
very agreeable Entertainment, I arofe and took Leave, 
extremely fatisfied with all the Civilities that were 
paid me. 
When this Lord accompanied and conducted me 
through the principal Markets, where Silk, Cloath, 
Gold and Silver, Jewels, and all Sorts of fine Manu- 
factures, were fold, I was defired to alight, and con- 
ducted to the Emperor’s Difpenfary, which I was wil- 
ling to make fome Scrutiny into, it being richly flock’d 
with all Sorts of Roots, Herbs, and Medicines. I was 
here treated with a Difh of Tea, and obferv’d while I 
ftaid there, that according to the European Cuftom, le- 
veral Preferiptions of Phyfleians were brought in, whicli 
were methociically prepar’d. Next to this was a Toy- 
fliop, which I enter’d, and bought what I liked. The 
Mafter of it had a very fine Garden-Houfe, in which 
were all Sorts of Flowers, young Stocks, and Idmon- 
Trees, in Pots : And amongft other Things, he jfhew’d 
me a large Glafs full of Water, in which were feveral 
living Fifh about a Finger’s Length, which naturally 
looked as if they had been gilt with the fineft Gold , 
and the Scales of fome of them being fallen off, difeo- 
ver’d, to my great Surprize, the Colour of their Bodies 
to be the moft beautiful Crimfon in the World. 
After we departed from thence, we went through all 
the Markets •, each Shop had a great Board fet before 
it, on which is very orderly written the Shopkeeper’s 
Name, and the Commodities which he deals in. We 
alfo went through the Fifh-Market, in which are all 
Sorts of living Fifh, but more efpecially Carps, Garo- 
effes, and Water-Snakes, (which they eat here) Crabs, 
Shrimps, all which ftand in Tubs to be fold, in 
great Abundance. Pafling through another Market, I 
faw great Numbers of Harts, Roebucks, Hares, Phea- 
fants. Partridges, and feveral other wild Game, to 
be fold. 
5. On the ych of January yht cuftomary annual Faftivai 
happened, which they obferve for three Weeks. It be- 
gan late at Night with the Appearance of the new 
Moon, and firft the great Bell at the Emperor’s Court was 
rung, and their large Drums, exprefiy kept for, and 
ufed, in their idolatrous Worfliip, were beaten, and fe- 
veral Cannon difeharged *, upon which all the People in 
the City, of what Degree foever, according to their A- 
bility, exprefs’d their Joy by Rockets, Serpents, and all 
Sorts of Fire-works, to which they alfo added the Beat- 
ing of an infinite (^antity of Drums, and, according 
to their Cuftom, the Sounding of Trumpets by the 
Lamads, or idolatrous Friefts, in their- moft innumera- 
ble Temples and Cloyfters infornueh, that from Ten 
at Night till next Day Noon, there was as great a Noife, 
as if two Armies of one hundred thoufand Men were 
in the Heat of Battle one againft another. In the Day- 
3 1 - H ' . ^ time 
