97^ - A Geographic al Dejcription of Book HI- 
15. The Province of which hath been ruined 
and laid Wafte by feveral Wars, is the lead: of all the Chi- 
nefe Provinces, and is mountainous. It produces Quick- 
filver. Tin, Wine, jind a confiderable C^antity of Rhu- 
barb, all which are exported to other Countries. But 
the Rhubarb is not efteemed the bed, nor are great 
Quantities of it either ufed or fent Abroad. 
There are in this Country nine large Cities, the chief 
of which is Chingtu Fu *, which is a very great and con- 
fiderable City, but reduced to a very low Eftate by 
numerous ¥ 7 ars. 
The other are Lmgan Fu^ Xtmking Fu^ Hunghing Fu, 
Vaoning Fu, Chungching Fu, Lingcheu Fu, Hiengcheu Fu, 
Mahu Fu, and Taoy Fu •, the Whole making up the 
Complement of Nine, which prefide over one hundred 
and three leffer Cities. 
1 6. The Province of ^ei'cheu is a mountainous 
Country, which produces great Quantities of Quick- 
filver. Copper and Tin ; and contains fourteen large Ci- 
ties, fubordinate to which are twenty-four leffer. 
Though this Province hath but a very few Cities, its 
Circumference is very extenfive ; but it is alfo depopu- 
lated and ruined by dedru£live Wars. 
The chief City is ^eijang Fu, and the red are Gang- 
mn Fu, Fugven Fu, Cinquen Fu, Laiping Fu, Suchuen 
Fu, Sunan Fu, Xecang Fu, Fiingin Fu, Pinjung Fu, Pin- 
giuen Fu, Fhaiding Fu, Veinsng Fu, and Mefi Fu ; 
amounting together as above to fourteen large Cities, 
which prefide over twenty-four leffer. 
17. Junan, the farthermod Province of China, bor- 
ders Wedward on the Kingdom of Lao ; Southwards 
on the Kingdom of Funkin, and was formerly accounted 
amongd the Chinefe Provinces ; but now is only tri- 
butary to that Empire. 
Cochinchina and Fonqtiin alfo formerly made one 
Kingdom *, but were afterwards divided into two, and 
didributed to two Brothers, who carried on very bloody 
and obdinate Wars againd each other. 
This Province produces Gold, Silver, Copper, and 
Tin, in great Abundance, and its Mountains, Rivulets 
and Streams afford feveral precious Stones, efpecially 
Rubies. 
This Kingdom is very large, and was formerly, to- 
gether with the Title of King, and the abfolute Power 
of governing it at his Pleafure, bedowed on Prince 
Vii Sanguei. He alfo kept his Royal Court, and built 
a very magnificent Palace there ; but after his Death 
the whole Kingdom as well as the Court fell to Ruin 
and Defolation. The Country is partly mountainous, 
and partly even Ground ; the Air heathful and tem- 
perate, being neither too hot nor too cold ; and in this 
Province is a Lake which is dored with Fifh of dif- 
ferent Kinds. 
This Kingdom comprehends twenty large, fub- 
ordinate to which are fixty-eight fmaller Cities. The 
chief City is Junan Fu, a charming plealant City, where 
Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plumbs, and all Sorts of Fruits, 
are incredibly plentiful. 
The other great Cities are Fluongfi Fu, Kaihoa Fu, 
Cinfung Fu, Chingkian Fu, ^agnan Fu, Ivenking Fu, 
Chokium Fu, Viiting Fu, Tali Fu, Manghoroa Fu, Jun- 
chang Fu, Li Jikang Fu, Hoking Fu, Kintung Fu, Juning 
Fu, Xunning Fu, Xingan Fu, Fungoha Fu, and Sinkoa 
Fu: Thefe are the twenty above-mentioned Cities which 
prefide over fixty eight. 
18. The greated Fart of ^oangji is mountainous, but 
the Remainder very fertile j one Point of it borders on 
the Kingdom of Cochinchina. Abundance of Cinnamon 
grows here, as doth alfo a certain very ufeful Wood to 
dye Red ; which the Poriuguefe call Sapao and which 
grows alfo very plentifully in Siam. Here are likewife 
feveral excellent Sorts of Wood fit for the making of 
all Sorts of Cabinet, Joyners or Carpenters Work ; be- 
fides which, great Quantities of Rice are tranfported 
from hence to Kanton. 
^There are thirteen large, and eighty leffer Cities in 
this Province. 
Veiling Fu, the chief City, is very agreeably fitu- 
ate 4 in a. pleafant Plain. This Province was formerly 
governed by a King,' who was a Prince of the ancient 
Imperial Blood 5 but he dying v/ithout any Heir, his 
Dowager governed it for fome Time ; but after her 
Death, the Royal Court was ruined and demoiifhed ; in 
which State it is at prefenr. 
The remaining great Cities are, Pingeo Fu, Viichoti 
Fu, Zincheu Fu, Nanning Fu, Faiping Fu, Sunun Fu, 
Feucheu Fu, Zhincheu Fu, Singuen Fu, Chincheu Fu^ 
(near which grows a certain Plant, of which is made a 
Sort of Stuff that is worth more than Silk) Suchin Fu, 
2.nd Chingan Fu : They altogether commanding eiahtv 
leffer Cities. ^ ^ 1 
Very good Porcelain is alfo made in this Province ; 
but the Earth from which it is prepared (as we have 
already fhewn) comes from one Place, and the Water 
from another : Poffibly by reafon that it is more effica- 
cious, and breaks the Earth finer, or incorporates bet- 
ter with it, or for other hidden, though natural Rea- 
fons : Thus one Place borrows from another what ic 
fometimes doubly reftores. 
As the greateft Part of China, fo this Province is 
very populous, being alone capable of raifing a Million 
of Men able to bear Arms, and containing near two 
hundred thoufand Families. 
19. ^oantung,QdX\t^ by the.' Europeans Canton, is the 
moft Southern Province in China % is bounded by the 
Ocean, and is provided with a very good Haven at the 
End of a River, which is navigable by great Ships up 
to the City of Canton. The whole is a fertile Country, 
plentifully abounding with all Neceffaries, which draws 
a very confiderable Trade hither, as well with the In- 
dians as Europeans, from which latter above one hun- 
dred Englijh, Butch and Portuguefe Ships annually come 
to and go from hence. 
The laft mentioned Nation having made themfelves 
Makers of Macao, a neighbouring Peninfula, have 
there a very fine Haven, from whence they drive a great 
Trade to Canton, but are obliged on that Account to 
pay annually 50000, fome fay 500000 Laens to the 
Emperor, each Laen amounting to two Rixdollars. 
“ Macao, faith Le Comte, is famous for the vaft Com- 
“ merce of the Portuguefe formerly carried on there, 
“ before the Hollanders juftled them out of almoft all 
“ India: And at prefent they are not able to keep 
“ many Forces there. Here is a very good Road for 
“ Ships to ride ; the Haven indeed is very fmall, but 
“ fafe and very commodious. All Cufloms on import- 
“ ed Goods are the Emperor’s : And though the Portu- 
“ guefe have kill a Sort of Government there, yet they 
“ are fubjedl to the Mandaryns in all Cafes which con- 
“ cern the Emperor.” 
They have poffeffed this Ikand above an hundred and 
ten Years. fOur Author wrote about the Year 1694.) 
and they have krongly fortified and built feveral 
Churches and Monakeries upon it. The Commodities 
for which they chiefly trade with the Chinefe are Pepper, 
Cinnamon, Cloves, Sanders, (very ufeful in dyingj 
Callicoes : The Medicinal Wood, Pucho ; Ebony, 
Red Dying Wood 5 Wine and a Sort of Birds 
Neks found in the above-mentioned Ikand. Thefe 
Birds Neks are ekeemed a very good Rekorative Medi- 
cine : They are commonly boiled for a Quarter of an 
Hour, and not longer in Chicken Broth ; for if ic be 
fuffered to boil longer, the whole would diffolve : Each 
Pound of this cok three, and fometimes four Laens ; 
and the white is ekeemed bek. Arecca, being the 
Fruit of a certain Palm, which is hard, bitter and akrin- 
gent, is alfo brought hither to be fold : The Indians 
commonly chew it with the Leaves which they call 
Betel, which wakied in a little Lime-water become 
red : And the Spittle of thofe w'ho chew it is of a 
Blood-Colour : And any Perfon not accukomed to this 
Ufage upon trying of ic becomes very red in the Face, 
and as it were inebriated, or half fuddled. 
This Plant is very much ufed in India both Sexes 
biting and chawing it the whole Day, as fome fmoak 
Tobacco in other Places; Ir is hot and dry, warms the 
Stomach, and helps Digekion. It is alfo bailed in W ater, 
and being akringent, is ufed in Cafe of Fluxes. There 
are 
