30 
JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
a degraded form of Buddhism, which cannot claim any respect for 
itself as a religion, or for any time resist the advance of a more 
elevating belief, though perhaps one not wholly free from super- 
stitious observances. A most curious question was revived at this 
congress as to the probability of the discovery of America by the 
Chinese. There exists in China an itinerary of some Buddhist 
priests, which has been translated into English by Professor Charles 
Fried. Neumann, and lately republished in America, from which it 
appears that about the year 430 a.d. a Shaman, i.e. a follower 
of the Buddhist faith, returned to China from a country called 
Eu-sang, which he described as being about 20,000 1L, i.e. about 
4,000 miles to the eastward of the country of Ta-Han, i.e. China, 
and he stated that the place abounded with a plant called Eu-sang, 
the fruit of which was red, of the shape of a pear, and supplied 
the inhabitants with food ; from the bark of the tree they made their 
clothes and other fabrics. " The people," he said, " are of simple 
manners and peaceably inclined ; they have oxen with long horns ; 
their vehicles are drawn by stags ; there are many mines, and 
much copper, but no iron ; gold and silver are not much valued ; 
they worship the spirits, at morning and evening, under the figure 
of images placed on high pedestals ; they wear no habits of mourn- 
ing." In consequence of this account, in the year 458 a.d., five 
Indian priests set out for this country, and with their books and 
images arrived there safely, and finally succeeded in introducing 
the ritual and monastic orders of Buddhism amongst the people. 
It was Deguignes who first started the idea that this Eu-sang 
was Mexico. The fruit of the petahaia is red, and like a pear. 
Erom its bark the Mexicans make their clothes. The country 
abounds in vines and stags. The people were undoubtedly of 
simple and peaceable manners, and the distance from China may 
be roughly calculated at four thousand miles. There was much to 
be said in favour of the theory. It was therefore taken up by 
Neumann, and since his translation it has found acceptance in 
America. We cannot be surprised therefore that the enquiry was 
revived at St. Petersburg. But, like all questions of this sort, 
based on mere conjectural evidence, no satisfactory result can be 
expected. The journey from China through Siberia up to Behring's 
Straits appears altogether beyond the possibility of accomplishment 
by five uninstructed and ill-provided Buddhist missionaries ; and 
then to cross over into the inhospitable regions of Alaska, and find 
