CHINESE ISLANDS.

IsLms.

NUMEROUS isles are scattered along the southern and eastern coast of China, the largest being those of Taiwan, also called Formosa, and that of Hainan. Formosa is a recent acquisition of the Chinese in the latter end of the seventeenth century, the natives being by the Chinese accounts little better than savages. It is divided from north to south by mountains, and the chief Chinese possessions are in the western part. Du Halde has given a short history of Formosa, which may be consulted by the curious reader, who on this occasion may perhaps recollect the singular forgeries of the pretended Psalmanazar. In 1782, Formosa was visited by a terrible hurricane, and the sea rose to such a height as to pass over a great part of the island; but the Chinese emperor caused the damages to be repaired with paternal care*.

The southern part of Hainan is mountainous, but the northern more level and productive of rice. In the centre there are mines of gold; and on the shores are found small blue fishes, which the Chinese esteem more than those which we call gold and silver fish; but they only survive a few days, when confined to a small quantity of water.

The isles of Leoo-keoo, between Formosa and Japan, constitute a little civilized kingdom tributary to China. These isles are said to be thirty-six in number, but very inconsiderable, except the chief, which is properly and peculiarly called Leoo-keoo, and by the Chinese accounts is 440 lya in length, probably that hj or Chinese stadium of which 250 constitute a degree, so that the length will be about 125 British miles, nearly twice the extent which is assigned in recent maps. The capital, called Kintching, is said by Grosier to be on the south-east side of the isle, while D'Anville and others place it on the southwestf. When our author affirms that these isles constitute a powerful and extensive

Grosier's General Description of China, Eng. Tr. i. 225.

This may be a mistake of Grosier, or his English translator, for the work is far from being infallible. Yet upon the whole it is the best description of China which has appealed, and it is only to be wished that the compiler had uuot«d hfc authorities.

empire, a smile must be excited by the exaggeration; but the natives seem to rival the Hindoos in chronology, as their royal dynasties are said to have continued for eighteen thousand years. These isles were discovered by the Chinese in the seventh century, while the Phenicians had discovered Britain at least four centuries before Christ; but it was not till the fourteenth century that they became tributary to China. The emperor Kang-hi, about A. D. 1720, ordered a temple to be erected to Confucius in the chief island, with a literary college. The language

is said to differ from that of China or Japan; but the civilization seems to have proceeded from the latter country, as the Japanese characters are commonly used. The people are mild, affable, gay, and temperate; and the chief products are sulphur, copper, tin, with shells, and mother of pearl.

PART II.

CHINESE TATARY.

CHAPTER I.

HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY.

NAMES.—EXTENT.—BOUNDARIES.—ORIGINAL POPULATION.—PROGRESSIVE GEOGRAPHY. HISTORICAL EPOCHS. ANTIQUITIES.

Names. THE vulgar name of Tartary, or more properly Tatary, was originally extended over the vast regions lying between Tibet, China, and the Arctic ocean; and from the Black Sea in the west, to the utmost bounds of north eastern discovery in Asia. As more precise knowledge has arisen, the northern part has acquired the name of Siberia, while the southern, in some maps of recent date, is known by the appellations of western and eastern Tartary. Yet even in this part, which might more properly be styled Central Asia, the Tatars, properly so denominated are few: and the most numerous tribes being Monguls in the west, and Mandshurs in the east. But the various nations subject to the Chinese have not been discriminated with the accuracy which Pallas and other travellers have employed in illustrating the origin of those subject to Russia.

It is however sufficiently clear, from the accounts of Du Halde and Pallas, that the Oeiets, or Eluts, are the same people with the Kalmuks, who possess the regions of Gete and Little Bucharia, with the parts on the north and east of Turfan formerly held by the Ugurs or Eygurs, a Finnish nation who had wandered liwn the north. The Kalkas are also Monguls, as are the Ortoos between the Chinese wall and the great river Hoan-ho. It is equally ascertained that the inhabitants of the province of Nershinsk, or Russian Daouria, are Tonguses, who are a chief branch of the Mandshurs*. And the Tagours, or Daourians, subject to China on the eastern side of the great range called Siolki, are also Mandshurs, who extend to the eastern ocean, while in Siberia, the Tonguses spread as far west as the river Yenesei.

Upon the whole this extensive region might more properly be called Mongolia, as the greater number of tribes are Monguls; or the western part might be styled Tatary, the middle Mongolia, and the eastern Mandshuria. The two latter are the objects of the present description; as that of Independent Tatary will be found after the account of Persia, with which it has (as now limited) in all ages been connected.

Extent. This wide and interesting portion of Asia, which has repeatedly sent forth its swarms to deluge the arts and civilization of Europe, extends from the 72d° of longitude east from Greenwich, to the 145th, a space of not less than 73° of longitude, which at the medial latitude of 45° will yield about 3100 geographical miles. The breadth from the northern frontier of Tibet to the Russian confines is about 18°, or 1080 geographical miles. The boundary towards Russia has been already described. From the treaty published by Du Halde* it appears that the river Kerbetchi, being the nearest to the river Chorna (called by the natives Ourouon), and which discharges itself into the great river Sagalien Oula, was the Chinese definition of the boundary between the empires; to which were added the long chain of mountains above the source of the river Kerbetchi, and the river Ergone or Argoon. The eastern boundary is the sea, while the southern extends along the great Chinese wall, and the northern limits of Tibet. The western boundary is supplied by the celebrated mountains of Belur Tag or the Cloudy Mountains, which divide the Chinese empire from Balk, and the Greater Bucharia; while the range on the west of the lake Palkati separates the Kalmuks, subject to China, from the Kirguses of Independent Tatary.

Original Population. The original population of central Asia, appears to have been indigenal, so far as the most ancient records extend. Part of the west was held by the Scythx of antiquity, seemingly a Gothic race, who were subdued or expelled by the Tatars or Huns from the east, pressed on the other side by the Monguls. Beyond the latter were the Mandshurs, who, though inferior to the Monguls in power, yet retain their ancient possessions, and in the seventeenth century conquered China. At present, the chief inhabitants are the Mandshurs of the eastern provinces; with the tribes denominated Kalkas, Eluts, and Kalmuks, who are Monguls as already mentioned. The information concerning centn 1 Asia, is indeed very lame and defective; and though the late Russian travellers afford a few hints, yet the jealousy of the Chinese, and other causes, have contributed to prolong our ignorance concerning this interesting region.

Progressive Geography. Though Ptolemy have laid down with some degree of accuracy, the country of the Seres or Little Bucharia, the progressive gtography of central Asia may be said to commence with the travels of Marco Polo, in the end of the thirteenth century. Yet prior to this epoch the victories of Zingis, and his immediate successors, having excit.d the attention of Europe, the friar Piano Carpini travelled a considerable nay into Tatary, and found the emperor not far from the froutieis of China. This envoy was followed by Rubruquis,

t. iv. 212.

whose real name seems to have been Ruysbroeck, and who appears to have visited the countries on the banks of the Onon. But the travels of Polo being more extensive, and more minutely described, he is justly regarded as the father of Tataric geography, and his description of the countries to the north of Tibet, including Tangut*, and other names which have vanished from modern geography, is not a little interesting. Yet a dissertation, aided by the most recent researches, would be required to reduce his geography to any precision.

The more recent accounts, among which may be mentioned the travels of Gerbillon, published by Du Halde, and those of Bell, with some hints of Pallas, may be said to embrace but small portions of this vast territory. The imperfect state of knowledge concerning this country may be imagined, when even D'Anville has been obliged to have recourse to Marco Polo!

Historical Epocrs.

The chief historical epochs of this part of Asia may perhaps be more certainly traced in the Chinese annals, than in any other documents. The first appearance of the Huns or Tatars may be observed in the pages of Roman history. The annals of the Monguls, the most important nation, faintly illuminate the pages of Abulgasi, whence it would appear, that prior to Zingis, there was only one celebrated chan named Oguz, who seems to have flourished about the 130th year of the Christian era. The reigns of Zingis and Timur are sufficiently known in general history; but the divisions of their conquests, and the distentions of their successors, have now almost annihilated the power of the Monguls, who being partly subject to China, and partly to Russia, it is scarcely conceivable that they can again distinb the peace of their neighbours.

ANTIQUITIES. Pew antiquities remain to illustrate the power of the Monguls. Karicum, or Caracorum, also called Hclin by the Chinese, the capital city of the Mongolian power, is now so far obliterattd, that geographers dispute conrerniug its situation, D'Anville placing it, with a confession of uncertainty, on the river Ongin, while others assign the hanks of the Orchon, about 150 British miles to the north-west. It is probable, that when this region shall be more fully explored by travellers, several tombs, temples, and other remains of antiquity, may be discovered.

• This appears to have heen the country immediately to the north-west of the Chinese province of Shensi. See Forster's Hist. Voy. and Dis. in the North, p. 107.

†The notes to the Utstoirc Geneaog/iqne des Tutart, LeyJe, 1725, SVo. must not be forgotten amidst the few materials.