•484 ' Hamilton’s account of the east indies.

are covered with thick woods well flocked with w’ild elephants, tigers, and deer, butthe u'fe or oflentation of training up tame elephants is not much minded in Tonquin,nor in China .

The Chriflian religion is ftridlly forbidden to be preached in Tonquin, yet there arefome Chriftians of the Romifh church there. Their own religion is Pagan , accordingto the doctrine of China . And they have a tradition, that many ages ago, Tonquinand Couchin-China were both provinces of China .

The Tonquiners ufed to be very defirous of having a brood of Europeans in theircountry, for which reafon the greatefl nobles thought it no fhame or difgrace to marrytheir daughters to Englifh and Dutch feamen, for the time they were to flay'in Tonquin,and often prefented their fons-in-law pretty handfomely at their departure, efpecially ifthey left their wives with child ; but adultery was dangerous to the hufband, for they •are well verfed in the art of poifoning.

The men and women are both well fnaped, and tolerably beautiful, but of a lowflature. The maids keep their teeth very white, till they have loll the blue of theirplumb, and then they dye them as black as jet, with the juice of a certain herb whichthey hold in their mouths for three days fucceffively, and the black tincture continuesever after ; but while that juice is in their mouths they dare not fwallow their fpittle,it being of a poifonous quality. 1

Chap. L. — Gives fome Accounts of the Religion, Laws , Cufloms, Commerce, Riches,

Cities, Temples, Gods , and Goddejfes, Priejls, Military Forces, Produce, ■and Manu-factories, &c. of China .

' THE ifland of Aynam lies in the bay of Tonquin, and not above 12 leagues diflantfrom it's northern confines. The ifland is large,- being about 180 miles in length, and120 in breadth. It was formerly under'Tonquin, but at prefent a part of the domi-nions of China . Its greatefl product is fait, and is not frequented on account of trade.There is no paflage for veffels of burden between it and the continent, being fo full ofdangerous banks and rapid currents. The midlands feem very mountainous. Theeafl and fouth fidds are low, but clear of danger. About two leagues from its fhores,is from 20 to 25 fathoms water.

The next courfe I fleer is into Quanfi, the fouthermhofl province of China , and asyet has not been brought to acknowledge the Tartar domination. It admits of no com-merce either with foreigners or Chinefe, that are under the Tartar government,' buton all occafions commit adts of hoflility on them, and are fo bold and courageous, thatone of their little gallies will attack four of the Emperor ’s, and make them flee beforethem, for they give quarter to none that bear arms under the.Tartar prince, as theycall the Emperor . The country is fruitful and populous, and produces much rawfilk and drugs, fuch as China root, gallingal, &c. It has 80 leagues of a fea-coaft, andis bounded by the Limpacao iflands, and Canton river.

Canton or Quantung (as the Chinefe exprefs it) is the next maritime province ; andMaccaw, a city built by the PortugUeze, was the firfl place of commerce. This cityHands on a fmall ifland, and is almofl furrounded by tlie fea. Towards the land it is ,defended by three Gaftles built on the fops of low hills. By its fituation and flrengthby nature and art, it was once thought impregnable. 'Indeed their beautiful churchesand other buildings gave us a reflecting idea of its ancient grandeur; for in the forepartof the feventeenth century, according to the Chriflian. gera, it was the greatefl port fortrade in India or China ,

The-