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Topographical Account of Chusan.
JUNE,
mass of animal and vegetable offal gathered from the streets, and preserved for manuring the fields in the neighborhood; as may be supposed in some of these places the stench was dreadful.
No very exact account of the population of the city can be given, but it may be estimated at from 25,000 to 30,000, before the arrival of the British force there; but not more than 10,000 ever returned during the occupation of the place.
At the distance of 800 yards from the southern gate of the city is Pagoda hill, an eminence 150 or 200 feet high, which commands the city and harbor. The hill, in its greatest length from north to south, is 500 yards at the base, with a breadth of 200 yards; a canal skirts its eastern face. On its southern slope is a roomy and commodious temple. The southern descent is steep and rocky directly down to the beach.
The sea-port town or suburb
Ta Taoutow is a street
of 900 yards long, running due west of the Pagoda hill. It is inter- sected by numerous lanes of 100 yards long leading to the various jetties, and at the foot of the Pagoda hill is a square landing-place well faced with stone, measuring 55 yards long by 20 yards broad. It is also paved and flagged, and is the point at which the troops first landed. Nearly the whole of this suburb is composed of shops and stores. There were also one or two extensive samshoo manu- factories and some large paddy stores, and several well stocked tim- ber yards. This sea-port or trading town is probably attached to the city division, a number of paddy fields and vegetable beds inter- vene between the two.
2. Yungtung (an ancient name originally pertaining to Ningpo). This valley, in which the city is situated, is of conside- rable extent, and stretches far to the eastward, and incloses a range of hills. The southern portion of the eastern ridge, and the spurs or offsets from these inclosed hills make several subordinate vallies which open into the larger one. That portion of the valley which particularly belongs to the city is almost surrounded on three sides by hills, the harbor is the southern bound; it is about 4 miles long and 3 broad. This valley is wholly occupied by rice fields, except a few patches for brinjal, sweet potatoes, millet, and buckwheat.
One large stream runs through the valley from the eastward and falls into the sea; near the east gate, and about 1 mile from the sea, there is a large sluice which dams up the water, so that in rainy weather a large quantity is collected here which overflows and thus inundates a great portion of the valley. This sluice is the nearest
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