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Topography of Chekiang.
FEB
ral emporium for all articles that pass between the northern and southern provinces." According to one of our Chinese maps, waters taken from the north side of the lake, are carried—some around and some through the city, and thence across the plain to the Tsientáng. Du Halde's work gives a similar representation, evidently borrowed from native authority. The southwest corner of the wall of the city runs over high ground, and includes the Wú (1) hills, on which are tem- ples and public buildings, similar to those on the hills near the city of Canton. The Wú hills arc, apparently, overlooked by others over against them on the south. These latter are called the Wansung ling(), or the heights of Wansung, and may serve as a position for the artillery of an invading force.
Within the northernmost gate on the west, there is a Mantchou city, in which is the residence of the Mantchou garrison and its commander-commonly called the 'Tartar general.' This little city has two gates on the north, two on the east, and one on the south, and is supplied by a canal with water from the western lake. Near the southeast corner of the city, just within the Hauhú gate is a resi- donce for the governor of Fukien and Chekiáng—for his accommo- dation when in this province. The residence of the lieut.-governor of the province is situated not far from it, due north. Besides the temples, which are numerous, there is a Mohammedan mosque, standing near the southeast corner of the Mantchou city.
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Marco Polo, when he held the office of lieutenant-governor in Kiángnán, near the end of the thirteenth century, repeatedly visited Hángchau or Kinsai, Kingsz'] as he called it, a name,
RH says, "which signifies the celestial city, and which it merits from its preeminence to all others in the world, in point of granduer and beauty, as well as from its abundant delights, which might lead an inhabitant to imagine himself in paradise.' (See his Travels, page 508.) Polo says, "the city is situated between a lake of fresh and very clear water on the one side, and a river of great magnitude on the other, the waters of which, by a number of canals, large and small, are made to run through every quarter of the city." And he adds, that cold baths were numerous in some parts of city, having apartments for strangers, with servants in attendance.
The Si hú, or Western lake, judging from Du Halde's map, as well as from those of the Chinese, covers an area, nearly or quite equal to that inclosed by the walls of the city. “The natural and artificial beauties of this lake says Barrow, "far exceeded anything we had hirlierto had an opportunity of scemg m China The mountains sur