1842.
Topography of Chekiúng.
163
city has four gates, and is surrounded by a ditch filled with water, The chief city in each of the other districts is in like manner sur- rounded both by a wall and a ditch.
Near the extreme northeast of this department is Chápu, (E
a place of considerable importance, on account of the trade which it carries on with Japan-Chápú being the only port from which Chinese vessels sail to Nagasaki. It is within the district of Pinghú. It has been repeatedly visited by foreign ships, and its fortifications will pro- bably soon be demolished, if they are still standing. For a nautical view of Chápú, see volume X., page 386.
N. B. We hope special pains will be taken, on visiting the place, to purchase and bring off whatever Japanese books and maps may be found there.
Kánpú, supposed by some authors to be the same Canfu spoken of and described by the Arabian travelers of the ninth century-as noticed in volume III., pages 115–118,—is situated on the coast further to the southwest, in the district of IIáiyen. In one of the old Chinese books, the town is represented as standing on the north bank of a small river, which forms a communication with Hángchau. In an official paper of a recent date, we have seen an allusion to this channel, or to another near it, "as a channel of communication that may be sought out by the rebellious foreigners, and afford them ac- cess to the provincial capital."
III. The department of Húchau is situated due west from Kishing fú, having Hángchau fú on the south, the province of A'nhwui on the west, and that of Kiángsú on the north. The Tái hú, or Great lake, lies partly within this department; and hence, perhaps, is de- rived the name Húchau, or Lake-department, i. e., the department of the Lake. The chief town in this department is situated near the southern shore of the lake, and contains the residences of the chief magistrates of the districts Wúching and Kwei'án; these two dis. tricts include the northeast portion of the department. The district of Tetsing is situated so as to form its southeast extreme; Wúháng is on the south; Hiáufung includes the extreme southwest; while Anki chau and Chánghing fill up the west and northwest portions.
IV. The department of Ningpd includes six districts, compris ing the easternmost parts of the province, which have been oftener visited and are better known by foreigners, than any other places in the empire, north of Canton. It is bounded, on the west by Sháu- hing; on the southwest, by Taichau; and by the sea on the other sides The chief city of this department, Ningpò, stands near its