Topography of Chili
447
Vill.
The department of Shunte is bounded, on the north, by
大陸澤
Siáu chau; on the east, by Ki chan: on the south, by Kwangping . and on the west, by the provinces of Sháusi and Honán. Near its centre is the Talu tse, a shallow lake or marsh, into which three small rivers flow from the west and southwest. This is one of the most fertile and populous parts of the empire. Du Halde says that touch-stones for gold, and sand for polishing precious stones, both highly valued throughout the empire, are found in this department.
IX. The department of Kwangping is bounded, on the north, by Shunte and Hokien; on the east by the province of Shantung; on the south, by Taining fú; on the southwest and west, by Hónán. Two rivers have their sources in this department: and another, divid- ed into three branches, traverses it-all flowing from the southwest to the northeast.
X. The department of Taming fills up the long and narrow neck of land that forins the most southern portion of the province, between the provinces of Shantung and Hónán. Its northern districts are traversed by two or three rivers, which flow to the northeast, and enter the sea northward of the promontory of Shantung, while seve- ral others, having their sources in this department, take an easterly course, and mingle their waters with those of the Hwáng bó, or other streams, which enter the sea on the south of Shantung. Like that of Shunte, the departments of Kwangping and Táming are fertile, well watered, and populous.
XI.
The department of Siuenhwá occupies the northern part of the space included between the two branches of the Great Wall, noticed when describing the seventh department, viz. Chingting. It is spacious, mountainous, and well watered. The river Sángkien, or Yungting-which, under the former name comes in from Sháusí, Hows through this district, and in its course receives the waters of several minor streams, of which the eastern and western Yang arc the principal. Du Halde speaks in high terms of this territory, and of its chief city. Timkowski, who visited it on his way to Pc- king in 1820, thus describes Siuenhwá. "The creuated wall which surrounds it is thirty feet high, and puts us in mind of that of the Kremlin, and resembles those of several towns in Russia. It consists of two thin parallel brick walls, the intermediate space being filled
The wall is flanked with towers.
We passed through three gates to enter the enty; the first is covered with iron and large nails, at the second is the guard-house we thence proceed
with clay and sand.
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