Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 239

1842.

Topography of Kiángsu.

221

west Kányú chau: in this name, and Tái chau, the last character or syllable, chau, does not constitute a part of the name, but is merely an equivalent for hien, a district.

VIII. The department of Süchau comprises eight districts, in- cluding the whole northwestern part of the province, on both sides of the Yellow river, west of the department of Hwái'án. There are four districts on the south side of the river; Tungshán, the seat of whose chief magistrate is at Süchau, stands midway between the extremes of the department; northwest from thence is Siáu hien and Yang- shán; and in the opposite direction to the southeast, is Suining. On the northern side of the river, to the northwest and east are Peichau

and Sutsien.

IX.

The department of Haimun is geographically described by its name, which, literally translated, means the marine gate, or gate of the sea. It is an island and stands in the mouth of the Great river, northwest from the greater island of Tsungming.

X.

The department of Hái is bounded by Shántung ou the north and northwest, on the east by the sea, on the south by Hwái'án, and ou the west by Süchau. On the west and southwest, the river Mu forms the boundary of this department, or runs very near it, making a right angle at its sonthwest extreme.

XI.

The department of Tung is of a triangular shape, situated on the northern bank of the Great river at its mouth, so that the sea forms one of its sides, the river another, while the third side is bounded by the department of Yángchau. The chief towns of both of its districts stand some distance removed from the chief town of the department: the latter is on the south, Jükáu is on the west, and Taihing is on the northwest of the department.

XII. The department of Táitsáng stands on the sonthern bank of the Great river, at its mouth opposite to the department of Tung on the northern bank. It has four districts; Chinyáng on the west; Kiáting and Páushán on the south and southwest; and Tsungming stands on an island of the same name; and it was there that mid. shipman Hervey was killed, and a site, near which he fell, is now called Hervey Point. Du Halde, speaking of the island, says, that it has three kinds of soil; the first is on the north, wholly uncultivated, and covered only with reeds; the second extends from the first to the sea on the south, and yields two crops annually; the third "con- sists of a greyish sort of earth, dispersed, by spots of the bigness of two acres, over several parts of the island on the north; it yields so great a quantity of salt, that those of the continent are supplied with