Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 399

1812.

"Topography of Kiúngsí

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a river, upon which the embassador and his suite were to embark.” This road was first over rising grounds, and afterwards in narrow valleys, and through low and marshy rice grounds, over a causeway raised between two stone walls, and covered with fine gravel, brought from the neighboring mountains. To the southward of the road, were several round and conical hills detached from each other, cover- ed with grass and shrubs, and of so regular a figure, and of so uni- form a slope from the summit to the base, that they had the appear- ance of having been formed by art. They consisted of blue coarse- grained limestone. Beyond these were quarries, out of which were dug stones beautifully white and shining. They consisted of quartz in its purest state, and were used for pe-tan-tsz' (F) in the manufacture of porcelain. Through this short land journey, and far from all great roads, not a mile was traveled without a village, nor a spot observed, except mere rocks, or perpendicular heights, that was not under cultivation. The soil in many places was indifferent; but the people were in proportion active in their efforts to fertilize it. The party had scarcely embarked at Yushán, when the violence of the wind and rain either retarded or entirely stopped their progress. After the showers had ceased, their effect in swelling the river still continued, and its current being favorable, they proceeded rapidly along the stream. About the city of Kwángsin, the weather was again wet, cold and gloomy. The country had also a rude appear- On each bank of the river were sometimes large masses of naked rock, of vast height, and resembling the rough scenes of nature which had been deemed to be exaggerated in Chinese draw- ings. The rock was a dark sandstone. Several rice-mills on the river showed that the grain was more frequently reduced into flour in this province, than to the northward where no such erections were observed.'

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IV. The department of Nánkáng is situated on the western and northern borders of the lake, (but not including its most northern part), having Kiúkiáng on the north, Jáuchau on the east, and Nán- cháng on the south and west. The general features of the country are like those of the neighboring departments. In the northwestern portion of this department are the celebrated Lü shán, "the mountains of Lü,” which Mr. Davis visited. As he proceeded southward, on the lake, towards Nánkáng, they "gradually rose to a great height, until the most distant were capped with clouds, and could not be less than five hundred feet above the level of the lake. This is one of the most celebrated in China, for reasons which

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