Directory_and_Chronicle_1850 — Page 124

1850.

Topography of the Province of Húpeh.

X. Shínán fú, or the

Department of Shínán, contains six hien districts.

1 – H Nganshí,

2

3

Siuenngan,

Lichuen,

4來鳯Láifung,

5咸豐Hánfung,

6建始 Kienchi,

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XI. Kingmun chau, or the Department of Kingmun, contains two hien districts. 1遠安 Yuenngán, 2 Ễ Và Tángyáng.

I. The department of Wúcháng includes much of the eastern part of the province; its surface is low and marshy ; many lakes are found in its borders, and the proximity of the Yángtsz' kiáng offers great facilities for transporting its produce. The city of Wúcháng lies on the eastern bank of the Great river, at the junction of the Hán kiáng, and opposite to the city of Hảnyáng fủ. All accounts concur in the great population congregated in this spot, the land and water both being covered with inhabitants; London and Yedo alone can compete with it, for no other place in China presents an equal number of human beings on the same area. A fire broke out in the suburb of Hánkau, opposite Hányáng in 1833, which was reported to have burned seven days, destroying a great amount of merchandise with the wooden dwellings. The river, here five hundred miles from the ocean, is a league broad, and deep enough to carry the largest Chinese vessels.

A recent traveler thus speaks of the approach to this mart, which may be regarded as the centre of China in a commercial view. "The night had already closed in when we reached the place where the river is entirely covered with vessels of all sizes and forms, con- gregated here from all parts. I hardly think there is another port in the world so frequented as this, which passes, too, as among the most commercial in the empire. We entered one of the open ways, a sort of a street having each side defined by floating shops, and after four hours of toilsome navigation through this difficult labyrinth, arrived at the place of debarkation." He further remarks, that "for the space of five leagues, one can only see houses along the shore, and an infini- tude of beautiful and strange looking vessels in the river, some at an- chor and others passing up and down at all hours." The coup-d'œil of these three cities is beautiful, their environs being highly cultivated and interspersed with the mansions of the great; but he adds, “If