is probably one of the species of Gardenia, the fruits of which are used by the Chinese for their colouring properties. Their splendid yellow colour "is due to a body named crocine which appears to be identical with the polychroite of saffron." (Hanbury's Notes on Chinese Mat. Medica, p. 21-22.) For this identification, I am indebted to Dr. Flückiger of Bern.

NOTE 2.-See note 7 to Bk. I. ch. lxi.

NOTE 3.—These particulars as to a race of painted or tattooed caterans accused of cannibalism apparently apply to some aboriginal tribe which still maintained its ground in the mountains between Fokien and Chekiang or Kiangsi. Davis, alluding to the Upper part of the Province of Canton, says: "The Chinese History speaks of the aborigines of this wild region under the name of Mân (Barbarians), who within a comparatively recent period were subdued and incorporated into the Middle Nation. Many persons have remarked a decidedly Malay cast in the features of the natives of this province; and it is highly probable that the Canton and Fokien people were originally the same race as the tribes which still remain unreclaimed on the east side of Formosa" (Supply. Vol. p. 260). Indeed Martini tells us that even in the 17th century this very range of mountains, farther to the south, in the Tingchau department of Fokien, contained a race of uncivilized people who were enabled by the inaccessible character of the country to maintain their independence of the Chinese Government (p. 114; see also Semedo, p. 19).

NOTE 4.—Padre Martini long ago pointed out that this Quelinfu is KIENNINGFU, on the upper part of the Min River, an important city of Fokien. In the Fokien dialect he notices that is often substituted for n, a well-known instance of which is Liampoo, the name applied by F. M. Pinto and the old Portuguese to Ningpo.

In Ramusio the bridges are only "each more than 100 paces long and 8 paces wide." In Pauthier's text each is a mile long, and 20 feet wide. I translate from the G. T.

Martini describes one beautiful bridge at Kienningfu; the piers of cut stone, the superstructure of timber, roofed in and lined with houses on each side (p. 112-113).

NOTE 5.-Galanga or Galangal is an aromatic root belonging to a class of drugs once much more used than now. It exists of two kinds. 1. Great or Java Galangal, the root of the Alpinia Galanga. This is rarely imported and hardly used in Europe in modern times, but is still found in the Indian Bazars. 2. Lesser or China Galangal is imported into London from Canton and is still sold by druggists in England. Its botanical origin is unknown. It is produced in Shansi, Fokien, and Kwantung, and is called by the Chinese Liang Kiang or "Mild Ginger." Galangal was much used as a spice in the middle ages. In a syrup

for a capon, temp. Rich. II., we find ground-ginger, cloves, cinnamon and galingale. "Galingale" appears also as a growth in old English

gardens, but this is believed to have been Cyperus Longus, the tubers of which were substituted for the real article under the name of English Galingale.

The name appears to be a modification of the Arabic Kalijan, and that to be originally from the Sanskrit. (Mr. Hanbury; China CommGuide, 120; Eng. Cycl.; Garcias, f. 63; Wright, p. 352.)

NOTE 6. The cat in question is no doubt the fleecy Persian. These fowls, but white, are mentioned by Odoric at Fuchau; and Martini speaks of such a breed in Ssechuen. I believe they are well known to poultryfanciers in Europe.

NOTE 7.-The times assigned in this chapter as we have given them after the G. Text appear very short; but I have followed that text because it is perfectly consistent and clear, though possibly wrong. Starting from the last city of Kinsay government the traveller goes 6 days south-east; three out of those 6 days bring him to Kelinfu; he goes on the other three days and at the 15th mile of the 3rd day reaches Unken; 15 miles further bring him to Fuju.

In Pauthier's text again we find: "Sachiez que quand on est alé six journées après ces trois que je vous ay dit, on treuve la cité de Quelifu.” And on leaving Quelinfu: "Sachiez que es autres trois journées oultre et plus xv. milles treuve l'en une cité qui a nom Vuguen." This seems to mean from Cugui to Kelinfu 6 days, and thence to Vuguen (or Unken) 3 days more. But evidently there has been interference with the text, for the es autre trois journées belongs to the same conception of the distance as that in the G. T. Pauthier's text does not say how far it is from Unken to Fuju. Ramusio makes 6 days to Kelinfu, 3 days more to Unguem, and then 15 miles more to Fuju (which he has erroneously as Cangiu).

The latter scheme looks probable certainly, but the times in the G. T. are not impossible if we suppose that water conveyance was adopted where possible. Indeed without the use of this, even Ramusio's 9 days would be much too scant allowance.

But assuming that Cugiu was Fortune's Chuchu at the western base of the Bohea mountains (see note 3, ch. lxxix.), and that the traveller reached Tsun-ngan-hien in 2 marches, I see that from Tsin-tsun near Tsun-ngan-hien Fortune says he could have reached Fuchau in 4 days by boat. Again Martini, speaking of the skill with which the Fokien boatmen navigate the rocky rapids of the upper waters, says that even from Puching the descent to the capital could be made in three days. So the thing is quite possible, and the G. Text may be quite correct (see Fortune II. 171-183 and 210; Mart. 110).

NOTE 8.-Pauthier supposes Unken, or Vuguen as he reads it, to be Hukwan, one of the hiens under the immediate administration of Fuchau city. It may be so, but the evidence for the place intended being 15 miles from the chief city is strong. The only place which the maps show about that position is Mingtsing hien. And the Dutch mission of

1664-5 names this 461.)

as Binkin, by some called Min-sing." (Astley, III.

The Babylonia of the passage from Ramusio is Cairo, Babylon of Egypt, the sugar of which was very famous in the middle ages. Zucchero di Bambellonia is repeatedly named in Pegolotti's Handbook (210, 311, 362, &c.).

The passage as it stands represents the Chinese as not knowing even how to get sugar in the granular form; but perhaps the fact was that they did not know how to refine it. It is a curious illustration of the passage that in India coarse sugar is commonly called Chini, "the produce of China," and sugar candy or fine sugar Misri, the produce of Cairo (Babylonia) or Egypt. Nevertheless the finest Misri has long been exported from China.

CHAPTER LXXXI.

CONCERNING THE GREATNESS OF THE CITY OF FUJU.

Now this city of Fuju is the key of the kingdom which is called CHONKA, and which is one of the nine great divisions of Manzi.' The city is a seat of great trade and great manufactures. The people are Idolaters and subject to the great Kaan. And a large garrison is maintained there by that prince to keep the kingdom in peace and subjection. For the city is one which is apt to revolt on very slight provocation.

There flows through the middle of this city a great river, which is about a mile in width, and many ships are built at the city which are launched upon this river. Enormous quantities of sugar are made there, and there is a great traffic in pearls and precious stones.

For many

ships of India come to these parts bringing many merchants who traffic about the Isles of the Indies. For this city is, you see, in the vicinity of the Ocean Port of ZAYTON, which is greatly frequented by the ships of India with their cargoes of various merchandize; and from Zayton the vessels pass on to the city of Fuju by the river I have told

you of; and 'tis in this way that the precious wares of India come hither.3

The city is really a fine one and kept in good order, and all necessaries of life are there to be had in great abundance and cheapness.

NOTE 1. The name here applied to Fokien by Polo is variously written as Choncha, Chonka, Concha, Chouka. It has not been satisfactorily explained. Klaproth and Neumann refer it to Kiangché, of which Fokien at one time of the Mongol rule formed a part. This is the more improbable as Polo expressly distinguishes this province or kingdom from that which was under Kinsay, viz. Kiangché. Pauthier supposes the word to represent Kien-Kwé, "the Kingdom of Kien," because in the 8th century this territory had formed a principality of which the seat was at Kien-chau, now Kienningfu. This does not seem very probable either.

One might suppose that Choncha represented the proper name of the city of Zayton, or district attached to it, written by the French Thsiuan tchéu, but by Medhurst Chwanchew, whilst Semedo says that Fokien was sometimes called by this name (Chincheo, as he writes it), were it not that Polo's practice of writing the term tchéu or chau by giu is so nearly invariable, and that the soft ch is almost always expressed in the old texts by the Italian ci (though the Venetian does use the soft ch).

It is again impossible not to be struck with the resemblance of Chonka to "CHUNG-KWÉ" "the Middle Kingdom," though I can give no ground for the application of such a title specially to Fokien. Chonkwe occurs in the Persian Historia Cathaica published by Müller, but is there specially applied to North China (see Quat. Rashid. p. lxxxvi.).

The city of course is FUCHAU. It was visited also by Friar Odoric who calls it Fuzo, and it appears in duplicate on the Catalan Map as Fugio and as Fozo.

NOTE 2.-The Min, the River of Fuchau, "varies much in width and depth. Near its mouth, and at some other parts, it is not less than a mile in width, elsewhere deep and rapid." It is navigable for ships of large size 20 miles from the mouth, and for good-sized junks thence to the great bridge which connects the Fuchau suburb of Nantai with the Island of Chungchau. The scenery is very fine, and is compared to that of the Hudson. (Fortune, I. 281; Chin. Repos. XVI. 483.)

The River flows entirely to the south of the city and not through the middle of it. But I suspect that por le mi de ceste cité is not meant to be literal.

There is still a great deal of sugar grown and made about Fuchau ; indeed nearly all the fine Chinese sugar candy is produced in Fokien. NOTE 3.-The G. T. reads Caiton, presumably for Caiton or Zayton.

In Pauthier's text, in the following chapter, the name of Zayton is written Çaiton and Çayton, and the name of that port appears in the same form in the Letter of its Bishop Andrew of Perugia quoted in note 2, chap. lxxxii. Pauthier however in this place reads Kayteu which he developes into a port at the mouth of the River Min, probably imaginary. The Geog. Text, which I have followed here, is perfectly intelligible and consistent. First the Traveller speaks of the ships of the Indies as if coming direct to Fuchau; then he explains more accurately that from the vicinity of this city to the Great Port of Zayton the India ships which enter the latter either come on afterwards to Fuchau or transfer part of their cargoes to vessels which do come thither.

CHAPTER LXXXII.

OF THE CITY AND GREAT HAVEN OF ZAYTON.

Now when you quit Fuju and cross the River, you travel for five days south-east through a fine country, meeting with a constant succession of flourishing cities, towns, and villages, rich in every product. You travel by mountains and valleys and plains, and in some places by great forests. in which are many of the trees which give Camphor.' There is plenty of game on the road, both of bird and beast. The people are all traders and craftsmen, subjects of the Great Kaan, and under the government of Fuju. When you have accomplished those five days' journey you arrive at the very great and noble city of ZAYTON, which is also subject to Fuju.

At this city you must know is the Haven of Zayton, frequented by all the ships of India, which bring thither spicery and all other kinds of costly wares. It is the port also that is frequented by all the merchants of Manzi, for hither is imported the most astonishing quantity of goods and of precious stones and pearls, and from this they are distributed all over Manzi. And I assure you that for one shipload of pepper that goes to Alexandria or elsewhere, destined for Christendom, there come a hundred such,