The Inhabitants of Coree came to present to the Emperor a Sea-Calf which they had taken, the Emperor caused me to see it, and asked whither our European Books had spoken any thing of this Fish? I told him we had a Book in our Library at Pekin which had explain'd the Nature of it, and dispatched presently a Courrier to our Fathers at Pekin, who brought it me in a few Days: The Emperor was pleased to see that what was said of this Fish in this Book, was agreeable to this which he had seen, and caused it to be carried back again to Pekin to be carefully preserved.
During the stay which we made in this City, the Emperor with the Queens went to visit the Sepulchers of his Ancestors, which are not very far distant, from whence he sent them back to Xyn-Yam, to continue his own Journey into the Eastern Tartary.
After several Days of Marching and Hunting, he arrived at Kirin, which is distant from Xyn-Yam 400 Miles: This City is built along the great River Songoro which takes its source from the Mountain Cham-pe, distant 400 Miles towards the South: This Mountain so Famous in the East for having been the Antient Seat of our Tartars, is always covered with Snow, from whence it had its Name, because Cham-pe signifies the white Mountain.
So soon as the Emperor saw it, he alighted from his Horse and fell on his Knees on the Bank of the River, and bowed Himself three times to the Ground to Salute it: After which, he caused himself to be carried upon a glorious Throne of Gold, and so made his Entry into the City: All the People ran in a throng before him, testifying by their Acclamations the Joy they had to see him. This Prince took great Pleasure in those Testimonies of their Affection; and that he might give them some Marks of his being very sensible of it, he was pleased to suffer himself to be seen by all, and forbid his Guards to hinder the People from approaching him, as they used to do at Pekin.
They make in this City Barks of a very particular manner: The Inhabitants keep always a great number of them ready fitted to Repulse the Muscovites, who come often into this River, to dispute the Fishing of Pearls. The Emperor reposed himself two Days, after which he Descended upon the River with some Lords, accompanied with more than 100 Boats, till he arrived at the City of Ula, which is the fairest of all this Country, and which at other times hath been the Seat of the Empire of the Tartars.
A little below this City, which is at most about 32 Miles from Kirin, the River is very full of a certain Fish which resemble near enough the Plaice of Europe: and 'twas principally for the taking the Divertisement of Fishing, that the Emperor went to Ula; but the Rains coming on so suddainly, swelled the River so much, that all their Nets were broken and carried away, by the great Flood of those Land Waters: The Emperor notwithstanding stayed 5 or 6 Days at Ula; but seeing the Rains were not at all discontinued, he was obliged to come back to Kirin, without having enjoyed the Pleasure of Fishing: as we ascended the River, the Bark wherein I was with the Emperors Father in Law, was so indamaged by the agitation of the Waves, that we were constrained to go a Shore, and mount a Chariot drawn by one Ox, which carried us very slowly to Kirin, the Rains not at all ceasing during our Journy.
In the Evening when the Emperor was entertained upon all these Adventures, he said Laughing, the Fish have cheated us; at length, after we had stayed two Days at Kirin, the Rains began to diminish, and we retook our Way towards Leao-tum. I cannot here express the Pains and Fatigues these had caused us to undergo, during the whole Course of this Journy, by Reason of the Ways which the Rains had Spoiled, and rendred almost impassable: we went without staying over the Mountains and over the Vallies, and we could not pass but with extream Danger, the Brooks and Rivers which were swelled by the Floods and Inundations which ran from all Parts: the Bridges were either overturned by the Violence of the Currents, or all covered by the great overflowing of the Waters. There were made in divers Places great Collections of Water, and of Mud, that it was almost impossible to be drawn out of it. The Horses, Cammels, and other Beasts of Burthen, which carried the Baggage could not advance, but remained sticking in the Mud of the Marshes, or died of tiring upon the Ways. The Men were not at all less incommoded, and all were enfeebled for want of Victuals, and of Refreshments necessary for so great a Journy: Many of the Horsemen were obliged, either to lead their Horses on Foot, who were no longer able to carry them, or to rest in the middle of the Fields to suffer them to take Breath: And though the Quarter-masters and the Harbingers, spared not their Pains, nor for Wood (which they cut on all sides) to fill with Faggots all the bad Passages: Yet notwithstanding after the Horses and Chariots, which took the Van early in the Morning had quite passed, it was impossible to pass after them: The Emperor himself, with his Son, and all the great Lords of the Court, were obliged more than once, to Foot it over the Mud and the Marshes, fearing to expose themselves to greater danger, if they should have passed them on Horse-back.
When they came to Bridges, or those other obstructions all the Army stayed: And as soon as the Emperor was passed, with some of the most considerable Persons, all the rest came together in a Throng, and every one striving to pass first, many were tumbled over into the Water: Others taking Ways more about, found them more dangerous, falling into Sloughs and Bogs, out of which they could not Recover themselves. In fine, there were so many Inconveniencies to be met with, in all the Ways of Eastern Tartary, that the old Officers who had followed the Court above 30 Years, said they had never suffered so much in any Journy.
It was on those Occasions, that the Emperor more than once, gave me the Marks of a Respect altogether particular: the first Day that we put our Selves in the way for returning, we were stay'd in the Evening, by a Torrent so great and rapid, that 'twas impossible to Ford it: The Emperor having by chance found a little Boat, which could not hold above 4 Persons at most, passed first with his Sons, and some of the Principal Kings followed: All the other Princes, Lords, and Mandarines, which the rest of the Army attended, (in the mean while) with Impatience the return of the Boat, to carry them to the other side of the Torrent, because the Night approached, and the Tents had long before passed: But the Emperor being come back to us in such another Boat as the former, demanded aloud where I was? and his Father in Law having presented me to him, he added, let him come in and Cross over with us: So we were the only Persons that passed with the Emperor; and all the rest stayed on the Bank, where they must pass the Night under the open Heaven: The same thing happened the next Day almost in the same manner. The Emperor at Noon meeting with a like rapid and swelled Torrent, gave order that the Boats should be made use of for Transporting the Tents, Packs, and other Baggage till the Evening; then willed that I should pass alone with him and some few of his Attendants, having left on the other side all the great Lords, who were necessitated to pass the Night there. The Emperor's Father in Law himself, having asked if he should not pass with me, since I Lodged in his Tent and eat at his Table? this Prince answered him, that he should stay, and he himself would take Order to give me what was necessary.
After we had past, the Emperor sitting on the Bank-side, made me sit by him, with the two Sons of the two petty Western Kings, and the first Colao of Tartary, whom he distinguished on all Occasions.