The second Reason he had of undertaking this Journy, was that he might keep the Western Tartars in their Duty, and to prevent any pernitious Designs that might be formed against the States.
It was for this that he entred their Country with so great an Army, and with so great Preparations for War. Having carried along several great Guns, that he might cause them to be Discharged from time to time into the Vallies, and by the Noise and Fire which issued out of the Mouths of those Dragons, which served to Ornament them, he might cast a Dread upon the Rout.
Besides this great Retinue, he would yet be accompanied with all the Marks of Grander, with which he was environed at the Court at Pekin. To wit, with a Multitude of Drums, Trumpets, Timbals, and other Musical Instruments, which formed Consorts During his sitting at Table, when he entred the Palace, or when he went out. He caused all these to March with him, that he might by this outward Pomp Astonish these Barbarous People, to strike them with a Fear and Respect of his Imperial Majesty.
For the Empire of China never had any Enemies more to be feared than these Western Tartars; which beginning on the East of China encompass it with an almost infinite of People, and keep it as it were continually beleaguered on the North and West sides thereof; and 'twas to make a Bulwork against their Incursions, that a Chinese Emperor in antient Times caused this great Wall to be Built, which separates China from their Country. I have passed it four times, and have considered it very attentively. And I can say without Hyperbolizing, that all the seven Wonders of the World put together, are not comparable to this Work. And all that Fame has spread concerning it among the Europeans, is far short of what I my self have seen.
Two things have more especially caused my Admiration. The first is, that in this long extent from the East to the West, it passes in several places not only through vast Champains, but also above the tops of exceeding high Mountains, upon which it is raised by little and little, and fortify'd at certain Intervals with great Towers; not distant the one from the other more than two flight Shot. At our return I had the Curiosity to measure the height of it in one place by means of an Instrument, and I found that it was in that Place 1037 Geometrical Feet above the Horison; in such sort that 'tis hard to comprehend how 'twas possible to elevate this enormous Bulwork to the height we saw it, in places dry and full of Mountains, whence they must be obliged to bring from a great distance with incredible Labour, the Water, Brick, Mortar, and all the Materials necessary for so great a Work.
The second thing that surprized me was, that this Wall is not continued upon the same Line, but bent in divers places following the situation of the Mountains, in such manner, that instead of one Wall, one may say that there are three, which Environ all this great part of China.
After all, The Monarch which in our Days hath re-united the Chinese and the Tartars, under one and the same Government, has done some things more for the advantage of the security of China, than the Chinese Emperor that built the long Wall. For after having reduced the Western Tartars, partly by Artifice, partly by force of Arms: He has obliged to go and remain at 300 Miles distance from the Wall of China; and in this Place he distributes to them Land and Pastures, whilst he has given their Country to other Tartars, his Subjects which have their Habitation there at present: Notwithstanding which, these Western Tartars are so powerful, that if they should agree together, they might make themselves Masters of all China, and of the Eastern Tartary, even in the Face of the Oriental Tartars.
I have said, that the Tartarian Monarch that conquered China, used an expedient for subduing the Western Tartars. For one of his first Cares was to engage to his Interest by his Royal Bounties, and by demonstration of a Singular Affection, the Lamas (or Priests) these Men having a great Repute about all those of their Nation, easily perswaded them to submit to the Government of so great a Prince; and 'tis in consideration of this Service done to the Estate, that the present Emperor looks upon these Lamas with a favourable Eye, that he bestows Presents on them; and that he makes use of them to keep the Tartars in the Obedience which they owe him: Tho' at the bottom he hath nothing but Dis-esteem for their Persons, and looks upon them as a sort of Ignorant Fellows, which have not the least Tincture of the Sciences or commendable Arts, in which without doubt this Prince shews a Wise Policy, in so disguising his true Sentiments, by these exterior Marks of Esteem and Good-will.
He has divided this vastly extended Country into 48 Provinces, who have submitted and are Tributary to him. From whence it comes to pass, that the Emperor that Reigns at present in China, and in the one and the other Tartary, may justly be called the greatest and most powerful Monarch of Asia, having so many vast Estates under him, without being any where interrupted by the Territory of any Foreign Prince, and he alone being as the Soul which gives motion to all the Members of so vast a Body.
For after he had charged himself with the Government, he did not at all intrust the Care to any of the Colaos, nor to any of the great Men of his Court. He has not at all suffered, that the Eunuchs of the Palace, or any of his Pages, or any of the young Lords that have been raised by him, should dispose of the least thing in his House, or should regulate any thing of themselves: Which appears very extraordinary; especially if we examin what Customs his Predecessors were wont to use.