Chusan, Novemb. 22. 1701.
SIR,
I formerly told you, that the Emperor design'd to have come to the Island of Pou-to (a place of great Devotion) to worship in the Month of May last, being the 40th Year of his Age, I should have said of his Reign; but all things being prepared there for his Reception, he was dissuaded from his purpose by some of his Mandarines, who made him believe that the terrible Thunder there was very dangerous. This Pou-to is a small Island about 5 Leagues round at the East end of this Island, famous for the Superstitious Pilgrimages made thither for the space of eleven hundred Years: It's inhabited only by Bonzes, to the number of 3000, all of the Sect call'd Hoshang, or unmarried Bonzes, who live a Pythagorean Life; and there they have built 400 Pagodes, two whereof are considerable for their greatness and finery, being lately covered with green and yellow Tiles brought from the Emperor's Palace at Nankin, and inwardly adorn'd with stately Idols finely grav'd and gilded, the chief whereof is the Idol Quon-em. To these two great Pagodes belong two chief Priests, who govern all the rest. They have several Ways and Avenues cut through the Island, some whereof are pav'd with Flag-stones, and over-shaded with Trees planted on each side: Their dwellings are the best I have yet seen in these Parts. All which are maintain'd by Charitable Devotions; and the Junks which go from Ning-po and this place to Japan, touch there both going and coming, to make their Offerings for their good Success. There is another Island call'd Kim-tong 5 Leagues hence in the way to Ning-po, whither, they say, do retire a great many Mandarins to live a quiet Life after they have given over their Employments; on that Island also are said to be Silver Mines, but prohibited to be open'd. The rest of the circumjacent Islands are either desert, or meanly inhabited by a few fishing People, but all of them stor'd with abundance of Deer. For it is not long since this Island of Chusan began to be Peopled; it's true, in Martini's Days, about 50 Years ago, it was very Populous for the space of three or four Years, at which time the fury of the Tartarian Conquest was so great, that they left it desolate, not sparing so much as the Mulberry Trees (for then they made a great deal of raw Silk here) and in this condition it continued till about 18 Years ago, that the Walls of the Fort or Town, which now is, were built by the Governor of Ting-hai, for a Garrison to expel some Pyrats, who had taken shelter here. About 14 Years ago, the Island beginning to be peopled, there was a Chumpeen or General sent to govern it for three Years, to whom succeeded the late Chumpeen (who procur'd the opening of this Port to Strangers) whose Government continued till April last, being translated to be Chumpeen of Tien-cing Wei near to Pekin, and was succeeded by the present Chumpeen, who is Son to the Old Chunkoon of Emuy.
They have got no Arts or Manufactories here, but making of lacker'd Ware, a particular Account whereof I cannot as yet send you. They begin to Plant Mulberry-Trees, to breed up Worms for the Production of raw Silk; and they make some Tea, but chiefly for their own use.
Altho' the following Particulars contain nothing of extraordinary matters in them, yet such as they are, you may take, till I can procure you better.
The three sorts of Tea commonly carry'd to England are all from the same Plant, only the Season of the Year, and the Soil, makes the difference. The Bohee (or Voiii, so call'd of some Mountains in the Province of Fo-kien, where it is chiefly made) is the very first bud gather'd, in the beginning of March, and dry'd in the Shade. The Bing Tea is the second growth in April: and Singlo the last in May and June, both dry'd a little in Tatches or Pans over the Fire. The Tea Shrub being an ever-green, is in Flower from October to January, and the Seed is ripe in September and October following, so that one may gather both Flowers and Seed at the same time; but for one fresh and full Seed, there are a hundred nought; these make up the two sorts of Fruit in Le Compte's description of Tea: As for his other sort, which he calls slymic Pease, they were nothing but the young Buds of the Flowers not yet open. Its Seed-Vessels are really Tricapsular, each Capsula containing one Nut or Seed, and altho' two or one Capsula only comes to Perfection, yet the Vestiges of the rest may be discerned. It grows in a dry gravelly Soil, on the sides of Hills in several places of this Island, without any Cultivation.
Le Compte is mistaken in saying (pag. 96.) that the Chineses are wholly Strangers to the Art of Grafting, for I have seen a great many of his Paradoxical Tallow-Trees ingrafted here, besides some other Trees. When they Ingraft, they do not slit the Stock as we do, but cut a small slice off the outside of the Stock, to which they apply the Graft (being cut sloping on one side, agreeable to the slice cut from the Stock) bringing up the Bark of the slice upon the outside of the Graft, they tie altogether, covering with Straw and Mud as we do.
The Commentator on Magalhen seems doubtful in the length of the Chinese Che or Cubit. Here they have two sorts, one of 137⁄10 English Inches, which the Merchants commonly use: The other is of eleven Inches, us'd by Carpenters, and also in Geographical Measures.
Albeit F. Martini is censur'd by F. Magalhen for spelling a great many Chinese Words with ng, which the Portuguese and others have done with m, yet his way is more agreeable to the English Pronunciation, only in some Words the g may be left out, as in Pekin, Nankin, &c.