Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol. 3: containing a collection of curious travels, voyages, and natural histories of countries as they have been delivered in to the Royal SocietyRoyal Society (Great Britain)
History
Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol. 3: containing a collection of curious travels, voyages, and natural histories of countries as they have been delivered in to the Royal Society
Royal Society (Great Britain)
Natural history; Science -- Early works to 1800; Voyages and travels -- Early works to 1800
As the Night was Fair, and the Heavens very Clear; he willed me to Name
in the _Chinese_ and _European_ Languages, all the Constellations that
then appeared above the Horizon, and he himself first named all those
he already knew; then unfolding a small Map of the Heavens, which I
had some Years since presented him, he put himself upon inquiring the
Hour of the Night, by the Stars in the Meridian: Pleasing himself to
shew to all the Knowledge he had acquired in these Sciences. All the
Marks of his Favours which he so often gave me, even to the sending me
to Eat from his own Table, these Marks I say were so Publick, and so
Extraordinary; that the two Unkles of the Emperor, who bore the Titles
of Associates of the Empire, being on their Return to _Pekin_, said
that when the Emperor had some Regret or appeared somewhat Sad, he
would Resume his ordinary Gaiety upon the sight of me.
I arrived at _Pekin_ in perfect Health the 9_th_ day of _June_ very
late, though divers were detained in the Way by Distempers, or were
returned from their Journy, Hurt and Lamed.
I say nothing of what we did for Religion in this Journy, having
reserved that for a particular Relation, by which it will appear, that
by the Grace of our Lord, the Favours we received at the Court of
_China_, produced considerable Fruits for the Church, and did not take
away the Cross from the Missionaries.
I shall here add the _Tartarean_ Names, and the distance of every Place
through which we passed in the Eastern _Tartary_, from the Capital of
the Province of _Leao-tum_ even to _Kirin_, according to the order
of Days which we Spent in this Progress. A _Topographic Chart_ may
be made and inserted into the Map of the Province of _Leao-tum_, to
be found in the Atlas of Father _Martin Martinius_, by changing only
the _Latitudes_ according to the Heights of the _Pole_, which we have
before Specified.
I shall add one thing more which I Understood from the Inhabitants of
_Ula_, to wit that _Nincrita_ (which is a Place much Renowned in those
Parts) is distant from _Ula_ 700 _Chinese Stadia_ (each of which is
360 _Geometrical Paces_) and that Embarking at _Nincrita_ upon the
great River _Heleum_, into which the _Songoro_, and some other more
considerable Rivers are discharged, and following the course of the
River, which runs towards the North-East, or somewhat more to the
North, they arrive in 40 Days Journy at the Eastern Sea, which is (as I
believe) the Streight of _Anien_: I was told this by the General of the
Militia which is at _Kirin_; and who had performed this Voyage himself.
_The Distances of the Places, thro' which we passed in the Eastern
_Tartary_._
The first Day we passed from _Xyn-Yam_,
the Capital of the Province of _Leao-tum_,
and we arrived at _Seao-Lysto_, so the Place is
called in the _Chinese_ Language. 95. _stadia_.
The 2_d._ day we arrived at _Cha-cay Angha_. 85. _stadia_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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