by the shore on a low plain Valley, with near 200 Houses about it for the Benefit of Trade; inhabited by Men, whose Jealousie has not as yet permitted them to let their Wives dwell here; for the Town where they are, is ¾ of a Mile further from the Shore, enviorn'd with a fine Stone Wall, about 3 Miles in Circumference, mounted with 22 square Bastions placed at irregular distances, besides 4 great Gates, on which are planted a few old Iron Guns, seldom or never used: The Houses within are very meanly built: Here the _Chumpeen_ or Governour of the Island lives, and betwixt three and four thousand beggarly Inhabitants, most part Souldiers and Fishermen; for the Trade of this place being newly granted, has not as yet brought any considerable Merchants hither. The Island in general abounds with all sorts of Provisions, such as Cows, Buffalo's, Goats, Deer, Hogs wild and tame, Geese, Ducks and Hens; Rice, Wheat, Calavances, Cole-worts, Turnips, Potatoes, Carrots, Beetes and Spinach; But for Merchandize there's none but what comes from _Ning-po_, _Hang-cheu_, _Nankin_ and the Inland Towns, some of which I hope to see, when I have acquir'd a little of the _Chinese_ Language. Here also the Tea grows in great plenty on the tops of the Hills, but it is not in that esteem with what grows on more Mountainous Islands. Altho this Island is pretty well stor'd with People, yet its far from what it was in _F. Martinius_'s time, when he describes _Cheuxan_: and this puts me in mind, that the Superstitious Pilgrimages thereto, mention'd by him, must be meant of the Island _Pou-to_, which lies 9 Leagues from hence, and 3 Miles to the Eastward of this Island, whither (they say) the Emperour designs in the Month of _May_ next (being his Birth-day, and the 40th Year of his Age) to come to worship in an Ancient Pagoda there, famous for Sanctity; having sent one of his _Bonzes_ already thither to get all things in order. _Chusan_, _Novemb. 22. 1701._ _SIR_,