A DISCOURSE OF CHINA
there unheard of. In the foure Southerne Provinces grow Betre or Betele leafe, and the tree Arequa or Arequeira, so much used in India, and chewed all day long for their stomacke and teeth. Sesame Oile is both odoriferous and plentifull. Wine is not there so good as in Europe (the Grape being neither plesant nor frequent) made of Rice and other things.
Flesh for food.Hogs-flesh is common food: they have Buffalls, Muttons, Goats-flesh; Hennes, Duckes, Geese, innumerable: Horses also, Asses, Mules, and Dogs-flesh are food, and shamble commodities. In some places superstition abstaineth from Beefe and Buffalls, Venison, especially red Deere, Hare, and divers domestick creatures are common; all cheape. Their Horses and Beasts of labour are not so goodly as in Europe, but more in number, and therefore in cheapnesse. The whole Kingdome is very commodious Passages by water. for passage by Rivers both naturall and hand-made: whence the number and kindes of shipping is incredible; insomuch that a moderne Writer hath averred, that there are as many which keepe on the waters as on the land; an Hyperbole, yet not so exceeding the truth to such as saile these Rivers, as may bee seene to others. I am of Store of shipping and water dwellers.opinion, that there are as many Ships in this Kingdome, as are in all the world beside in fresh-waters; for their Sea- and water shipping is fewer and not comparable with ours. But to returne to their Horses, the Chinois know not how to manage and breake them but by gelding; so that their Horses.Horses for service are innumerable, but so unserviceable, that they will not indure the neighing of the Tartarian Horse without flight. They shooe them not with Iron, so that in rockie and hard wayes they faile.
Fish. Besides the Seas plentie of Fish and Rivers, they are stored also in Lakes, seeming for their depths and largenesse petie Seas. They have more store of Fish-ponds also, then in these parts, whence the Market is daily furnished.Wilde beasts. Their Woods have no Lions, but store of Tigers, Beares, Woolves, Foxes. Elephants there are not, but for pompe some kept at the Court in Pequin, brought415
