which is delightful to drink. Though the country abounds in animals, the natives cat very little flesh, but live chiefly on fish, which their seas produce inexhaustibly. They are very warlike and by no means affable, and are most expert both in running and swimming. Their religion is idolatrous, but we have no account whatever respecting their origin. The Moors had possessed themselves of this country not long before the coming of the Portuguese, as a Mahometan priest who had come along with the first of the Moorish invaders was still alive at the arrival of BRITO.
The following account of a struggle which the Portuguese had with the Chinese may not be uninteresting:—
In one of the former years, FERDINANDO PEREZ DE ANDRADA had established a trade at Quan-tung, or Canton, on China, which was so exceedingly profitable that every one was eager to engage in it. In the present year, 1521, SIMON DE AN- DRADA was sent by SEQUEIRA to China with five ships, and cast anchor in the port of the island of Tamou opposite to Canton, where his brother had been formerly. The Portuguese am- bassador to the Emperor of China still remained at that place, but set out soon afterwards up a large river, with three vessels splendidly decorated with Portuguese colours, it being a received custom that none but those of China should be seen there, which are gules, a lion rampant. In this manner he arrived at the foot of a mountain from which that great river derives its source. This mountainous ridge, called Malexam, beginning at the bay of Cochin China on the borders of Yunnan province, runs through the three southern provinces of China, Quang-se, Quantung, (and Fo-kien, dividing them from the interior provinces, as Spain is divided from France by the Pyrenees. THOMAS PEREZ, leaving the vessels at this place, travelled northwards to the city of Nankin, where the king then was, having spent four months in the journey without stopping at any place. The emperor, however, thought proper to appoint his audience at Peking, a city far distant, to which place PEREZ accordingly followed. While on the journey, SIMON DE ANDRADA behaved himself so improperly in the island of Tamou, that an account of his proceedings was sent to court, and THOMAS PEREZ and his companions were con-
