to 'justice always being given to him who has right on his side.' Persons are eligible to office now at a much earlier age than in ancient times. In describing the kingdoms of the coast, the first traveller mentions the country of Mabed, as conterminous with China, at peace with the Emperor, but not subject to him. The short paragraph which we quote, touches a point of some interest.
"The Mabed send every year Ambassadors and presents to the Emperor of China, who on his part sends Ambassadors and presents to them. Their country is of great extent; and when the Ambassadors of the Mabed enter China, they are carefully watched, and never once allowed to survey the country, for fear they should form designs of conquering it, which would be no difficult task for them; because of their great numbers, and because they are parted from China, only by mountains, or by rocks."
The country of China is described as 'pleasant and fruitful;' the cities are 'many in number, great in extent, and well fortified.' 'The rivers are large;' 'much rainfalls;' and the country peopled throughout its whole extent. 'The climate is more wholesome than that of India; the air is also much better, and scarce is their a one-eyed, or blind person to be seen.' This last remark does not hold true now; blind persons are numerous, especially in the southern provinces. Many of the productions of the soil are enumerated; among others, the grape, of which 'they have not many.'
We have recently seen it stated, and on good authority, that 'the vine is not indigenous in China; the seeds were brought hither by the celebrated general Chang-keang, who had been despatched, B. C. 126, to the countries in the West. He traversed the modern Afghanistan, and the north-Western portion of India, and returned to China after an absence of 13 years. The term poo-taou (vine) is not of Chiriese origin, any more than the thing which it denotes; it is, probably, merely the imperfect transcription of the Greek term for vine. The Japanese pronounce it Boo-do.'
The two travellers give a pretty good account of the "copper money," and "an excellent kind of earth" (porcelain). Now, as then, the Chinese have no coin, but the copper cash, about 800 of which are equal to a Spanish dollar. They have 'horses, asses, and dromedaries; but they have no Arabian horses; they have no Elephants, and cannot endure to have them in the country.' Of the persons of the Chinese the first traveller, remarks,
"They are for the most part handsome, of comely stature, fair, and by no means addicted to excess of wine; their hair is blacker than the hair of any other nation in the world; and the Chinese women curl their's. The Chinese are more handsome than the Indians, and come nearer to the Arabs, not only in countenance, but in their dress, in their way of riding, in their manners, and in their processional ceremonies. They wear long garments, and girdles in form of belts.
"The Chinese are dressed in silk, both in summer and winter; and this kind of dress is common to the prince, the soldier, and to every other person, though of the lowest degree. In the winter they wear drawers, of a particular make, which fall down to their feet. Of these they put on two,