Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol. 3 · Royal Society
ΛΟΥΚΙΟΥ ΑΥΡΗ[ΛΙ]ΟΥ ..... ΗΛΙΟΔΩΡΟΥ ΤΟΥ.
After we had past, the Emperor sitting on the Bank-side, made me sit by him, with the two Sons of the two petty Western Kings, and the first _Colao_ of _Tartary_, whom he distinguished on all Occasions. 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_. The 3_d._ day at another Torrent of the same Name. 70. _stadia_. The 4_th._ at _Kiaghuchen_. 50. _stadia_. The 5_th._ at _Feyteri_. 80. _stadia_. The 6_th._ at the Torrent of _Seipery_. 60. _stadia_. The 7_th._ at the Torrent of _Ciam_. 60. _stadia_. The 8_th._ at _Courou_. 50. _stadia_. The 9_th._ at the Burrow of _Sape_. 40. _stadia_. The 10_th._ at _Quaranny Pira_. 40. _stadia_. The 11_th._ at _Elten eme Ambayaga_. 70. _stadia_. The 12_th._ at _Ypatan_. 58. _stadia_. The 13_th._ at _Suayen ny Pyra_. 60. _stadia_. The 14_th._ at _Ylmen_. 70. _stadia_. The 15_th._ at _Seuten_. 70. _stadia_. The 16_th._ the City of _Kirin_. 70. _stadia_. ------ 1028. All this Course being 1028 _Chinese_ Stadia, contains 369 Miles (each) of 1000 Geometrical Paces; the _Chinese_ Stadium containing as I mentioned before 360 Geometrical Paces. _A Voyage of the Emperor of _China_, into the Western _Tartary_, in the Year, 1683._ The Emperor this Year, which is the 30_th._ of his Age, made a Voyage into the Western _Tartary_, together with the Queen his Grand-mother, which they call the Queen _Mother_; he departed the 16_th._ of _July_, in the Company of more than 60000 Men, and 100000 Horse. He positively resolved, that I, with one of the two Fathers that were at the Court of _Pekin_, the Choice of which he left to me, should follow him, I chose Father _Philip Grimaldi_; because he is the most known, and because he perfectly understood the _Mathematicks_.
Several Reasons prevailed with the Emperor to Enterprize this Journy. The first was, that he might keep his Militia during the Peace as well as in the Wars, in continual Exercise; and for this Reason it was, that after he had Establish'd a firm Peace in all the Quarters of this so vast an Empire; he recalled his best Troops hither out of every Province, and resolved in his Council to make every Year Expeditions of this kind, in several Seasons, that by hunting of Deer, Boars, Bears, and Tigers, they might learn to overcome the Enemies of the Empire, or at least to prevent the cooling of their Courage, or the degenerating from their Pristine Valour, by the Luxury of _China_, in a too long Repose. In effect these kinds of Hunting had more of the shew of a Military Expedition, than of one for Divertisement, as I have already noted: The Emperor took in his Train, 100000 Horse, and above 60000 Men, all armed with Arrows and Cimiters, divided into Companies and Marching in Battle-Array after their Colours, with the sound of Drums and Trumpets: During their Hunting, they intirely invested the Mountains and Forrests, as if they had been Cities which they design'd to Beleaguer; following in this the manner of Hunting used by the Eastern _Tartars_, of which I have spoken in my last Letter. This Army had its Van-guard and Rear-guard, and its Main Body, its Right Wing and Left Wing, was commanded by so many Generals and petty Kings. There were spent more then Seventy Days before they were on their March, in bringing together all the Ammunitions of the Army upon the Waggons, upon the Camels, upon the Horses, and upon the Mules, by reason of the Incommodious Ways.
For in all the Western _Tartary_ (I call it Western) not with Relation to _China_, which lieth in Respect of it Westward it self, but with respect of the Eastern _Tartary_ there is nothing to be found but Mountains, Rocks, and Vallies; there are neither Cities, Towns nor Villages, nor so much as any Houses. The Inhabitants Lodge under Tents, pitched on all sides in the open Fields. They are for the most part Graziers, and transport their Tents from one Vally to another, according as the Pastures are better. There they Pasture their Beefs, their Horses, and their Camels, they breed no Hogs, nor any of those other Animals, which elsewhere are fed in the Villages, as Poultry and Geese. But only of such as the Herbs, which an uncultivated Land doth Naturally produce, will serve to sustain. They pass their Life either in Hunting, or doing nothing. And as they neither sow nor cultivate the Earth, so they make no Harvest. They Live upon Milk, Cheese, and Flesh, and have a sort of Wine, not much unlike our Aqua-vitæ; with which they make their Feasts, and are often Drunk. In short they care for nought from Morning to Night, but to Drink and Eat; like the Beasts, and Droves which they Feed. They are not without their Priests, which they call _Lamas_, for whom they have a singular Veneration, in which they differ from the Oriental _Tartars_; the most part of whom have no Religion, nor do they believe any God. For the rest both of the one and the other are Slaves, and wholly depend upon the will of their Masters, whose Religion and Manners they blindly follow: Like in this to their Droves, who go where they are lead, and not where they ought to go.
This part of _Tartary_, lies without the prodigious Wall of _China_ about 1000 _Chinese Stadia_, that is to say more than 300 _European_ Miles, and extends from the North-east towards the North. The Emperor Rides on Horse-back, in the Head of his Army through these Desert Places, and these Steep Mountains, and far from great Roads, exposed all the Day to the Scorchings of the Sun, to the Rains, and to all the Injuries of the Air. Many of those which had been in the last War, assured me, that they had not suffered so much during all that as during this Hunting. In so much that the Emperor, whose principal Aim it was to give his Forces a Breathing, performed effectually what he pretended. The second Reason he had of undertaking this Journy, was that he might keep the Western _Tartars_ in their Duty, and to prevent any pernitious Designs that might be formed against the States. It was for this that he entred their Country with so great an Army, and with so great Preparations for War. Having carried along several great Guns, that he might cause them to be Discharged from time to time into the Vallies, and by the Noise and Fire which issued out of the Mouths of those Dragons, which served to Ornament them, he might cast a Dread upon the Rout.
Besides this great Retinue, he would yet be accompanied with all the Marks of Grander, with which he was environed at the Court at _Pekin_. To wit, with a Multitude of Drums, Trumpets, Timbals, and other Musical Instruments, which formed Consorts During his sitting at Table, when he entred the Palace, or when he went out. He caused all these to March with him, that he might by this outward Pomp Astonish these _Barbarous_ People, to strike them with a Fear and Respect of his Imperial Majesty. For the Empire of _China_ never had any Enemies more to be feared than these Western _Tartars_; which beginning on the East of _China_ encompass it with an almost infinite of People, and keep it as it were continually beleaguered on the North and West sides thereof; and 'twas to make a Bulwork against their Incursions, that a _Chinese_ Emperor in antient Times caused this great Wall to be Built, which separates _China_ from their Country. I have passed it four times, and have considered it very attentively. And I can say without Hyperbolizing, that all the seven Wonders of the World put together, are not comparable to this Work. And all that Fame has spread concerning it among the _Europeans_, is far short of what I my self have seen.
Two things have more especially caused my Admiration. The first is, that in this long extent from the East to the West, it passes in several places not only through vast Champains, but also above the tops of exceeding high Mountains, upon which it is raised by little and little, and fortify'd at certain Intervals with great Towers; not distant the one from the other more than two flight Shot. At our return I had the Curiosity to measure the height of it in one place by means of an Instrument, and I found that it was in that Place 1037 Geometrical Feet above the Horison; in such sort that 'tis hard to comprehend how 'twas possible to elevate this enormous Bulwork to the height we saw it, in places dry and full of Mountains, whence they must be obliged to bring from a great distance with incredible Labour, the Water, Brick, Mortar, and all the Materials necessary for so great a Work. The second thing that surprized me was, that this Wall is not continued upon the same Line, but bent in divers places following the situation of the Mountains, in such manner, that instead of one Wall, one may say that there are three, which Environ all this great part of _China_.
After all, The Monarch which in our Days hath re-united the _Chinese_ and the _Tartars_, under one and the same Government, has done some things more for the advantage of the security of _China_, than the _Chinese_ Emperor that built the long Wall. For after having reduced the Western _Tartars_, partly by Artifice, partly by force of Arms: He has obliged to go and remain at 300 Miles distance from the Wall of _China_; and in this Place he distributes to them Land and Pastures, whilst he has given their Country to other _Tartars_, his Subjects which have their Habitation there at present: Notwithstanding which, these Western _Tartars_ are so powerful, that if they should agree together, they might make themselves Masters of all _China_, and of the Eastern _Tartary_, even in the Face of the Oriental _Tartars_. I have said, that the _Tartarian_ Monarch that conquered _China_, used an expedient for subduing the Western _Tartars_. For one of his first Cares was to engage to his Interest by his Royal Bounties, and by demonstration of a Singular Affection, the _Lamas_ (or _Priests_) these Men having a great Repute about all those of their Nation, easily perswaded them to submit to the Government of so great a Prince; and 'tis in consideration of this Service done to the Estate, that the present Emperor looks upon these _Lamas_ with a favourable Eye, that he bestows Presents on them; and that he makes use of them to keep the _Tartars_ in the Obedience which they owe him: Tho' at the bottom he hath nothing but Dis-esteem for their Persons, and looks upon them as a sort of Ignorant Fellows, which have not the least Tincture of the Sciences or commendable Arts, in which without doubt this Prince shews a Wise Policy, in so disguising his true Sentiments, by these exterior Marks of Esteem and Good-will.
He has divided this vastly extended Country into 48 Provinces, who have submitted and are Tributary to him. From whence it comes to pass, that the Emperor that Reigns at present in _China_, and in the one and the other _Tartary_, may justly be called the greatest and most powerful Monarch of _Asia_, having so many vast Estates under him, without being any where interrupted by the Territory of any Foreign Prince, and he alone being as the Soul which gives motion to all the Members of so vast a Body. For after he had charged himself with the Government, he did not at all intrust the Care to any of the _Colaos_, nor to any of the great Men of his Court. He has not at all suffered, that the Eunuchs of the Palace, or any of his Pages, or any of the young Lords that have been raised by him, should dispose of the least thing in his House, or should regulate any thing of themselves: Which appears very extraordinary; especially if we examin what Customs his Predecessors were wont to use. He chastises with wonderful Equity the great Ones as well as the Inferiors; he deprives them of their Charges, and makes them descend from the Rank they held, proportioning always the Penalty to the heinousness of their Fault. He takes Cognisance of the Affairs which are transacted in the Royal Counsel, and in the other Tribunals, even to the causing them to render to him an exact account of the Judgments there given. In one Word, he of himself Disposes and Orders all things; and 'tis by reason of the absolute Authority which he hath thus acquired, that the greatest Lords of the Court, and Persons of the highest Quality in the Empire; even the Princes of the Blood, never appear in his Presence, but with a profound Respect.
But to what remains, the _Lamas_ or _Tartarian_ Priests, of whom we have spoken, are not only respected by the People, but also by the Lords and Princes of their Nation, who for Politick Ends testifie to them a great deal of Friendship: This makes us fear that the Christian Religion, will not find so easie an entrance into the Western _Tartary_. They are also very powerful upon the Mind of the Queen Mother, who is of their Country, and who is at present Threescore and Ten Years Old; they are wont to tell her, that the Sect (of which she makes Profession) has no more declared Enemies than us. And 'tis a kind of Miracle, or at least an extraordinary Protection of God, that notwithstanding this, the Emperor, who has very much regard and respect for her, has not hitherto ceased to heap on us Graces and Honours, considering us after another manner than the _Lamas_. During the Journey, as the Princes and the chief Officers of the Army went oftentimes to the Queen to attend at her Court; and that we also were advertised to do so likewise: We were willing first to consult a Person of the Court, who loved us very much, and who spake for us to the Emperor in our Affairs. This Lord having enter'd the Princes Tent, told him what had passed, and presently coming out again: _The Emperor_ (said he to us) _has given me to understand, that 'tis not at all necessary for you to attend the Queen as others do_; which made us to apprehend enough, that this Princess did not favour us.
The 3d Reason which the Emperor had for making this Journey, was for his Health: because he knew by his Experience long enough, that when he is too long at _Pekin_ without going Abroad, he cannot avoid his being attacked by several Distempers, which he prevents by means of these long Progresses. For during the whole time he never sees any Woman; and that which is more surprizing, there appears not any one in all this great Army, except those which are of the Retinue of the Queen Mother: 'Tis yet also a Novelty that she has accompanyed the King this Year, it having not been practiced above once, when he took with him the three Queens as far as the Capital City of the Province of _Leao-tum_, to visit the Sepulchers of their Ancestors. The Emperor and the Queen Mother pretend moreover by this Journey, to avoid the excessive Heats which are in _Pekin_, in the Summer during the Dog-days. For in this part of _Tartary_, there reigns during the Months of _July_ and _August_ so cold a Wind, especially in the Night, that 'tis necessary to put on thick Cloths and Furs. The Reason that may be assigned for this so extraordinary Cold, is that this Region is very much elevated and full of Mountains: There is one among the rest, upon which we continually ascended, for the space of 5 or 6 Days March. The Emperor being desirous to know how much it surmounted the Plains of _Pekin_, distant about 300 Miles; at our return (after having measured the height of above a hundred Mountains that lay in our Road) we found that it had 3000 Geometrical Pace of Elevation, above the Sea that nearest approached _Pekin_.
The Salt Peter also with which these Countries abound, may contribute to this great Cold, which is so violent, that in digging the Earth to three or four Foot deep, there are fetched out Clods all frozen, and pieces of Ice. Divers of the Petty Kings of the Western _Tartary_, came from all sides for 300 Miles, and some for 500 Miles, together with their Children, to salute the Emperor. These Princes, who for the most part know none but by their own natural Language, which is very different from that of the Eastern _Tartary_: Took regard of us, with Aspects and Gestures of a goodness very particular. There were some among them, who had made a Journey to _Pekin_ to see the Court, and who had seen our Church.
One or two Days before we arrived at the Mountain which was the boundary of our Journey, we met a Petty King very aged, who returned from accompanying the Emperor, he seeing us stayed with all his Retinue, and enquired by his Interpreter, which of us was called _Nauboaij_; one of our Servants having made a sign that it was I, this Prince accosted me with a great deal of Civility, and told me that for a long time he had known my Name, and that he had desired to know me. He spoke also to Father _Grimaldi_, with the same marks of Affection. The favourable Entertainment he gave us in this Re-encounter, gave some Reason to hope that our Religion might find an easie Entrance to those Princes, particularly if care be taken to insinuate into the Minds of those Princes, by the means of the Mathematicks: Which if there should at any time be a design to penetrate into their Country, the most sure way for divers Reasons, (which I have not the leisure to explain here) will be to begin the entrance with the other _Tartars_ more remote, which are not all Subjects of this Empire, from whom we may pass on to these, advancing by little and little towards _China_. During the whole Journey, the Emperor has continued to give us singular Tokens of his good Will, shewing us Favours in the sight of his Army, which he shewed to none besides.
One time meeting us in a great Valley, where we were measuring the height and the distance of some Mountains, he made a stay with the whole Court; and calling to us from a great distance, he demanded of us in the _Chinese_ Language, _Hao-mo?_ that is to say, are you well in Health? And then asked us several Questions in the _Tartarian_ Language, concerning the heighth of these Mountains, to which I answered also in the same Language; after which, turning to the Lords that were about him, he discoursed with them concerning us in very obliging Expressions, as I learned the same Night from the Prince his Unkle, who was then by his side. He testifyed also his Affection to us, by causing often Meat to be carry'd to our Tents from his own Table, willing also that on some Occasions we should eat in his; and every time he did us this Honour, he had a regard to our Days of Abstinence, and of Fasting, sending us only such Meats as we could use.
The eldest Son of the Emperor, after the Example of his Father, gave us marks also of his Bounty, for having been constrained to stay more than 10 Days, by reason of a fall from his Horse, by which he was hurt in his right Shoulder; and one part of the Army in which we were, having attended, whilst the Emperor with the other, continued his Hunting, he was not wanting in sending to us daily, and sometimes twice a Day, during this space, Food from his own Table. In fine, we look'd on all these Favours of the Royal Family, as the effects of a particular Providence which watched over us, and over Christianity, for which we had so much the more occasion to thank God, for that the affection of the Emperor, was never so constantly shewn to the Grandees of the Empire, nor to the Princes of the Blood. As to what relates to the other particularities of our Journey, they are like to those which happened to us the last Year, in the Journey to the Eastern _Tartary_, which I have fully described in my last Letter; that is to say, that we made use of the Emperor's Horses, and of his Litters, that we lodged in the Tents, and eat at the Table of the Prince his Unkle, to whom he had particularly recommended us.
Ideas discussed in this chapter
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.