Various - History of the Pirates Who Infested the China Sea From 1807 to 1810

This extract is taken from the Hae kwŏ hëen këen lăh , book i. p. 34 v. 35 r; and I am sorry to see that in the "Memoirs" it is abbreviated in such a manner that the sense is materially changed.

" Ying keih le ," says the author of the Hae kwo hëen këen lăh (l. c.), "is a realm composed out of three islands. To the west and the north of the four kingdoms of Lin yin , the Yellow flag , Holan , and Fo lang se , is the ocean. From Lin yin the ocean takes its direction to the east, and surrounds Go lo sse (Russia); and from Go lo sse, yet more to the east, Se me le (Siberia?). Through the northern sea you cannot sail; the sea is frozen, and does not thaw, and for this reason it is called the Frozen Ocean . From Lin yin, to the south, are the various empires of the Woo and Kwei ( Crows and Demons ), and they all belong to the red-haired people of the Great Western Ocean . On the west and on the north there are different barbarians under various names;

but they are, in one word, similar to the Go lo sse (Russians), who stay in the metropolis (Pekin). It is said that the Kaou chun peih mow (?) are similar to the inhabitants of the Middle Empire ; they are of a vigorous body and an ingenious mind. All that they produce is fine and strong; their attention is directed to making fire-arms. They make researches in astronomy and geography, and generally they do not marry. Every kingdom has a particular language, and they greet one another by taking off the hat. They worship," &c. (The same as p. xxx.)

My copy of the Hae kwŏ hëen këen lăh was printed in the province Che keang , in the year 1794.

"In the narrative regarding foreign countries, and forming part of the history of the Ming, the English are called Yen go le ; in the Hae kwŏ hëen këen lŭh , Ying ke le (5272, 6950); but in the maps the name is now always written Ying keih le (5018, 6947). In expressing the sound of words we sometimes use different characters. This kingdom lies to the west of Gow lo pa (Europa), and was originally a tributary state to Ho lan (Holland); but in the course of time it became richer and more powerful than Ho lan , and revolted. These[Pg xxxiii] kingdoms are, therefore, enemies. It is not known at what time the Ying keih le grasped the country of North O mŏ le kea (America), which is called Kea no (Canada). Great Ying keih le is a kingdom of Gow lo pa (Europe.) 14 14 The syllable lo is not in the Chinese text, as it is supposed, by a mistake of the printer. In the twelfth year of Yung ching (1735), they came the first time to Canton for trade. Their country produces wheat, with which they trade to all the neighboring countries. They are generally called Keang heŏ (that is, English ships from India, or country ships), and there arrive many vessels."

This extract is taken from the Tan chay hëen këen lăh , and it is all that we find regarding England in the Memoirs concerning the south of the Mei ling Mountains (p. 18 r. v.). In the latter extract, the author appears to confound the country trade of India and China with that of the mother country. England is again mentioned in the notice regarding Me le keih (America), taken out of Yuen's History of Canton. It is there said, that the Me le keih passed, in the 52d year of Këen lung (1788), the Bocca Tigris, and that they then separated from the Ying keih le (p. 19 r.) At the end of the extract concerning the Americans (p. 190) we read the following words:

"The characters which are used in the writings of these realms are, according to the statements of Ma lo ko , twenty-six ; all sounds can be sufficiently expressed by these characters. Every realm has large and small characters; they are called La ting characters, and La te na (Latin) characters."

It is pleasing to observe that his Excellency Yuen had some knowledge of Dr. Morrison's Dictionary. In the third part of his Dictionary, Dr. Morrison has given, in Chinese, a short and clear notice concerning the European alphabet. Yuen seems to have taken his statements from this notice, and to have written the name of the author, by a mistake, Ma lo ko , for Ma le so , as Dr. Morrison is generally called by the Chinese.

"The Man ying passed the Bocca Tigris the first time in the 45th year of Këen lung (1781), and are called Ta chen ( Teutchen ). They have accepted the religion of the Lord of Heaven. In customs and manners they are similar to the Se yang, or Portuguese; they are the brethren of the Tan ying, or Single eagle kingdom (Prussia); in difficulties and distress they help one another. Their ships which came to Canton had a white flag, on which an eagle was painted with two heads."

This extract is taken from the History of Yuen . I take the liberty to observe, that the Chinese scholar must be careful not to take the Sui chen , or Chen kwŏ (the Swedes), for the Ta chen (the Teutchen ). In the Memoirs , l. c. p. 19 v., we read the following notice on the Chen kwŏ (the Swedes):

"The Chen realm is also called Tan (Denmark) realm, and now the yellow flag . This country is opposite to that of the Ho lan , and a little farther off from the sea. There are two realms called Sui chen , and they border both on the Go lo sse , or Russia. They passed the Bocca Tigris the first year of Këen lung (1765)."

"The Tan ying passed the Bocca Tigris the 52d year of Këen lung (1788.) They live to the west and north of the Man ying (Austrians). In customs and manners they are similar to them. On their ships flies a white flag, on which an eagle is painted."

This last extract is also taken from[Pg xxxvii] the History of Canton, published by his Excellency Yuen.

If we consider how easily the Chinese could procure information regarding foreign countries during the course of the two last centuries, and then see how shamefully they let pass all such opportunities to inform and improve themselves, we can only look upon these proud slaves of hereditary customs with the utmost disgust and contempt. The ancient Britons and Germans had no books; yet what perfect descriptions of those barbarian nations have been handed down to us by the immortal genius of Tacitus! Montesquieu says, that "in Cæsar and Tacitus we read the code of barbarian laws; and in the code we read Cæsar and Tacitus." In the statement of the modern Chinese regarding foreign nations, we see, on the contrary, both the want of enquiry, and the childish[Pg xxxviii] remarks of unenlightened and uncultivated minds. 15 15 It may be remarked, that Cosmas, about the middle of the sixth century, had a better idea concerning the Chinese empire, or the country of Tsin , than the Chinese have even now of Europe. Such an advantage was it to be born a Greek and not a Chinese. Cosmas seems very well informed concerning the articles of trade which the Chinese generally bring to Serendib, or Serendwîpa (Ceylon). He remarks, that farther than China there exists no other country; that on the east it is surrounded by the ocean; and that Ceylon is nearly as far from the Persian gulf as from Tziniza or China. See the description of Taprobane, taken from the Christian Topography, and printed in Thévenot, "Relations de divers Voyages," vol. i. pp. 2, 3, and 5. The Chinese about Canton have a custom of ending every phrase with a long a ( a is pronounced like a in Italian) which is merely euphonic, like yay (11980) in the Mandarine dialect. If a Chinese should be asked about his country, he would answer according to the different dynasties, Tsin-a, Han-a, Tang-a, Ming-a, &c. Tsin-a is probably the origin of Tziniza . It is a little strange that Rennel takes no notice of the statements of Cosmas. (See the Geographical System of Herodotus I. 223, Second Edition, London, 1830.) Is it not very remarkable, that this merchant and monk seems to have also had very correct information concerning the north-west frontier of China, and of the conquest which the Huns (in Sanscrit Hūna) have made in the north-west part of Hindostan? He reckons from China, through Tartary and Bactria to Persia, 150 stations, or days' journies. About the time of Cosmas, an intercourse commenced between China and Persia.