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Nieuhof, Johannes, 1618-1672 / An embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham, emperor of China: delivered by their excellencies Peter de Goyer and Jacob de Keyzer, at his imperial city of Peking wherein the cities, towns, villages, ports, rivers, &c. in their passages from Canton to Peking are ingeniously described by John Nieuhoff; also an epistle of Father John Adams, their antagonist, concerning the whole negotiation; with an appendix of several remarks taken out of Father Athanasius Kircher; Englished and set forth with their several sculptures by John Ogilby
(1673)

Chap. XI. Of rivers, channels, high-ways, bridges, ships, &c.,   pp. 198-203


Page 198

19 
ot the Province ot-bekIanig, both fides ot the ari- 
It togtheraremadeup with Stone : At the end 
through which all Veffels tuft pafs before they 
y          is a artificial River toward the EafL, 
h, both fides wheref arc mdiUc1p with Brick, t 
15 i, to choeIor l~ og up the fam~e. 
:s, or Highoways in Ckiusd are "ontriv'd as muc 
and cafe of Travellers, as in any Place of th 
World. We begin in the Southern Provinces, wh~e  s1 of their Ways 
even   nd fmooth, the very Hills "being made pat1able, and a Way hewn
out 
through the Rocks by the labor of Mens Hands, ,Upon thefc  o commodi- 
ous Ways, ftand feveral Marks of Stone, which declare the Diftances of Pla'
ces from one another j and every ten Miles there is a Polt appointed to carq
the'Emperors and Magiftrats Letters and Commands, which being once 
receiv'd, are deliver'd with eItraordinary fpeed; fo that there.appens no
thing in any part of the Cquntry, but it is prefently known through all th
Empire. 
At every eighth Stone, which is a days Journey, you have one of his Majef
flies ordinary Houfes, built on purpofe to receive and treat at the Emperor's
Charge, all Governor's and Magiftrates that travel that way upon the Empe-
rorps Service; but before their Arrival they fend a vlelfenger to certifie
what 
day they intend to be there; fo that the Governor or Magifirate arriving,
finds 
all things in a readinefs for him, to wit, Provifions, Horfes, Chairs, Track-
men, and, Veffels of all forts, if he need any; for whatfoeverhedefires,
isgi- 
ven notice of by him in'a Letter. 
The Banks of the Rivers are no lefi well contriv'd for the eafe of Paflengers;
than the common Ways ; for they fuffer no Trees to grow within eight Foot
ofthe Rivers fide, left they fhould be a hindrance to the Boats that are
Tow'd 
along by Ropes. 
gen1eralI Vefaipsion Qf 
CHAP* XI. 
r~,Th~-U Ysj, BridgesSi, 
e Of SwMe runs the River ro, as far as 8i 
from the Rive  Kj4ngby the C   ma 
inder theoverflowing ofdthat River. 
g are   ft of the Rives which om 
1, as if they had been natually fo. it i 
chigeft Commendaio',toconfiderv 
&    t    uck vad Uadertakings;, for in fe 
Is, running far up into the Country, m 
in both fids with Stone; Over which 
uses, with iverai Bridg",cnvnien t 
r 
-          P ~ Jq  *  ,  I  I 


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