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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)
[Kircher appendix] Chap. VI. Of strange or forein plants in China., pp. 408-411
Page 409
Defcription f CI HI I ~. II which in ftead of Pith hathabft Pulp like unto Meal, whereof the Natives make Bread, and apply to the fame Ufes with Flour of which Trees Marcus Pqaulus enetus maketh mention, Lib. 1. Chap.19. There is faid to be a Lake near the City Vating-in the Province of Hunnam, which is calU'd Fqciniao, on every fide beautifully furrounded with Trees; the Leaves that fall from them are chang'd into fmall Birds of a blackColour, in fuch numbers, that the Inhabitants fuppofe them to be Spirits. So Marti. nius in his4tla. The like to thefe are reported to be in Scothand and elfwhere, as $olad Geefe, Clack;Geefe, and Barn icles. The Atlas of China mentions an Herb in the Province of Huquang, calU'd Pu- fu, which liveth a thoufand years, and hath the vertue of refloring Youth, and changing Gray Hairs into Black; the truth of which may well be doubted. There is alfo found the Root call'd Giqfen in the Province of Leaotung mofi: famous throughout all China ; from the operation of whofe wonderful Vertue the vulgar Cbi'nefes believe ftrange Reltoration of Health and Longevity. See Father 5,,artinim in his dla, Ful. 3 5, It is reported, that there groweth an Herb in the Province of Xenfi, cal'd j2 ei, which being eaten caufeth Mirth andLaughter, fome what like unto the Weed Apiorifus. Our Atla' reporteth an admirable kind of Withy or Vine to grow in the Mountains of Qantang, call'd by-the Cbinefes, Ten,g; by the ortuguef , 7Te Wheel; you would believe.it to be a Rope wreath'd by Nature, of a very great length, creeping along through the mountainous Earth jit is full of Prick les, and with oblong Leaves, and often fpreads for the fpace of a Furlong; there is fuch plenty of it in theMountains, that the long Branches being entanged within one another, make the Way unpaffable for the Deer; they make of it Cables and Tackle for Ships, and being wrought in fine Threds, it ferves to make Bee-Hives, Cratches, Chairs, Pillows, Beds, and Mattreffes; for no Vermine will harbor in it: in the Summer it greatly refrcfheth Perfons wea. tied with Heat. There are alfo Trees in the Provinces of Junnan and Chianfi, whofe Wood mmM m mav 1- Wa all III &&A 494
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