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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. I. Of the bridges and wonderful fabricks of the Chineses., pp. 422-427 ff.
Page 425
Defcritino CHI.ckA the other, are planted bgb Todrs, adflrong Gates or Saly-ports, from 'ience they ifuie forthor-retire to, vbeo any In-Pafion or Ajfault requires; and convenient Fortrefs alfjcad- join'd, not onl Vefenfie, but accommodated for the keception oftbe Soldiers, hicb to make good and maintain, takes up no left than a Million. The Wall is tbirty Chinefian Cubits bigb, tR'elve broad, and infome n laces fifteen. Xius Emperor of China, and Founder of that. Imperial Family, began this Wall, who excell'd all'the CbinefianPrinces in'the Magnitude of his Works, and the Glory of his Martial Atchievements: Having conquer'd all China by .lfujugating the Family of Cbhea, from'the Governor of a Province, he arofe to be abfolute and fole Monarch, reducing the Tartars by'manyfignal Vietories and to prevent their future Incurfions, he began this Work the twenty fecond Year'ofhis Reign, which was two hundred and ten Years before Cbrift, and in five Years fpace ccmpleated the whole Fabrick, impreffing three Men out of ten throughout the whole Empire, which amounted to many Millions. Aridlfuch was .the Compofure of compaaed and clofely joyn'd, tha might be driven between the Ston be put to Death without mercy ; b drous ifrong, that. it is the greatefl withilanding the many Viciffitude Batteries and Affaults, not only ot luges of Rain, fhaking Winds, an leaft fign of Demolifhment, nor moftas in its firffflrength, greatr whofe folidity whole Mountains, ries, were level'd, and val Def San4s, fwept clean to the firm bott There is alfo a Channel mad of Cofl and Labor, for commodio king: And although many adniire cut through the Land for Paffage ft China is admirable, beyond all their 4tla4 gives the following Account Q.q q qq +Z5
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