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with the race of beings, but in the dreadful situation to which this one is reduced. Why, therefore, not attempt to improve and to benefit the individuals of which it is composed?

The slaves of Brazil are regularly married according to the forms of the Catholic church; the bans are published in the same manner as those of free persons; and I have seen many happy couples (as happy at least as slaves can be) with large families of children rising around them. The masters encourage marriages among their slaves, for it is from these lawful connections that they can expect to increase the number of their creoles. A slave cannot marry without the consent of his master, for the vicar will not publish the banns of marriage without this sanction. It is likewise permitted that slaves should marry free persons; if the woman is in bondage, the children remain in the same state; but if the man is a slave, and she is free, their offspring is also free. A slave cannot be married until the requisite prayers have been learnt, the nature of confession be understood, and the sacrament can be received. Upon the estates the master or manager is soon made acquainted with the predilections of the slaves for each other, and these being discovered, marriage is forthwith determined upon, and the irregular proceed ings are made lawful. In towns there is more licentiousness among the negroes, as there is among all other classes of men. The passion of love is supposed only to exist in a certain state of civilization, and this may be granted without at the same time declaring that negroes

are incapable of lasting attachment, without supposing that the regard of each sex is mere animal desire, unconnected with predilection. That species of affection which is heightened until personal possession is almost forgotten; doubtless is not felt by human beings who are in a state of barbarism; but still a negro may be attached; he may fix upon one object in preference to all others. That this is the case, I can vouch; I have known and have heard of many instances in which punishments and other dangers have been braved to visit a chosen one; in which journies by night have been made after a day of fatigue; in which great constancy has been shown, and a determination that the feelings of the heart shall not be controlled.

NARRATIVE OF A VOYAGE

Of his Majesty's late Ship Alceste, to the Yellow Sea, &c. &c. to the Island of Lewchew: By John M'Leod, Surgeon of the Alceste.

The island of Lewchew is about fifty miles long and from twelve to fifteen broad; Napa-kiang, our position, (and within five miles of Kint-ching, the capital,) lying in lat. 26° 14' N., long. 127° 52′ 1′′ E. This is its south-west point, the main body of the island extending from hence north a little eastwardly. It is washed on the one side by the Northern Pacific Ocean, and on the other by the Tung Hai, or Eastern Sea.

The rocks about it are all of the coral kind, and immense masses, some assuming very odd shapes, 2 E 2

were

were seen every where along the sea-shore; and many of the same formation were found on the higher land, at some distance from the beach, whose situation is not easily to be accounted for, unless we suppose them to have been elevated by the force of volcanic fire.

It is the principal island of a group of thirty-six, subject to the same monarch, and the seat of the government. The natives trace their history back to a period long anterior to the Christian era; but their first communication with the rest of the world, when their accounts became fully corroborated and undisputed, was about the year 605, when they were invaded by China, who found them at that time-a time when England and the greater part of Europe were immersed in barbarism-the same kind of people they are at the present day, with the exception of a few Chinese innovations; or, at least, they appear to have altered but in a very slight degree. Indeed, it is very obvious that a revolution in manners, and alteration of habits, are by no means so likely to occur with a people thus living in an obscure and secluded state, as among those who have a wider intercourse with other nations. The only connexion which the Lewchewans have had with their neighbours, and that but very limited, has been with Japan and China, from neither of whom they were likely to receive any example of change.

The clearest, and, perhaps, the only account given of their history is by Su-poa-Koang, a Chinese doctor or philosopher, who was, in 1719, sent as embassador to

them. The following is the substance of his report as to their origin :-"The Lewchewan tradition states, that, in the beginning, one man and one woman were produced in the great void or chaos. They had the joint name of Omo-mey-kieou. From their union sprung three sons and two daughters; the eldest of the sons had the title of Tien-sun, or Grandson of Heaven, and was the first king of Lewchew; the second was the father of the tributary princes; the rest of the people acknowledge the third as their progenitor. The eldest daughter had the title of Celestial Spirit; the second the Spirit of the Sea. After the death of Tien-sun, twenty-five dynasties reigned successively in this country, occupying (according to their story) a period of 17,802 years previous to the time of Chuntein, who commenced his reign in 1187. This is their fabulous history, of which they are very jealous; but nothing certain was known until 605, before which the inhabitants of Formosa and the adjacent islands were denominated by the Chinese the Oriental Barbarians. In this year the emperor sent to examine them; but, from want of interpreters, no clear account was obtained. They brought back, however, some of the islanders to Sin-gan-foo, the capital of the province of Chen-si, and the seat of the court under the Souy dynasty. Some Japanese, who happened to be there, knew the people, and described them as a race of barbarians. The Emperor Yang-ti sent forthwith some who understood their language to Lewchew, to command their homage, and acknowledg

ment

ment of him as their sovereign. The prince of Lewchew haughtily replied, that he would own none as his superior. A fleet with ten thousand men was now fitted out from Amoi and the ports of Fokien, which force, overcoming the efforts of the islanders, landed at Lewchew; and the king, who had put himself at the head of his people to repel the enemy, being killed, the Chinese burned the capital, and, carrying off five thousand of the natives, as slaves, returned to China. From this, until 1291, the Lewchewans were left unmolested, when Chit-soo, an emperor of the Yuen family, reviving his pretensions, fitted out a fleet against them from the ports of Fo-kien; but, from various causes, it never proceeded farther than the western coast of Formosa, and from thence returned unsuccessful to China. In the year 1372, Hong-ou, emperor of China, and founder of the Ming dynasty, sent a great mandarin to Tsaytou, who governed in Tchon-chan, the country being at this period divided, in consequence of civil disturbances, into three kingdoms, who, in a private audience, acquitted himself with such address as to persuade the king to declare himself tributary to China, and to request of the emperor the investiture of his estate.

"Having thus managed by finesse what arms had been unable to effect, the emperor took care to receive, with great distinction, the envoys sent by their master. They brought offerings of fine horses, scented woods, sulphur, copper, and tin, and were sent back again with rich presents for

the king and queen; among which was a gold seal.

"The two kings of the other districts, Chan-pe and Chan-nan, followed the example of Tchonchan, and their submission was most graciously received. Thirtysix Chinese families were sent to live in Cheouli, where grants of land were conceded to them; here they taught the Chinese written characters, introduced Chinese books, and the ceremonies in honour of Confucius. The sons of the Lewchewan grandees were also sent to Nankin to study Chinese, and were educated with distinction, at the expense of the emperor.

"The reigns of Ou-ning and Tse-chao, the son and grandson of Tsay-tou, presented nothing extraordinary; but that of Changpa-chi was marked by the reunion of Chan-pe and Chan-nan with Tchon-chan into one kingdom, and the government has since continued in the hands of a single chief. Lewchew is said henceforth to have had considerable intercourse with China and Japan in the way of commerce, much to her advantage, and to have even mediated between those two powers when misunderstandings had occurred.

"The famous Tay-cosama, however, emperor of Japan, whom the Chinese call ambitious, piratical, irreligious, cruel, and debauched, because he had pillaged their coasts, sent a haughty letter to Chang-ning, commanding him to transfer his homage from China to Japan; which Chang-ning, as firmly refused. Notwithstanding the death of Tay-cosama, the Ja

panese

panese fitted out a fleet at Satsuma, made a descent on Lewchew, took the king prisoner, and carried him off, having plundered the palace, and killed one of his near relations, who also resisted the acknowledgment of the Japanese. During a captivity of two years, Chang-ning acquired the admiration of the captors by his unyielding firmness and constancy in refusing to swerve from his first allegiance, and they generously sent him back to his states.

"The Tartar dynasty, soon after this, was placed, by conquest, on the throne of China, and made some alteration in the nature of the tribute to be paid, stipulating that envoys, in future, should be sent to Pekin only once in two years. Cang-hi paid much attention to the welfare of Lewchew; and his memory to this day is much respected by the people. It is said to be nearly a thousand years since the bonzes of the sect of Fo introduced their mode of worship into these islands, which has continued to the present time. "When they make a vow, it is not before the statues or images of their idols; but they burn incense, and, placing themselves in a respectful attitude before certain consecrated stones, which are to be seen in various public situations, they repeat some mysterious words, said to have been dictated by the divine daughters of Omomey-kieou. They have also among them a set of holy women, who worship certain spirits deemed powerful among them, and who visit the sick, give medicines, and recite prayers. This seems to have given rise to the accusation of an old missionary at Japan, who said

they practised sorcery and witchcraft. Cang-hi likewise introduced among them the adoration of a new deity, under the name of Tien-fey, or Celestial Queen. Polygamy is allowed here, as in China, but seldom practised. Men and women of the same surname cannot intermarry. The king can only take a wife from one of three great families, who always hold the most distinguished posts: there is also a fourth, of the highest consideration, but with which the princes cannot form an alliance, because it is doubtful whether that family is not itself of the royal line. Their chiefs are generally hereditary, but not always; for men of merit are promoted, and all are liable to be degraded for improper conduct. The king's revenue arises from his own domains; from imposts on salt, sulphur, copper, tin, and several other articles; and from this income he defrays the expenses of the state, and the salaries of the great officers.

"These salaries consist nominally in a certain number of bags of rice; but they are paid generally in silks, and various other necessary articles of clothing and food, in proportions equal to the value of so many bags of that grain. All their interior commerce or marketing is performed by the women and girls at regulated times. They carry their little loads upon their heads with singular dexterity, consisting of the usual necessaries of life and wearing apparel, which they exchange for what they more immediately want, or for the copper coin of China and Japan. The men are said to be neat workmen

in gold, silver, copper, and other metals; and there are manufactories of silk, cotton, flax, and paper. They also build very good vessels, quite large enough to undertake voyages to China and Japan, where their barks are much esteemed. They have adopted the Chinese calendar with respect to the division of the month and year. This island produces rice, wheat, and all sorts of vegetables, in abundance. The people of the coast are expert fishermen, and the sea and rivers are well furnished with fish. They are famous divers, and obtain shells and mother-of-pearl, very much esteemed in China and Japan.

"They possess many woods proper for dying; and one tree in particular yields an oil which is held in great repute. They have likewise a great variety of most delicate fruits, oranges, citrons, lemons, long-y-ven, lee-tchees, grapes, &c. Wolves, tigers, and bears, are unknown; but they have many useful animals, such as horses, water-dogs, black cattle, stags, poultry, geese, peacocks, pigeons, doves, &c.

"The camphor, cedar, and ebony, are among the number of their trees; and they have also wood well fitted for ship-building, and for public edifices. They are represented as disdaining slavery, lying, and cheating. They are fond of games and amusements, and celebrate, with much pomp, the worship of their idols, at the end and commencement of the year; and there exists much union among the branches of families, who give frequent and cheerful entertainments to each other."

The dress of these people is as

remarkable for its simplicity as it is for its elegance. The hair, which is of a glossy black, (black anointed with an oleaginous substance, obtained from the leaf of a tree,) is turned up from before, from behind, and on both sides, to the crown of the head, and there tied close down; great care being taken that all should be perfectly smooth; and the part of the hair beyond the fastening, or string, being now twisted into a neat little top-knot, is there retained by two fasteners, called camesashee and usisashee, made either of gold, silver, or brass, according to the circumstances of the wearer; the former of these having a little star on the end of it, which points forward. This mode of hair-dressing is practised with the greatest uniformity, from the highest to the lowest of the males, and has a very pleasing effect, whether viewed singly, or when they are gathered together. At the age of ten years the boys are entitled to the usisashee, and at fifteen they wear both. Except those in office, who wear only a cap on duty, they appear to have no covering for the head, at least in fine weather. Interiorly, they wear a kind of shirt, and a pair of drawers, but over all a loose robe, with white sleeves, and a broad sash round their middle. They have sandals on their feet, neatly formed of straw; and the higher orders have also white gaiters, coming above the ancle. The quality of their robes depends on that of the individual.—The superior classes wear silk of various hues, with a sash of contrasting colour, sometimes interwoven with gold. The lower orders make use of a sort of cotton stuff, generally

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