frontiers with the Laos and Annamese, partly by means of the headwaters of the Meinam and Meikon, which are supposed to communicate with each other by a natural canal, and partly by caravans over the mountains. Yunnan fu was the capital of a Chinese prince about the time of the decadence of the Ming dynasty, who had rendered himself independent in this part of their empire by the overthrow of the rebel Lí, but having linked his fortunes with an imbecile scion of that house, he displeased his officers, and his territories gradually fell under the sway of the conquering Manchus. The southern and western districts of the province are inhabited by half-subdued tribes of Laos origin, who are governed by their own rulers, under the nominal sway of the Chinese, and pass and repass across the frontiers in pursuit of trade or occupation. The productions of Yunnan are chiefly mineral, but no data are accessible as to the amount obtained from the mines. The elephant, rhinoceros, tapir, tiger, wild boar, and other wild animals occur in its jungles, and birds of brilliant plumage inhabit the forests.

CHAPTER IV.

Geographical Description of Manchuria, Mongolia, Ílí, and Tibet.

THE portions of the Chinese Empire beyond the limits of the Eighteen Provinces, though of far greater extent, are comparatively of minor importance. Their vast regions are peopled by different races, whose languages are mutually unintelligible, and whose tribes are held together under the Chinese sway rather by interest and reciprocal hostilities or dislike, than by force. European geographers have termed all that space lying north of Tibet to Siberia, and east of the Tsung ling to the Pacific, Chinese Tartary; while the countries west of the Tsung ling or Belur tag, to the Aral sea, have been collectively called Independent Tartary. Both these names should be erased from all maps of those regions, both because their inhabitants are neither all Tartars or Mongols, nor Turks, and because the native names and divisions are more definite than a single comprehensive one. Such names as Manchuria, Mongolia, Songaria, and Turkestan, derived from the leading tribes dwelling in those countries, are more definite, though these are not permanent, owing to the migratory, changeable habits of the people. From their ignorance of scientific geography, the Chinese have no general designations for extensive countries, long chains of mountains, or devious rivers, but apply many names where, if they knew more, they would be content with one.

The following table presents a general view of these countries, giving their leading divisions and forms of government. They cannot be classed, however, in the same manner as the provinces, nor are the divisions and capitals here given to be regarded as definitely settled. Their united area is 3,951,130 sq. m., or a little more than all Europe; their separate areas cannot be exactly given. Manchuria contains about 700,000 sq. m.; Mongolia between 1,300,000 and 1,500,000 sq. m.; Ílí about 1,070,000 sq. m.; and Tibet from 500,000 to 700,000 sq. m.

EXTENT OF MANCHURIA.

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MANCHURIA comprises all the most eastern portion of the high table land of Central Asia, and lies between latitudes 42° and 58° N., and longitudes 120° to 142° E. It is bounded on the north by the Yablonoi-Khrebet or Outer Hing-an mountains, which separate it from the Russian province of Yakoutsk; east by the channel of Tartary, and sea of Japan; south by Corea and gulf of Pechele; south-west by the Great Wall; west by Mongolia and the Inner Hing-an or Sialkoi mountains; and north-west by the Kerlon river and Daourian mountains. The area of this vast region is probably 700,000 square miles. The limits between it and Mongolia commence at the Great Wall, and are marked by a palisade running north-east for more than two degrees to the Songari river, and down that stream to latitude 46°, and thence by its branch the Khailar, north-westerly to the Sialkoi, and north to the Daourian ranges.

Only a small portion of this vast region has ever been traversed by Europeans, and most of it is a wilderness. The entire population is not stated in the census of 1812, and from the nature of the country and wandering habits of the people, many tribes of whom render no allegiance to the emperor, it would be impossible to take a regular census; there are probably more than 2,000,000 in all. Parts of Manchuria, as here defined, have been known under many names at different periods. Liautung (i. e. East of the river Liau) has been applied to the country between that river, Corea, and the sea of Japan; Tungking (Eastern Capital) referred to the chief town of that region, under the Ming dynasty; and Kwantung (East of the Pass) denoted the same country.

Manchuria is comprised mostly in the valleys of the Songari and Sagalien rivers and their tributaries in the north, and the Liau river in the south. There are three principal mountain chains. The Sih-hih-tih mountains extend from the boundary of Corea, in latitude 40° in a north-eastern direction along the sea-coast to the mouth of the Sagalien in 52° N., rising on an average 4500 feet, and covered with forests. Its eastern declivities are so near the ocean, that only a narrow strip of arable land is left, which is inhabited by a race allied to the Ainos or natives of Yeso, and having little intercourse with the Manchus. The southern extremity of this range from about latitude 43°, bears the Manchu name of Kolmin-shanguin alin, and the Chinese

name of Changpeh shan, or Long White mountains, extending across Liautung to the north of the Liau ho and other rivers. This part of the range bears ten or twelve names on Chinese maps. One spur called Little White mountains reaches north to 43° near Kirin hotun, and is distinguished by a peak called Pecha, supposed to be 15,000 feet high.

The second range is separated from the Sih-hih-tih on the north only by the valley of the Sagalien. It is the Yablonoi-Khrebet and its spurs, which extend under a variety of names into Tsitsihar; there are two principal spurs, one north of the great bend of the Sagalien, and the other between it and the Chikiri, one of its affluents. The Inner Hingan, or Sialkoi range, extends over a great part of Mongolia, commencing near the bend of the Yellow river, and reaching in a north-easterly direction, forms in Manchuria three sides of the extensive valley of the Nonni, ending between the Sagalien and Songari at their junction. Most of these ranges are covered with forests, but of their height, productions, and climate, little is known.

The whole country north of the Long White mountains is drained by one river, viz. the Sagalien, Amur, Kwăntung, or Hehlung kiang (for it is known by all these names), and its affluents; Sagalien ula in Manchu, and Hehlung kiang in Chinese, both mean Black or Black Dragon river; the name Kwantung is given to the stream on Chinese maps when it enters the ocean. The Sagalien drains the eastern slope of Central Asia by a circuitous course, aided by many large tributaries. Its source is in latitude 50° N., and longitude 110° E., in a spur of the Daourian mountains called Kenteh, where it is called the Onon, and on whose banks Genghis first distinguished himself. After an east and north-east course of nearly five hundred miles, the Onon is joined by the Ingoda in longitude 115° E., a stream rising east of lake Baikal, beyond which point, under the Russian name of Shilka, it flows about two hundred and sixty miles north-east till it meets the Argun coming from the south at Ft. Baklanova. The Argun is fully as long as the upper stream. It rises about three

degrees south of the Onon, on the south side of the Kenteh, and under the name of Kerlon runs in a general north-east course for four hundred and thirty miles across the country of the Kalkas, receiving few tributaries, to lake Hurun; a large stream, called the Kalka, here comes in from lake Pir or Puyur, and