a cluster of small islands on the east coast of China, which were visited by Lord Macartney in his course to Pekin. Most of these islands seem to be hills rising regularly out of the sea, and rounded at top, as if any points or angles existing in their original formation had been gradually worn off into a globular and uniform shape. Many of them, though close to each other, are divided by channels of great depth. They rest upon a foundation of grey or red granite, some part resembling porphyry, except in hardness. They were, certainly, not formed by the successive alluvion from the earth brought into the sea by the great river at whose mouth they are situated, like the numerous low and muddy islands at the mouth of the Po, and many others; but should rather be considered as the remains of part of the continent thus scoured and furrowed, as it were, into islands, by the force of violent torrents carrying off, further into the sea, whatever was less resolute than the rocks just mentioned. Some of them wore a very inviting aspect; one in particular, called Poo-tou, is described as a perfect paradise. This spot was chosen, no doubt, for its natural beauties, and afterwards embellished, by a set of religious men, who, to the number of three thousand, possess the whole of it, living there in a state of celibacy. It contains four hundred temples, to each of which are annexed dwelling houses and gardens for the accommodation of those monks. This large monastery, as it may be called, is richly endowed, and its fame is spread throughout the empire.

The English East India Company had once a factory at Chusan, the principal of these islands, from which they were many years ago interdicted. This, according to the account of a Chinese merchant who remembered the factory, was not occasioned by any offence given by the English, but by the avarice of the officers governing at Canton, who draw large sums from the accumulation of foreign trade in that port. Perhaps, too, the excessive jealousy of the Chinese government might fancy danger in the unrestrained communication between foreigners and the subjects of that empire in several of its ports at the same time.

Ting-hai, the chief town of Chusan, resembles Venice, but on a smaller scale. It is surrounded, as well as intersected, by canals, over which are thrown steep bridges, ascended by steps like the Rialto. The streets are narrow, and paved with square flat stones; but the houses, unlike the Venetian buildings, are low and mostly of one story. The ornaments of these buildings are confined chiefly to the roofs, on the ridges of which are uncouth figures of animals in clay, stone, or iron. The town is full of shops, containing chiefly articles of clothing, food, and furniture, displayed to full advantage. Even coffins are painted in a variety of lively and contrasting colours. The smaller quadrupeds, including dogs, intended for food, are exposed alive for sale, as well as poultry, and fish in tubs of water, with cels in sand. When the gentlemen belonging to the embassy were at Ting-hai, they were struck with the number of places where tin-leaf and sticks of odoriferous wood were sold for burning in the temples, which indicated no slight degree of superstition in the people. Superstition, however, made them not idle; for throughout the whole place there was a quick and active industry. Men passed busily through the streets, while not an individual was seen asking alms; and the women were employed in the shops. At Chusan, the number of valuable harbours, or places of perfect security for ships of any burden, is almost equal to the number of islands. This advantage, together with that of their central situation, in respect to the eastern coast of China, and the vicinity of Korea, Japan, Loo-koo, and Formosa, attract considerable commerce, especially to Ning-poo, a city of great trade in the adjoining province of Che-chiang, to which all the Chusan islands are annexed. From one port in that province twelve vessels sail annually for copper to Japan.

According to Brookes, Chusan is in N. Lat. 30° 0' E. Long. 124° O.