inhabited by bonzes to the number of three thousand, all of the sect of Heshang, or unmarried bonzes, who live a Pythagorean life.  They have built four hundred pagodas, two of which are considerable for their size and splendour, and were lately covered with green and yellow tiles, brought from the emperor’s palace at Nankin.  They are adorned within by stately idols, finely carved and gilded, the chief of these being an idol named Quonem. To-these two pagodas there are two chief priests, who govern all the rest.  They have many walks and avenues cut in different directions through the island, some of which are paved with flag-stones, and overshaded by trees planted on both sides.  The dwellings of the bonzes are the best I have seen in these parts, all of which are maintained by charitable donations.  All the Chinese junks which sail from Ning-po and Chusan touch at Pou-to, both outwards and homewards-bound, making offerings for the safety of their voyages.  There is another island named Kim-Tong,[329] five leagues from hence, on the way towards Ning-po, where a great many mandarins are said to live in retirement, after having given up their employments.  On that island there are said to be silver mines, but prohibited from being opened.  The rest of the circumjacent islands are either desert, or very meanly inhabited, but all of them abound in deer.

[Footnote 328:  The sequel of these observations is said by Harris to have been taken from another letter to the same correspondent with the former, and dated in November, 1701; but, from circumstances in the text, it would appear to have been written in 1702.—­E.]

[Footnote 329:  Probably that named Silver-island in modern maps.—­E.]

It is not long since this island of Chusan began to be inhabited.  Yet in the days of Father Martini, about fifty years ago, it was very populous for three or four years; at which time, in the fury of the Tartar conquest, it was laid entirely desolate, not even sparing the mulberry trees, which were then numerous, as they made a great deal of raw silk here.  It continued in this desolate condition till about eighteen years ago, when the walls of the present town were built by the governor of Ting-hai, as a strong-hold for a garrison, in order to expel some pirates who had taken shelter on the island.  As the island began to grow populous, a chumpeen was sent to govern it for three years, to whom the late chumpeen succeeded, who continued till last April, and procured licence to open this port to strangers.  On the last chumpeen being promoted to the government of Tien-ching-wei[330] near Pekin, he was succeeded by the present governor, who is son to the old chumpeen of Emoy.  They have no arts or manufactures in this island, except lacquered ware; the particulars of which I cannot as yet send you.  They have begun to plant mulberry-trees, in order to breed up silk-worms for the production of raw silk; and they gather and cure some tea, but chiefly for their own use.