PURCHAS HIS PILGRIMES
moderate the Sentence, which the two Procurers brought us. [III. ii. 265.] Wee and thirtie others were embarked, chained with long chaines, the two Procurers procuring us some cloth- ing, and Rice, and commending us to Chifu, the Officer or Captaine appointed to carrie us, with a Certificate in our behalfe to procure us almes. The Rivers being then high swollen hindred our journey. Three dayes wee stayed at a Village called Mincacutem, where Chifu dwelt, and embarked his wife and children ; wee were tyed to the seats where wee rowed, and could not have perfect sight of the Cities, yet thus much wee observed. The Jesuites place this Citie in 32. and in other places they likewise disagree in their calculation. The reason I suppose is, that Pinto never observed the height by Instrument) nor perhaps had skill thereby; this he confesseth, cap. 105 .pag. 222. but followed the Maps which at his returne he saw, which have placed Nanquin in that height, falsly, as I conceive to keepe others from the true knowledge of these parts; a usuall in Nanquim is in 39. degrees and a third, washed by the River Batampina, which signifieth The flower of fish : which River, as I was then told and after saw, comes from Tartaria, out of the Lake Fanostir, nine leagues from the Citie Lan^ame, where Tamerlane King of the Tartars resided. This Lake is eight and twentie leagues long, and twelve broad, very deepe, and yeelds five Rivers ; first, this of Batampina, running thorow the midst of China three hundred and sixtie leagues, and entring the Bay of Nanquin in 36. degrees. The second Lechune which goeth alongst the Hills of Pancruum, & dividing the Land of Cauchim, and Catebenan, which within the Countrey confines with the Kingdome of Champaa in 16. degrees. The third is Tauquiday, that is. The mother of waters, passing West North-west by the Kingdome of Nacataas (a Land whence China was peopled) and falls into the Sea in the Kingdome of Sornau, or Siam, by the Barre of Cuy an hundred and thirtie leagues beneath Patane. The fourth River is Batobasoy, which passing by the Province of Sansim (which was drowned An. 1556.) goeth into the Sea by the Barre of Cosmim in the Kingdome of Pegu. Leysacotay is the fifth, runneth Eastward to the Archipelagus (as the Chinois say) of Xinxinpou, which confineth the Mos- covites, entring into a Sea innavigable, as being in 70. degrees of latitude. The Chinois affirme, that in Nanquin are eight hundred thousand housholds, foure and
twentie thousand houses of Mandarines, sixtie two great94
