different lands and nations, belong to the most instructive and
important part of Chinese literature. From these sources we have
derived, in a great degree, that information which we possess
regarding North-eastern Asia and the Western coasts of America
during centuries which have been hitherto vailed in the deepest
obscurity.'

The earliest account, given of extended travels on the North-American
continent describes a journey from Tahan or Aloska to a distance, and
into a region which indicates the north-west coast of Mexico and the
vicinity of San Blas. The following is a literal translation made from
the original Chinese report, by Neumann:

'THE KINGDOM OF FUSANG, OR MEXICO.

'During the reign of the dynasty _Tsi_, in the first year of the
year-naming[E] 'Everlasting Origin,' (Anno Domini 499,) came a
Buddhist priest from this kingdom, who bore the cloister name of
Roci-schin, that is, Universal Compassion, (_Allgemeins
Mitleiden_: according to King-tscheu it signifies 'an old
name,[F]') to the present district of Hukuang, and those
surrounding it, who narrated that 'Fusang is about twenty thousand
Chinese miles in an easterly direction from Tahan, and east of the
middle kingdom. Many Fusang-trees grow there, whose leaves
resemble the Dryanda Cordifolia;[G] the sprouts, on the contrary,
resemble those of the bamboo-tree,[H] and are eaten by the
inhabitants of the land. The fruit is like a pear in form, but is
red. From the bark they prepare a sort of linen, which they use
for clothing, and also a sort of ornamented stuff.[I] The houses
are built of wooden beams; fortified and walled places a unknown.

'THEIR WRITING AND CIVIL REGULATIONS.

'They have written characters in this land, and prepare paper from
the bark of the Fusang. The people have no weapons, and make no
wars, but in the arrangements of the kingdom they have a northern
and a southern prison. Trifling offenders were lodged in the
southern, but those confined for greater offenses in the northern;
so that those who were about to receive grace could be placed in
the southern prison, and those to the contrary in the northern.
Those men and women who were imprisoned for life were allowed to
marry. The boys resulting from these marriages were, at the age of
eight years, sold for slaves; the girls not until their ninth
year