riuers sides they make leyres of fine and strong nettes, that lye three
handfulls vnder water, and one aboue to keepe and nourish their fish in,
vntill such time as other fishers do come with boates, bringing for that
purpose certaine great chests lined with paper, able to holde water,
wherein they cary their fish vp and downe the riuer, euery day renuing the
chest with fresh water, and selling their fish in euery City, towne and
village where they passe, vnto the people as they neede it: most of them
haue net leyres to keepe fish in alwayes for their prouision. Where the
greater boates cannot passe any further forward, they take lesser, and
because the whole Countrey is very well watered, there is so great plenty
of diuers sorts of fish, that it is wonderfull to see: assuredly we were
amazed to behold the maner of their prouision. [Sidenote: Meanes to fat
fish.] Their fish is chiefly nourished with the dung of Bufles and oxen,
that greatly fatteth it. Although I said their fishing to be in March and
April at what time we saw them do it, neuerthelesse they told vs that they
fished at all times, for that vsually they do feed on fish, wherefore it
behoueth them to make their prouision continually.

When we had passed Fuquien, we went into Quicin shire, [Sidenote: He
speaketh of Fuquien shire.] where the fine clay vessell is made, as I said
before: and we came to a City, the one side whereof is built vpon the the
foote of a hill, whereby passeth a riuer nauigable: there we tooke boat,
and went by water toward the Sea: on ech side of the riuer we found many
Cities, Townes and villages, wherein we saw great store of marchandize, but
specially of fine clay: there did we land by the way to buy victuals and
other necessaries. Going downe this riuer Southward, we were glad that wee
drew neere vnto a warmer Countrey, from whence we had bene farre distant:
this Countrey we passed through in eight dayes, for our iourney lay downe
the streame. Before that I doe say any thing of that shire we came into, I
will first speake of the great City of Quicin, wherein alwayes remaineth a
Tutan, that is a gouernour, as you haue seene, though some Tutans do
gouerne two or three shires.

That Tutan that was condemned for our cause, of whom I spake before, was
borne in this Countrey, but he gouerned Foquien shire: nothing it auailed
him to be so great an officer. This Countrey is so great, that in many
places where we went, there had bene as yet