iver of Siam, which falls into the sea in lat. 14 deg. N.[83]
and has its rise in the lake of Chiammay, called by the natives Menam,
signifying the source of two rivers. Upon this coast are the towns of
Pam, Ponciam, Calantaon, Patane, Ligor, Cuii, Perperii, and Bamplacot at
the mouth of the Siam river.

[Footnote 83: The river of Siam falls into the great gulf of the same
name, in lat. 18 deg. 30' N. But De Faria seems to overlook the gulf.--E.]

The _eighth_ district contains the kingdom of Cambodia, through which
runs the river Mecon, otherwise called the Japanese river, which has its
rise in China; the kingdom of Champa or Tsiompa, whence comes the true
aloes-wood; next to that is the kingdom of Cochin-China;[84] and last of
all the great empire of China, divided into fifteen provinces of
governments, each of which is equal to a great kingdom. The provinces of
this vast empire on the sea-coast are Quantung, Fokein, and Chekiang,
where ends the eighth district[85]

The _ninth_ district begins with the province of Nanking, and extends to
the farthest discovered land on the coast of Tartary.

[Footnote 84: De Faria omits the kingdom of Tonkin or Tonquin, which
intervenes between Cochin-China and China: Perhaps at that time Tonkin
may have been: De Faria is incorrect in his account of the provinces of
China. Those on the coast are, Quantung, Footchien, Tchetchiang,
Kiangnan, Shantang, Petcheli; or _six_ maritime provinces, instead of
_three_ only in the text. The others are, Yunnan, Quangsee, Kaeitchou,
Hooquang, Setchuen, Sifan, Honan, Shensee, and Shansee; or _nine_ inland
provinces; making _fifteen_ in all, as in the text.--E.]

[Footnote 85: Or Nizam-al-mulk, and Adel-khan.--E.]

I shall speak in the sequel concerning the many islands along this
extensive coast of Asia, as they came to be discovered in the
navigations of the Portuguese; but the principal of them may be here
mentioned by name, as the Maldives, Ceylon, Sumatra, Java, Borneo,
Banda, Timor, Celebes, the Moluccas, Mindanao, Luconia, and Japan.
Having thus given a sketch of the Asian coast, we proceed to consider
its inhabitants. Although there are many and various modes of worship in
Asia, the chief religions may be mentioned under four heads, the
Christian, Jewish, Mahometan, and Pagan; the two first of which are for
the most part under the slavery of the other two, against which the
Portuguese waged war. The power of the Mahometans and Pagans is t