Illustrated Treatise on the Maritime Kingdoms: Volume 62

The Outer Atlantic: The Eastern Route of America

Page 4

...[reaching several] zhang original: "zhang." A Chinese unit of length approximately equal to 3.3 meters or 11 feet. in height. Surrounded by myriad mountains, the waters all flow into the Atlantic Ocean. In the southern regions, the sea tides often rise by ten to thirty feet original: "one, two, or three zhang." This likely refers to the dramatic tidal ranges of the Gulf of Maine and the Bay of Fundy.. Even during the severe cold of the winter months, the ice rarely freezes over [the harbors]. The northern regions, however, are freezing and bitter; the snow reaches four or five feet deep and does not melt for several months. The surface of the water freezes into thick ice, capable of supporting the passage of both people and horses. The summers are sweltering and humid; consequently, people easily fall ill during the transitions between winter and summer.

The southern part of the territory is approximately fifty or sixty li A Chinese mile, roughly 500 meters. from the Great Western Ocean The Atlantic.. In the gravelly and muddy wetlands, the production of the five grains A traditional Chinese term for staple crops including rice, wheat, and millets. is the most abundant, with broomcorn and beans being secondary.

The interior of the land is fertile, high, and level. Generally, the land is vast and the population is sparse, characterized by lush and verdant forests. The mountains produce iron. Livestock includes horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs. Forest trees include pine, oak, birch, and elm. Fruits include crabapples, peaches, grapes original: "puti," often referring to the Bodhi tree, but used in 19th-century geographical texts to phonetically approximate "grapes" (budao) or refer to similar fruit-bearing trees., pears, and plums.

Timber, however, is extremely cheap. The fishing population earns over five hundred thousand silver [dollars] annually. Trade consists of woolens and flannels original: "da xiao ni," literally "large and small woolens," referring to broadcloth and finer fabrics., cotton, paper, tanned hides, candles, and ironware. Among these, timber is the most significant; ocean-going ships from all nations obtain their supplies here.