^{page 184 note *} Lettres Edifiantes, vol. xi.

^{page 189 note *} It may be proper here to notice a report which militates against our view of the subject. Some authors describe the Seres as a people remarkable for their honesty. Thus Mela says, “gens plenum justitiæ, ex commercio, quod re “bus in solitudine relictis absens peragit, notissimum.” I think it evident, that this character is solely founded upon the rumour go often repeated, that they and their neighbours carried on trade without meeting, but by merely laying down the goods in each others absence. It is remarkable, that rumours of a trade so conducted have been transmitted in all ages, from the remote extremities of the known world, without having been confirmed in any instance by the testimony of a credible eye-witness. This inclines me to believe that it is a mere poetical fable, taking refuge, like other fables, at the dim boundaries of knowledge. While such descriptions were afloat, the quiet and cautious habits of the Seres would very naturally cause the application to be made to them. If such a trade did exist, it must have been a political precaution; and, in that case, public authority would enforce that fair-dealing, without which it could not subsist. We may finally remark, that that this character is ascribed to the Seres only by secondary writers, and that Pliny and Ammianus, our best and most copious authorities, make no mention of such a feature. Ammianus, indeed, mentions the mode of trade above alluded to; but he omits entirely to draw from it the inference which is made by Mela.

^{page 191 note *} I shall mention, however, the following names, in which the resemblance is somewhat rude; but allowance must be made for the passage through Grecian organs; and the positions correspond very precisely. Chauranei (juxta Emodos Montes), Mount Chumularee. Achassa,—Lassa. Chatæ (Khatai, Gr.) Khata, on the Upper Barraimpooter. (See M. Vansittart's Account of Assam. Asiat. Research, vol. vii. Damna,—Daum. Ottorocoras,—Uttarcul or Ootrecole. This last must be understood in connection with the observations which follow in the text.