These Are Three
Or Four Cubits In Length, And As Large About As Can Be Grasped By Both
Hands, Growing Smaller Towards The End Which Is Fitted To The Mouth.
On the
outside, they are adorned with Chinese ink, and may be heard at the
distance of a mile.
Each city has four gates, at each of which five of
these trumpets are stationed, which are sounded at certain hours of the day
and night. There are also ten drums in each city, which are beaten at the
same times; and this is done as a public token of obedience to the emperor,
and to point out the hours of the day and night to the inhabitants; and for
ascertaining the time; they have sun dials, and clocks with weights[11].
In China they use a great quantity of copper money, like that named falus
by the Arabians, which is the only sort of small money, and is current all
over the country, and is indeed the only current coin. Yet their emperor
has treasures like other kings, containing abundance of gold and silver,
with jewels, pearls, silk, and vast quantities of rich stuffs of all kinds,
which are only considered as moveables or merchandize; and from foreign
commerce they derive ivory, frankincense, copper in bars, tortoise shell,
and unicorns horns, with which they adorn their girdles. Of animals they
have abundance, particularly of beasts of burden; such as oxen, horses,
asses, and camels; but they have no Arabian horses.
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