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ANAM. 363
In ascending the river to the Mandarin's, we soon
quitted the branch which we first occupied, and turn-
ing to the right, entered a fine and wide canal, partly
natural and partly artificial. This canal surrounds
three sides of the capital, and, at both extremities, joins
the great river, which lies in front of the fourth. The
canal is about forty or fifty yards wide at its lowest
part, where we entered ; it becomes narrower as you
it is little more
ascend, and, at the upper extremity,
than eighteen or twenty yards across. It is main-
tained in perfect order. The sides are regularly sloped,
and supported by embankments where requisite. Its
depth would appear to be, in most parts, about eight
feet. It affords the double advantage of an outward
defence of the place, for which it was doubtless ori~
ginally intended, as it bounds the glacis throughout
its course, and of water -conveyance to the various
parts of an extensive city.
" We had seen little more than the bare walls of
our habitation since our arrival. The most beautiful
and luxuriant scenery now burst upon our view ; and
we soon agreed, that the banks of the river of Hue
present the most beautiful and interesting scenery of
any river we had seen in Asia. Its beauties, how-
ever, are the gifts of nature, more than of art. A vast
expanse of water, conveyed by a magnificent river
through a fertile valley, not so wide but that the eye
can compass its several parts ; ridges of lofty and bold
mountains in the distance ; the cocoa-nut, the areca,
of bamboos that
the banana, the sugar-cane ; hedges
wave their elegant tops in the air ; and rows of that
beautiful plant, the hibiscus ;
are the principal mate-
rials which, grouped in various forms, delight the eye.
From this, we must not separate the not less interest-
ing prospect of numerous and apparently comfortable