It passes the belief of one who has not been
there, and yet peradventure these authors tell us no lie." Wassaf speaks of
360 bridges only, but they make up in size what they lack in number, for
they cross canals as big as the Tigris! Marsden aptly quotes in reference
to this point excessively loose and discrepant statements from modern
authors as to the number of bridges in Venice. The great height of the
arches of the canal bridges in this part of China is especially noticed by
travellers. Barrow, quoted by Marsden, says: "Some have the piers of such
an extraordinary height that the largest vessels of 200 tons sail under
them without striking their masts."
[Illustration: Plan of the Imperial City of Hangchow in the 13th Century.
(From the Notes of the Right Rev. G.E. Moule.)]
Mr. Moule has added up the lists of bridges in the whole department (or
Fu) and found them to amount to 848, and many of these even are now
unknown, their approximate sites being given from ancient topographies.
The number represented in a large modern map of the city, which I owe to
Mr. Moule's kindness, is III.
NOTE 3. - Though Rubruquis (p. 292) says much the same thing, there is
little trace of such an ordinance in modern China.
