Though the Ihips, in confequenee of the Viceroy’s permit, found
no difficulty in purchafing provifions for their daily confumption j
yet it was impoffible that the Commodore could proceed to England
without laying in a large quantity both of provifions and naval
ftores for his ufe, during the voyage. The procuring this fup-
ply was attended with much perplexity 5 for there were people at
Canton who had undertaken to furnifh him with bifcuit and whatever
elfe he wanted; and his linguift, towards the middle of September,
had affured him, from day to day, that all was ready, and
would be fenton board him immediately.. But a fortnight being
elapfed, and nothing brought, the Commodore fent to Canton to
enquire more particularly into the reafons of this difappointment:
And he had foon the vexation to be informed, that the whole was
an illufion ; that no order had been procured from the Viceroy, to
furnifh him with his fea-ltores, as had been pretended ; that there
was no bifcuit baked, nor any one of the articles in readinefs, which
had been promifed him; nor did it appear, that the contractors had
taken the leaft ftep to comply with their agreement. This was
moft difagreeable news, and made it fufpedted, that the furnifhing
the Centurion for her return to Great-Britain, might prove a more
troublefome matter than had been hitherto imagined; efpecially too,
as the month of September was nearly ended, without Mr. Anfon’s
having received any meffage from the Viceroy of Canton.
And here perhaps it might be expedted, that a fatisfadory account
fhould be given of the motives of the Cbinefe for this faith-
lefs procedure. However, as I have already, in a .former chapter,
made fome kind of conjectures about a fimilar event, I (hall
not repeat them again in this place j but ffiall content myfelf
with obferving, that after all, it may perhaps be impoffible for
an European, ignorant of the cuftoms and manners of that nation,
to be fully apprifed of the real incitements to this behaviour.
Indeed, thus much may undoubtedly be aflerted, that
in artifice, falfhood, and an attachment to all kinds of lucre,
many of the Cbinefe are difficult to be paralleled by any other
peoplej'
people. But then the particular application o f thefe talents, and
the manner in which they operate on every emergency, are often
beyond the reach o f a Foreigner’s penetration: So that though it
may be furely concluded, that the Cbinefe had fome intereft in
thus amufing the Commodore, yet it may not be eafy to affign
the individual views by which they were influenced. And, that
I may not be thought too fevere in afcribing to this Nation a
fraudulent and felfifh turn o f temper, fo contradictory to the cha-
radter given of them in the legendary accounts of the Romijh Mif-
fionaries, I fhall here mention an extraordinary tranfadlion or two,
which I conceive will be fome kind of confirmation of what I
have advanced.
When the Commodore lay firft at Macao,-one o f his officers,
who had been extremely ill, defired leave of him to go on fhore
every day on a neighbouring Ifland, imagining that a walk upon
the land would contribute greatly to the reftoring of his health.
The Commodore would have difluaded him from it, fufpeCting the
tricks of the Cbinefe •, but the officer continuing importunate, in the
end the boat was ordered to carry him thither. TheSrft day he was
put on fhore he took his exercife, and returned without receiving any
moleftation, or even feeing any of the inhabitants ; but the fecond
day he was afiaulted, juft after his arrival, by a great number of
Cbinefe, who had been hoeing rice in the neighbourhood, and who
beat him fo violently with the handles of their hoes, that they foon
laid him on the ground, incapable of refiftance; after which
they robbed him, taking from him his fword, the hilt of which
was filver, his money, his watch, gold-headed cane, fiiuff-box,
fleeve-buttons and hat, with feveral other trinkets. In the mean
time the boat’s crew, who were at a little diftance, and had no
arms of any kind with them, were incapable of giving him any
relief j till at laft one o f them flew on the fellow who had the
fword in his poffeffion, and wrefting it out o f his hands, drew it,
and with it was preparing to fall on the Cbinefe, fome o f whom
: he could not have failed of killing. But the officer, perceiving
E e e what