Dece79bc waxen idol, in a cafe o f g ilt leather, before which flood a
* pot containing lighted tapers made o f dry chips, or matches,
and gum. T he hire o f this boat was a Spaniih dollar.
I reached Canton a little after it was dark, and landed at
the Engliih faitory , where, though my arrival was very un-
expedled, I was received with every mark o f attention and
civility. The Seleft Committee, at this time, confifted o f
M r .'F itzh u gh the Prelident, Mr. Bevan and Mr. Rapier.
T h e y immediately gave me an account o f fuch ftores as the
India Clips were able to afford u s ; and though I have not
the' fmalleft doubt, that the Commanders were defirous
o f afiifting us with every thing they could fpare, confidently
with a regard to their own fafety, and the intereft o f
their employers, yet it was a great difappointment to me to
find in their lift fcarcely any articles o f cordage or canvafs,
o f both which we flood principally in need. It was, however,
fome confolation to underftand, that the ftores were
in readinefs for fhipping, and that the provifions we re quired
might be had at a day’s notice. Wifhin g therefore
to make my flay here as fhort as poffible, I requefted the
gentlemen to procure jun ks or boats for me the next day,
with an intention o f leaving Canton the following o n e ; but
I was foon informed, that a bufinefs o f that kind was not to
be tranfa&ed fo rapidly in this country ; that leave muft be
firft procured from the V ic e ro y ; that the Hoppo, or principal
officer Of the cuftoms muft be applied to for chops, or permits
; and that thefe favours were not granted without mature
deliberation; in fhort, that patience was an indifpenfable
virtue in C h in a ; and that they hoped to have the pleafure
o f makin g the faftory agreeable to me, for a few days
longer than I feemed w illin g to favour them with my
company.
Thou gh
Thou gh I was not much difpofed to reliflh this compli- 1779-
ment, yet I could not help being diverted with an incident ‘— r— * :
that occurred very opportunely to convince me o f the truth
o f their reprefentations, and o f the fufpicious character o f the
Chinefe. The reader will- recoiled!, that it was now about
fifteen days fince Captain Gore had written to the faitory, to-
defire their afiiftance in procuring leave for one o f his officers
to pafs to Canton. In confequence o f this application,
they had engaged one o f the principal Chinefe merchants
o f the place, to intereft himfe lf in our favour, and to fo lic it
the bufinefs with the Viceroy. This perfon came to vifit the
Prefidenr, whilft- we were talking on the fubjeft, and w i th .
great fatisfailion and complacency in his countenance acquainted
him, that he had at laft fucceeded in his applications;
and that a paflport for one o f the officers o f the
Ladrone fhip {or pirate) would be ready in a few days. T he
Prefident immediately told him not to giv.e himfe lf any farther
trouble, as the officer, pointing to me, was already arrived.
It is impoffible to defcribe the terror; which fe iz e d '
the old man on hearing this intelligence. His head funk
upon his breaft, and the fofa on which h e was fitting fhook, •
from the violence o f his agitation. Whether the Ladrone:
fhip was the objetft4 o f his apprehenfions, or his own government,
I could not difcover; but after continuing in this •
deplorable ftate a few minutes, Mr. Bevan bade him not de-
fpair, and recounted to him the manner in which I had*
palled from Macao, the reafons o f my journey to Canton, an d '
my wifhes to leave it as foon as poffible. This laft circum-
fiance feemed particularly agreeable to him, and gave me
hopes, that I fliould find him equally difpofed-to haften my
departure ;• and yet, as foon as he had recovered the courage ;
to fpeak, he began to recount the unavoidable delays that
J, ’ would