'?-79- the number o f inhabitants in the Sampanes alone (for each
Dpçeiwher. * • • - - •
>— ~v—-^ o f thçm contains one family), muft amount to. nearly three*
times the number fuppofed by M. Sonnerat to be in the
whole city.
T h e military force o f the province, o f w hich Canton is
the capital, amounts to fifty thoufand men. It is faid that
twenty thoufand are ftationed in and about the city ; and,
as a proof o f this, I was allured, that, on the occafion o f
fome difturbance that had happened at Canton, thirty thoufand
men were drawn together within the fpace o f a few
hours.
The ftreets are long, and moll o f them narrow and irreg
u la r ; tjut well paved w i(h large Hones ; and; for the moll
part, kept exceedingly clean. T he houfes are built o f brick,
one ftary high, having generally two or three courts backward,
in which ir e the ware-houfes for merchandize, and,
in the houfes within the city, the apartments for the
women. A very. fe,wr o f the meaneft fort are built o f wood.
The houfes belonging to the European fadlors, are built
on an handfome quay, with a regular façade o f two llories
toward the river, and difpofed, within, partly after the European,
and partly after the Chinefe manner. Adjoining to
thefe are a number o f houfes, belonging to the Chinefe,
and hired out to the commanders o f ihips, and merchants,,
who make an occafional Hay. As no European is allowed
to bring his w ife to Canton, the. Englilh fupercargoes live
together, at a common table, which is kept by the company,
and have each a feparate apartment, confilting o f
three or four rooms. T he time o f their refidence feldom
exceeds eight months annually; and as they are pretty con-
ilantly employed, during that time, in the fervice o f the
company,
•company, they may fubmit, \4 ith the lefs regret, to the re- *779-
flraints they are kept under. T h e y very rarely pay any vifits . ece"lber^
within the walls o f Canton, except on public occasions. Indeed,
nothing gave me fo unfavourable in idea o f the cha-
radler o f the Chinefe, as to find, that amongft fo many pér-
fons o f liberal minds, and amiable manners, fome o f whom
have refided in that country for near fifteen years together,
th e y have never formed any friendihip or focial connexion.
As foon as the laft ihip quits Wampu, they are all obliged
to retire to M a cao ; but, as a proof o f the excellent police
o f the country, they leave all the money they poffefs in
Specie behind them, which, I was told, fometimes amounted
to one hundred thoufand pounds fterling, and for which
they had no other fecurity than the feals o f the merchants
o f the Hong, the viceroy, and Mandarines.
During my flay at Canton, I was carried, by one o f the
Englilh gentlemen, to vifit a perfon o f the firft confequence
in the place. We were received in a long room or gallery*
at the upper end o f which flood a table, with a large chair
behind it, and a row o f chairs extending from it on each
fide down the room. Being previoufly inflrudted, that the
point o f civility confifted in remaining as long unfeated as
poflible, I readily acquitted m y fe lf o f this piece o f etiquette j
after which we were entertained with tea, and fome pré-
ferved and freih fruits. Our hoft was very far, with a
heavy dull countenance, and o f great gravity in his deportment.
He fpoke a little broken Englilh and 1’ortu gu e ze ;
and, after we had taken our refrelhment, he carried us
about his houfe and ga rd en ; and having ihewed us all the
improvements he was making, we took our leave.
3 K a Having