but thofe o f this city were equally well paved. T h e y appeared t l
be kept extremely neat and clean. In every ihop were expofed tb
view filks o f different manufactures', dyed cottons and nankin's, a
great variety o f Engliih broàd-cloths, chiefly however blue
and fcariet, ufed for winter cloaks, for chair covers and for
carpets ; and alfo a quantity o f peltry intended for the northern
markets. The reft o f the houfes, in the public ftreets through
which we paffed, confifted o f butchers and bakers’ ihbps, fiih-
raongers, dealers in rice and other grain, ivory-cutters, dealers
in laquered ware, tea-houfes,- ccok-ihops, and coffin-makers ;
the laft- of which is a trade o f no finali note in China. The
population o f thè city alone, I fliould fuppofe, ‘from its extent
and appearance, to be not much inferior to that o f PeMn ; and
the number o f inhabitants in the fuburbsi with ‘thofe tHaf
conftantly refided upon the water, were perhaps nearly equal
to thofe within the walls.
Here our conductor Sun-ta-gin took his leave, after having
introduced to the Embaffador the new Viceroy o f Canton, who
was now to accompany the Embaffy to the feat o f his government.
His manners appeared to be no lefs amiable than thofe
o f the Minifter. He had travelled poll from Pekin and,
with many affurances on the part o f the Emperor 'o f the
higheft fat is fiction he had derived from the èmbaffy, he brought
an additional prefent from him to His Majefty, confifting o f
gold tiffued filks, purfes taken from his own perfon and the
Card o f Happinefs. This is an ornamented piece 'of paper,
neatly folded up and having in the centre the character f io or
happinefs infcribed by the Emperor’s own hand, and is confidered
as
as the ftrongeft mark a fovereign o f China can give to another
prince o f his friendihip and affection. Another card was given
to the Embaffador o f a fimilar import, as a teftimony o f his
approbation o f the conduit o f the embaffy, which was further
confirmed by a prefent o f filks, tea, fans and other trinkets to
every individual o f it.
A few miles beyond the city we again took Ihipping on
the river Tcheng-tang-chiang, which might properly be called
an eftuary, the tide rifing and falling fix or feven feet at the
place o f embarkation, which was not very diftant from the
Yellow Sea., After feven days o f tedious navigation, i f dragging
by main ftrength over a pebbly bottom on which the boats
were conftantly aground and againft .a rapid ftream, could be
fo called, we came to its fource near the city o f Tchahgfan-
Jhien. But its banks were not deficient in beautiful views and
pidurefque fcenery. The general furface o f the country was
mountainous and romantic, but well cultivated in all fuch places
as would admit the labours o f the hufbandman. One city only
occurred in the courfe o f feven days; but we pafled numerous
villages, fituated in the valleys and the glens between the ridges
o f mountains ; and fiihermen’s huts were conftantly in view.
There was here no want o f trees, among which the moft common
were the tallow-tree and the camphor, cedars, firs and the
tall and majeftic arbor vita;. Groves o f oranges, citrons and
lemons were abundantly interfperfed in the little vales that
Hoped down to the brink o f the river; and few o f the huts
were without a fmall garden and plantation o f tobacco. The
larger plains were planted with the fugar-cane. We had thus
3 y far