From Hiing-tchoo-foo to Eu-Jhan-Jhien, and from Hang-tchoo-foo
to Chti-fati, there might probably be employed about forty veffelfc,
with twelve men to each, or four hundred and eighty in the
whole. And, befides the people employed by the officers o f
government to purchafe provifions, numbers were Rationed in
different parts o f the rivers to contrail the ftream, by raking
together the pebbles where, otherwife, the water would have
been too ihallow for the boats to pafs; and others to attend
at all the fluices on the canals to affift the veffels in getting
through the fame.
From 'Tcbatig-Jhan-Jhien to Eu-Jhan-Jhicn, overland, we had
about forty horfes, and three or four hundred men to carry the
baggage. - -
From the Po-yang lake to Canton, we had generally about
twenty-fix veffels with twenty men to each, including boatmen,
foldiers, and trackers, which gives five hundred and twenty
men for thefe alone.
T he Embaffy confifted o f near one hundred perfons, but as
for the feveral officers and their numerous retinue o f guards, attendants,
and runners, I have not the lead idea to what their
. numbers might amount; all o f whom, being on extraordinary
fervice, were fupported at the public expence.
Thewholeexpenceof theEmbaffy to this country, including the
prefents, did not exceed eighty thoufand pounds; ah inconfiderable
fum for fuch a nation as Great Britain on fuch an occafion, and
not
not more than a fourth part o f what has been generally, imagined.
Although the Britifh factory was in every fenfe more comfortable
than the moll fpiendid palace that the country afforded
yetdt was'fo repugnant to the principles o f the government for
an Embaffador to take up his abode in the fame dwelling with
merchants, that it was thought expedient to indulge their notions
in this refpeft, and to accept a large houfe in the midft o f
a garden, on theoppofite fide o f the river, which was fitted up and
furmfhed with beds in the European manner, with glazed faih windows,
and with fire grates fuitable for burning coals. On our arrival
here we found a company o f comedians hard at w ork in the
middle o f a piece, which it feemed had begun at fun-rife; but their
fqualhngand their il.r ij and harih mufic were fo dreadful, that,
they were prevailed upon, with difficulty, to break o ff during dinner,
which was ferved up in a virandadireaiypppofite the theatre.
. i f e t morning, however, about fun-rife, they, fet to work
afreffi, but at the particular requeft o f the Embaffador in
which he was joined by the whole fuite, they were difcharged,
to the no fmall aftoniihment o f our Chinefe conduQors, who’
concluded, from this circumftance, that the Engliffi had very
little taftefor elegant amufements. Players, it feems, are here
hired by the day and the more inceffantly they labour, the
more they are applauded. T h e y are always ready to begin
any one piece out o f a lift o f twenty or thirty, that is prefented
for the principal vifitor to make his choice.
The nature .of the trade carried on by foreign nations at the
port o f Canton is fo well known, that it would be fupeffluous
4 1 for'