cordage were all' made o f bamboo ; and neither pitch nor tar
was ufed on thefe or any part o f the wood-work.
We detained, about fifteen o f thefe veffels to take on ihore
the Embaffador’ s fuite, the prefents for the Emperor, and the
baggage; after which the Britiih ihips returned to Chufan
without the affiftance o f the Chinefe pilots, whofe {Kill in
navigation was held very cheap, by the loweft feamen on
board.
On entering the Pei-ho we obierved a number o f buildings
ereded on the right bank, with roofs o f matting, but decorated
in the moft fantaftical manner, with different coloured ribbands
and variegated filks ; and about three hundred foldiers in their
uniforms (which appeared to our eye not much adapted to
military purpofes) were drawn out, with a band o f mufic,
near a temporary landing-place conftructed o f w o o d ; all o f
which we underftood had been haftily prepared for the reception
o f the Embaffador; but as his Excellency was defirous o f
reaching the capital without delay, he declined going on ihore,
preferring to Step into the accommodation yachts at once, that
were ready to receive him, a little higher up the river, the moment
that the prefents ihould be tranihipped into the river-
craft. T he officers who were deputed to conduit him to the
capital obferved, that fo much hafte was not at all neceffary, as
the Emperor’s birth-day was yet diftant; thefe people having
no other idea o f an embafiy, as it feemed, than that o f its being
a mere compliment to their Sovereign, The yellow flags displayed
played at the maft-heads o f the river fleet, laden with the
prefents, and confifting o f Seventeen fail, gave, indeed, a more
extended meaning o f fuch a million. Thefe flags, in broad
black characters, bore the" following infcription ; The Englijh
Embaffador carrying Tribute to the Emperor o f China.
W e found the yachts that were deftined to convey us exceedingly
convenient, more fo indeed than any I have feen on
our canals o f England. T h e y are flat bottomed, and draw
only about fifteen inches o f water. Their upper works are
high, appearing indeed like a floating houfe. T h e y have three
apartments for the accommodation o f paffengers ; the firft an
antichamber for the Servants and baggage ; the middle a commodious
fitting and dining room, about fifteen feet fquare;
and the third divided into two or three Sleeping rooms. Behind
thefe is the kitchen ; and ftill farther aft, fmall places like dog-
kennels for the boatmen. Sometimes there is a kind o f fecond
ftory, upon the apartments, divided into little cells, that are juft
the length and breadth o f a man. A Chinefe failor requires no
room for luggage, his whole wardrobe being generally on his
back. In the different operations employed for making the
yachts proceed, they give no interruption to the paffengers.
A projecting gangway on each fide o f the veffel, made o f broad
planks, ferves as the paffage from one end to the other.
The two officers that were fent from court, to conduCt the Embaffador
to the capital, paid a vifit to every yacht, and Shewed
the moft earneft defire to pleafe and to make us comfortable.
Their names were Van and Chou, to which they annexed the title
o f