us much greater barbarians than we pretend to confider the
mamelnkes. T he old viceroy o f the. province, a Tartar o f mild
and winning manners, had prepared for us a moft magnificent
entertainment with wine, fruits, and great variety o f paftry and
fweetmeats, together with prefents o f tea, filk, and nankins,
not only to the Embaflador and his' fuite, but alfo to the fer-
vants, muficians, and foldiers.
The cheerful and good-natured countenances o f the multitude
were extremely prepofieffing ; not.lcfs fo their accomodating
behaviour to one another. There was an innocence and
fimplicity in their features, that feemed to indicate a happy and
contented turn o f mind. This, however, being a fort o f gala
day, we might, on aceount o f tbe extraordinary occafion, perhaps
have viewed them to the beft advantage% yet the fame cheerful
and willing mind had conftantly (hewn itfelf on all occafions,
by all thofe who were employed in the fervice o f the embafiy.
On board the yachts conftant mirth and good humour prevailed
among the feameti. When the weather was calm, the veflels
were generally puihed on by means o f two large fculls or oars
turning upon pivots that were placed in projecting pieces o f
wood near the bow o f the veffel, and not the ftern, as is the
practice o f moft other nations. Erom fix to ten men are required
to work one o f thefe oars, which, inftead o f being taken
out o f the water, as in the a£t o f rowing, are moved backwards
and forwards under the furface, in a fimilar manner to what in
England is underftood by fculling. T o lighten their labour,
and afiift in keeping time with the ftrokes, the following'rude
air
air was generally fung by the mafter, which the whole crew
ufed to join in chorus :
Solo I
by the Mafter.
Chorus
by the Crew.
AIR.
On many a calm ftill evening, when a dead filence reigned
upon the water, have we liftened with pleafure to this artlefs
and unpoliihed air, which was fung, with little alteration
through the whole fleet. Extraordinary exertions o f bodily
ftrength, depending, in a certain degree, on the willingnefs o f
the mind, are frequently accompanied with exhilarating exclamations
among the moft havage people; but the Chinefe fong
could not be confidered in this point o f view1 like the exclamations
o f our féarnen in- hauling the ropes, or the'oar fong/of
the Hebridians, which, as;Do£tor Johnfon has obferved, refem-
bled the proceleufmatick. verfe by which the rowers-of Grecian
m galleys