T r iu m p h a l
A r c h e s .
E u r o p e a n
F a c t o r i e s •
exalted rocks; ibme are excavated into manfions, and every
ledge has on it its elegant cottage; fwarms o f people inhabit the
edges o f precipices, as the myriads of birds do the great promontories
of Britain. Paths are cut through the rocks to render them
accefiible, and over fome are conducted even public roads. I have
feen feveral of thefe populated rocks moft accurately reprefented
in rice, with all the ceconomy o f their inhabitants expreffed.
T h e city is divided into three; the Tartarian, the Cbinefe,
and a third beyond the firft, which is reprefented on the plan as
a void fpace. The .Streets are narrow, but well paved; and crois
■each-other at right angles. The whole is furrounded with a wall;
and each city feparated from the other by another-wall. The
gates o f Canton are Shut in the evening, as are the barriers at
the end of every ftreet, fo that the greateft cities are as quiet as
a private family.
T r i u m p h a l arches are very frequent in moft of the cities ;
the ancient are the moft elegant, adorned with beautiful figures
o f men, birds, and flowers in alt-relief, quite Standing from the
ftone, and connedted only by cordons left for the purpofe. Thefe
monuments are probably honorary memorials o f the great actions
of individuals.
In front, on each fide of the city, and on the oppofite
Shore of the river, are large fuburbs. The factories of the European
merchants confift .of a long row o f houfes, ranged on the
river fide, and a fpace of land behind, about twq hundred
yards - broad; each ; has a ;warehoufe for its, goods, The mercantile
nations-.- are; the 'Englifb,. French, Imperialifts, Dutch,
Swefes and Danes, Each, factory has the flag of its country
eredted
eredted before it on a tall pole. This is the only port in the
whole empire allowed to the Europeans. Their ihips may take
in wood and water where they pleafe, but are every where elfe
ftridtly forbid to trade; even here they are a fort of prifoners,
they are not to go beyond their bounds ; they may indeed enter
the fuburbs, but are fure to meet with every fpecies of abufe
from the mob. They are allowed to reiide only during the time
the ihips remain at Wampu\ for as foon as they fail for Europe
every fadtory is obliged to retire to Macao till„the feafon o f their
return.
T h e proper name o f the river o f Canton is Ta-Ho, or the
great river. The Stream is rapid, but affedted by the tide which
rifes four or five feet oppofite to the c ity ; it is navigable for
numbers o f miles into the interior parts o f the country for large
veffels, from the fea even to the city o f Quang-Ji; and again its
advantages are fpread far and wide by the infinity o f canals.
Not only this, and other. cities, but the canals themfelves,
for miles together, have their quays made o f cut ftone o f Stupendous
Size, forming the moit magnificent fight which art, applied
to commercial purpofes, can exhibit.
T h e river o f Canton is guarded by various fortifications. The
fquare caftle on the iiland, engraven by Mr. Nieuboff, is a Specimen
o f that kind o f defence.
T h e multitudes o f ducks which animate the river about
Canton is amazing ; “ they are hatched,” fays Mr. Latham* “ by
#8 artificial heat; the eggs.being laid in boxes o f fand, are placed
u on a brick hearth, to which is given a proper heat during the
* Ornith. Vol. iii, 492.
V o l . III. s « r e q u i r e d
R iv e r o f
C a n t o n «
T a m e D u ck s.