'■ 1,793-,"
October.
Saturday 26.
§|| ||
To the Jgft p f the .canal, -and in t^e. center o f the city, wg f ^ aypry
magnificent and lofty pagoqaj it rofe' tp the height often ftories, each
of .which is 1 furrounded with an elegant gallery, and projecting cafio-
pies, fupported \>j pilfers. '
Tphe chief mandarin o f the pl^ce has an handfome palace guarded
by a fort, whole garrifon came forth to felute the, A,mbalTador, as the
ve'flHs paffed" by-it.-
In the fubfequent, progref? of this day’s ypyage we paffed four other
cities., of equal magnitude with thofe tyrhich have been already mentioned.
; and about nine .o’clock at night anchored, in the. city of Lee-
yaungoa, Which was illuminated to do honour to the diftinguilhed
perfons on hoard the fleet; nor were any of. thofe tnayks.ofirg|pe<fl
omitted which had been demonftrated in all. the pfepes, according, to
their rank, through which we had palled.
A very large body o f troops, confifting at leaft of a thousand men,
were drawn up on the thp,<^qal; a^ .-e q ch ifl^ .h fft
with a coloured, paper fenthera ■ ^ t ^ in g fypitn ^ .y^hfeh, whe.n thp
troops halt, is ftuck in the ground; the whole forming a veiy fingiilar
and pleafing fjpe&acle.
The air was this morning ^extremely c p y ; .the thermometer having
funk fo low as. fbrtv-degffies. i A t feven p’cjock we ~paffe$, a .lock,
whofe current bore us into the city of Kaunghpo*..which* fromTthe,
great number of-junks laying there, muft be a place of munepfe.
trade.1. Indeed, the water was fo entirely covered* with them, that our
fleet was obliged to come to anchor, in order to give time for a paffege
to be made between them. The canal took a winding 'courfe,through
this place, which is elevated above it, and its banks fa ll. in beautiful
Hopes to the water.
The
(: /
The weather was moderate and agreeable : ana th e ' profpe£f was -
^arlhd’ wfth meadows of the"
o f llieep’ ahd3 herds' d f '.cattfew * We paifei? al'fo leveret large jS ^ s o f
paddy and millet, and* the eye rangea ofer a van: extent or flat and
fertile country.
The voj^e'OTlmS day 'furhifhed'no'vaneW—-4inl^s a gfeaTmmber
ox ffouf-mlHs' may Bemppofed to'vary the feene.'
The growing wealth of cultivation we had fee» every hour as'WS
proceeded ort our voyage, and not a fpot appeared, which town's and
villager did not occupy, but proved the Ikill and labour'ofathe huf~
band-man. This morning,' however, gave us < profpeft of that labour,
for we paffed feveral extenflve’ fields- where the peafants were bufy
with their ploughs-; thefe machines,, fo effentfei in agriculture, were
drawn by oxen, and though o f a very clumfy form, when compared,
with thofe of our own country, perform their, offifce, with good effect,
as the ground appeared feQ. be got into a very prom-ifing Hate of tillage.
We law a fleet o£ junks laden, with tea for the Canton- market; nor
was it ah unnatural, or uniaterefting ohfervation, that in. thq.-qhance of
commerce* feme of their cargoes might ultimately be eonftgned ta our
own country, and. arrive there before us..
The profpedfcs of this-day were enlivened by pagodas, and1 country
feats; feme of which were adorned with beautiful gardens,, and others,
furrounded with the fineft orchards I ever beheld.
This morning the fleet paffed’ through a walled city tlatned Hoong-
kJafdO.:} 'Ibis is Another of thofe. places where the vaft number of,
junks which covered its, canal, juftify the opinion qf'its extenfive
commerce. In its neighbourhood there are .large plantations of. tea*-
extenfive fields of tobacco^. and £ great number o f large flour-mills-
Oaober.
Sunday 27.
Monday £8*
Tuefday ag»-
Wednesday
30,
Thurfflay^r.