I I I )
Though ■ elegance, either.interior or exterior, is not the peculiar character
of this place, fome of the fhops were gilt and varniflied .in a
■manner that might bring them within that denomination. At every
door in-the ftreets, after fun-fet, a .large paper lamp is hung op, and
forms a very pretty illumination. Thefe lamps difplay the .name of
the perfori who lives in the houfe, his trade, and the articlesTn.which
;he, traffics. The -palaces of .the mandarins, are alfo ornamented .with
lamps, according to the dimenfions of -the building,-or the rank of their
.inhabitants.| ^ . I . if | 1
■The .ftreets -were 'lined with foldier.s to r.eprefs the curiofity of the
people, which would, .otherwife, have .impeded our paflage ; and it
was near 'feven o’clock when we arrived at the'palace of the grand
■ mandarin of-the.-city. -It is .a very noble refidence, cpmpofed of various
courts, Mid Jeveral ranges o f .apartments. In Ingeiops open galleries,
on each fide pf the firft cohrt; tableawerepraWLd^^^dwith
meats, of-various kinds, and fruits, fqr the refrefhmgnt of the^fe-
rioi" orders o f the flute ; while other galleries, -that opened on' thciMeC
.rior courts, were magnificently illuminated, and prepare^ for thejughe?
department o f it. In fhort, ^throughout the palace, ther'e^vas fuch %
profufion o f lamps-and other lights, as,- in my“unexaggeratep opiniqn,,
would ferve' the "palace o f fu f European ^ vp^ g rT ^ ^ a rponfli.,
But without this.bbfervation, wbichj I heiieyp to "be founded in fact',
it rnufl have already appeared, in the courj& of,this N a rra tiv e l.u t
illumination is a very principal feature'of Chinefe magnificence^ .
The Ambaflador and Sir George Staunton preferred'.'going;, to, the
junks inftead o f palling a night in the palace; and^ a<^bjd$ufty,
after having taken the refrelhment prepared on _ theirarrival, they-repaired,
to them. The reft of the embafly remained on fliore.land apart-
ments Were alfighed them for their repofe.
The baggage which was brought all the .way from Naung-aum-foo
pn mens Ihoulders, arrived by degrees; but the whole of ft had not
^reaches
( )
reached its" deftinatioh 'till nine o’ clock; when all the mandarin’s t ,>793« .
principal fervants'affifted. in deplofiting it in a long gallery, where it December,
was 'arranged, with, the utmoft regularity; each package having, a ticket
palled on if, corxelponcfing with the'junk tp which it Was to be removed
on the following day.
C H A Pi