C «*. )
e H A P. i v .
An account of the mandarinappointed to condudl the accommodations fo r
the embajfy. famous prefents .of provtfions. Grofs habits of the
€km fe tefpeSling thetr food. Defection of the junkW^Order of
mfeveffels fitted up fo r the accommodation of the Briti/h AmbalTador
and his fuite. — * M \
( »793- ; |H H
T h e -whole o f this morning was employed in tranftiipping the
baggage to the accommodation junks, hired for the embafty by Van \
Tadge-In, a mandarin.of the fijrft d a ft, who * a d been appcyjhted by.
the Etnperor tq. cmAuR the bufmefs o f the em b ^ y / d h ^ r^ thing
fhat related to therefldence, proviflons, and jo um g r^ f the fuite.
This perfon became intcrefting to us, .as, he .-was appointed h o
•• attend; the eMbafly during the whole time we ihould remain in
China. He,^as^abbut five feet nine inches inliejgbt, ^ ® 'W e l f
made, and ,of a dark complexion, but of .aVremarkable plea'Aug
.^openopnnfcnance; Hs manners and deportment-were polite apd
.unaffefted j *and thp appointment o f fuch a man, fo’ adrnirablpquft-
fipd to fylfil the peculiar duties to,which he was nominatedgave mlya'
v e y fayn!$abfc opinion .of the^ood f e n f^ f tfyjphinefe government, *
and flawed to^ encourage our topes o f fuccefs in the important objects •#
o f this diftinguiftied enibafly.
We received at noon, from the mandarin’s boat, -whiSTwas acJ
nompanied by Mr. Plumb^ Lord Macartney’s internreteMta quantify
pfy^w beef, with bread and fruit; the beef, thoughno? fat, is-.ofia,
^eiy good quality; but the bread, though made o f excellent flour, was *
#>y no means pleafanj tp our palate; a/the phinefc dp npt make ufe of
| yeaft,
X ^ I
yeafl,.or bake it in an,q^eni i$i%iiitt fad:„ 1 ittie better than commondough,-
The fhape a r i d thqflbaves'are-'tlao^ib oF an. ordinary waih-ball'
•yfelitm two. !^^iey- are competed] 0f-'nothing\qiote»than* flour and water,
aSrid* ranged,§,Br>hars whichtiare laid;«a,Gr®fs^amisQm"holl©#ipai1‘, contain—
ipg„a,iee^tain quantity of,,water, which is theusplaced on, an earthen*
floyeV0 ivhenqbe w^ter bojls, tjie, v.effel,, or. pan; is coveredt-over with-
fotnething like a ftftllow tub,. ?nd. the fteam-ofi. the .watery^ far. a few*
minutes’, b a k i p g „ , i f it may,be fa*called,, which thej bread
fcceiv^U. IiAras'^ja^ we found it npceflaiy, te| GuL.lt in -flices, land
toaft' if, ^efo^‘ we cso^^^OocikT;it to-.Qup appetitesfei, The fruits^
- which; made a part- o f ;this\pH/ltnt,. Gonfiftcd o£*app,lesr pbars,., (had—
docks*,«' aiids oranges. o f a- bupdrior flavour..
In, the aftemofljW« rqceivecf another very large,fupply of prpyifidS^
ready dreffed; cSnfifting,o£,.(beef; mutton, ppr^, whale pigs, and poul*'
try o f alf ^or-ts,*, both do aft and boiled..
The roaft m^at. had" a very- Angular appearance^ as they ufp fome>
.preparation of oily thaf givesft a glofs like that,of varmih nonwas its-
flavour. Itfcagreeable to-our palates, as the-difl^es produced.by the clean-
and Ample cookery of. our European kifehens.. , Their, boiled meat»,
being free, filin' the’ oily tafte o f that which is roafled or-baked, was*,
»lar.pTeferjble,- **■
We were,-, however, in iomd degree, affedted by tKe accounts we-
Bad hparddbf the indifference of, the Chinefe, concerning their food;,
and thatthey,not only eat all animal food without diftiMfiop) but do-,
not difeard evfenfuch as die o f difeafes, from their, meals. Th i’s pir-
-cumftance madeifeveral o f our party very cautioner of What* they eat;,
arid as to their.hafhes and ftews, many peftifed .their«allowance of.thefe
diihes, from the apprehenfion o f their being compofed of unwholefome-
flefh. '