( -
the wall, there js, not a Angle gun mounted upon it. On the fide towards"
thp-soity,- it ifc infom? places, qsfie^perp^tdicular,;. and in
{Others, fgpg$: a. gentile declivity.from the toipi,;to ; the-r^ouhd. I t is
(Cufiemary for bodies fi£ fpldiorS to patrole the wall every a nightid®riog
the time that the Emperor rofides in.tbe city* which ia from Odtober
to April, when his Imperial Majefty ufuafly goes to a favourite palace
in Tartary.- From its perfect ftate of repair and geneial.ap-
.pearanoe, I fhould rather fuppofe it to be.of roodero.eredtiwvand that
many years cannot have palled away fince it underwent a complete repair,
or was entirely rebuilt.
The diftanoe: from the fouth gate, where, we entered, twthfe radiate,
through which we pafled out of the city, comprehends, on the moff moderate
computation, a eourfe -M ten miles. -KThbc^fflKt^faifbettaSBJfe
equally fpacious and convenient, being one hundred and forty-feet in
breadth, and of great length, but are only .paved on each fideifbr foot
pafiengfers. The'police iof the city, .hjwvevErf '%areS'i^pafeisSti#lse&p
the middle part clean, and free fromallkindofrmifance j- there being
large bodies of fcayengers continual^ employed for | that ,pur-
pofe, who are Ifffifted, as well as controlled, in their duty- by ffigjb
diers ftationed in every-, diftrift, to enforce.a ,due .obfsrvanceef
the laws that have been ena&ed, andthe regulations ; which have
been framed, for preferving^vil twderarncmg thepeople, and thwiinUT
nicipal «economics o f this immenfecity.; .1 abferved, as we - paffed
along, a great number of men who were TprinkHagthe htoetst-with
water, in order-to lay the duff, which, in diy-weather^Sou'ldfnot
only be troublefome to paflengers, but very olmoxiojus.ajfo Co the
fhops ; whole commodities muft be more or lefs injnwd, iWer®.i^ipt
for this beneficial and neceffary precaution. ■
Though the Imufbs p t Pekin are low and measi? when
dered with refpedt to fize and domeftic accommodation, their- exterior
appearance i s . very handfome and elegant, as - the .Chinefe
take a great pride in beautifying the fronts of theic fhops # id
dwellings ;
I :
dwellings • the upper part of the former is ornamented with a profufidn
o f golden characters ; and On the roofs'of the latter: are frequent galleries,
rich in painting and other d'ic'o'rarioB' ; • where numerous parties^
o f women are feen to amufe them (elves- according to the fiffeioin of the.
country. The pillars, which are eroded before the doors?of the fhops,'
are gilded and painted, haying à flag fixed at the- top, whofe diared-crg
fpecify the' name and bufinefs of the owner : table alfo fpreadr
with commodities, and lines attached todhell' pillars are hung-with
them. -
I obferved a great number o f hutches fhops whofe mode of cutting
up their meat refertibfe Our own j nor can the markets of London?
boaft a bettert fupplyJôf1 fiefh than i<s to.be found in Pekin. My curt-
•ofity induced; mef to inquire the prices o f their meat, and on my,entering
the fhop, I faw on a M before it ân tarthen fipvi,- -^ith w.^id*
iron plated upon it; and oii my employing a variety of figns t^ obtain
the information I wanted, the butcherinftafttly began to cut off fmalltjhm
flites of meat,-about the fize o f a crown piece, and broiled as fell ® f
-»pouM eat them. ftopfc about a -dozen of thefe | flices, which might altogether
feven, or eight ounces.; and when I paid .him, ip jifchl did
by giving him a firing ofcaxee, or fmall Coin, he pulled off, as I j.füdp
pofe, the am@t»t xSf. h is demand, which was one-.conderon, or tpn
-caxee, the only current money in the empire.. I faw numbers o f peopalled
along, regaling themfelves
with-beef and mutton in the fame manner.
Sjs-, The honfes for Porcelain utenfik aftdv ornaments are peculiarly
■attradii-ve, having a row of broad ihelves, ranged-above each others on
idle fçont o f their fhops, on which they difpofe the .moil beautiful
ipecimens o f their trade in a manner full of fancy and efièd:. :
Befides the variety of trades: which are fiatienaiyfiin.'tlws great -pity,
there are many thoufands of its inhabitants who of y .the^goods about, as
we fee in our own metropolis. - They generally have 4 bamboo placée!
P ’ , J acrofs