C *48 }
1793. togetherinconfiderable, from thé. confümptksn occafiohéd-by-the refi-
September.1' denée ö f the Eróperór in the immediate neighbourhood; a circ-urn-
ftance which n.ot only oceafions a great increafe of inhabifanfs j-' but
brings with it the wealth, thé luxury, and the expertces o f a coitrt. t >
The furrounding country wears a greater appearance . o f .fertility,
than any I have feen in thofe parts of Tartary through wliich .tpe
embafly had pafled; but, in its beft ftate, it is by no mea'ris-comparable
to that o f China.
At eleven o’clock in" the forenoon, the Ambaffador - and his fuite.
returned from the Imperial palace. It was a vifit of mere form, and
prcfentation; and his Excellency, Sir Qeorge Staunton, and Mr.
Staunton, with Mr. Plumb, the interpeter, were alone admitted into
the prefence o f the Emperor.
The Emperor, it was laid, received the credentials'of the embafly,
with a moft ceremonious formality.- AJlT^owevér, that: tve&teöu^d
.leam, as a matter of indubitable occurrence, was the ijbtice hisTmpe-
rial Majefty was pleafed to take of Matter Staunton, die fon of Sir
George Staunton: He appeared ttTbe Very" much ftruck wiSfUhe
boy’s vivacity and deportïnent; and expreffed his "admiration'-oféthe
faculty which the young gentleman poflTeflfcd o f fpeaking- f ix . different
languages. The Emperor, btef manifeft the approbation he felt On. the
occafion, not only prefented him, with his own hand; a vb^jpfflj|P P '.
fan, and fevdral fmall embroidered bags and purlesi^b^^Q^naanded
the interpreter to»fignify, that he thought very highly-of his talents’
and appearance.
In a very Ihort time after the Ambaftadar. had.retumed frorii: court,
a large quantity of prefents were received from his Imperial Majefty^
They confifted of the richeft velvets, latiris; filks,. and ‘purfes beautifully
embroidered. To thefe were added large parcels of, the befj:
tea
*793-
I a '49 l l r f /
tea of country, made- up in folfd' cakes, in the fize and form o f a . ‘ 793- ^
Dutch' Chedfe. '-It is* thug, in Tome way; baked: together,.'.by whifh .September.
- ineanst'it wilf never be affeifted byeair oy climate;'nt>r ever lofe 'it s ' V
flavour, though kept without any covering .whatever.: "Each of.thefc
balls weigh about1 five pouhds.? *
•; .‘t:His Excellency , diftribufced to1 every gentleman of the fuiteUals/pro-
portion o f the prefents.' Tjhofoi.which 'were: peculiarly' addreffe.d5.t0
their Britannic Majefties, were,,, dspqfited. in the lobby , , in the boxes
wherein they arrived: |
This morning; ‘ aftone- opclock, the Ambaffador,“ a^ompanied byjfiis
fuite-;" but -unattended-by-anytof has guard? ox.jfervant-s,. px^cepded to •
pay a tdgq^^vifitftq the Emperor. The mj^m^rview was,
as wei'undlfftood^/f|> make an attempted,open the negotiation, for the
purpoftiof jpbtainrng that exfenilt^qf .commerce fo anxiouflyVefirsi
byVur Eaft India Company. 1
Ills Excellenty Jid not return* till near tluce o'clock, amiydsn his
arrival, appeareef to be vefy.buicK exhaufted. Mr. Plumb",* the inter-
■ pietn, gave, how eve t, iuch a favourable account of the general afpedt
o£^®e:-negptiatiou, ’ as to .elevate 'the' hope's,fie^ every jfhne ^rae'erned ;
in the 'liSuo? of rt. He mentuJrfe’M, ‘ffewlhe-tEmperoif h ^Mfehrobgh
fcbe medium o f the Grand 'fcBSul^a, the bulihcls. df^tfie
'^eigbafl^with^ord Macartney ; whi§h;faff faf'Wff* 'went, had altogether
liicccedcd. I his tavoui ibk inlonrkat-ion appeared
fi%ed+ ’ By a .feeond .cargo of presents: frorn^^hisi. ■ Imp,era#-
; confifted o f large quantities, o f .rich velvets*, lifts, and litrii ,
‘ with" lome beautiful Chmefc lamps, $Snd' rare l^oVtiefaiV?,4' ^ % l e
Vwfere added- a numblr^bfcallibafti boxel&ob exqcuf Lte, workmarifhrp,
‘beautifully cai,v.ed von the outfidek and flamed-vf 1th a 'kiakt colour,, o f
f t i i i utmoft foftheft’ and,delica%tf>%eUhfid©> black,^id
1 Ihone Ifke japan.
- His
Sunday 15.