EmpeBorlsiroad,while waiting, for his approach, as i£;ty>
prevent; any ,Qthers;fr.om attempting^ paSstuponiitJ The -
way'Was lined with troops,-for Several miles, asdanas the
Bye could jreafch: bGLoses toi tfip road, a tent was - prepared
for the Embasjsador op^countiof his. fndispdsitibnv that
he might feel no.ineonv.enjencedwhile waitingafer his
Imperial Majesty:,. Various .squadrons .^,fhpj;s^, .with
bowmen, and their quivers,, preceded tlggl Emperor’sfa^-
-prdaehl.| .Soon afterwards a palanquin, ori'sed^ndehair;
.appea®ed'iisuch .as has been deserAhqdun a-formto chap-
jterl;i>ut coYfered:with a brightyellow cloth, and,adoSned
l^ithivylndowsiof plate glass.,-Jt w^eamechByjdight b'ear-
ifpy while eight others walked eloseato them, in readiness
to; r e l ie f .the. former. The chair was .attended, hyaa^trodp
of liQrse in yellow uniforms, alsorhypikemen, standards,
and shield bearers. In it was (heJEmperc>r..^SfSoptx as he
perceived the. Embassador,. he.,stopped to deliver a gracious.
message of civility to his. Excellency-;;.addayjg, that
he desired him toi|e6re without-delay from theto^idfend
damp?.df the morningi.sesaunfavdiirable* to«, the complaint
.with whiclihfi heard of his heing. aifected...
, Behind the chair, followed a two-wfieel/clumsy carriage.
without springs, not differing in construction from
:th.e common vehicles of the .country-, but. covered with
;y.eljpw cloth, and*empty, as i f intended to be used occasionally
fyy the Emperor. When such a carriage is compared
with the easy, light, and elegant chariots, imported
èheire as presêtïtSï it is not* likely that any national prejü-
diëëfc Wdlb long TéSïSt a sense of sneh ta .’superiority ill
ctttrtfort andcötfvènieWcé*; and it may therefof erhappen;
that English1 tar-ridges’will become in.Gbina an article
of mëfOhahdise, as well aS watöhëscm broad cloth.
-i-f^Ehe Emperor’s carriage Was limmediatelyhullnwM by
a dhaif ^eontaihing' the -great ■ Cökö .^OBcheong-tnupg/L
While’ hi® Imperial Majeity/wa* engaged jin • sending
across th^ difeh^to the Embassador»; seveiabmandarines
Ieapt’oYef it. and'threw themselvesupan -tbeir kneesAO
pa^-^fheir'ébéisanêe «fö-ithe Prime ^Minister. ^It was
•j^iSrkëd that rib nAelbiripistdr^-anor sany esnenfi the
Emperor’s family1, W;aS in: his immediate -train, dr even
#i'tbik right«. ;Thé'dis^öd^wf»'dö4oi^'éfa©--gFjeiter
fof ! hiik Who' was ; . Or »perhaps, ■ seme , circumstance of
ebnVêfiienoé" then Requited, ©r iaeeidMf mcsaalonfidi dhis
sèp&RitiötTof his Imperial Majesty« from his other courtiers.
^■TheEmbassad<w,rivh0sé^excumon was of no service
to him, returned^ without delay-to .Befciri; while the
Êmperor 'purstied h is route' to ^nenrmin^iyuétt.. He was
impatient 10 View the presents -that • the Embassador h ad
left there when he .went>to*Zhediol.- His Imperial Majesty
examined them with m attentionfag: exceeding that
of a person whö^düidithlnk: of bih© trouble offtufning.
*f his Head to view them.’* »He .seemed,,indeed» much
gratified with the -sight1 öf' toost ó f' them; and ordered-
R r
Pekin.
VOL. II.