fectly level; the centre, to the width of about twenty
feet, Is payed with flags of granite, brought ffroift a ‘considerable
distance, and of a size from six tó 'Sixteen feet
in length, and about four feet biuad. On each side- of
this granite pavement was a ï'oad unpavédj wide enough
fox carriages td cross upon it. The rbadwas bordered
in many places with trees, particularly willows Of a Very
uncommon girth.
The travellers soon passed over a marble bridge, df
which the construction appeared equal to thé material.
The perfection of such a fabric may be considered to
consist in its being made as like as "possible to that of
which it supplies the w a n t; and the present bridge' seems
to answer that description; for it is very wide and substantially
built, over a rivulet not subject to inundations,
and is little elevated above the level of the roads which
connects together.
In pursuing the journey some of thë privatesJof th e '
guard grew tired at being immured in waggons moving
in slow procession ; and alighting, continuëd their route
on foot. They thus afforded opportunities to the crowds
waiting to’see the strangers, to examine their figures,
countenances, and dresses. Their ruddy, complexions,
powdered hair, and clothes shewing the form of the
limbs, drew particular attention. The weather was extremely
sultry; Fahrenheit’s thermometer was at ninety-
six degrees in the covered carriages. They who walked
were sometimes perceived to suffer from the dust, the
faîfcigüë, .the sun, and the press of people round them. thp^kb.to
Sév eraj.; of the spebtotors feltvfefc their^tuatioip and open- ======1
ed.a way fo r , them to; enjoy thé air. ofjo a. few o f the
light* anddgff oiant they; were sâ>subjëotê@f sport,ajo
A half was made tobreakfast-ath villagèon the road.
The in n a tw h ic h they âtoppèd bore. no 'resemblance ' to
thé - mddiern edifices of that - Mndhtt * England. No eie-
gairce*fgmo decorations#ib« the; rob'iiisy'tho small, were
clean and .cool. ■ Every l sort of; refreshment
vided. • From, this : place, ïifruot before, * th e ra in d was
Mi eyeiy step in ariitfbiiscexpeMaticm^of di|COV€ring that
capias«which was;saM to be the ^eatefit in the.world.
Nolgefet-lsemien’s houses scattered’ po smailivilM
announced! to the p arty that ; th ey should ; tó e if pre-
sehilyLiffThey arrived; at length, at o ie of thereastoM
suburbs»’ The; street through which they passed was
paved , and; full of people. It exhibited^ lyusy scène o f
manufacturers,, shopkeepers, and huyfets. The concourse
f f people did not so much ^ppeör to haveffeen collected
fox iihe expected sight, as each being employed- ifehis
0cmpation:5 land ihopdiyeriedîfeb afwhile1 b y ;th e1 pass-4
i®g spectacle, Eetorningufierwards to h'is own coupstpsi
Tó; traverse thissuburb took about fifteen1 mbrutes, when
the parity an;%l^,|;@f©re the'walls-of the city?of Pékin,
the; arrival of the Embassador was announced b ÿ fh e
firing of (guns ; and refreshments were made ready ib» all