PORTRAITS OF SEA VESSELS.
generally- called Jxinlis.
O n th e 5 th o f A u g u s t, 1793, th e Em b a s sa d o r a n d h is su ite le ft th e Liom
a n d H in d o s tá n , an d em b a rk e d on b o a rd th e b rig s C la re n c e , Ja c k a ll, a n d
E n d e a v o u r, w h e n th e y im m e d ia te ly sailed fo r th e P a y -h o , o r W h i t e
R iv e r, in th e G u lp h o f P e - t c h i - li : tlie o th e r p e rso n s a tta c h e d to the'
Em b a s sy fo llow ed in J u n k s e n g a g e d fo r th a t p u rp o s e . T h e s e vessels,
w h ic h also c o n v e y e d th e p re s e n ts fo r th e Em p e ro r, b ag g a g e, k c . are
c lum s ily c o n s tru c te d , an d c a r ry a b o u t two h u n d r e d t o n s ; n e v e rth e le s s ,
b e in g fla t-b o ttom ed , th e y d raw b u t l ittle wa te r, a n d are th e re b y en a b led
to cro ss th e sh allow s a t th e e n tra n c e s o f th e C h in e se riv e rs.
T h e s e J u n k s are o f th e same fo rm at stem a n d s te rn , a n d th e h o ld is
d iv id e d in to c om p a rtm e n ts , ea ch b e in g w a te r - t ig h t : th e masts are o f
o n e tree , a n d v e r y la rg e ; th e i r m a in a n d fore sails are o f m a ttin g , com p
o sed o f sp lit bamboos an d re ed s in te rw o v e n to g e th e r ; th e m iz en sails
are o f n a n k e e n c lo th .
T h e ru d d e rs , (which are g e n e ra lly lifte d o u t o f th e w a te r w h e n at
a n c h o r,) are ru d e ly fo rm e d , a n d c a n n o t be w o rk e d w ith d e x t e r i ty ; th e
s te e rin g compasses are p la c e d n e a r th em , a n d su rro u n d e d w ith p e rfum e d
matche s.
T h e a n c h o r o f fo u r p o in ts is o f iro n , th e o th e r o f w o o d ; a t th e q u a rte rs
are stowed some bam b o o sp ars ; a n d th e se ju n k s are g a u d ily ad o rn e d
w ith e n s ig n s , v an e s, k c . ag re e a b ly to th e C h in e s e taste.