PORTRAIT OF A TRADING SHIP.
T h e s e sh ip s v e n tu re as fa r as M a n illa , J a p a n , an d even Batavia, w h ich is
th e m o st d is ta n t p o rt th e y v i s i t ; an d m a n y o f them are from e ig h t h u n dred
to a th o u san d tons b u ith e n . I n these voyages tlie m a rin e rs take the
m o d e ra te season o f th e ye a r, a n d th o u g h we ll acquainted w ith the use o f
th e compa ss, g en e ra lly keep n ea r th e coast.
N o a lteratio n has been made in the n av a l arch itectu re o f C h in a fo r m a n y
c enturies p a s t. T h e C h in e se are so averse to in n o v a tio n , and so attached
to an c ien t p re ju d ic e s, that a lth o u g h C an to n is a n n u a lly frequented b y the
sh ip s o f vario u s E u ro p e an n a tio n s, whose s u p e rio rity o f co n s tru c tio n th ey
m u s t acknowledge , y et th ey reject a n y im p ro v em e n t in tlie ir vessels.
T h e s te rn o f th is ship falls in w ith an a n g l e ; o th e r vessels are formed
w ith a c a v ity , in w h ic h the ru d d e r is defended from the vio len ce o f the
s e a ; y e t tliis co n tiiv a n c e c e rta in ly subjects th e sh ip to m u c h h a z a rd , wlien
ru n n in g before the win d in h ig h seas.
O n each bow is p ain ted an eye, w ith th e p u p il tu rn ed fo rw a rd s ; p e rh
a p s w ith th e id e a o f keeping u p some re sem b lan ce to a f i s h ; o r from
a su p erstitio u s n o tio n , th a t th e s h ip m a y th u s see before h e r , an d avoid
d an g e r.
T h e p o rts often serve as w in d ow s , n o t m a n y o f them bein g furnished
w ith o rd n an ce.
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