1779. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 3^5 



to one hundred thousand pounds sterling, and for 

 which they had no other security than the seals of 

 the merchants of the Hong, the viceroy, and Man- 

 darines. 



During my stay at Canton, I was carried by one 

 of the English gentlemen, to visit a person of the 

 first consequence in the place. We were received 

 in a long room or gallery, at the upper end of 

 which stood a table, with a large chair behind it, 

 and a row of chairs extending from it on each side 

 down the room. Being previously instructed, that 

 the point of civility consisted in remaining as 

 long unseated as possible, I readily acquitted 

 myself of this piece of etiquette ; after which we 

 were entertained with tea, and some preserved 

 and fresh fruits. Our host was very fat, with a 

 heavy dull countenance, and of great gravity in 

 his deportment. He spoke a little broken English 

 and Portugueze; and, after we had taken our 

 refreshment, he carried us about his house and 

 garden ; and having shown us all the improve- 

 ments he was making, we took our leave. 



Having procured an account of the price of pro- 

 visions at Canton, as settled for the year 1780, which 

 the reader will find at the end of this chapter, I have 

 only to observe, that the different articles are sup- 

 posed to be the best of the kind ; and that the 

 natives purchase the same for nearly one-third less 

 than the price, which in the list is fixed only for 

 strangers. 



I had hitherto intended, as well to avoid the 

 trouble and delay of applying for passports, as to save 

 the unnecessary expence of hiring a sampane, which 

 I understood amounted at least to twelve pounds 

 sterling, to go along with the stores to Macao, in 

 the country merchant's ship I have before mentioned ; 

 but having received an invitation from two English 

 gentlemen, who had obtained passports for four, I 

 accepted, along with Mr. Philips, their offer of places 



