THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 



427 



are cut into terraces, and planted with fweet potatoes, fugar- »779- 



r ° December. 



canes, yams, plantains, and the cotton-tree. We faw many < -— ' 



lofty pagodas, fcattered over the country, and feveral towns 

 at a diftance, fome of which appeared to be of a confider- 

 able fize. 



We did not arrive at Wampu, which is only nine leagues 

 from the Bocca Tygris, till the 18th, our progrefs having Saturday is. 

 been retarded by contrary winds, and the lighmefs of the 

 veiTel. Wampu is a fmall Chinefe town, off which the 

 ihips of the different nations, who trade here, lie, in order 

 to take in their lading. The river, higher up, is faid by M. 

 Sonnerat not to be deep enough to admit heavy laden vef- 

 fels, even if the policy of the Chinefe had fuffercd the Eu- 

 ropeans to navigate them up to Canton ; but this circum- 

 flance I cannot take upon me to decide on, as no flranger, I 

 believe, has been permitted to inform himfelf with cer- 

 tainty of the truth. The fmall iflands, that lie oppofite to 

 the town, are allotted to the feveral factories, who have 

 built warehoufcs for the reception of the merchandize that 

 is brought down from Canton. 



From Wampu, I immediately proceeded in a fampane, or 

 Chinefe boat, to Canton, which is about two leagues and a 

 half higher up the river. Thefe boats are the neatefl and 

 raoft convenient for paflengers I ever faw. They are of va- 

 rious fizes, almofl flat at the bottom, very broad upon the 

 beam, and narrow at the head and flern, which are raifed 

 and ornamented ; the middle, where we fat, was arched 

 over with a roof of bamboo, which may be raifed or low- 

 ered at pleafure ; in the fides were fmall windows with 

 mutters, and the apartment was furnifhed with hand fome 

 mats, chairs, and tables. In the flern was placed a fmall 



3 I 2 waxen 



