HOSPITABLE TREATMENT AT MACAO. 



139 



CHAPTER VI. 



HOSPITABLE TREATMENT AT MACAO. USAGES OP THE FOREIGN MERCHANTS TOWARD VISITORS. DEPRESSED CONDITION OF 



MACAO. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLACE. TAHEA BOATS, AND GIRLS WHO MANAGE THEM. CAVE OF CAMOENS. DEPARTURE 



OF MISSISSIPPI FROM MACAO. SARATOGA LEFT TO BRING MR. WILLIAMS, THE INTERPRETER — -DIFFICULTIES OF NAVIGATION 



FROM HONG KONG TO THE MODTH OF YANG-TSE-KEANG. ENTRANCE OF THE RIVER DANGEROUS. SUSQUEHANNA, PLYMOUTH, 



AND SUPPLY ALL AGROUND. MISSISSIPPI SAVED BY THE POWER OF HER ENGINES ONLY. DESCRIPTION OF SHANGHAI. 



ITS IMMENSE TRADE. CULTIVATION OF THE COUNTRY.- — POPULATION OF THE CITY VISIT OF THE COMMODORE TO THE 



GOVERNOR OF THE CITY. CHINESE REBELLION. ITS EFFECTS. PLYMOUTH LEFT AT SHANGHAI TO PROTECT AMERICAN 



INTERESTS. ^DEPARTURE FOR GREAT LEW CHEW. ARRIVAL OF THE SQUADRON AT THE CAPITAL, NAPHA, THE SARATOGA 



HAVING JOINED AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE HARBOR. 



N leaving Canton, Mr. Spooner, of the house of Kussell 

 & Co., offered the Commodore the use of the magnificent 

 residence at Macao belonging to that firm ; accordingly 

 he, together with three of his ofiicers, took up his quar- 

 ters in their sumptuous dwelling. The Commodore and 

 his company, thinking that they were to he their own 

 jjroviders, their caterer, one of the officers of the squadron, 

 was very particular in ordering the head servant in charge 

 of the establishment to procure this and that, and no 

 sooner was a wish expressed than it was promptly at- 

 tended to. Great, then, was the surprise, on the comple- 

 tion of the visit, to find that not a penny would be received 

 beyond the ordinary gratuity by that prince of major-domos. He said that liis employers 

 were always happy to have their house occupied by their friends, and he expressed a hope 

 that the Commodore and liis companions would not think of going elsewhere on their next visit 

 to Macao. 



When a guest is once received into one of these hospitable mansions he finds himself quite at 

 home, in the enjoyment of the most agreeable society ; for it is a custom of the merchants of 

 the East to extend to strangers of respectability a hospitality that is quite unreserved. Such, 

 indeed, is the freedom of the guest that he has only to order whatever he may require and his 

 demand is complied with at once. The master does not trouble himself about the matter, but 



