a 
ACCOUN TOF BOOKS. 
taining the names of thofe on board 
the Hindoftan, would not convey 
any idea of their qualities or intrin- 
fic worth, or indeed be underfiood 
by any effort of tranflation. They 
would, likewife, fuffer by being 
_ confounded with the meyve curiofi- 
ties fent ufually for fale; which, 
however expenfive, or even inge- 
nious, were more glittering than 
ufeful. It was neceffary, therefore, 
to make out, fomewhat in the ori- 
ental ftyle, fuch a general defcrip- 
_tion of the nature of the articles 
now fent, as appeared likely to ren- 
der them acceptable ; meafuring 
their merit by their utility, and en- 
deavouring even to derive fome 
~credit from the omiffion of {plen- 
did trifles. 
On the 5th of Auguft, 1793, the 
ambaffador and his fuite prepared 
‘to guit the Lion and Hindoftan, 
which drew too much water to pats 
‘the bar of the Pei-ho river. The 
prefents and baggage, accompanied 
‘by the fervants, muficians, and 
other attendants, were fhipped on 
board of junks; while the gentle- 
men of the embafly embarked in 
the Clarence, Jackall, and Endea- 
vour brigs. Proceeding with a fa- 
vourable breeze and a {pring-tide, 
they croffed the bar in a few hours. 
‘The river immediately within the 
bar is about five hundred yards wide, 
and was almoft entirely covered 
with veffels. On its fouihern bank 
is the village of Tun-coo, with a 
military poft ; where the troops 
were drawn up in compliment tothe 
Ambaflador. The veffels in their 
progrefs fcon pafied another village, 
called See-coo; and they reached, 
on the fame evening, the town of 
Ta-coo. 
At Ta-coo large covered barges 
were provided, to convey the em- 
453 
baffy up the river Pei-ho, towards 
Pekin. The barge deftined for the 
reception of the ambaflador con- 
tained an anti-chamber, a faloon, a 
bed-chamber, and a clofet.. Bozts 
attended with provifions and cooks. 
Sixteen other yachts, mceft of them 
of a larger fize than that of the am- 
baflador, conveyed his fuite. Ma- 
ny of thefe vefiels were eighty feet 
long, and very capacious; yet they 
were built cf fuch ligkt weed, and 
were fo conftruéted, that they did 
not draw more than eighteen inch- 
es of water, though they were lofty 
above it. An equal number of vef- 
fels, refembling our river lighters, 
were employed in conveving the 
baggage and prefents. , 
Chow-ta-zhin and Van-ta-zhin, 
the conduétors of the route, waited 
frequently on the ambaffador, in or- 
der to take his commands; and 
likewife made vifits of civility te 
the principal gentlemen of the em- 
baffy. Inferior mandarins attended 
all the veffels for the diftribution of 
provifions ; proceeding from yacht 
to yacht in {mall boats, fo conttruct- 
ed that they could neither fink nor, 
be overfet. The meats moft plen- 
tiful were beef and pork. Among 
the moft expenfive articles were the 
nefts of a particular fpecies of {wal- 
low, and the fins of fharks, both of 
which afford rich and fattening 
juices.. Wheat growsin many pro- 
vinces of China; but boiled rice ‘s 
commonly ufed for bread. The 
wine was generally muddy, of little 
flavour, and feon grew four. The 
tea was often too freth for an Eng- 
lith palate; and it was not unufual 
to heara wifh exprefled tor London 
tea. 
The dire& progrefs of the em- 
baffy up the Pei-ho was very flow; 
the courfe cof that-river being re- 
markably 
