(' II 1 N \. 



But km are crcr permitted tbus to inu-rtcrr, except such 



*" - ' . , >n actually broVer* or factors, for the company of the 



Hong; md, though the govenunemt overlooki thu species 



: authoiued traffic, : a hazardous t; 



tioo for tlic foreign trader ; M, in the event of the Chi- 

 Dcte dealer disappearing with hi* good*, he would not be 

 allowed to make any application lor redress. There is 

 (aid to be little iliitinctiun made by the Hong merchants 

 in their conduct to the different trading companies, ex- 

 cept that they are disposed to give the preference to 

 those, who bring into the market the largest sums of 

 money, and who purchase the greatest quantities of tea. 

 The factories or lodgings of the foreign traders are 

 house* at the entrance of the suburbs of Canton, built 

 close to the riv.r, or over it, upon piles, and let by tli;- 

 Hong merc'.unts to the European ships during their 

 stay. They are only two stories high, but of very con- 

 siderable length, one end stretching towards the river, 

 and the other toward* the factory street. They are 

 built of unburnt bricks, and a great part of wood. 

 They look like two houses built parallel and close to 

 each other, with a court- yard between them, which is 

 pared like the floor of the ground story, with square 

 or oblong stones, in which are little holes at certain dis- 

 tances, to let the water run through into the river. In 

 every room, the foreign m< rchant finds a table, chairs, 

 a bed with curtains of gauze or blue nankeen stuff, and 

 a lamp fastened to the roof by means of a long rope. In 

 the court yard are piled up the tea and porcelain chests, 

 with other articles of merchandise ; and in some parts of 

 the yard are shades like coach-houses, with arched roofs 

 for the protection of the goods from the weather. " A 

 factory," says Osbeck, in his usually simple and descrip- 

 tive style, " is mostly built in the following manner : 

 Near the entrance of the street of the factory, on both 

 sides of the gate, is a little apartment, upon which arc 

 commonly some papers with figures, like arms, and two 

 round lanterns of bamboo, covered with skins ; for 

 glass or horn lanterns are quite unusual here. The gate 

 of the factory is on the inside built over. Directly be- 

 hind it stands a high board, almost as broad as the en- 

 trance, to hinder the people in the streets from looking 

 into the yard or court, without being any obstacle to 

 those who pass to and fro. In almost ail corners are 

 buckets, into which people make water, which is after- 

 wards carried into the fields. The foremost rooms on 

 the sides look like kitchens, and have rails before them. 

 Farther on, quite across the court, in the second story, 

 is an open ball, with a sort of gallery, upon which is an 

 altar covered with flowers and incense, provided with a 

 gilt picture and a table. Behind this, the yard is quite 

 pen in front, but on the sides are rooms both above and 

 below. In the side roofs are here and there some lan- 

 terns of painted gauze, in some of which they burn 

 lamps at night. Before the side roofs, and on their 

 sides, are little gardens, with bamboo trees, citrons, and 

 plaintain*, and it her trees already mentioned. The wall 

 about these Uees towards the yard is made of brick, 

 which, except the foundation, are laid like lattice-work. 

 Next to these gardens is an enclosed court-yard, and 

 then an open one, with rooms and gardens fur pleasure 

 n the tides. The last of all is a hall in the second sto- 

 ry across the yard, having rooms on its sides, which arc 

 fitted up for a dining-room. Below it is the kitchen, 

 thi watch houve of the sailors, and the lodging of the 

 captain of the factory. The captain of the fact, ry has 

 a mate, who is to take care, that the sailors and Chinese 



workmen .. ' asinrss ; and he- nous down those Fariorirt. 



people, who come from i arn- " p ~, - 



panes of burdtii. In the f.v th>: supercargo, 



the assistants, the purser, . and other servants, 



during the whole time of their slay J and besides t 

 those who come occasionally thither from the si 

 There are continually s> , ulii \\.itih with 



drawn swords in their hands, to hinder those from en. 

 lering who have no right. cau- the tinie 



on the gong-gong j and beat upon it, as it were upon a 

 drum, witli sticks, whc:i dinner or supper is ready. Eve- 

 ry thing is cart-fully kept in the factories, both effects 

 coming from the ships, vix. mosi-.v, Ic.id, i-loth, i. 

 alrao.uii, fee. and tliosi? which embarked, an 



n, tea, silk, and many ot'vr tii:i!.;n, which are 

 brought on board by the samp.-.nes ol bur.!i n, uf u r 



i ins, appointed for that purpose, h.v. 

 them, and stamped a seal upon tiu'm. in each sampane, 

 loaded with thes-.- and other things, goes a mandarin and 

 some armed sailors, from the factory to the ship, t 

 guard them, lest the master of the sampane should de- 

 fraud them, as often happens, notwithstanding these re- 

 gulations. The supercargo always sends a letter to the 

 captain, or whoever has the command of the ship, with 

 an account of all the boxes and packs, and the sailors 

 bring an answer back. The flag of the factory stands 

 on the water side, and is hoisted on ail festivals." " The 

 name we give to the Chinese servants is Kulier. These 

 wait at table in the factories, bring in the meat, wash 

 the dishes, &c. clean the knives and forks, fill the lamps 

 in the yard and rooms with oil at night, clean the ve - 

 sels, and do the like business ; which the Chinese valets 

 de chambre look upon as trifling in regard to sweeping 

 the rooms, assisting in carrying the tea chests, and other 

 wares in and out, &c. These and a Chinese cook arc 

 paid by the Company. Besides these, every .ne, or se- 

 veral together, hire a Chinese servant, who is paid some 

 dollars per month. This person buys every thing you 

 want, and frequently by this means avails himself more 

 than by his wages. Happy is the man, who has not the 

 misfortune of hiring a thief into his house ; but often, 

 however, it is the case."* 



See Ancient I'niv. Ilut. vol. xx. p. 100. where there Rcfl , rcnce 

 is a short but judicious sketch of the early history of the t() tutr ,or 

 Chinese empire; Modern I'niv. lli-t. vol. vin. p. 1, uponCbi- 

 where may be found the substance of the accounts of na. 

 China by the French Jesuits, with references to the prin- 

 cipal writers of that class ; NieuhofPs Voyage to C/tixa, 

 one of ihe earliest and most intelligent accounts of that 

 country; Du Halde's IJi^t. nf China; Grosier's De- 

 scription of China; Mnnorres Chinoises par Amiot ; 

 Hisloirc dent rale de la C/iine, which is considered as 

 an interesting monument of French science, but which 

 abounds in exaggerated statements ; Three \cars Tra- 

 vels from iMitucoiP overland to China, by Ibbrands Id.-s ; 

 Osbcck's Voyage to China, wrieh contains numerous 

 observations respecting the botany and -/.oology of that 

 country ; Bell of Antermony's Travtlsjrom Pifcrthiugh 

 to Pc/iin, distinguished for accuracy and information; 

 Ltllrc stir ies Cltaracteres Chinais, which contains a num- 

 ber ot teamed notes, and beautiful plates of various kind* 

 of Chinese writing ; J^ellri' tie I'c/.iu sur la (icnii' tie la 

 langue Chinoise, par un I'ere de la compagnie de Jesut, 

 mtttionaire a 1'ekin ; Fourmont's tirum. Xiitica ; Ilts- 

 toire de I'Academie des laser, et de Belles Leltres, torn, 

 xxxvi. in which will be found an account of Chinese 

 writings ; Marshmau'* Dissertation on the Ckaractcrs and 



t Osbeck ' I'oyugt to CAma, vol. i. p. 210. 



