COCHINCHINA. 293 
tremelj desirous of testifying their respect by a public enter- 
tainment to be gi\'^en on the occasion, his Lordship fixed on 
the 4th June for celebrating, with the Cochinchinese on shore, 
the anniversary of his Majesty's birth-day. Whether through 
accident, or in consequence of former suspicions, or to give 
eclat to the entertainment, did not appear, but on the 
evening preceding we observed an unusual bustle about the 
place, an increased number of troops in and about the town, 
besides several huge elephants of war. We therefore, on our 
part, took the precaution of sending the two armed brigs up 
the river opposite to the town, to make a retreat, if neces- 
sary, the more secure. The day, however, passed over in 
harmony and conviviality. We were conducted from the place 
of landing to a temporary building, on a larger scale than that 
which we had hitherto occasionally occupied. The two pitches 
of its roof were supported by a row of bamboo poles which, 
running down the middle, divided the buildijig into two 
parts. The sides and the roof were covered with thick double 
matts and lined within with coarse Manchester cottons of 
various patterns.- These prints appeared to be nev/, but 
damaged, and were probably the refuse of the China market, 
carried thither by the Portuguezc trader. In the first com- 
partment of the building was a long table covered with linen, 
and laid out with plates, knives and forks, in the manner and 
style of Europe. Our Portugueze friend, it seemed, by way 
of making some atonement for the injury he had nearly, 
though perhaps not maliciously, done us, had prevailed on 
the Cochinchinese to allow him to be master of the cere- 
monies for the day, concluding in his own mind that, as the 
eating and drinking would be considered by us as the best 
