TIEN-SING. 
79 
instances, as I especially observed in my boatmen, this peculiarity 
entirely disappeared. Can these modifications of physical character 
depend on varied circumstances of individual habits in the same 
climate ? 
The land along the banks of the Pei-ho, from Ta-koo to Tien-sing, 
bears the strongest marks of recent formation ; consisting of clay and 
sand, in nearly equal proportions, and being free from the smallest 
pebble. The beds of shells alternating with strata of earth, of unequal 
thickness, mark its periodical but unequal accumulation by the soil 
which is brought down by the river at different seasons. The debris 
of the Tartar Mountains afford no doubt the materials of its com- 
position. Whilst the larger fragments of rocks are retained near 
their base, to exhibit perhaps in other times the phenomena of 
breccial formations, their comminuted parts are rolled on and deposited 
near the mouth of the river, and may at some distant period constitute 
rocks of uniform stratification and structure. 
The Embassy arrived at Tien-sing, at 4 o’clock in the afternoon of the 
12th of August, the third day after leaving the mouth of the Pei-ho. 
Soon after our arrival, it was announced that Lord Amherst would 
have a conference with the Legate and Soo-ta-jin, a Mandarin of high 
rank, on the following day, and partake at its close of an imperial 
feast, to which the gentlemen of his suite were also invited. We 
therefore set out the next morning at ten o’clock, in procession, for 
the hall of audience : the commissioners and suite travelling in 
sedans, preceded by the servants, guard, and band on foot. 
We traversed several narrow streets lined on both sides with shops 
much ornamented ; having large and high boards painted of a red 
colour, and inscribed with Chinese characters in black and gold, stand- 
ing in their front, and forming a gay, and rather pleasing vista. Their 
various articles for sale were indicated by a number of curiously- 
shaped emblems hanging in rows before them. Great crowds had 
planted themselves in every direction to see us pass, amongst whom 
the utmost silence and order prevailed ; and although they exhibited 
an anxious curiosity to obtain a peep at the inmates of the sedans, 
