JOURNEY TO YUEN-MING-YUEN. 
99 
that there was every probability of its giving way. In these machines 
the Chinese proposed to place the invalids, unsheltered from the 
weather. On their being pointed out to His Excellency, he de- 
clared that he would not quit Tung-Chow till others of a better 
description were provided. Several of our Chinese attendants im- 
mediately pretended to seek them; but in their peculiar spirit re- 
turned with a cart, appointed to convey one of the gentlemen, but 
of which they had taken possession during his absence. Lord 
Amherst now directed that two of the sedans intended to follow 
his carriage, should be given up to the sick, and thus secured 
to them more easy vehicles than any which the Chinese seemed 
disposed to afford. 
Every thing being at length ready, our journey commenced at 
four o’clock in the afternoon. The gentlemen on horseback went in 
advance of the carriage, the sedan chairs followed immediately 
behind it, then the carts, next the servants, band and guard in 
waggons, whilst the rear was closed by our baggage. Every point of 
the procession was surrounded by mandarins and soldiers in chairs 
and carts, on horseback and on foot : the whole moved at a foot-pace. 
We soon reached the gates of Tung-Chow, through which we ex- 
pected to pass ; but the ways proving too narrow for His Lordship’s 
carriage, we took a road under its walls. These are of an oblong 
square, as stated by Du Halde, and are built of an ill-burnt brick of a 
blue colour. No masonry could be less expressive of strength, or 
in a state of greater dilapidation. Leaving the city, we soon 
reached a handsome bridge of one arch, built of a granular lime- 
stone, and ornamented with figures of lions. Having left this, we 
came to the paved road which extends from Tung-Chow to Pekin. 
The pavement consisted of large blocks of granite, so irregularly laid, 
that large chasms from long wear had intervened between them 
sufficiently deep for the overturn of carriages. These continually 
occurred through its whole extent, and occasioned the greatest an- 
noyance to those who travelled in carts. That part of the country 
through which we passed whilst day-light continued, was on each side 
o 2 
