YUEN-MING-YUEN. 
107 
Ho became again impatient, and again waited on His Excellency. 
In this visit he was all civility, and used every motive that he could 
imagine to induce the Ambassador to meet his wishes. His impor- 
tunity being too suspicious to be complied with, he again left the 
room without attaining his object; but only to harass His Excellency 
with message after message, to which he always received the answer, 
that “ the Ambassador wished to be led to the house prepared for 
him.” After some time the messages became less frequent, and 
then altogether ceased. Mandarins and soldiers, who had been drawn 
<D 
up in the front of the palace, were observed to disperse ; and intelli- 
gence was soon after brought to the Ambassador, that he was at 
liberty to go to his own apartments, and that he would be attended 
by the Emperor’s physician. 
His Lordship immediately quitted the palace, and endeavoured 
to reach the carriage, which had remained in the place where we 
had left it. At first, great difficulty was experienced in getting 
through the Chinese who surrounded us. Several soldiers, armed 
with whips, attempted to open a passage ; but as they only struck 
the ground, their efforts were unavailing. We had, however, more 
effectual aid at hand. The Duke, who had followed us closely, 
seeing our impediment, seized a whip, and striking furiously all 
the Chinese who did not fly before him, speedily cleared our path ; 
the nobles of all ranks, in their dresses of ceremony, sprawling over 
each other in their efforts to escape him. We now soon reached 
the quarters prepared for the Embassy, in the village of Hai-tcen, 
and found our companions, who had been purposely separated from 
us, perplexed at our absence, and overcome with fatigue. 
The Ambassador was immediately visited by the promised physi- 
cian. This gentleman, who appeared to be something beyond the 
middle age, was dressed as a Mandarin. He felt His Lordship’s 
pulse in both wrists ; and having observed that his stomach was pro- 
bably disordered from the use of a Chinese diet, recommended 
repose and an emetic, and retired. The report of this person to the 
Emperor, materially influenced, as it afterwards appeared, our subse- 
quent treatment. 
p 2 
