230 
FOOD OF THE CHINESE. 
printed in stereotype. The use of moveable metallic types may per- 
haps, at no distant period, become general in the empire, as a 
manufactory of them in block tin is already established at Macao for 
the use of the British factory. The casters and cutters are Chinese, 
who execute their work with great precision and despatch. 
About ten o’clock on the morning of the twentieth of January, His 
Excellency, accompanied by his suite, embarked in his barge ; and, 
attended by the boats of the Alceste and Lyra and of the other 
British ships then lying at Whampoa, took leave of the city of 
Canton. 
The Viceroy’s curiosity induced him to station himself in his 
yacht near the spot where he expected they would pass, for the sake 
of witnessing the procession ; but finding the boats taking a direc- 
tion not likely to give him an opportunity of effecting his purpose, 
sent his card to the Ambassador requesting him to steer nearer 
to his yacht. His Lordship returned the card and directed Captain 
Maxwell to continue his course. 
About four o’clock the Embassy reached the Alceste, and early 
the following morning got under weigh, and passing the batteries 
at the mouth of the river received their successive salutes. 
As we passed down the river, a large number of pigs, which formed 
part of some imperial supplies to the ships, died and were thrown 
overboard, proving rich prizes to many Chinese, who in small 
boats attended the ship to pick up any animal or vegetable matter 
that might be ejected from them. On obtaining a carcase they 
immediately cut it up, washed and salted it, and no doubt sold it to 
other European ships as prime meat ; not because they disliked 
such food, for no disease disqualifies the carcase of an animal for the 
butchers’ shambles in China, but because they considered the entrails 
delicious fare. 
The Chinese are less fastidious than perhaps any other people in 
the choice of their food, feeding on those animals which amongst 
other nations are considered unclean, and upon the parts of animals 
which are usually rejected with disgust. They prove indeed that the 
