474 CHI 
Orders were given to prepare a number of junks to con¬ 
vey the whole acrofs the bar, after which they were to 
be tranfhipped into different veffels, better adapted for 
the navigation of the river; other junks were provided 
to convey the perfons and baggage of the embaffy from 
the fhips to the river, where proper veffels were ail'o ready 
to receive them. 
The lea junks which attended the fhips were to the 
number of thirty, eaifo about two hundred tons burden. 
The hold, by means of partitions, is divided into twelve 
compartments. The competition ufed for caulking the 
ieams is made of lime and oil, with fome fcrapings of 
bamboo. It is very glutinous, foon acquires folidity, is 
not combuftible, and is impenetrable to water. The 
weather was exceedingly favourable for tranflhpping the 
prefents and baggage into thefe junks; for, though done 
on the open fea, they did not fuftain the leaft damage. 
The Itormy feafon, however, was approaching faff, and 
fomething was to be refolved on to provide for the fafety 
of the fquadron, their prefent fituation being ineligible. 
With relpedl to the Hindooftan, it was thought definable 
in her way home to touch at Chu-fan, provided leave 
could be obtained at Pekin for that purpofe, which it 
was intended captain Mackintofh, by accompanying the 
ambaffador, fhould folicit in perfon. He could not only 
procure there teas and lilies on better terms than at Can¬ 
ton, but, on his way to rejoin his fliip, he might have an 
opportunity of observing the mode of fabricating the 
articles he ufually carried from China, of which the Eail 
India company was anxious to gain information. His 
excellency recommended fir Eralmus Gower to prepare 
to conduct the fquadron, either to the bay of Ki-fan-feu, 
or to that of Chu-fan, where proper copveniencies might 
be procured for the lick, and refrefhments for the crews ; 
but trailed that the neceffary fupply of provifions would 
be paid for, and that no prefents would be allowed to 
come on-board for individuals. 
While thefe preparations were making, under orders 
from iir Erafmus Gower to his officers, his excellency 
wiffied to have the fatisfadlion of his company to Pekin, 
One of the brigs was to remain in the river Pei-ho to 
take him to the Lion, after which his excellency requefted 
that fir Erafmus would quit the coaft of China, and not 
revilit it till the enfuing month of May; the interval 
of which was filled up with general inlliuftions of what 
ports he was to touch at, obi'erving to be at Macao, to 
meet the ambaffador on his return, in the beginning of 
the following May. Sir Erafmus, however, begged to 
decline the propoial of going to Pekin, deeming lus pre- 
fence with the Iquadron indifpeniably neceilary. He 
fhould return to one of the bays mentioned, and, after 
the health of the crews were re-eftablilhed, proceed to 
accompiiffi the objedls contained in the inftrudlions, for 
the public advantage. The mandarins, having been ap¬ 
plied to, procured from the viceroy letters to enfure good 
treatment for the Lion. The ambaffador and his iuite 
were now preparing to quit her, on whofe departure the 
crew cheerfully obeyed the orders of their commander, 
to man the yards as a token of elteern; loud cheers were 
given, and a general falute from the fhips fired, which 
was a novel fpedlacle to the Chinefe. 
It was on Monday the 5th of Auguft, 1793, that the 
ambaffador, and the gentlemen belonging to the embaffy, 
embarked on-board the Clarence, jackall, and Endea¬ 
vour, brigs, for the Pei-ho river, as the lightnefs of thefe 
veffels admitted of their, being got over the bar; the fer- 
vants, guards, muficians, and other attendants, vvent 
with the baggage and prefents in the junks. The wind 
Being favourable, they croffed the bar in a few hours, 
and in the afternoon came to, for a ffiort time, on the 
fouthern bank of the river, oppofite a linall village called 
Tung-coo, which being a military poll, the troops were 
■drawn up as a mark of refpedl to his excellency. From 
this place the veffels were dragged or trailed along, by 
%. 
N A. 
men upon the river’s bank, to another village named 
See-coo, and thence to a town called Ta-coo, where a 
great number of yachts and other boats were lying ready 
for the accommodation of the embaliy. The naval pro- 
ceffion, on this great occafion, was as follows: 
Firlt, The grand mandarin and his fuile, in five large 
covered barges ; afterwards, in a yacht, 
No. 1. His excellency the earl of Macartney. 
2. Sir George Staunton, bart. fecretary, and Mr* 
Staunton, his Ion, page of the embaffy. 
3. Mr. Plumb, the Cbineie interpreter. 
4. Lieutenant-colonel Benion, lieutenant Parifh, and 
lieutenant Crewe. 
5. Captain Mackintofh of the Hindooftan; Mr. Max¬ 
well, fecretary to the ambaffador; Dr. Gillan, 
phylician; and Mr. Hiitner, preceptor to maf- 
ter Staunton. 
6. Mr. Barrow, mathematician, comptroller of the 
houlehold, &c. Mr. Winder, joint fecretary of 
the embaffy; and Mr. Baring, ion of fir Francis 
Baring. 
7. Dr. Scott, furgeon to the embaffy; Dr. Dipwiddie, 
profeffor of aflronomy, &c. Mr. Hickey, portrait 
painter; and Mr. Alexander, draftfinan. 
Laftly, Five other large junks, which contained the me¬ 
chanics, foldiers, and l'ervants, clofed the pro- 
ceffion. 
The yacht prepared for the reception of the ambaffa¬ 
dor, into which he entered on their arrival off Ta-coo, 
was fpacious, richly ornamented, and contained a greater 
number of glafs panes than the other yachts; whole 
window's, inltead of being glazed, were filled up with a 
tranfparent kind of paper, fabricated in Corea from cot¬ 
ton, and is not eafily aife&ed by rain or any other wea¬ 
ther. His excellency’s apartment cornprifed moil of the 
veffel, and confifted of an anti-chamber, a faloon, a bed¬ 
chamber, and a clolet. The faloon was furnifhed with a 
fquare fopha, or feat of honour, fuch as are met with in 
the manlions of the chief mandarins, which they always 
occupy on giving audience. On each fide of the yacht, 
from head to Hern, was conflruiled a gangway, project¬ 
ing two feet beyond the gunwale. Upon this the crew 
manoeuvred the veffel; and by it the domeftics were pre¬ 
vented from palling through the principal rooms. The 
cabin allotted for the crew was next the. item, in a corner 
of which was a lmall altar, writh an idol upon it, and 
around it perfumed matches were kept conftantly burn¬ 
ing. Befides the ambaffadors, there were fixteen other 
yachts in the proceiiion, independent of lighters for con¬ 
veying the prefents and luggage ; and the junks for the 
accommodation of mandarins of various ranks, as well 
as other Chinefe, ordered to attend on the occafion, were 
equal in number to thofe w'hich compofed the embaffy. 
Many of the yachts were eighty feet long; and, notwith- 
llanding they were encumbered with upper-works, drew 
only eighteen inches water. The cabins in them were 
lofty and airy; aboye them were births for the crew, be¬ 
neath lockers for flowage. Some had coloured curtains 
on the outfide, reaching from flem to Hern, to keep out 
the fun, and fhutters to ward off the rain. Some of thefe 
boats, in which were feveral cooks, contained provifions 
for the ambaffador’s table, to preclude the necefiity of 
going on ffiore, or prevent procraftination whenever the 
wind and tide were favourable for their paffage. The 
tranfhipping of the luggage, of which there were fix hun¬ 
dred packages, occupied nearly three days. While this 
was doing, the chief diredlors of the route, Chow-ta-zhin 
and Van-ta-zhin, made occalional complimentary vilits 
to the ambaffador, as well as to fee that he was properly 
accommodated. Their politenefs extended to the prin¬ 
cipal gentlemen of the embaffy, who were likewiie ho¬ 
noured with vilits of civility. The inferior mandarins 
were not lei's attentive to the accommodation and corp- 
. fort 
