1800. | 
DESCRIPTION Of the c1TY of MACAO, by 
M. VAN BRAAM HOUCKGEEST, fecond 
perfon inthe late EMBassy of the DUTCH 
EAST INDIA COMPANY ?o'the EMPE- 
ROR of CHINA, tranflated and abridged 
from the FRENCH. 
M. VAN BRAAM having been fe- 
e veral years in the city of Canton, 
in the fervice of the Dutch Eaft India 
Company, and fince the year 1766, hav- 
ing principally dwelt at Macao, had 
many opportunities of examining the 
fituation and ftate of that city. In the 
preceding century it was one of the molt 
flourifhing places in the Eaft Indies, and 
would have been fo fill, if it had been in- 
habited by a commercial and induftrious 
nation, fuch as the Englith, French or 
Dvtch, but the pride and lazinefs of its 
prefent inhabitants augment daily its 
decay. 
The-city of Macao, which the Chinefe 
call Oumoun (fine port) is fituated in 22 
degrees, 20 min, of north latitude, in.an 
advantageous and agreeable pofition, about 
thirty leagues fouth ef Canton, upon 
the poiat of an ifland. About half a 
league to the north of the city is the wall 
of feparation, about the middle of which 
there is a gate-and an-edifice defigned for 
the abode of the commandant, from which 
there is a view onall fides. “To the north 
of this gate there is a Chinefe-guard under 
the command of an officer, or a mandarine, 
for the purpofe of preventing any. Euro- 
pean from going out, and efpecially to take 
care left any prieft or miffionary fhould go 
into the Chinefe territory, This wall is 
regarded as a real barrier, becaufe it is 
the key of Macao, with which the Chinefe 
ean fubdue this city, and compel its go- 
vernment to comply with their will. Such 
is the fituation of the place, that all man. 
nerof provifions muit be broughtinto Ma- 
cao from without by the Chinefe ;—{o that 
the mandarines, upon the leaft difturbance, 
threaien to fhut this gate and ftarve the 
city ; and it has. been proved by many ex- 
amples, that they were able to execute 
their threats. ©It is in this manner that 
the Chivefe obtain all they pleafe to de- 
mand or even hint at. |There are more 
Chinefe than Portuguefe at prefent in this 
city. The Portuguefe goverament there 
is but the fhadow of what it formerly was ; 
and the Chinefe regency Jabour daily to 
diminifh 1¢ {till more ; and in general the 
mafdarines fhew but little deference for 
the Portugucie. Macao is regarded as a 
molt delightful fituation, onaccountof the 
fuperb profp<éts which furround it.  Na- 
ture, without departing from her noble 
MontHiy Macs No. 62. 
Defcription of Macao. 9 
fimplicity, feems to have taken pleaftre in 
adorning this fpot with the molt captiva- 
ting views, and in fcattering beauties 
which the attentive contemplator finds 
ever new, fo lavithing is variety here of 
her charms. ‘The eye, while it furveys 
this pleafing abode, is enclianted by the 
profpects which it offers ; on the one fide, 
the moft lofty mountains and elevated 
rocks piled upon-each other, whofe fum-~ 
mits brave the moft horrible tempefts, 
feem to defy the ravages of time ; on the 
other fide, the oppofition of light and 
fhade form effeéts which the pencil of na- 
ture alone is able to produce ; here a little 
hill covered with evergreens; there a val. 
leyiwhere the ufefal labourertills the abun- 
dant foil. What picture can be more beau- 
tiful than that of thofe fields of nourifhing 
grain, from which the inhabitant of Afia 
draws his favourite fubfiftence, loaded with 
undulating ftalks, which by their fhade in. 
vite the reaper. They, fall, it is true, un- 
der the fickle; but itis for the purpofe of 
forming fheaves which reward fo abun- 
dantly the labours and the cares of the 
hufbandman. . How pleafing is the con- 
templation of fucha f{cene to aman of fenfi. 
bility! With how many delightful thoughts 
muft it fill his mind ! 
So far from confidering that the city of 
Macao has all the advantages which might 
make it a principal feat of commerce, and 
that it ought on this account to be made 
refpectable for all other nations, the go- 
vernment does not even think of keeping 
it in a good ftate of defence, and negleéts 
icin every refpect. It feems that Portu- 
gal regards it only as a proper piace for 
the fpreading of miffionaries in the inte. 
rior of China ; fhe evidently believes, that 
without Macao, this defign cannot be ac- 
complithed, becaufe the Europeans are tco 
much watched at Canton, to make it pof- 
fible to be effected there. Even at Macao, 
the vigilance of the mandarines is fo con- 
tinual and exact, that an attempt to intro- 
doce a miffionary into the territory of 
China, offers at the fame time the idea of 
a great difficulty and a great danger. 
The crown of Portugal has granted 
fome advantageous privileges to Macao, 
fhe allows her fubjeéts to ga and efta- 
blith themfelves there; the expends no 
money upon the city, neither does the draw 
any revenue from it. The place is there- 
fore left to its own refources for fuppoit. 
The fituation being fomewhat elevated, the 
foil dry and fandy, and the climate tempe- 
rae, renders it a very healthful abode. In 
the months of December, January and Fe. 
bruary, the weather is the fevereft, though 
C ebb cci f0 
