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"The result of our constant intercourse with the natives of China, since leaving Macao," continues Mr. Lindsay, "had impressed so strongly on my mind the prospective advantages which would be derived by disseminating a little correct information respecting our countrymen among a people who manifest so ready a will to cultivate our friendship, that, after mature reflection of several days, I have determined to take on myself the responsibility of distributing copies of that pamphlet on English character, written by Mr. Marjoribanks, which gives much useful information in a plain intelligible style. In most places we visited, we found the Chinese, even of the higher classes, ignorant, to an extreme degree, of every thing connected with foreigners, so much so, for instance, that I rarely met any who knew the English under any other designation than Hung-maou, Red-Bristled Nation.' This work contains a plain account of the English nation, its power and magnitude; it speaks in the most respectful language of the government and emperor of China; it appeals to the best and most philanthropic feelings of man, as a reason for mutual good-will to subsist between our two nations. It certainly speaks the truth relative to the local government of Canton; but let it be recollected that it has now, for more than a century, availed itself of every means in its power, by edicts, placards, books, and numerous other ways, to degrade the foreign character as low as possible. Is it not therefore in some degree justifiable, when thus attacked, to defend yourself by all fair and open means? In my own mind I am fully satisfied of the good which has and will result from this measure; and indeed, at more than one place, we remained long enough to observe the extraordinary degree of interest which was excited by this little work, and the satisfactory results arising from its circulation."

On the subject of this pamphlet, the observations of the Court of Directors will not, we think, be deemed inappropriate :

"But we have to remark, with deep concern, that a still more objectionable course appears to have been followed during the stay of the vessel at Amoy, and at other ports which the Lord Amherst subsequently visited. In the month of October 1831, Mr. Marjoribanks, as president of the select committee, laid before the Board, with a view of circulating it through China, a paper entitled 'A brief Account of the English Character.' On the 16th November, Mr. Davis very properly recorded his opinion on the impolicy and impropriety of such uses of the Chinese press, and objected to any such appeals to the Chinese. In accordance with these views, Mr. Davis, who succeeded to the chair immediately previous to Mr. Lindsay's departure on his mission, gave that gentleman the strictest injunctions against the use of the abovementioned paper on the coast, and even required him to deliver up all the copies in his possession. Mr. Lindsay, accordingly, produced a wooden case containing some hundred copies, and these (being declared to be all he bad) were immediately lodged by Mr. Davis in the treasury at Macao, where they now remain.' Notwithstanding this strong and judicious admonition of Mr. Davis against the circulation of any printed papers amongst the natives, it appears, from a letter written by Mr. Lindsay, dated 23d February, that copies of the pamphlet in question were taken in the Amherst. That gentleman observes, It has occurred to me, that it may materially assist us, in any intercourse which we may have with the natives of Corea and Japan (should we visit those countries), were we to take a few copies of the Chinese tract on English character for distribution among them. To this, I conceive, there can be no possible political objection, inasmuch as we have nothing to lose in an intercourse with those regions. I have therefore taken five hundred copies

with me from those which remained in Dr. Morrison's possession.' We should have considered that Mr. Lindsay had acted with great impropriety in taking any of the papers with him, after the clear intimation made to him by Mr. Davis, even had he adhered to his intention of confining the distribution to Corea and Japan; but that he should have ventured, upon his own responsibility, to distribute it on the coast of China, appears to us to evince so great a want of deference to the authority under which he was placed, that we are only induced to abstain from visiting this direct violation of the orders of the president with the extreme mark of our displeasure, under a belief that he was actuated by a mistaken zeal in the execution of a duty which involved not only much difficulty, but was imposed upon him, as we already remarked, without due discretion or deliberation."

The vessel steered from Amoy to Fuh-chow, touching at the Pang-hoo or Pescador Islands, which have excellent harbours (but where they were ordered away immediately), and the coast of Formosa, at a place called Woo-teou-keang, where the ship was visited by crowds of curious natives. The coast here consists of barren sand-banks, without any signs of vegetation. No mandarins were here, and trade was promised, but, after waiting two days, the promise was not fulfilled. Insurrection prevailed in the interior, and the aborigines of the east coast had maintained their independence.

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They proceeded through the narrow channel between Hae-tan and the mainland: the charts of the coast are stated to be very inaccurate. At Hae-tan, the admiral of the district, who had lived in the neighbourhood of Macao,* came aboard the Amherst, and behaved with unusual rudeness and indecorum, ordering them to begone instantly. Mr. Lindsay, on the mandarin asserting that the ship was Portuguese, wrote Ta-ying-kwo" (the great English kingdom') is my nation;" whereupon his Excellency said he told lies, and observed, with a scornful laugh, "The great English nation! the petty English nation, you should say." Upon which Mr. Lindsay, remarking that the mandarin was insulting his nation, desired him to quit the cabin, and was on the point of handing him out, when he apologized, and became as cringing as he had been before insolent. Mr. Gutzlaff says that this admiral was an old emaciated opium-eater, and seemed disappointed that they had none to sell. On shore, they were treated by the common people, who were at first shy and reserved, with respect and kindness.

On the 21st April they reached the entrance to the river of Fuh-chow-foo, surrounded with sand-banks, but some fishermen took them over the bar. The vessel was soon crowded with visitors, who, on receiving the trading papers and pamphlet, warmly congratulated the strangers on their safe arrival, and invited them to land. Mr. Lindsay and Mr. Gutzlaff accordingly landed at Hoo-keang, and walked over the small island, accompanied by a great part of the population, amongst whom they distributed various books and pamphlets. They were entertained, in a public hall of the village, at an excellent Chinese dinner, their hosts standing and keeping off the crowd. Nothing could exceed their decorum and kindness.

Next day, Mr. Lindsay set off to the capital (thirty or forty miles distant), to present a petition to the tsung-tuh, or viceroy, of Fokëen and Che-keang, which represented the pretended origin and destination of the vessel and its cargo; that the prices were moderate; that he was desirous to purchase tea, and to obtain permission for English merchants to trade there on payment of ❤ Mr. Lindsay remarks," as a singular fact, that all the Mandarins who were personally uncivil, with one exception, were either natives of Canton, or had served in that province."

duties, &c. On proceeding up the noble and picturesque river, peremptory orders were given them, at a military station, to proceed no further; to which no regard was paid. They at length reached Fuh-chow-foo, which is built on both sides of a river, and guessed to be about two-thirds the size of Canton. The far-famed bridge has thirty-three arches (instead of a hundred, according to Du Halde), or rather diamond-shaped piles of huge masses of granite, supporting transverse blocks of enormous dimensions. It is four hundred and twenty yards long, but not above fourteen feet broad, of which a considerable portion is occupied by temporary shops. "As a work of labour, it is wonderful, but no symptoms of architecture or science are displayed."

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On landing amongst a dense crowd, they pushed on at a quick pace towards the viceroy's palace. Having gone at least a mile and a-half through the suburbs, they came to the city, and passed the walls, which are high and seem in good repair, under a spacious building, through a walled passage, but there were no gates. A quarter of a mile further, they were ushered into the public office of the che-heen. After numerous questions as to their nation and object, and a report of their names, &c., they were sent back to their boat, where a host of mandarins was assembled, one of whom told Mr. Lindsay, superciliously, that it was quite contrary to the customs of the Celestial Empire for barbarians to inhabit their cities, though they had been promised a lodging near the boats. After some angry altercation, they were prevailed upon to accept accommodation in a large boat; but on embarking, they were conveyed to a small trading boat filled with people of the lowest class, who were ordered to turn out and give place to them. Mr. Lindsay refused this lodging, and crossing the river, preferred taking up his lodging in the custom-house. A mandarin, however, ordered them out, and they were taken to another public office. Here they were again told to move off, the mandarin ordering the "barbarians" to their boat in the most insulting tone: go back to your own boat and stay there; we will send you some food." Mr. Lindsay now altered his tone, and refused to change his quarters; the astonished mandarins tried all they could to get them away in vain; midnight came before the strangers were left to their repose. "It is worthy of remark," observes Mr. Lindsay, "that from the moment we put their authority at defiance, the demeanour of many of the mandarins, who appeared before indifferent, became cordial and friendly, and even Whang's tone of contempt and insult changed to that of persuasion and argument. It is a singular fact, and one so contrary to general principles of human nature, that nothing but practical experience can convince one of the truth of it; but in every case, both on matters of greater and smaller importance, I have found that little or nothing either can or will ever be obtained from the Chinese government, or its officers, by humble entreaty and conciliatory arguments; but that, the moment the tone is changed, and a resolute determination is evinced of carrying your point at all risks, it will be conceded with apparent readiness, particularly if the claim is founded on justice and moderation; and what is more singular, they appear to look on you with more good will and cordiality in consequence."

Next day, they went about the town, distributing the Ying-kwo (pamphlet in vindication of England), and some of their trading papers; but they were much incommoded by the curiosity of the people, who crowded about them to obtain a sight of their persons. From various inquiries, the shop-prices of foreign articles are considered to be as follows:-Camlets, 56 to 70 dollars per piece, the higher price for Dutch camlets; superfine broad cloth, 38 to 42; calicoes, 9 to 12; long ells, 10 to 14; iron, 2 dollars per pecul.

The principle trade of Fuh-chow-foo appears to be carried on with Chekeang; the chief articles of trade are wood and tobacco: tea, the staple produce of the country, it is not legal to transport by sea. The city is wellsituated for trade; the river Min, which is navigable for ships of the largest burthen, to within ten miles of it, runs into the very centre of the Black Tea Hills.

It was in vain that Mr. Lindsay laboured to present his petition to the viceroy, who refused an audience; he therefore delivered it to a mandarin belonging to his office.

On returning to the ship, Mr. Lindsay found it surrounded with junks and war-boats, and the same course of proceedings adopted as at Amoy. He, therefore considered that " only two courses remained for his selection: to submit tacitly to the dictation of the mandarins, and relinquish all hopes of trade or intercourse, or to use such measures as he had in his power to attain his object." He resolved therefore, "to a certain extent, to avail himself of the impossibility of the Chinese government rendering any other parties responsible for acts of the ship, being guided by his own feelings of prudence and discretion to avoid hostile collision, and scrupulously abstaining from acts of violence, excepting in self-defence." Mr. Lindsay, accordingly, went on board the vice-admiral of the squadron of junks, and told him that he wished for free intercourse with the people; and if any impediment was offered to it, he should enter the port, and await the viceroy's reply opposite to the viceadmiral's office at Min-gan, a military station on the river, the only fort not dismantled. This threat had the desired effect; the interdict was taken off, and the ship was crowded with visitors, who behaved with the utmost decorum.

Whilst they remained in the river, a numerous deputation of elders from HooKeang, the village where they had been entertained, came on board bringing the following paper, which Mr. Lindsay considers as evidence of the effects produced by the distribution of the books, the unpopularity of the government, and the boldness of the people; to us it appears equivocal :

"We, the inhabitants of this village, have never yet seen you foreigners (foreigners, not barbarians). All people crowd on board your ship to behold you, and a tablet is hung up therein, stating that there is a physician for the assistance of mankind: there are also tracts against gambling, and other writings, besides a treatise on your country, with odes and books; all which make manifest your friendly, kind, and virtuous hearts. This is highly praiseworthy; but as our language differs, difficulties will attend our intercourse. The civil and military mandarins of the Fokien province, together with their soldiers and satellites, are unprincipled in their disposition. If you wish to trade here, wait upon his excellency the Foo-yuen; prostrate yourselves, and ask permission. If he complies, you may then do so; but if he refuses, then go to the districts of Loo and Kang, and there trade; for in that place there is neither a despot nor a master. When you have fully understood this, burn the paper."

An answer to the petition, addressed to the superintendent of salt, was at length received from the acting tsung-tub, which was in substance that the laws prohibited the exportation of tea from the province by sea; that the "barbarian vessel" was licensed to go to a particular port (Japan); and "let them proceed there and dispose of the cargo accordingly."

Soon after, it was found that a system of espionage was established on shore, to prevent the people from trading, or even supplying the ship with provisions. This, and the sight of a proclamation issued by the vice-admiral and the cheheen, interdicting trade with the barbarian ship, led Mr. Lindsay to "make up his

mind to consider the arrangement violated," though the arrangement went no further than allowing the natives "freely to visit the ship;" and he resolved to enter the port, which, he admits, " to some may appear rash." The grounds upon which he proposed to defend the measure were, 1st. that he had not received an official answer to his petition; 2dly, that the promise that natives should be at liberty to supply the ship with provisions had been violated; and 3dly, that the admiral had not fulfilled his promise of repaying the damage occasioned by his having run foul of the ship in a gale. He thought that, as the Company were not responsible for his acts, there was no reason why a slight experiment should not be tried on the government, by an appeal to its fears and weakness.

The experiment succeeded. Some demonstration of hostility was made by the war-junks, but at last a mandarin came on board the Amherst, and agreed that Mr. Lindsay should be allowed to sell goods to the amount of 1000 dollars, the mandarin stipulating for a commission of three per cent. The merchants who came on board, however, refused to give more than 35 dollars for camlets, 33 for broad cloth, and 7. 2. for calico, at which price, 6,200 dollars' worth were sold, and paid for in dollars and sycee silver: upon which the Amherst moved out of the river. Previous to this, and to the delivery of the goods, orders were received from the viceroy, announcing the degradation and dismissal of the vice-admiral, and two other officers, on account of the entrance of the ship.

Inquiries were made respecting tea, and offers were made to supply the article notwithstanding the prohibitory law. No one, however, had accom. panied the expedition who was acquainted with the quality of teas, so that no contracts could be entered into. Some small purchases were made of musters for samples. A respectable merchant, who visited the ship, wrote to Mr. Lindsay, stating, that if he would secretly name a place where teas could be delivered to him, the merchant would undertake to transport thither any quantity he desired; concluding "if you are really desirous of purchasing congou tea, I wish to provide you with some, exchanging every pecul for an adequate quantity of opium." The tea in general use here is a green tea, called Leenkeang; a pleasant-flavoured tea. The sample was examined by Mr. Reeves, the Company's inspector, who says, "it appears to be a hyson tea, without having the skin, young hyson, and gunpowder separated from it; and in this state would be worth very little for the English market."

The situation of Fuh-chow-foo, and the facility of conveying tea from the Woo-e hills, where the tea grows, down the Min, suggest to Mr. Lindsay the establishing a foreign trade at this city, which, he says, would not be permitted avowedly by the Chinese government, but a tacit sanction and even connivance might be readily extorted from the weakness of the local authorities. He believes that, even in opposition to the expressed wishes of the Government, a foreign trade, both in opium and British manufactures, may be established at Fuh-chow-foo.

Prior to their departure, a letter was received from one of the degraded mandarins, urging them to set sail; and next day, the writer and a companion in misfortune visited the ship. Mr. Lindsay has given an extract from his journal of the conversation between himself and these officers; but it discovers little more than common-place remarks on their parts. Mr. Gutzlaff seems to interpret their sentiments rightly, when he says that, though they had suffered on the stranger's behalf," they shewed by no means any angry feeling."

On the 17th May they quitted Fuh-chow-foo, for the Chu-san Archipelago,

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