Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-05-23
Extract Of II letter from an OBicer on board
ne U. S. trigdte Congress, to his friend a.
this city dated
q. 5. Frisate CONGRESS,


My dear Sir BY letter wrote you
lately, yOu have no doubt been informed,
tina, we arrived in This country OH the LIST
November. When | wrote that letter, |
had not been to Canton, aud consequent
iy had nothing more TO write of than our
long voyage and lis prosperous terminal
lion. Since then, have seen this great
emporium of eastern commerce; and,
like all travellers who suffer their ina
gina,ion 10 get The better Of their reason,
found il TO fall far short of the expec-
taiions had formed of il. Neither was
our reception here attended with the
most ttattering circumstances. The Chi
nesc have peculiar aversion 10 every
thing that has a military appearance
they view with jealousy and alarm the ar
rival of vessel OF war: they have, there
fore, manifested towards us The most
determined luminosity. They ordered
us out ~ the country refused 10 allow
us a compred0re, Ia person TO supply
The ship with provisions and when Cap
tam Henley weat To Canton, lie was or
dered away. But when ihsy saw that
their conduct met with the contempt il
merlted, and that Capt. Fl. persisted in
his demand for compredore, they gra.
cious!y condescended, after several " eeks
:,
or, as IL is here called, chOp.
" 1t would tire you To read, and be
useless for rne 10 enter into more pariic-
nar detail Of Their absurd aud iriiiing
conduct with regard 10 this ship; suffice
II to say, that every thing has been done
10 ihwart our views, and 10 render our
stay here unpleasant.
"The city OF Canton is situated on
the north side Of The Bocca Tigris, on
low marshy ground the streets are SO
very narrow, that IN many OF them two
persons can will difficulty walk abreast.
The houses are low, and built very
close together; and, as those fronting the
streets are used as stores and warehouse
es, stranger, from seeing them can form
no idea of the domestic arrangements of
a Chinese family. Most of the Foreign
Companies have handsome and commodi.
Gus houses or hongs built for The use of
their agents each hong is divided into
separate sections or factories, one OF which
IL commonly occupied by the captain
and supercargo Of "A ship.
II might naturally be supposed that
in city SO rich and populous as Canton,
there would be some public institution,
some public edihces, or some place OF
genera! resort, by which a stranger might
form some idea OF The national taste aud
spirit. But, with the exception Ola few
temples dedicated TO the iuielar deities
OF the city, there is nothing of The kind.
One OF these temples was in IL is a
large, uncoutI building, surrounded by
siagnani pool, and contains many hi.
deoas figures, The principal of which
is that OF reverend priest, who, on &C.
count OF his superior pieiy, was by The
cnprlAl f9vnr nj tho UnhS faH IN
grow 10 such an immense bulk that he Iii
ed in consequence of it. Yet the dwell
lings of the principal citizens are built
with elegance, and adapted 10 comfort
and their gardens are beautiful specimens
OF the Chinese taste. Their chieI aim is
to have every thing artificial, but IA nearly
as possibIS TO resemble ma lure. Upon en-
tering the garden of Conseiqua, Zone of
the Hong merchanis,) imagine my sur
prise on beholding d beautiful lake, o.
verhung with huge rocks aud preeipices
on whose summiis were lions, tigers, and
other wild animals, who appeared rea-
dy and eager TO dev0ur all who should
have the temerity 10 enter 81 territory
which they seemed 10 consider as their
peculiar domain. And, so great is the
resemblance 10 reality, that il requires a
close examination 10 discover The decep-
ton. On the borders OF the lake, al lr-
regular distances, are pleasant summer
houses i'll its bosom are fishes of vari-
Gus kinds, and the surrounding trees are
filed with birds of every climate, which
are reared and protected by the numcr-
Gus females of this old genlIeman's tami-
~. Into that section of his house occupi'
ed by the women, we were, by The polite
ness OF Censeiqua, admitted. The ladies',
however, were so impollte as TO shut their
doors. Or course we saw nothing of
them, save now and then a pair of dark
eycsPeeping through lie lattlces, 10 catch
a glimpse OF the Faqui, or strange devils !;
Tor, by this amiable epilhet are all for
eigners distinguished. In the centre Of
large hall repOse the ashes of Consei-
qua's mother, to whom this pious son
has erected "A splendid altar, which has
nsmber of tapers constantly burning be-
fore it..
At the house of King-qua, tanoiher Of
tue Hong merchants) | had the pleasure
OF seeing sing song, or theatrical repre-
sanitation the parts both of men and wo'
uIen were performed by boys - and The
music was very much like tie noise made
by our country people in collecting
their bees. During the performance we
were invited by our host TO take of
ch0p stick .repast. Never was more
strongly reminded of the fable of the Fox
and the SiOrk for whilst was getting
single piece of cake between the sticks,
old King-qua would devoUr a plaiefull.
No country in the world is better prOyi-
Died with officers Of justice than China I;
yet ia no country are exactiOn and OPP
preston reduced 10 more regular sys.
ten all employed in tile public service
are guilty from the chief officer Of stale
down to the petty Tide water, whose par
ticUlar business II is 10 ieaze and ha-
rass strangers on landing.
'Ihc lOrpiUu trade 10 CoudacGod lao a. =