492 Hamilton’s account of the east indies.

There are many (lately buildings in the city of Canton, and above a dozen of tri-umphal arches in feveral places of the city, and a great number of temples, well (lockedwith images. The Italian church makes an handfome figure, but the French chapel i 5but mean on the outlide.

There was a new temple built by the King of Couchin-China , and dedicated to oneof his gods called Migleck, whofe image is placed in it, in a lazy pofture, fitting ona carpet, with his heels drawn alniod to his buttocks, clothed in a loofe robe, with hisbread and belly bare, and leaning on a large cufhion or bolder. He is very corpulent,and always laughing, which merry afpedl made me think that he might pafs for Demo-critus of Abdera in Greece . There is another image of a young god that died beforehe reached twenty. lie is placed fitting on a chair, and as we approach near him, henods his head, by means of fome 1'prings that reach from the pavement that we treadon: However, this young dead fellow (hews as great a wonder in nodding to hisvifitants, as St. Charles of Milan does to his devotees on the anniverfary day of hiscanonization.

Canton was the lad great city of China that the Tartars conquered, when they over-ran that country about the year 1650, and had it not been for the cowardice and trea-chery of the governor, it might dill have been an independent province as well as Quanfi.The Tartars lod above 100,000 men in reducing it, for they lay nine months beforeit, and the city nowife didred for want of provifions, having the river free for com-munication with foreign places; but upon the governor’s furmife that it might be takenat lad, and he and his family facrificed to the refentment of.a barbarous enemy, hefecretly articled with the general of the Tartars , and perfidioufly opened two gates inone night, and the Tartars entering horfe and foot, foon made the city a theatre ofhorror and miferv.

I made a calculation of the number of inhabitants within the walls of Canton, bythe quantity of rice daily expended in it; for they reckon 10,000 peculs is the dailyimport of that grain. It is alfo reckoned, that every perfon confumes one pecul inthree months, fo that by that calculation, there mud be above 900,000 people in it.and the fuburbs one-third of that number, and there is no day in the year but (hews5000 fail of trading jonks, befides fmall boats for other fervices, lying before the city.

A little way below the city, are two fmall iflands in the river; they have each acadle built on them, and their garrifons examine all veffels and boats that pafs bythem.

The product of the country, befides corn and fruits, is gold, quick-filver, copper,deel, iron, raw and wrought filks, and befides the filk manufactories, there are lackedor japanned ware; and at Sachow there are much porcelain or China -ware made.We have the fame fort of clay, in feveral parts of Great Britain that porcelain is madeof, but we want the warm fun to 'prepare it.

They reckon that the province of Canton or Quantung, pays yearly to the Emperor1,200,000 peculs of rice, and 20,000 peculs of fait, out of which is ferved out to themilitary (who are reckoned 80,000 continually kept in the Emperor ’s pay) 320,000peculs of rice, and 8000 peculs of fait, The red is fold in markets, at the commonprice of 5 macias a pecul, which may amount to 446,000 tayels, which is appropriatedtowards the payment of the military expence, which may amount to 1,000,000 of tayelsyearly. The cudoms on merchandize and poll-money amounts to prodigious greatfums, all which are gathered according to the book of rates, and fent to the treafuryof the province, for the ufe of the empire, which makes the Emperor ’s treafinyalways full.

Eokien