When the Commodore first put to sea from Macao, they
practised an artifice of another kind, for as the Chinese never object to
the eating of any food that dies of itself, they took care, by some
secret practises, that great part of his live sea-store should die in a
short time after it was put on board, hoping to make a second profit of
the dead carcases which they expected would be thrown overboard, and
two-thirds of the hogs dying before the Centurion was out of sight of
land, many of the Chinese boats followed her only to pick up the carrion.
These instances may serve as a specimen of the manners of this celebrated
nation, which is often recommended to the rest of the world as a pattern
of all kinds of laudable qualities.
CHAPTER 38.
PREPARATIONS FOR A VISIT TO CANTON.
The Commodore, towards the end of September, having found out (as has
been said) that those who had contracted to supply him with sea
provisions and stores had deceived him, and that the Viceroy had not sent
to him according to his promise, he saw it would be impossible for him to
surmount the embarrassment he was under without going himself to Canton,
and visiting the Viceroy. And therefore, on the 27th of September, he
sent a message to the mandarin who attended the Centurion to inform him
that he, the Commodore, intended on the 1st of October to proceed in his
boat to Canton, adding that the day after he got there he should notify
his arrival to the Viceroy, and should desire him to fix a time for his
audience; to which the mandarin returned no other answer than that he
would acquaint the Viceroy with the Commodore's intentions.
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