Page:Inside Canton.djvu/11

10 to visit the capital of his kingdom, in order to continue, as he said, an acquaintance which had become so agreeable to him. M. de Lagrené accepted this invitation. The Mandarin Pan-se-Chen placed at his disposition one of the houses, or rather one of the palaces, which he possesses at Canton. But the cordial politeness of the mandarins did not cease here; they also invited MM. Barnard d'Harcourt, Callery, and myself to accompany the French minister on his journey.

Chinese customs often expose Europeans, and above all European ladies, to surprises of a very embarrassing nature; for this reason, M. de Lagrené requested the interpreter and the physician of the embassy to precede him, in order to overlook the preparations that were to be made for his reception.

We took our passage on board a faï-ting, and started for Canton five days before M. de Lagrené. The faï-tings, which the English call "fast boats," and the Portuguese lorchas, are excellent vessels, of about fifty tons, well built, good sailers, and doing the same duty that is performed on our coasts by steamers. When we arrived on board, Callery led me to the mainmast.

"Can you read?" he said.

"Why, yes," I replied.

Then, pointing maliciously to an inscription in Chinese, he said, "Well, then, read that."