Page:The Chinese Repository - Volume 01.djvu/178

 "Canton, principal city of the Chinese province of the same name, otherwise called Quang-tung, or Koanton, is situated in 23 deg. 30 min. N. lat., and 113 deg. 2 min. 45 sec. E. lon., on the banks of the river Taho, which is here very wide. This city, distinguished for size, wealth, and a numerous population, is the only seaport in China open to the ships of Europe and America. The estimate of missionaries, that it contains 1,000,000 of inhabitants, is exaggerated. The number is probably nearer 750,000. The circuit of the walls, which are of a moderate height, is over nine miles. Only about a third part, however, of the space enclosed is covered with buildings; the rest is occupied, with pleasure-gardens and fish-ponds. The neighbouring country is very charming, hilly towards the east, and presenting, in that quarter, a beautiful prospect. The houses are mostly of one story; but those of the mandarins and principal merchants are high and well built. In every quarter of the town and the suburbs are seen temples and pagodas, containing the images of Chinese gods. The populous streets are long and narrow, paved with flat stones, and adorned at intervals with triumphal arches. Shops line the sides, and an unbroken range of piazza protects the occupants of the houses, as well as foot-passengers, from the rays of the sun. At night, the gates are closed, and bars are thrown across the entrances of the streets.

"The traders express themselves with sufficient fluency in the languages of their European and American customers, with whom they deal almost exclusively, selling them porcelain, lackered wares, &c. The Americans trade here to a greater extent than any other nation: next to them come the English. The greatest part of the silver, which is carried from America to Europe, eventually circulates through China, by means of the ports of Canton and Batavia, to which large supplies of the productions of the empire arc transmitted. The principal articles of export are tea, India ink, varnish, porcelain, rhubarb, silk and nankeen. A company, consisting of 12 or 13 merchants, called the Cohoug, is established here, by order of the government, for the purpose of purchasing the cargoes of foreign ships, and supplying them with return cargoes of tea, raw silk, &c. This society interferes, undoubtedly, with private trade, but adds greatly to the security of the foreign dealer, as each member is answerable for all the rest.

"Carriages are not used here, but all burdens are transported on bamboo poles laid across the shoulders of men. All the inhabitants of distinction make use of litters. Chinese women are never seen in the streets, and Tartar women but seldom. The European factories, to wit, the Dutch, French, Swedish, Danish and English, are situated on a commodious quay, on the bank of the river. Nearly a league from Canton is the boat-town, which consists of about 40,000 barks, of various kinds, arranged close to each other in regular rows, with