Page:The Chinese Repository - Volume 01.djvu/22



In the manuscript of the first traveller, says the translator, there is a leaf or more wanting where the author begins to treat of China. The first extract, which we make from this part of the work, seems to refer to this city, which he calls Canfu, i.e. Kwang-chow-foo, or as it is now written by Europeans, Canton.

Fires are frequent in Canton at the present time; that which swept away the western suburbs of the city, with the Foreign Fretories, early in November 1822, was an extensive one. But the introduction of fire-engines, and a strict and constant watch, with other precautions, usually prevent them from being very destructive; and commerce is, probably, as unlikely to be affected by fires in Canton, as in any other mart in the world. The second traveller, alluding to the "causes of delay," says, 'since much is related to show the reason why the voyages to China are interrupted, and how the country has been ruined, many customs abolished, and the Empire divided, I will here declare what I know of the causes of this revolution.' After briefly noticing its commencement, and the leader of the rebellion which occasioned it, he adds,

"His hands thus strengthened, and himself in a condition to undertake any thing, he betrayed his design of subduing the Empire to himself, and strait marched to Canfu, one of most noted cities in China, and, at that time the port of all the Arabian merchants. This city stands upon a great river, some days distant from the entrance, so that the water here is fresh; but the citizens shutting their gates against him, lie resolved to besiege the place, and the siege lasted a great while. This was transacted in the year of the Hejra 264, and of Christ 877. At last he became master of the city, and put all the inhabitants to the sword. There are persons fully acquainted with the affaire of China, who assure us, that besides the Chinese, who were massacred upon this occasion, there perished one hundred and twenty thousand Mohammedans, Jews, Christians, and Parsees, who were there on account of traffic. The number of the professors of these four religions,