A Narrative Of The British Embassy To China PDF Download

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1795 edition. Excerpt: ...entry at Jehol, by the Grand Choulaa, the Imperial Ministerof state: but on what grounds this expectation was formed, or for what reason it received such a disappointment, it is not for me to offer a conjecture. On our arrival, Lieut. Col. Benson ordered the troops to hold themselves in readiness to fall into a line at a momends warning; and desired the fervants, mechanit, &e. to range themselves in order before the d 'or of the Ambassadofs apartments, in order t_ receive the Grand Choulaa, who was expectedi every moment to pay his visit of salutation and welcome. In this state of suspense we remained from our arrival till past four o'clock; in the course of which time we had paraded at least a dozen times, as several mandarins came to take a curious_ view of us, and every one.of them was supposed, in his turn, to be the Grand Choulaa. The arrival of dinner, however, put an end to all expectations of seeing him on this day. The palace, which was now become the residence of the embassy, is built on the declivity of 1 7 9 3. a hill; the entrance to it is by eight large broad stPtfmhsff-i steps which lead to a wooden gateway, through which there is a passage to a large court, paved in the centre with large flat stones. On each side of this court there is a-long and broad gallery roosed with black shining tiles, and supported in front by strong wooden pillars. That on the lest was employed at this time as a kitchen, and enclosed by mats nailed along the pillars to the height os seven or eight feet: the other, on the opposite side, was quite open, and used as a place os parade and_ exercise for the soldiers. At the upper end of this court there is another neat gallery or platform laid with stones, and roofed.in the same man. ner as...