Chinese. After the proper enquiries had been made,
particularly about the leak, which the Chinese carpenters reported to
be as dangerous as it had been represented, and consequently that
it was impossible for the Centurion to proceed to sea without being
refitted, the mandarine expressed himself satisfied with the account
given in the commodore's letter. And this magistrate, as he was more
intelligent than any other person of his nation that came to our
knowledge, so likewise was he more curious and inquisitive, viewing
each part of the ship with particular attention, and appearing greatly
surprised at the largeness of the lower-deck guns, and at the weight
and size of the shot. The commodore, observing his astonishment,
thought this a proper opportunity to convince the Chinese of the
prudence of granting him a speedy and ample supply of all he wanted:
With this view he told the mandarine, and those who were with him,
that, besides the demands he made for a general supply, he had a
particular complaint against the proceedings of the custom-house of
Macao; that at his first arrival the Chinese boats had brought on
board plenty of greens, and variety of fresh provisions for daily use,
for which they had always been paid to their full satisfaction, but
that the custom-house officers at Macao had soon forbid them, by which
means he was deprived of those refreshments which were of the utmost
consequence to the health of his men after their long and sickly
voyage; that as they, the mandarines, had informed themselves of his
wants, and were eye-witnesses of the force and strength of his
ship, they might be satisfied it was not for want of power to supply
himself, that he desired the permission of the government to purchase
what provisions he stood in need of; that they must be convinced that
the Centurion alone was capable of destroying the whole navigation of
the port of Canton, or of any other port in China, without running the
least risk from all the force the Chinese could collect; that it
was true this was not the manner of proceeding between nations in
friendship with each other, but it was likewise true that it was
not customary for any nation to permit the ships of their friends to
starve and sink in their ports, when those friends had money to supply
their wants, and only desired liberty to lay it out; that they must
confess he and his people had hitherto behaved with great modesty and
reserve, but that, as his wants