ards appeared that the whole was a fiction, not one
article of it having the least foundation, yet (for reasons best known
to themselves) this falsehood was so well supported by the artifices
of the Chinese merchants at Canton, that, three days afterwards, the
commodore received a letter, signed by all the supercargoes of the
English ships then at that place, expressing their great uneasiness at
what had happened, and intimating their fears that some insult would
be offered to his boat, if he came thither before the viceroy was
fully satisfied about the mistake. To this letter Mr Anson replied,
that he did not believe there had been any mistake, but was persuaded
it was a forgery of the Chinese, to prevent his visiting the viceroy;
that, therefore, he would certainly come up to Canton on the 13th of
October, confident that the Chinese would not dare to offer him an
insult, as well knowing it would be properly returned.

On the 13th of October, the commodore continuing firm, to his
resolution, all the supercargoes of the English, Danish, and Swedish
ships, came on board the Centurion, to accompany him to Canton, for
which place he set out in his barge the same day, attended by his own
boats, and by those of the trading ships, which, on this occasion,
came to form his retinue; and, as he passed by Whampoa, where the
European vessels lay, he was saluted by all of them but the French,
and in the evening arrived safely at Canton.

SECTION XXXII.

_Proceedings at the City of Canton, and the Return of the Centurion to
England._

When the commodore arrived at Canton, he was visited by the principal
Chinese merchants, who affected to appear very much pleased that
he had met with no obstruction in getting thither, and who thence
pretended to conclude that the viceroy was satisfied about the former
mistake, the reality of which they still insisted on; they added, that
as soon as the viceroy should be informed that Mr Anson was at Canton
(which they promised should be done the next morning,) they were
persuaded a day would be immediately appointed for the visit, which
was the principal business that had brought the commodore thither.

The next day the merchants returned to Mr Anson, and told him that
the viceroy was then so fully employed in preparing his dispatches for
Pekin, that there was no getting admittance to him for some days, but
that they had engaged one of the officers of his court to give them
information as s