to be in the whole city.

The military force of the province, of which Canton is the capital, amounts
to fifty thousand men. It is said, that twenty thousand are stationed in
and about the city; and, as a proof of this, I was assured, that, on the
occasion of some disturbance that had happened at Canton, thirty thousand
men were drawn together within the space of a few hours.

The streets are long, and most of them narrow and irregular, but well paved
with large stones, and, for the most part, kept exceedingly clean. The
houses are built of brick, one story high, having generally two or three
courts backward, in which are the warehouses for merchandise, and, in the
houses within the city, the apartments for the women. A very few of the
meanest sort are built of wood.

The houses belonging to the European factors are built on an handsome quay,
with a regular facade of two stories toward the river, and disposed within,
partly after the European, and partly after the Chinese manner. Adjoining
to these are a number of houses belonging to the Chinese, and hired out to
the commanders of ships and merchants, who make an occasional stay. As no
European is allowed to bring his wife to Canton, the English supercargoes
live together at a common table, which is kept by the company, and have
each a separate apartment, consisting of three or four rooms. The time of
their residence seldom exceeds eight months annually; and as they are
pretty constantly employed, during that time, in the service of the
company, they may submit with the less regret to the restraints they are
kept under. They very rarely pay any visits within the walls of Canton,
except on public occasions. Indeed, nothing gave me so unfavourable an idea
of the character of the Chinese, as to find, that, amongst so many persons
of liberal minds and amiable manners, some of whom have resided in that
country for near fifteen years together, they have never formed any
friendship or social connection. As soon as the last ship quits Wampu, they
are all obliged to retire to Macao; but, as a proof of the excellent police
of the country, they leave all the money they possess in specie behind
them, which, I was told, sometimes amounted to one hundred thousand pounds
sterling, and for which they had no other security than the seals of the
merchants of the hong, the viceroy, and mandarins.

During my stay at Canton, I was carried, by one of the English gentlemen,
to visit a pers