ecount all the artifices, extortions, and frauds,
which were practised on the Commodore and his people by the Chinese. The
method of buying all things in China being by weight, the tricks made use
of by them to increase the weight of the provision they sold to the
Centurion were almost incredible. One time, a large quantity of fowls and
ducks being brought for the ship's use, the greatest part of them
presently died. This alarmed the people on board with the apprehension
that they had been killed by poison, but on examination it appeared that
it was only owing to their being crammed with stones and gravel to
increase their weight, the quantity thus forced into most of the ducks
being found to amount to ten ounces in each. The hogs, too, which were
bought ready killed of the Chinese butchers, had water injected into them
for the same purpose, so that a carcase hung up all night for the water
to drain from it has lost above a stone of its weight, and when, to avoid
this cheat, the hogs were bought alive, it was found that the Chinese
gave them salt to increase their thirst, and having by this means excited
them to drink great quantities of water, they then took measures to
prevent them from discharging it again, and sold the tortured animal in
this inflated state. When the Commodore first put to sea from Macao, they
practised an artifice of another kind, for as the Chinese never object to
the eating of any food that dies of itself, they took care, by some
secret practises, that great part of his live sea-store should die in a
short time after it was put on board, hoping to make a second profit of
the dead carcases which they expected would be thrown overboard, and
two-thirds of the hogs dying before the Centurion was out of sight of
land, many of the Chinese boats followed her only to pick up the carrion.
These instances may serve as a specimen of the manners of this celebrated
nation, which is often recommended to the rest of the world as a pattern
of all kinds of laudable qualities.

CHAPTER 38.
PREPARATIONS FOR A VISIT TO CANTON.

The Commodore, towards the end of September, having found out (as has
been said) that those who had contracted to supply him with sea
provisions and stores had deceived him, and that the Viceroy had not sent
to him according to his promise, he saw it would be impossible for him to
surmount the embarrassment he was under without going himself to Canton,
and visiting the Viceroy. And therefo