not consistent with the refined cunning of the
Chinese to have admitted him to an audience only to have contested with
him.

CHAPTER 40.
ANSON RECEIVED BY THE VICEROY--CENTURION SETS SAIL--TABLE BAY--SPITHEAD.

THE VICEROY.

At ten o'clock in the morning, on the day appointed, a mandarin came to
the Commodore to let him know that the Viceroy was ready to receive him,
on which the Commodore and his retinue immediately set out. And as soon
as he entered the outer gate of the city, he found a guard of two hundred
soldiers drawn up ready to attend him; these conducted him to the great
parade before the Emperor's palace, where the Viceroy then resided. In
this parade a body of troops, to the number of ten thousand, were drawn
up under arms, and made a very fine appearance, being all of them new
clothed for this ceremony, and Mr. Anson and his retinue having passed
through the middle of them, he was then conducted to the great hall of
audience, where he found the Viceroy seated under a rich canopy in the
Emperor's chair of state, with all his Council of Mandarins attending.
Here there was a vacant seat prepared for the Commodore, in which he was
placed on his arrival. He was ranked the third in order from the Viceroy,
there being above him only the head of the law and of the treasury, who
in the Chinese Government take place of all military officers. When the
Commodore was seated he addressed himself to the Viceroy by his
interpreter, and began with reciting the various methods he had formerly
taken to get an audience, adding that he imputed the delays he had met
with to the insincerity of those he had employed, and that he had
therefore no other means left than to send, as he had done, his own
officer with a letter to the gate. On the mention of this the Viceroy
stopped the interpreter, and bid him assure Mr. Anson that the first
knowledge they had of his being at Canton was from the letter. Mr. Anson
then proceeded, acquainting the Viceroy that the proper season was now
set in for returning to Europe, and that he waited only for a license to
ship off his provisions and stores, which were all ready, and that, as
soon as this should be granted to him, and he should have got his
necessaries on board, he intended to leave the river of Canton and to
make the best of his way to England. The Viceroy replied to this that the
license should be immediately issued, and that everything should be
ordered on board the following day.