330
Trip to Canton in the Constellation.
JUNE.
waters. Usually, and not long ago, when such ships arrived on this coast, and were reported to the provincial government, they were in the rudest manner attacked and expelled, not indeed vi et armis, but by paper bulletins. Of these inemorable state papers there are speci- mens enough. Now the force of circumstances is altered. For aught we know to the contrary, however, the formalities of expulsion may have been gone through with, on the present occasion, and duly authenticated reports thereof put on record; but we are not aware that any such edicts have been fabricated. To avoid giving offense, and at the same time to afford opportunity to the Chinese to learn something of the character of the squadron, and the object of its visit, no small degree of prudence was requisite. For several days neither men nor boats were allowed to leave the ship At seasonable hours of the day, the boats of the compradore were allowed to come along- side with provisions. There were also some visitors from the mer- chant vessels at Whampoa. And on the evening of the 14th, the Ariadne, armed steamer, came up, passed close by the Constellation and anchored, and at daylight next morning returned down the river, without communicating with the commodore. Thus if the Chinese government had its emissaries on the watch, they must have found it hard to get evidence of any hostile purpose, or of any deviation from the strictest neutrality.
In the meantime, the American vice-consul at Canton, having had occasion to communicate with the governor, announced the arrival of the two American ships of war. In his reply to this, his excel- lency traveled somewhat beyond his ordinary sphere-remarking that he entertained no suspicions of ill-designs on the part of the two ships, and that if the English merchants resident at Canton lawfully and quietly pursued their commercial business they should enjoy full protection. These expressions of the feelings of the local govern- ment, wholly uncalled for, may be considered as evidence of a dispo- sition to conserve the peace. The reasons for such a disposition are obvious enough, and need not be here repeated.
On Sunday the 17th-as on several subsequent occasions-divine service was held on board the Constellation. Those who have never witnessed such solemnities on board a man-of-war, can scarcely con- ceive of the interest which gathers around these scenes of religious devotion. Beneath the broad arch of heaven, and surrounded by an immense pagan population, to see a great congregation reverently engaged in worshiping the Most High, is one of the most interesting scenes on earth-one upon which, where there are pure and humble