Great Britain to the Emperor of China, who carried out with him a numerous suite, composed of gentlemen well skilled in every branch of natural knowledge, with many curious and costly presents, so it was now determined to leave nothing short that could contribute to the splendour and respectability of the present embassy. The Right Honorable Lord Amherst (who had already filled the high situation of Embassador at the court of Sicily,) was appointed to conduct this difficult and delicate mission. Mr. Henry Ellis (formerly employed in a successful negotiation with the King of Persia,) was named Secretary of Embassy, with dormant powers to act as Minister Plenipotentiary, should any accident to the Embassador render that circumstance necessary. The Hon. Jeffery Amherst, as Page; Mr. Hayne, as Private Secretary; Mr. Abel, as Surgeon and Naturalist; the Rev. John Griffith, as Chaplain; Mr. Havell, as Artist; and Dr. Lynn, with Mr. Marrige, Mr. Poole, and some others

to fill the respective departments, constituted the suite of his Excellency. Lieut. Cooke, of the Royal Marines, was also attached to the embassy, on its landing in China, the guard being selected from that corps. The Honorable Mr. Abbot, Messrs. Martin, and Somerset, were likewise added to it at this period.

Many valuable presents, supplied, as on the former occasion, by the East-India Company, for the Emperor and his Ministers, consisting of specimens of our improved manufactures, made by the first hands, were also prepared. The command of the naval part of the expedition was intrusted to Captain (now Sir) Murray Maxwell; and the Alceste, a frigate of forty-six guns, was fitted up for the reception of the Embassador and suite. His Majesty's brig Lyra, commanded by Capt. Basil Hall, and the General Hewitt Indiaman, by Capt. Campbell, accompanied the Alceste, the latter carrying out the presents.

On the 9th of February, 1816, the ships sailed from Spithead, and soon cleared the Channel, with a favourable breeze, which

continued with us to Madeira, where we arrived on the 18th. In Funchal road we found the Phaeton, having Sir Hudson and Lady Lowe, with their suite, on board, in their way to St. Helena; and the Niger, with Mr. Bagot, on his mission to America. Our stay here was only twelve hours, and, in the evening, we pursued our course to the south-westward. The weather becoming hourly warmer, our people, who had been badly clothed, and had suffered a good deal from the severity of the cold in fitting out the ship, now began to thaw a little: things were beginning to find their proper places in the ship; and those unaccustomed to the rolling motion had, by this time, acquired their sea-legs. On the 4th March, in the evening, at the moment of crossing the equinoctial line, the voice of some one, as from the sea, announced himself as Neptune's eldest son, and, after putting the usual interrogatories, added, that his father being a little indisposed, and rather squeamish about exposing himself to the night air, had deferred his visit until the morning, when he would personally call on board to

inspect the strangers who were now entering his dominions. The son of Neptune seemed now to sink again into the deep. In the morning, his godship, agreeably to promise, appeared seated in his car (a gun-carriage), with his trident and other insignia, attended by Amphitrite, and all his usual train of inferior deities. He was received by a strange-looking guard of his own, the band striking up "Rule Britannia!" After paying his respects to the Embassador, the Captain, and the numerous spectators, the novices, of whom there were not a few, were forthwith shaved, according to a practice immemorial, with a rusty iron hoop, full of notches; and the lather being washed off, by playing the fire-engine in their faces, they were then wiped dry with a dirty swab. Much mirth and good humour prevailed, (for none were foolish enough to be angry ;) and a double allowance of grog finished the ceremony. We experienced none of the calms usual near the line, and nothing of moment occurred until we reached the lat 20° 4" south, long. 31o 52′′ west, on the 16th March, when the

Lyra and Hewitt were directed to make the best of their way to the Cape of Good Hope, whilst the Alceste proceeded to the capital of the Brazils, where she arrived on the 21st of that month.

All the bold, as well as beautiful, features of nature, have conjoined to enrich the scenery of Rio Janeiro. The luxuriant descriptions of former travellers are by no means exaggerated, for it would indeed be difficult to exceed the truth in portraying the sublimity and grandeur of such a scene as presents itself on entering the harbour. The numerous islets appearing on this extensive sheet of water,-its richly-wooded banks, rising like an amphitheatre on either hand, studded with villages and country seats,-added to the distant view of lofty and picturesque mountains,-form, altogether, a very unusual and noble landscape.

The death of the queen, which happened the day previous to our arrival, at the good old age of eighty-two, had rather cast a gloom over the city of St. Sebastian. The batteries and ships fired five-minute guns during the whole day and night; the