She carried passengers, of course:  and in the autumn of 1805 it surprised and delighted me to hear from Obed that he and Margit had determined on a sea voyage, and wished to book their passages to the Canton River and back in the Macartney.  I had often given this invitation in jest:  but such voyages merely for health and pleasure were then far from common.  Yet there was no single impediment to their going.  They had no children:  they were well-to-do:  they had now a hind, or steward (one Stephens), to whose care they might comfortably leave the farm.  To be short, they sailed with me.

On the 2nd of May 1806, the Macartney dropped anchor in the Canton River after a fast and prosperous voyage.  The events I have now to relate will appear least extraordinary to the reader who best understands under what conditions the English carry on their trade with China.  Let me say, then, that in its jealousy of us foreign barbarians the Chinese government confines our ships to the one port of Canton and reserves the right of nominating such persons as shall be permitted to trade with us.  These Hong merchants (in number less than a dozen) are each and all responsible to the Emperor for any disturbance that may be committed by a person belonging to a foreign ship:  and they in turn look for compensation to the European factors.  So that, a Chinese mob being the most insolent in the world, and the spirit of British seamen proverbial, these factors often find themselves in situations of great delicacy, and sometimes of more than a little danger.

It happened that on the next day after our arrival a small party of us—­ Margit and Obed, the second officer, Mr. Tomlinson, and I—­had taken a short stroll ashore and were returning to the boat, which lay ready by the landing, manned by six seamen.  The coxswain brought the boat alongside:  and I, on the lowest step of the landing-stage, stooped to hold her steady while Margit embarked.  She and Obed waited on the step next above, with Mr. Tomlinson close behind.  A small crowd had followed us:  and just then one dirty Chinaman reached forward and with a word or two (no doubt indecent) laid his open palm on the back of Margit’s neck.  Quick as thought, she lifted a hand and dealt him a rousing box in the ear.  I sprang up and pushed him back as he recovered.  He slipped on the green ooze of the steps and fell:  this was all I saw, for the crowd made a rush and closed.  Obed and Mr. Tomlinson had hurried Margit into the boat:  I leapt after them:  and we pushed off under a brisk shower of dirt and stones.  We were soon out of range, and reached the ship without mishap.

Knowing the nature of a Chinese rabble, I felt glad enough that the affair had proved no worse; and thought little more of it until early next morning, when Mr. Findlater, the first officer, came with a puzzled face and reported that during the night someone had attached a boat, with a dead Chinaman in it, to the chain of our small bower anchor.