The ceremony of presentation was easily dismissed, by informing the deputy, that nothing beyond a bow, as to the President, would be performed. The ceremony of the country was then asked. He said, that it was to make five prostrations, touching the ground with the forehead; and asked if five distinct bows would be acceded to without the prostrations. To this the envoy replied, yes; he would make five, ten, or as many bows as they desired; but the kneeling posture is becoming only in the worship of the Creator.
FARTHER DELAYS.
The deputy now urged the necessity of proper regard being paid to the elevation of the words emperor, Cochin-China, &c., and to the use of “humble and decorous expressions.” To this advice he endeavoured to give greater force, by saying, that in the correspondence held by the kings of An-nam, before the assumption of the present title of emperor, such humble phraseology was made use of. This argument would imply inferiority in the President, to one who bears the high title of emperor, and was, therefore, instantly repelled as insulting. The deputy denied its being insulting, maintained the propriety of his argument, and insisted on the use, at the commencement of the President’s letter, of one or other of the derogatory terms already mentioned, viz.: that the letter was sent with “silent awe,” or that it was presented with “uplifted hands.” He was admonished not to repeat so insulting a demand; for that the President stands on a footing of perfect equality with the highest emperor, and cannot, therefore, use any term that may make him appear in the light of one inferior to the emperor of Cochin-China. The same term, it was added, will be used as it is used in the letter from the envoy to the minster, which term implies equality, without any disrespectful arrogation of it. Such demands, he was told, far from being amicable, were of a very unfriendly nature.
In reply, he said, that unless this requisition was complied with, he and his fellow-officers dare not forward the despatch, enclosing the copy of the President’s letter, nor dare they, he added, forward the letter to the minister, without the President’s letter, although the mention made in it of the latter should be erased. As this determination left no alternative, but complete failure or dishonourable concessions, he was required to repeat the refusal, which he did more than once, and then returned to the shore.
CHAPTER XV.
SUSPENSION OF INTERCOURSE—FAILURE OF MISSION—DEPARTURE OF EMBASSY FROM VUNG-LAM BAY—ENVOY’S TITLES—MODE OF HUSKING RICE—TOMBS OF THE DEAD—FISHING BOATS—ABSENCE OF PRIESTS AND TEMPLES—SUPERSTITIONS—WILD ANIMALS—MANDARINS’ HOUSE—MODE OF TAKING LEAVE—GOVERNMENT OF COCHIN-CHINA—GRADES OF RANK.
Two days having elapsed, on the third of February, without any official intercourse with the shore, the junior deputy again appeared; his colleague still remaining on shore on account of sickness. The professed object of his coming, was a mere visit; the real one, to propose another word to be used at the commencement of the President’s letter, if the words previously suggested would not be adopted. This word was kin, implying reverence, solemnity, and veneration, &c., not differing materially from that which had before been proposed: it was also rejected. The expression as it already stood, contained, he was told, nothing disrespectful, and was a plain and simple version of the original. He was determined, however, that without the adoption of some derogatory expression, the letter should not be sent on to Hué; so that the business of the mission remained at a stand.
The deputy now shifted his position, as indeed none of his fellows scrupled to do when needful, by adopting a false assertion: “While on shore,” he said, “every word was assented to; why is the use of these words now refused?” This shows the convenient deafness or forgetfulness, which these little-minded politicians can assume, when occasion requires; for it had been specifically stated, that not a word would be altered without farther consideration, and the permission of the envoy.