N. between Canton and
Manilla; and the east winds continuing, were obliged to approach the
coast of China, where we anchored on the 25th June, at the east end of
the island of St John, on the coast of Quan-tong, or Canton, in China,
in lat.
22 deg. 30' N.[198] They have here great plenty of rice, with hogs,
buffaloes, goats, and some oxen. The inhabitants were Chinese, and were
consequently, at this time, under the dominion of the Tartars.
[Footnote 198: This Island of St John is probably that named Sancianor,
or Tchang-te-huen, in lat. 21 deg. 33' N. long. 112 deg. 25' E. to the S.W. of
the bay of Canton. The latitude in the text would lead deep among the
islands of that bay, which does not appear to have been the case. - E.]
In this island we found a small town in marshy ground, the houses of
which were small, mean, and ill-furnished, but built on posts, the
inhabitants principally subsisting by the cultivation of rice. While we
lay here at anchor, a Chinese junk rode beside us, which was flat both
at the head and stern, having many little huts, three feet high, on her
deck, thatched with palmito leaves. Her cabin was large, having an
altar, on which was a lamp continually burning. The hold was divided
into several compartments, the bulkheads between which were so tight,
that if a leak should spring in any of these divisions, the goods in the
others would receive no damage. Every merchant has his own room, or
division, in the hold, in which he stows his own goods, sometimes
lodging along with them. These junks have only two masts, a main and
fore, the latter having a square-sail and yard, and the former a sail
that is narrow aloft, like a sloop's main-sail. In fine weather they
have also a top-sail, which, in foul weather, they lower to the deck,
yard and all. The main-mast of one of their largest junks is equal in
size to that of our third-rate men of war, but all of one piece, not
built.
Fearing the approach of a storm, and wanting sea-room, we weighed on the
3d June, and stood out to sea; but next day we were assailed by the most
violent tempest at N.E. I ever saw, which lasted at intervals for three
days, when the weather became quite serene. We then refitted our ship,
but our men were so terrified by the last storm, and dreading the
approach of full moon, that we resolved to steer for the Pescadores,
or Fisher Isles, in lat. 23 deg. 40' N. off the western side of
Tai-ouan, or Formosa. This is a numerous group of islands in the
Straits of Formosa, having a good harbour between the two eastermost;
and on the west side of the most easterly there is a large town with a
fort, in which was a garrison of 300 Tartars. The houses in this town
were low, yet neatly built; and on the other island, on the west side of
the harbour, there was another small town near the sea, inhabited by
Chinese. Most of the islands in this group have some Chinese
inhabitants. We were very civilly treated by the Tartar governor, who
sent us some presents, and among the rest a heifer, the beef of which
was excellent; but would not allow us to trade, or even to land on the
isle.
We sailed thence on the 29th July, passing the S.W. end of Formosa, a
large island reaching from lat. 22 deg. to 25 deg. 18' both N. and in long. 121 deg.
E. It was formerly well inhabited by the Chinese, and frequented by the
English; but the Tartars have since spoiled the harbour, lest the
Chinese should fortify themselves there. On the 6th August we came to
anchor on the east side of the northermost of the Five Islands, or
Bashees, in fifteen fathoms. These islands are from the latitude of
20 deg. 26' to 21 deg. 13' both N. and long. 121 deg. 50' E. Contrary to our
expectations, we found three or four large towns on the island at which
we anchored. The westmost of these islands, which the Dutch among us
named Orange isle, is the largest, being seven or eight leagues from
N. to S. and two from E. to W. There are two other large islands to the
S. of this; the northern of which we named Grafton isle, which is four
leagues from N. to S. and a league and a half from E. to W. The other,
and most southerly, we named Monmouth isle, being three leagues from
N. to S. and one from E. to W. Two other isles, lying E. and W. between
Monmouth isle and the S. end of Orange isle, we called Bashee isle,
from a certain liquor we drank there, and Goat isle.
Orange isle is the largest, but barren, rocky, and uninhabited, and
has no anchorage on its coasts. Monmouth and Grafton isles are both
hilly, but well inhabited. Goat isle and Bashee isle are flat, the
former having a town. The hills in all these isles are rocky; but the
intermediate vallies are fertile in grass, plantains, bananas,
pine-apples, pompions, sugar-canes, potatoes, and some cotton, and are
well supplied with brooks of fresh water. They are also well stored
with goats and hogs, but have hardly any fowls, either wild or tame. The
natives are short and thick, with round faces and thick eye-brows, with
hazel-coloured eyes, rather small, yet larger than those of the Chinese.
Their noses are short and low; their mouths and lips middle-sized, with
white teeth; and their hair is thick, black, and lank, which they cut
short. Their complexion is of a dark copper colour, and they go all
bare-headed, having for the most part no clothes, except a clout about
the middle, though some have jackets of plantain leaves, as rough as a
bear-skin.
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