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CHARLES WILLIAM WASON
COLLECTION
CHINA AND THE CHINESE
THE GIFT OF
CHARLES WILLIAM WASONDate Due
			
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.
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■4
THE
JOURNAL
OF
MR. SAMUEL HOLMES,
SERJEANT-MAJOR OF THE Xltll LIGHT DRAGOONS,
DURING HIS ATTENDANCE, AS ONE OF
THE GUARD ON
LORD MACARTNEYS
EMBASSY
TO
CHINA AND TARTARY.
1792—3.
PRINTED WITHOUT ADDITION, ABRIDGMENT,
OR AMENDMENT, FROM THE ORIGINAL
DIARY, KEPT DURING THAT
EXPEDITION.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY W. BULMER AND CO.
1798.V,
Wa
D S70*
H7S
VI 4«o
*£ntctc& at &tattonet£’SUBSCRIBERS
TO
SERJEANT-MAJOR HOLMES’S
JOURNAL
OF A
VOYAGE TO TARTARY AND CHINA.
His Royal Highness Prince Ernest.
Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, K.B. P. R.S.
Rt. Hon. Lord Grenville.
Viscount Kirkwall.
Rt. Hon. Sir Richard Worseley, Bart.
Rt. Hon. Lord Boston.
Earl Spencer.
Earl of Liverpool.
Marquis of Buckingham.
Earl Temple.
Hon. T. Brand.
Hon. J. Stuart Wortley.
Field Marshal Hodgson, nth Dragoons.
Col. Carnegie,	ditto.SUBSCRIBERS.
Lieut. Col. Childers,	11th Dr;
Major Lyon,	ditto.
Captain Thomas,	ditto.
	 Cummings,	ditto.
	Parker,	ditto.
	 Brown,	ditto.
	 Barton,	ditto.
Lieut. Mills,	ditto.
	Bullock,	ditto.
Cornet Mabbott,	ditto.
	Diggins,	ditto.
Colonel Sir George Thomas, Bart.
Colonel Lyon.
'W. N. Hart, Esq.
Captain Lyon.
.Colonel Barton.
John Garthwaite, Esq.
Charles Creswell, Esq.
Sir David'Carnegie, Bart.
Sir Wm. Young, Bart. F.R. S. 3 copies.
Sir W. W. Wynne, Bart.
Sir George Staunton, Bart. F. R. S.
Hon. Thomas Grenville.SUBSCRIBERS.
Lady Wm. Young.
Bryan Edwards, Esq. F. R. S.
Wm. Dalrymple, Esq. F. R. S.
Wm. M. Pitt, Esq. F. R. S.
Geo. Chalmers, Esq. F. R. S.
W. Bosville, Esq. F. R. S.
H. Cavendish, Esq. F. R. S.
Rev. Mr. Cracherode, F. R. S.
Rev. Mr. Buchanan, LL.B.
Robert Halifax, M. D. F. R. S.
Lieut. General Rainsford, F. R. S.
Rear Admiral Nugent.
J. Symmons, Esq. F. R. S.
F. Lloyd, Esq. F. R. S.
Wm. Young, Esq.
Wm. Garthshore, Esq. M. P.
Lieut. Col. Talbot, 5th Regiment foot.
Lieut. Gen. Mordaunt.
Mr. Nicol, 3 copies.
Mungo Dick, Esq.
J. D. Porcher, Esq.
Sir G. A. Shuckburgh Evelyn, Bart. F. R
Rt. Hon. Lord Braybroke.SUBSCRIBERS.
Mr. Huttner.
Lieut. Col. Talbot, 23d Regiment foot.
Earl of Winchilsea.
Mr. Clarke.
Mr. Robson.
Sir Charles Mills, Bart.
J. F. Barham, Esq. M. P.
Rev. Wm. Roberts.
Rt. Hon. H. Addington, (Speaker) 2 copies
Rev. Dr. Goodall.
Charles Clowes, Esq.
Earl of Radnor.
Daniel Byam Mathew, Esq.
E. Golding, Esq. 2 copies.
Robert Poore, Esq. 2 copies.
Mr. Newell.
Mr. Voules.
Mr. Cooper.
Hon. J. Peachey, F. R. S.
Charles Hoare, Esq.PREFACE
BY THE EDITOR.
Mr. SAMUEL HOLMES, lately, from
merit, promoted to the rank of Serjeant-
Major of the 11 th Regiment of Dragoons,
was one of the Guard who attended Lord
Macartney on his Embassy to China and
to Tartary, and kept a regular Diary of
what passed on the occasion, within the
sphere of his own knowledge and inquiries.
On careful perusal of this Diary .or Journal,
it appears to bear every mark of authen-
ticity, and to carry internal evidence of
its being written, as it professes to be, onC iv 3
immediate and local impression from the
objects and circumstances within the view
of a person in the writer’s situation. On
such grounds, the Journal of a Voyage to
China, written by a worthy, sensible, but
unlearned man, is recommended to notice:
on such ground it humbly rests;—and if
therein little is added to the stock of intel-
ligence already received of what was re-
marked, or what occurred, during the ex-
pedition alluded to, yet that little may not
appear wholly uninteresting; and specially
as it is presumed, from the character of the
writer, to have the value of Truth, and that
the curious reader may with confidence
place it to his account of knowledge re-
specting that great and secluded nation, to
which the inquiries of the politician andphilosopher have been so long and much
directed.
It was for the above reasons, and for pa-
tronage of humble merit, that it was pro-
posed to print from this Diary or Journal
a certain number of copies, for the libraries
of the curious : and as no further publica-
tion or sale was intended, the subscription
(though for a small octavo) was fixed at
One Guinea,—in order to defray the ex-
pence of printing in a handsome manner,
and to provide a residue acceptable to the
worthy Author, in his present situation of
life.
The book was directed to be entered at
Stationers’ Hall, in order to prevent sur-C Vi ]
reptitious editions, and to confine the pos-
session of the work to the original Subscri-
bers;* and the original MS. on Indian
paper, will be deposited in the library of
the Royal Society.
For the further satisfaction and infor-
mation of those who have so liberally pa-
tronized this little work, the Editor subjoins
a Letter from Serjeant-Major Holmes,
in answer to questions relative to time,
place, and manner, in which the particulars
of this Journal were collected, and by him
committed to writing.
* The subscriptions received at Messrs. Knight
and Triphook’s, stationers to the King, St. James’s
Street.Copy oj Serjeant-Major Holmes's Letter to Sir
W. Young, as to the manner in which his Jour-
nal was written.
Reading, Berks, 7th Dec. 1797.
May it please your Honour,
In answer to your favour, this morning
received, I beg leave to acquaint you, that on
our leaving England I took a small book for the
purpose of making memorandums, not think-
ing to enlarge so much; but which I had com-
pletely filled by the time we landed in China.
I then bought the Chinese paper, and copied
from the above book; after which I inserted all
observations daily, and never wrote a line in
the book about China after leaving Macao; and
the only assistance I received was from one of
my comrades, who gave me the liberty of per-
using his journal, and he had the same liberty[ viii ]
✓ with mine, and the assistance from the log-book
for observations of latitude and longitude; and
had finished the book when I landed in Eng-
land, except part of the last leaf.
I am, Sir, with great respect,
Your most obedient,
humble servant,
S. HOLMES,
Serjeant-Major 11 tb Dragoons.
Sir iV. Young, Bart. M. P.
VOYAGE
TO
CHINA AND TARTARY.
On Friday the 14th of September, 1792,
the troops destined to accompany Lord
Macartney, on his Embassy to the Court
of Pekin, received orders to embark at
• Spithead, in the following order: twenty
of the royal artillery, on board the Lion
man of war of sixty-four guns, command-
ed by Sir Erasmus Gower; twenty in-
fantry, and ten light dragoons, on board
the Hindostan, a fine new Indiaman of
1200 tons burthen, under the command
of Captain William Mackintosh.
On Tuesday the 25th, his Lordship and
suite came on board, and on the follow-
Bi 2 3
ing day the ships weighed anchor, in com-
pany with several merchantmen bound to
the westward. On Thursday the 27th,
we saw the Isle of Wight, bearing east-
north-east, distant five leagues, it blowing
very hard from the south-west, the Jackall
brigantine, which was to accompany us,
being at this time far astern ; on the fol-
lowing day we lost sight of her entirely,
* and were apprehensive that some disaster
had happened to her, which had obliged
her to put back again to Portsmouth.
About noon we came to an anchor in
Torbay, where we continued till the 1st
of October, when a smart breeze spring-
ing up from the eastward, we weighed
anchor once more, and in a few hours lost
sight of our native country. Several ships
in sight, some homeward, some outward
bound. Early in the morning of the 3d,
we saw Ushant, on the coast of France,
bearing south-south-west, distant fourL
3 3
leagues. This, and for some following
days we had light airs of wind and a
heavy swell, setting across the Bay of Bis-
cay. On the 4th, the Lion made a signal
for us to carry more sail. On the 5th,
we passed a Danish Indiaman standing
to the eastward; and the following day
we spoke a ship from Bristol bound to the
coast of Africa.
On the 7th, we saw a large ship and
cutter standing to the eastward ; we had
thick dirty weather, and squally. On the
8th, the Lion sprung her fore-top-mast
in crowding too much sail; we continued
on our course, and left her astern repairing
her damage. About five o'clock the same
afternoon, we saw land ahead of us, and
at daybreak on the 9th, we found our-
selves near the rocks named the Deser-
tas, which lay oft’ the south-east of the
island of Madeira, and found the south-
east extremity of them to be in latitude
B 2[ 4 3
32° 33> north, longitude i6° 17' west of
Greenwich.
About noon we came to an anchor in
Funchal roads, and in the evening saw
the Lion bearing up towards the island,
but the wind being light she could not
fetch it till next morning, when she came
to an anchor alongside of us, and saluted
the Governor with fifteen guns, which
was returned from the fort by an equal
number. The Governor had notice of
our intention to touch here, and orders
from Lisbon had been sent to him to treat
the Embassador and his suite with every
mark of attention and respect, which or-
ders he punctually executed; lodgings and
every other accommodation were provid-
ed on shore, to which they immediately
repaired : his Lordship was saluted from
the Lion and the forts on landing.
Liberty was given to the soldiers whoc o
composed his Excellency’s guard, to go
on shore for several days, and they were
treated with singular marks of attention
by the inhabitants, who seemed eager to
show them every thing worth notice;
indeed nothing was wanting that this
luxuriant island afforded, to give univer-
sal satisfaction.
The soil of Madeira is extremely fertile;
it abounds in fruits of various kinds, par-
ticularly grapes, which are in such abun-
dance as to enable them annually to ex-
port very considerable quantities of wine
to all parts of Europe; it abounds also in
game of different species, many of which
are found in the warmer latitudes of Eu-
rope, and others peculiar to itself. There
are a vast number of lizards in the island,
but they say no venomous creatures were
ever seen upon it. There is only one
town of any note, but a vast number of
delightful country seats, where the Por-C 6 ]
tuguese spend the chief part of their time.
There is also a great many convents and
religious houses in all parts of the island,
and in the most beautiful situations, sur-
rounded by orange groves and evergreens
of different kinds. During our continu-
ance here, although the wind had been
some time favourable, we saw nothing of
the Jackall; we therefore began to despair
of ever seeing her again.
On the 16th of October, we weighed
anchor, receiving and returning the sa-
lute as upon our arrival; and without any
material occurrence, on Sunday the 21st,
we saw with pleasure the Peak of Te-
nerifle (supposed to be the highest single
mountain in the world). It being a fine
clear morning, we saw its summit very dis-
tinctly above the clouds. About noon we
made the island of Teneriffe, and in the
evening anchored in the road of Santa
Cruz, after an excellent passage of onlyC 7 ]
three weeks, from England, including the
time we spent at Madeira. There is very
little to please a traveller at this place; he
has heard wonders of its celebrated Peak,
but he may remain for months together
at the town of Santa Cruz, without hav-
ing a glimpse of it, and when its head is
free from the clouds, he is sure to feel
disappointed; for, from the point of view
in which he beholds it, the neighbouring
mountains lessen its effect very consider-
ably; and except the Peak, the eye re-
ceives but little pleasure from the face of
the country, which is barren and uninvit-
ing to the last degree. The town, how-
ever, from its cheerful white appearance,
contrasted with the dreary brownness of
the mountains behind it, forms a pleasing
object; it is neither irregular in its plan,
nor despicable in its style of building. The
churches and religious houses are nume-
rous, sumptuous, and highly ornamented,
but the restless importunity and impu-£ 8 3
dence of the beggars, and the immodesty
of the lower class of women, are extremely
disgusting.
As there are a considerable number of
Englishmen settled at this place, we were
not at a loss for society or information;
it was indeed only from persons of this
description we could obtain either, for it
is very difficult to overcome the reserve
of a Spaniard, especially by an English-
man, whose own is nearly equal.
The inland country is described as fer-
tile and romantic, and the environs of
the small town of Laguza, situated at the
foot of the Peak, is particularly pleasant.
Some of our officers and gentlemen made
an excursion to the Peak, and endeavour-
ed to gain the summit, but found the air
so extremely cold, the ascent so danger-
ous, and so many other difficulties, that
they were obliged to desist. Some ofthem, more adventurous than the rest, got
within half a mile of the top, by climb-
ing over rocks and precipices upon their
hands and feet; but they then returned
to the ships much fatigued and disap-
pointed, after a week’s absence from
them. The Peak appears in the form of
a sugar loaf, and its perpendicular height
is said to be more than three miles ; but
it is a vulgar error respecting its top being
perpetually covered with snow, as it is
a white stone, much resembling it at
a distance. There are some curious sub-
terraneous caverns at the foot of the
Peak, which supply the inhabitants of the
island with ice the whole year round. The
markets here afford fresh meat, but it is
neither plentiful or good; fish is very
scarce, but poultry may be procured in
great abundance, and as cheap as in any
of our English seaports. Vegetables do
not abound, except pumpkins and onions,
the latter of which are of a very mild na-C 10 3
ture. Of fruits, they have grapes, figs,
oranges, and mulberries in great plenty
in their season. Wine is sold from ten
pounds four shillings to fifteen pounds per
pipe; and for the latter price the best
sort, which they call “ London particu-
lar,” may be had. Goats are bought
for a trifle, and easily procured: but the
voyager will do well to supply himself
plentifully with dollars before he quits
England, if he would insure a welcome
reception from the selfish Spaniards here.
The latitude of Santa Cruz is 28° 27'
north, and 16017' west from Greenwich.
In sailing fromTeneriffe to the southward
the various appearances of the Peak are
beautiful to a degree; the stupendous
height which was before lost to the spec-
tator, now strikes him with awe and ad-
miration, the whole island appearing one
vast mountain with a pyramidal top;—
sometimes, with a light airy breeze, it isC 11 3
seen for several successive days, and we
were credibly informed, that in clear wea-
ther it might be discerned at the distance
of an hundred miles; but we lost sight of
it altogether the next morning after our
departure, having a fine stiff breeze, which
carried us at the rate of ten miles an
hour.
We left Santa Cruz on the 27th of Oc-
tober, and the breeze continued favour-
able till we reached the Cape Verde
islands, which we saw on the evening of
November 1st, and next day, about noon,
came to an anchor opposite the town of
Port Praya. The Cape Verdes are a
cluster of small islands on the coast of
Africa, from which the principal, St. Jago,
is distant about 500 miles; they are eight
or ten in number, and in general afford
excellent water and beef for shipping;
the cattle are rather diminutive compared
with ours in England; but a good fat oxC 12 3
may be bought for less than five dollars:
and fruit, such as oranges, lemons, cocoa
nuts, plantains, and bananas, &c. are in
such plenty that some of our sailors bought
considerable quantities of them for an old
jacket scarce worth a groat. These islands
produce but little grain of any kind; there
are some fine vallies, but they are parched
up for want of rain; we were told that
they had not had any rain for nearly five
years. The inhabitants are chiefly slaves
brought from the coast of Africa, and Por-
tuguese transported for their crimes; so
that the Europeans you meet with here
are the very sweepings of the prisons, and
surely nothing can be more miserable than
their manner of living here; being near
the equinoctial line, the weather is into-
lerably hot; and though provision is in
such plenty, the whole is the property of
a few individuals, who find it their interest
to reserve it for the shipping, which con-
tinually call here for it. The wretchedC 13 3
slaves subsist upon fruit and fish, the lat-
ter very scarce and bad; and their huts
are as miserable as their diet, being only
loose stones piled together, and covered
with cocoa-nut leaves. Of animals pecu-
liar to these islands none were seen by us,
except monkies, which are of a very small
and beautiful yellow species, and not so very
mischievous as those creatures generally
are: there are also several species of wild
fowl. The officers and gentlemen from
our ships made some shooting excursions
up the country, in which they were gene-
rally very successful; they brought on
board several fine turkies and Guinea
fowls, and one of them killed a fine large
eagle, bald on the head and grey with
age. Both Negroes and Portuguese are
Roman Catholics, and very superstitious.
At St. Jago there is a chapel decently
furnished, the officiating fathers are Ne-
groes. There is a guardhouse and a fewc 14 3
Negro soldiers, miserably armed and worse
cloathed; a few guns are mounted, but the
walls are so indifferent, that a six-pound
shot would demolish the whole. St. Jago
is in latitude 150 north, and 350 40' west
longitude.
On the 7th of November we weighed
anchor, with a breeze from the south-
east; we crossed the Equator on the 18th,
with the usual and whimsical ceremonies
of shaving and ducking those who never
had crossed it before. In general you meet
with calms and dreadful thunder and light-
ning near the line; but we passed it with
a fine breeze, which invariably continued
till we made the coast of America; and,
what added to our satisfaction, all on
board both ships were strong and healthy;
no symptoms of the scurvy had yet ap-
peared, owing to the great care and at-
tention of good officers and experienced
surgeons.E ]
From the Equator our passage was in-
conceivably pleasant; the weather was
mild and serene, much like our finest
weather in England. The Lion was fre-
quently obliged to shorten sail for us, and
but for that circumstance, would probably
have made her voyage to the Brazils much
shorter than she did; however we had no
reason to complain, as our voyage was
performed from St. Jago in twenty-four
days, which usually takes six weeks. On
the 30th of November we came to an
anchor in the harbour of Rio de Janeiro,
opposite the city of St. Sebastian, the
capital of the Brazils in South America.
The Lion saluted the Governor with fif-
teen guns, which was immediately return-
ed ; but it was a considerable time before
any of us could obtain leave to land. This
is the most valuable settlement belonging
to the Portuguese; it produces sugar, to-
bacco, cotton, hides, and valuable drugs
for medicine and manufactures; it alsoc is n
affords gold, silver, and even diamonds;
the gold alone, they say, annually ex-
ported to Europe, exceeds in value four
millions sterling. The Viceroy has a pa-
lace here, which is large but not elegant,
the city is strongly fortified, and there
are many fortifications in different parts
of the harbour; there are also several
ships of war stationed here, and a respect-
able military force: the city is large
and regular, but the buildings are rather
mean, except the churches and religious
houses, which are most superbly orna-
mented. There are numerous convents
for the various religious sects of different
persuasions, who appear to have much
sanctity about them; though many of
them do not scruple to commit the most
desperate crimes. It is very dangerous
and unsafe for a stranger to be amongst
them, unless he is well acquainted with
their manners and customs, and adheres
strictly to them. The inhabitants are aC 17 3
people sunk in effeminate luxury, of a
temper hypocritical and dissembling; in-
sincere in conversation, and dishonest in
dealing; superstitious,ignorant,rich,lazy,
proud, and cruel, and, like the inhabitants
of most southern climates, prefer show
and state to the pleasures of society or a
good table. When they visit each other,
or appear abroad, they are too lazy and
proud to walk even the most trifling dis-
tance, but are borne upon the shoulders
of Negroes, in a kind of chair, richly or-
namented ; they have no other kind of car-
riage, and but very few horses. When a
vessel arrives here, the master or com-
manding officer is obliged to give a very
particular account of himself, from whence
he came, and whither bound, &c. nor is
any person suffered to land, till permission
is obtained from the Viceroy, which is not
done without difficulty and delay. The
stranger is then taken like a prisoner to
the guardhouse, and obliged to answer
CCIO
any impertinent question the officer there
may think proper to ask. If any thing,
though of the most trivial nature, is brought
on shore, it must be narrowly examined;
nor is he suffered to walk about, without
being accom pa n ied by a n offi cer, or soldier,
who never quits lfm for a moment till he
returns on board. The ladies here are
handsome, and of an amorous constitu-
tion ; they are not averse to strangers, but
it is difficult and dangerous to get amongst
them, as they are so strictly watched by the
jealousy of the other sex, who do not fail
to punish any slight transgression with
the utmost severity; notwithstanding
which, a stranger may, with a little
trouble, satisfy all his wants at Rio de
Janeiro, provided money is not one of
them.
This place produces, in great abundance,
variety of fruits. The climate is hot, bois-
terous, and unhealthy, subject to thunder,C 19 1
lightning, rains, and variable winds, and
but for the sea breezes which blow in the
afternoon, would be intolerable. During
the time we lay here, which was in Decem-
ber, it was uncommonly hot; and we could
not help remarking that, at a time when
probably our friends in Europe were con-
triving to keep out the cold, we were
panting for breath, owing to the great
heat we endured. It was indeed here
the beginning of their summer; the
oranges and other fruits being nearly
ripe. We saw but few animals during
our stay here, but they were described
as being the same as found in Mexico
and Peru. We purchased some delicate
and beautiful little animals, somewhat
larger than a rat, of a red glossy co-
lour, their feet and tail like those of a
monkey, but the head resembling a lion,
with long shaggy hair over its face; it
devoured its food like a monkey; but
was more sedate, and lived chiefly upon
C 2C 20 3
fruit and milk, and could not bear the
least cold.
The Hero, an English ship from the
South Seas, arrived here a few days after
us; she sailed for London a short time
before we left the harbour; we sent nu-
merous packets to our friends in Europe,
and one sailor returned home in her who
was ill, and very desirous to leave us, as
he thought he should not be able to
weather the fatigues of so long a voyage.
We were sorry to remark, that at this
place some little murmuring and discon-
tent broke out amongst the soldiers on
board the Hindostan, respecting some
extra duty which had been imposed upon
them by the officers in the ship; they
had hitherto behaved remarkably well,
and had been very useful in the ship.
Colonel Benson, who commanded the
party, reprobated their conduct in the
most pointed terms; he represented thec 21u
dangerous tendency of such behaviour,
how injurious it would prove to them-
selves, and disgraceful to the whole party,
who had so willingly volunteered them-
selves to guard the Embassy; and if any
amongst them were dissatisfied, he offer-
ed them leave to return home in the Hero;
but they all disdained the idea of return-
ing in disgrace, and cheerfully submitted
to conform to any orders he should give
to forward the service. They had per-
mission to go on shore at every place
where the ship touched, and every indul-
gence granted them, that reasonable men
could desire, and had certainly less reason
to complain, than any party of soldiers
that ever went on board before them.
Rio de Janeiro is in latitude 230 30'
south, and 42° 13' west longitude, from
Greenwich.
On the i6‘th of December, his LordshipC 22 ]
and suite all came on board, and the fol-
lowing day we got out to sea once more,
with a stiff breeze from the southward,
and bore away east-south-east. On the
19th, the wind veered round to the east-
ward, and blew fresh; the weather from
extremely hot, became chilling cold. On
the 21st, the Lion sprung her fore-top-
mast, and carried away her main-top-
gallant mast. On the 22d, we spoke a
Spanish brig from the Havannah, out
three months, laden with rum, coffee,
sugar, &c. bound for Rio Plata, in South
America; and on the 23d spoke a Spanish
sloop of war from Cadiz, bound for Lima.
Towards evening we saw a brig under
British colours, standing to the south-
west; but it blowing fresh, and being
hazy, could not speak her. The next day
we had a smart gale from the eastward;
it then cleared up, but we had lost sight
of the Lion. We kept on the same course
under all the sail we could carry, in ex-%
[ 23 ]
pectation of falling in with her at the
island of Tristan d’Acunha, which we ex-
pected to reach in the course of a week.
The 25th we celebrated with all the fes-
tivity in our power, and were pretty joy-
ous throughout the ship. About five in
the afternoon, a sail was discovered from
the mast-head, on our lee quarter, stand-
ing after us. We bore away, and hoisted a
signal, which was immediately answered,
and we presently discovered it to be the
Lion ; we were now in the latitude of 35°
south, and found the weather severely cold.
Several of the soldiers on board were much
afflicted with an inward complaint, which
was occasioned by the sudden transition
from heat to cold; but by proper attention
it was removed, without producing any ill
effect. On the 30th, in the evening, we
discovered land, bearing east-south-east,
distant near ten leagues. At daylight
next morning both ships stood in to-
wards it. At noon, the island of TristanC 24 3
cTAcunha, distant two leagues; Inacces-
sible island, south-south-east,five leagues;
and Nightingale island, south by west,
six leagues. These three small islands,
are about midway from Rio de Janeiro
to the Cape of Good of Hope, in the la-
titude of 37° south, 140 15' west longi-
tude. Tristan d’Acunha is the largest,
and about eight miles in circumference;
it is for the most part a barren rock, which
appears at a distance in the form of a su-
gar loaf, very much resembling the Peak
of Teneriffe, and in our opinion not much
less in height. There is neither anchorage,
shelter, or any inducement for ships to
touch at these desert islands. In the after-
noon, the Lion made a signal that she
meant to come to an anchor, and sent out
her boats to find out a proper situation.
Towards evening it began to blow fresh,
and had the appearance of being a tem-
pestuous night, we therefore thought it
prudent to stand off till morning. As weC 25 3
conjectured, so it happened. On the morn-
ing of the ist of January, 1793, we saw
the Lion at a great distance to leeward of
the island,and bore away towards her; she
had drifted in the night,and thinking it un-
safe to make a second attempt, both ships
bore away before a fine breeze, which car-
ried us at the rate of ten miles an hour. In
the neighbourhood of these islands we saw
a great number of very large whales, and
some few turtles. After this, nothing ma-
terial happened till off’ the Cape of Good
Hope, on the 7th, we were overtaken by a
gale of wind, which blew with uncommon
violence for six hours, and then suddenly
died away; we found the wind in these
latitudes very variable, blowing from every
point of the compass in twenty-four hours,
and for the most part thick, dirty weather.
In the latitude of 390 south, and from 190
to 90° east longitude, we had repeated
heavy gales, and frequently lost sight of
the Lion for several days together, but wereC 26 ]
always fortunate enough to meet again.
The latter part of this month we had light
airs of wind and calms for several days.
Early in the morning of the ist of Feb-
ruary, a breeze springing up, we saw the
island of St. Paul right ahead, distant
six or seven leagues. In the afternoon
we came to, in forty-five fathoms, on the
north-east side of the island; on our
nearer approach to it, we saw smoke
issuing from several places on the higher
land, which we at first supposed to be
signals from some unhappy beings who
had been shipwrecked here, but found, on
landing, it was occasioned by volcanoes;
in the day time we saw nothing but
smoke, but at night, the flames burst out
a prodigious height, in upwards of twenty
different places; and the gentlemen who
took a survey of the island described it as
full of volcanic eruptions. The Hero
was the first English ship that ever an-C 27 3
chored at the island of Amsterdam, which
is in latitude 38° 4,3' south, and 78° 13'
east longitude. On our first landing, we
found the shore covered with such a mul-
titude of seals, that we were obliged to
disperse them, before we got out of the
boats. This island also abounds with
sea lions, of most enormous size and tre-
mendous appearance, some of them mea-
suring twenty feet in length, and nearly
as much in circumference. These ani-
mals are of a dirty white, or stone colour;
they are very inoffensive, and so unwieldy
and lazy as not to move at the approach
of any one, unless attacked, when they
retreat backwards towards the sea, with
their mouths open, and shaking their
heads, but without making any noise.
They are difficult to kill; for notwith-
standing one of them received several
musket balls in his head, throat, and
body, so that the blood ran from him in
torrents, he found means to escape intoC 28 3
the sea. They greatly resemble the seal
in shape, and like them are furnished
with four feet or fins, the two hindermost
of which they sometimes erect, so as to
resemble a tail. On this truly miserable
isle, which is little known in Europe,
there were five persons, Americans and
Frenchmen, who had been left there eight
months before by a French vessel, to pro-
cure seal skins; and though they daily
destroyed one hundred and fifty seals, yet
there seemed to be no diminution of their
number. They could with ease have kill-
ed treble that number, had they been
able to preserve their skins. These men
were suffering very much for want of
some necessaries, the place affording no-
thing but fish; and they were to remain
twelve months longer, before the ship
was to fetch them away. For twenty
dollars, or their value in provisions, rum
or tobacco, they offered a thousand prime
skins. For prudential reasons, this advan-C 29 3
tageous offer was rejected; but Captain
Gower supplied them with several neces-
sary articles gratis. The island is about
seven miles in circumference, mostly high
rugged land, without either tree or shrub,
vegetable or animal productions. On the
eastern side of it, there is a bason so com-
pletely formed, and sheltered from the
wind by the surrounding hills, that it is
as smooth as a pond, though thirty fa-
thoms deep in the centre. It contained
a variety of fish of the most delicious fla-
vour, many of which we caught, and boil-
ed (in a hot spring) so close to the edge
of the bason, that you might put one foot
in cold water and the other in scalding
hot at the same time. The fish dressed
in this manner were eaten by several of
our people. Whatever credit this asser-
tion may meet in Europe I know not,
but it is an actual fact.
There were many other natural curiosi-C 30 3
ties which we had not leisure to examine, as
we sailed on the evening of the 2d of Feb-
ruary, with a smart westerly breeze. On
the 18th, we were in latitude 26° 30' south,
and 103° east longitude, the westernmost
point of New Holland being, by our calcu-
lation, not more than two hundred miles
distant.
On account of the trade winds, which
blow invariably from the eastward, be-
tween the latitude of 30° north, and 30°
south, we stood much to the south-east;
but this day we spoke the Lion, and agreed
to bear away due north, concluding that
we had passed a ledge of breakers, called
the Trial Rocks, which lay off the south-
west end of New Holland; they are very
dangerous, being so far from any land,
and extending some miles in length, nei-
ther are they very accurately laid down.
They were first discovered by a Swedish
Indiaman, in the year 176*0.c si n
From this time the wind was moderate
but steady, and the weather, as we advan-
ced towards the Line, became very sultry.
The Lion kept steering wide of us for seve-
ral days, in expectation of falling in with
some of the homeward bound Indiamen.
On the 22d and 23d, she made different
signals to us; but being so far distant from
her, we could not distinguish their mean-
ing, and therefore kept standing on our
course. The 24th, we saw a great num-
ber of tropic birds and boobies, a suffi-
cient demonstration of our being near
land. These boobies, or as some call
them, noddies, are so stupid and drowsy,
that when they alight on the shipping
(which they frequently do) the seamen
may go directly and take them, as they
fall asleep in a moment; one that we
caught had a flying fish in his mouth.
On the 25th, near dusk, we saw Ja-
va head, distant ten leagues. On theC 32 ]
26th, we entered the Straits of Sunda.
About noon we saw a ship under British
colours coming out, which, to our great
satisfaction, proved to be the Earl of
Wycombe, Captain Wood, an homeward
bound Indiaman. By her we sent intel-
ligence to our friends in Europe, of our
having thus far weathered the voyage in
safety. She informed us that we had been
long expected; that she had brought dis-
patches from China to Lord Macartney,
and staid fifteen days at Batavia, where
she was ordered to wait our arrival; but
the unhealthiness of the place and other
circumstances, determined Captain Wood
to leave the dispatches with the Dutcli
Governor, and to make the best of his
way to Europe. She also had left letters
for us at Angeree Point, and at North
Island; and we had the satisfaction to
learn that the dispatches to his Lordship
were of a pleasing nature, with regard to
our future reception from the Emperor,c: ss n
which we were given to understand would
be as flattering, as the Embassy was sin-
gular and uncommon. After the usual
compliments, we left the Earl of Wycombe
to pursue her voyage, and in the evening
we came to an anchor off Angeree Point.
Between that place and Cocotore island,
on the coast of Sumatra, Lord Cathcart,
the only Embassador that England ever
before attempted to send to China, died
a few days before the ship entered the
Straits of Sunda. He was interred at An-
•
geree Point, where a temporary monu-
ment was erected to his memory, and
some years afterwards the East India
Company sent out a very elegant marble
one to be put up, describing his age, title,
and service he was going upon, which
miscarried, no secondary person being
appointed.
On the 27th, we weighed anchor early
in the morning, and had light breezes of
D[ S* 3
variable wind and calms. At noon, we
spoke a large Dutch Indiaman, home-
ward bound; and in the evening, an
American ship and brig, bound for Os-
tend; the ship laden with sugar from
Canton, the brig was in ballast; the cap-
tain, who was owner of both, intended to
dispose of her before his arrival in Europe.
He had sailed in her from Boston, in
the United States, and had made several
beneficial trips between China and the
south-west coast of America, in the fur
trade, by which he had gained an ample
fortune. He had purchased the ship in
some part of Asia, and laden her with
sugar to return to Europe.
Captain Mackintosh had some inten-
tion to purchase the brig, in lieu of the
Jackall, which we had given up all hopes
of seeing again; but as they could not
agree upon terms, we parted. At night
we anchored off' Cocotore island, andC 35 3
the following day we came to in fif-
teen fathoms, between North Island and
Sumatra, which is the usual place where
our China ships take in wood and water.
A Javanese proa came off to us with
turtle, fruit, fowls, birds,and monkies: the
turtle afforded us a very agreeable repast,
after being so long confined to salt provi-
sions. The next day the Lion hove in
sight, and in the afternoon anchored
alongside us: she had not seen the Earl
of Wycombe Indiaman, nor any of the
other ships we had spoke with, and had
very nearly been ashore to leeward of
Java head.
The island of Sumatra has Malacca on
the north, Borneo on the east, and Java
on the south-east, from which it is divided
by the Straits of Sun da; it is reckoned
about one thousand miles in length, and
one hundred in breadth, and is divided
D 2c ss:
into two equal parts by the Equator, ex-
tending five degrees north-west and five
degrees south-east of it.
The English East India Company have
two settlements upon it near the Straits
of Malacca ;-Bencoolen and Fort Marlbo-
rough. The interior parts of the island
are governed by Pagan princes, who are
always at enmity with Europeans, and
generally with each other; they were re-
presented to us as cannibals. They live
in small villages fortified with camphor
planks, and sharp pointed stakes driven
into the ground, covered with long grass
or weeds: those who inhabit the shore
are called Malays; they are of a dark
olive colour, of a middle size, but gene-
rally short; their hair and eyebrows black,
their eyes and noses little, their mouths
large, and few of them have any beard ;
they appear civil, grave, simple, and will-
ing to oblige. Some of them came offc 37 n
to us, but seemed very shy, and unde-
termined whether to look upon us as ene-
mies or friends; they offered us cocoa-
nuts, plantains, chickens, buffaloes, tur-
tles, and matting; for which they wanted
old shirts, handkerchiefs, knives, &c.
When they salute you, they say taba tuani,
or good day to you. Their huts consist
of four poles driven into the ground,
and covered with cocoa leaves at the top,
but open at the sides; and in the mid-
dle of it a kind of bench is erected, covered
with leaves and matting, upon which they
sleep: they want no chairs, as they sit upon
their heels, like monkies. They go almost
naked, having nothing but a brown cotton
cloth spotted with blue tied round their
bodies with a handkerchief, in which they
wear a kind of dagger, like a long kitchen
knife, the point of which they generally
poison: they are continually chewing the
betle-nut, or something of that sort,
which makes their teeth black, and theirC 38 }
lips and mouth as red as fire: round their
long black hair they wear a thin striped
cloth, but tied in such a manner that the
crown of their head remains uncovered.
They were represented to us as very
treacherous and deceitful, and that it was
dangerous to go amongst them unarmed;
I believe they had, a few months before,
cut off a boat’s crew belonging to an In-
diaman. We seldom at first omitted every
necessary precaution; but, by degrees,
our suspicion began to wear away, as they
appeared so harmless, and desirous to
please. Most of the soldiers, who had
permission to go on shore, straggled
carelessly amongst them, without any
weapon of defence : except some of them
a piece of bamboo, which they picked up
more as a curiosity than by way of de-
fence. They found one of their villages
at a little distance through the woods,
the inhabitants of which gathered round
them in amazement, wondering I sup-C 39 3
pose, whether they were earthly or celes-
tial beings that had so suddenly invaded
their retreat; they however followed them
with apparent wonder to the shore, with-
out offering the least molestation, though
they had frequently an opportunity of cut-
ting some off, as our people were so eager
to see and obtain any little curiosity that
offered, that they very often separated
into small parties. We bought a number
of beautiful birds from these people; but
they were tender, and most of them
died soon after being carried on board.
Monkies they have vast numbers, but the
ugliest animals I ever beheld; they are
about the size of a cat, of a light greyish
colour, with a tuft on the top of their
heads, below the belly is a little whitish,
the snout is narrow, their nails are very
long, and they have a beard; they em-
brace, and greet each other with a thou-
sand grimaces, and will play with dogs if
they have no nearer friend about them;C 40 3
they are very uneasy when first separated
from their own species; if any body looks
cross at them they are very angry, and
begin a smacking noise with their teeth.
They resemble all other monkies I have
seen, in dirtiness, drollery and lascivious-
ness; if you let them go about freely,
they play a thousand tricks, jump over
every thing, steal away the people’s meat,
hunt after chickens, break the necks of
birds, and carry mischief whereverthey go.
The country hereabout was very high,
except near the shore, and the wood
so very thick, that it was with dif-
ficulty we could pass through; and were
obliged to keep near each other for fear of
not meeting again; the cries of birds,
lizards, and other noises, would not per-
mit us to hear each other though we
called ever so loud; and another danger
we dreaded more, was being attacked by
beasts of prey, as it is said these woodsC *> 3
are infested with them, particularly tigers.
The low swampy lands near the shore
were full of reptiles of various sorts, and
thousands of alligators, many of which we
saw from ten to twelve feet long.
The largest sharks in the world are
found in these straits; of three different
sorts and colours; the black one is the
largest and most voracious.
On the 4th of March, having com-
pleted our stock of water, and being
anxious to get to Batavia, we weighed an-
chor at noon, after leaving the names of
our ships, &c. at the watering-place, and
on North Island, to inform the homeward
bound Indiamen, which were expected
from Canton, that if they should touch
here in our absence, to wait our return,
which would not exceed fifteen days; as
by them we were to send dispatches to
Europe.d 42 3
An American ship, called the Colum-
bus, a brig, and a schooner, anchored in
the straits just as we got out; they were
from Canton, and brought us intelligence
that the Sullivan was appointed to sail for
London the 1 oth instant.
Just before dark we got amongst a
cluster of low woody islands, called the
Ten Thousand Isles; and they are pro-
perly so called, being almost innumerable,
and extending on all sides as far as the
eye could reach. We had a fresh breeze
in our favour, but were obliged to anchor
till daylight to get safely through them:
we got up our anchor early next morning.
At noon we were abreast of Enroost, at
the entrance of Batavia harbour, and saw
a Chinese junk standing in for that place.
It is impossible to express the pleasure that
appeared to agitate the two Chinese on
board our ship, when they first discoveredC 43 3
one of their own country vessels; nor can
it be wondered at, when it is considered
they had been absent about fifteen years.
The junk kept pretty close to us as we
went in, and considering her awkward
shape, sails, &c. she blundered forward
remarkably fast. We got into Batavia
at five in the afternoon, and were saluted
by several British vessels which lay in
the harbour. There were near fifty sail
of Dutch vessels, some of them very
large; several French ships, and five or
six of the English East India Company's
trading vessels; beside ten or twelve
Chinese junks, and an innumerable
quantity of small craft. The morning
after our arrival, the Lion saluted the
Governor with thirteen guns, which
was immediately returned from the fort;
and his Excellency being informed that
Lord Macartney was somewhat indis-
posed, and could not conveniently go
on shore, was pleased to dispense withC 44 J
ceremonials, and went himself on board
the Lion to welcome his Lordship to Ba-
tavia : he was saluted by the shipping as
he passed and repassed. The following
morning, being the birthday of the Prince
of Orange, a royal salute was fired from
the town and shipping. About noon his
Lordship and suite went on shore, and
were received with every possible mark of
distinction. The city of Batavia is in
latitude 6° io" south, and 105° east longi-
tude; on the north-west side of the island
of Java, at the entrance of the river Ja-
cata, and furnished with one of the finest
harbours in the world. The city itself is
nearly two leagues in circumference, and
surrounded with regular fortifications; the
suburbs are ten times more extensive, and
inhabited by natives from every corner of
the world, particularly Chinese, who alone
are said to amount to one hundred thou-
sand. The active tradesmen and me-
chanics are of that nation, being betterC 45 ]
able to bear the heat of the climate than
Europeans; they are very active and in-
dustrious, and contribute much to the
riches of the place. The Dutch Vice-
roy of the Indies has his residence here,
and when he appears abroad, is attended
by his guards and officers, and a retinue
far surpassing in splendour any European
potentate.
The city is as beautiful as it is strong,
and its fine canals, bridges, and avenues,
render it a most agreeable residence;
the streets are broad and well paved,
the houses are large and elegantly fur-
nished, they are built chiefly of brick.
The citadel, where the Viceroy has a
noble palace, commands the town and
suburbs; there are besides a great number
of public and private buildings, which ex-
ceeded in grandeur any I ever saw; in short,
this is by numbers accounted the hand-,
somest city in Asia, though it is allowed[ 46 ^
to be the most unhealthy. A Dutch gar-
rison of three thousand men, constantly
resides at Batavia; fifteen thousand other
troops are quartered on the island and
neighbourhood of the city. There is a
very great mortality amongst those who
are obliged to do duty in the garrison; we
were assured, from indisputable authority,
that no less than seventy-eight thousand
six hundred men had died here in the space
of sixteen years, and of thirty men who
were appointed to attend Lord Macartney
on shore, seven died in the course of four
days! There are various opinions re-
specting the causes of the great mortality
here; but it is chiefly attributed to the
new arrack, of which new comers, parti-
cularly soldiers and sailors, generally take
an immoderate allowance. The ground
on which the city is built is low and
swampy; the heat is excessive, though
greatly tempered by a fine sea breeze from
ten to four o’clock, and there may beC 47 3
other natural causes which we are unac-
quainted with; but I am persuaded a tem-
perate man, who has been a little used to
the climate, may live here as safely as in
any part of the world.
The soil produces rice and grain of
different sorts, pepper, cinnamon, cam-
phor, &c. besides a variety of fruits of
the most delicious flavour, and in great
plenty: the pine apples here are the finest
in the world, and in amazing abundance;
you may purchase almost an hundred for
a dollar: sugar, coffee,tea, sweetmeats, &c.
are also very cheap. Fowls you may buy
twelve for a dollar. Indeed most things
are reasonable except wine and beer,
which you must pay extravagantly for.
Their beef or buffaloes are but indifferent;
they are small, and have a large hump
between their shoulders. Pork is pretty
good, though small. Goats are in great
plenty, but we saw no sheep. The na-C 48 3
tives eat but little animal food, rice and
Indian corn being their chief diet. The
prettiest birds in the universe are found
on the island of Java, and the neighbour-
ing isles, but so delicate and tender they
cannot bear any cold ; they are not mu-
sical, but some of them can repeat very
distinctly any thing they hear.
The natives of this island, of Sumatra,
and the neighbourhood, are Malays, nor
is there any difference in their persons,
manners, or customs. The greatest part
of Java is subject to the Dutch, though
they have several princes of their own all
in a great measure slaves to the Dutch.
We expected a visit from the King of
Bantam, on our crossing the bay to Ba-
tavia, but were disappointed; he is the
most powerful chief on the island; and had
expressed a great desire to see the English
Embassador, in hopes, I suppose, of a rich
present. Early on the 17th of MarchZ w 3
we weighed anchor, and got down to
Enroost about noon, where we were be-
calmed. This is an island about nine miles
from Batavia, where their ships are gene-
rally hove down and repaired; the Lion
got aground near this place, but presently
hove off again without damage. We an-
chored this evening in Batavia bay. Sir
Erasmus Gower and Capt. Mackintosh,
had been in treaty with the owner of a
French brig at Batavia, and it being now
agreed to purchase her, a signal was made
for her to come down to us; she came
down on the 19th, and anchored under the
Lion’s stern; she was a very handsome
vessel, and promised to be of great utility
to us in navigating the Chinese seas;
she was called the Clarence; and the
master’s mate was appointed to command
her; the crew, which consisted of fifteen
men, were taken from the Lion. The 20th
we were busied in getting her ready for
sea, and the next morning early we
Eweighed anchor, and passed through a
cluster of small beautiful islands, inha-
bited chiefly by Dutchmen and Malays.
In the afternoon we spoke a ship from
Ostend, called the Achilles, bound for
Batavia, out five months; she brought
little intelligence from Europe; but what
was very interesting to us, she assured us,
that the Jackall had sailed from St. Jago
in pursuit of us a few days before they
'had arrived there, and that she would
probably be in the Straits in a day or
two. On Thursday night we came too,
once more in our old birth between North
Island and Sumatra, where we were to
wait the arrival of the ships from China,
and the shifting of the monsoons, (a
kind of trade wind that blows from
the southward from April to Septem-
ber, and the other six months from the
northward). On Friday morning we
discovered a sail standing into the bay,
which we presently discovered to be ourc51n
little brig the Jackall. Boats were imme-
diately sent from each ship to tow her in,
there being but little wind. She informed
us, that she had through stress of weather,
been obliged to put back to Spithead ;
where having lain a few days, she again
put to sea, in hopes of coming up with us at
Madeira, where she arrived about a week
after we had left it; from thence she pro-
ceeded to St. Jago, where being equally un-
successful, she bore away towards the Cape
of Good Hope : but having met with very
unfavourable winds, had been driven to
the southward, and was obliged to make
towards the Straits, where she happily ar-
rived to our very great joy. They had
been much distressed for liquor and pro-
visions, and she proved but an indifferent
sailer. On the 24th, some of our gentle-
men went to Angeree Point, to see the
tomb of Lord Cathcart. The monument
had not been destroyed, but the inscrip-
tion was scarcely legible. On Monday
E 2C * 3
the 25th, the old Lord North, a country
ship, put in here, from China, bound for
Bombay, she had been out three months.
About this time a putrid fever began to
make its appearance in both our ships (the
Lion and Hindostan), which exceedingly
alarmed us; we had all hitherto been very
healthy. On the 27th the captain’s cook
fell a sacrifice to it, after only two or three
days illness, and was buried the same af-
ternoon on North Island.
On the following day, we had a melan-
choly proof of the savage disposition of
these islanders; a joiner and draughtsman
in his Excellency's suite, being on shore
washing some linen, happening to be
left alone by his comrade, who had wan-
dered a little into the woods, and had un-
fortunately taken both the fowling-pieces
with him, and not suspecting any foul play
from the natives, who had hitherto be-
haved so civilly, was cruelly butchered by. C w]
them; he had received several stabs in
different parts of his body, and was found
in the river by his comrade, who had not
been absent half an hour; but the savages
had decamped with all his linen, which
was supposed to be their principal induce-
ment to commit this horrid murder. Se-
veral men well armed, were immediately
sent on shore, with orders to punish, with
death, any Malays they could find: they
had got into the back parts of the country,
and no opportunity offered of revenging
his death during our stay. We had, how-
ever, great reason to be thankful it was not
worse ; the soldiers had escaped, I might
say, miraculously. I was on shore with a
small party of my comrades, on the 24,th,
we were on the same business (washing
linen), quite unarmed, and surrounded by
the natives, but they offered us no moles-
tation; on the contrary, they struck a
light for us to light our pipes, with a flintf
t ** 3
and steel, and a bit of sponge, that caught
the sparks like tinder. They have a very
complete little box, made of cane, that
holds, all the implements for smoking:
they use a kind of weed, or thin paper,
which they roll the tobacco in, and smoke
it as we would a pipe, and call it a segar.
The box is buckled round their waist, and
placed before them as we do our cartridge
boxes. They had every one a knife, which
they allowed us to take out of the sheath;
some of them were for cutting of wood,
others for their use in war. They were
very fond of chewing our tobacco: dur-
ing the day to engage their affections, or
prevent hostility, we let them taste of our
rum; but they made signs that it burnt
their insides, and would not be persuaded
they were not poisoned, till we drank freely
ourselves. On Saturday the 30th, one of
the seamen died, and was buried the same
day on North Island.c55 n
On the 31st we weighed anchor, in
company with the Jackall, to go in search
of buffaloes on the island of Java. A
large French ship, which we had seen the
preceding day off the east end of Sumatra,
entered the Straits, and anchored along-
side the Lion; she was from Manilla,
bound to Europe. About noon we an-
chored in a small pleasant bay near St.
Nicholas’ Point, on the island of Java.
In the evening a servant of Mr. Hickey
the landscape painter died, and was buried
the following morning, on a small island
near St. Leonard’s Point. At this time
the fever began to alarm us exceedingly,
a great number of petty officers and sea-
men being in a dangerous way; of the
latter upwards of thirty were incapable of
duty. The utmost precaution was taken
to prevent its spreading further. The
soldiers hitherto had been remarkably
healthy, though the part of the ship they
occupied was much the most confined,e: ^ 3
and had not been properly cleaned from
filth and dirt since their embarkation at
Spithead.
On Monday, April i, the Jackall was
dispatched to Angeree Point for buffaloes,
but returned in the evening without
making the Point. She succeeded the fol-
lowing day, and brought intelligence that
the Lion and Clarence were there, taking
i n as many buffaloes as they could procure.
On Wednesday they both came down, and
sent us eight buffaloes for a present sup-
ply; we also got a supply of fowls from
Bantam. Captain Mackintosh waited upon
the King of that place, and informed him
of the murder which had been committed
by the Malays at Sumatra, and earnestly
entreated he would use his utmost endea-
vour to find out and punish the party who
were guilty. He promised to do all that
lay in his power for that end; and he hoped
before the ships departed they would haveC * 3
the satisfaction to see the poor man's
death amply revenged.
On Thursday night the 24th at ten
o’clock, we weighed anchor, and at three
the next morning regained our old station
at North Island; we there found the ship
Achilles from Ostend, we had formerly
spoke with; she was wooding and water-
ing for a voyage to Canton, and informed
us that on their first landing, they were sur-
rounded by a large party of Malays, armed
with long spears, who asked what ship,
or what nation they belonged to; a few
Dutchmen who had entered at Batavia,
and understood the Malay tongue, an-
swered they were Dutchmen; upon this
they were permitted to fill their water
casks. The villains were particularly anxi-
ous to find out if they had any knowledge
of, or connection with us, describing the
place where we lay, and fearing (as was
supposed) that they were sent with anC ** 3
intention to seize some of them. Our
boats were sent next morning well armed
to the watering-place, but not a single
native could be seen : they had fled into
the interior part of the country, and had
turned the course of the water, to prevent
our getting a supply. The indignation
of all on board was raised to such a pitch,
that I believe they would have destroyed
every Malay on the island if they could
have got them in their power: we were
detained three days in filling twenty casks,
for which before, three or four hours
were sufficient. On the 8th, several of
our people assisted those from the Im-
perial ship to cut wood near the watering-
place, in hopes that the natives would
come down, but none appeared during
our stay.
On Monday morning we weighed an-
chor once more, and at noon came to
alongside of the Lion, near Java. A vasti #> 3
number of proas were seen standing across
the Straits towards North Island, but they
kept a great distance from us. The long
boat was dispatched several times to
Bantam, and returned with a plentiful
supply of buffaloes. A canoe from the
shore ventured twice with some fish and
a little fruit, which was purchased, in the
hope it might induce others to come with
a more liberal supply; but whatever was
the cause, no other ever ventured near us.
From the place where we lay at anchor,
we had an imperfect view of a Malay
village, consisting of about thirty huts,
surrounded by large fields of paddy, ap-
parently in a fine state of cultivation, as
far as the eye could reach. The prospect
was charming; besides the village above-
mentioned, we could discern a great num-
ber of huts, on the sides of the hills, each
situated in the centre of a fine green field;
they seemed very small, and were built in
the same manner as those at Sumatra.C 60 2
On Thursday the Lion weighed anchor,
and stood away to North Island, and the
two brigs to Angeree Point. On Satur-
day the 14th, we saw two large ships
under British colours, bearing up towards
Angeree Point, which we supposed were
the Sullivan and Royal Admiral, from
China. In the evening died Wm. Har-
rington, a soldier belonging to Lord Ma-
cartney's guard. The next day we weigh-
ed anchor, and in the evening came too off
Angeree Point, where we found the Lion,
our two brigs, the two Indiamen, and an
Imperial ship from China. On Monday
the letters and dispatches for England
were sent on board the Indiamen, who
sailed in the evening. Several of our sick
seamen were sent to England in them,
and five Chinese pilots came to return
home with us. The Indiamen they pi-
loted meeting with a gale of wind off
Macao, were obliged to bear away, and
could get no opportunity to put themC «]
ashore till they arrived here. They had
been a month from Canton. At Angeree
Point we took in a supply of water and
buffaloes, and procured plenty of fowls
and fruit, at very reasonable rates. The
natives here were not so shy as we had
found them at other places, as they have
several Dutchmen settled amongst them,
who make a point of going on board
every vessel that anchors in the Straits,
to get particulars of her name, destina-
tion, &c. for the sake of affording useful
information to others who - may after-
wards touch here. There is a battery, on
which a few guns are mounted, but they
are in very bad repair. The village is
pretty large and regular; the inhabitants,
who are chiefly Malays, may amount to
near 400. The country round about it, to
a considerable distance, is well cultivated,
and divided into regular inclosures, or
fields of rice, and Indian corn.C 62 3
On Thursday the 19th the Lion hove
out a signal for us to weigh anchor, which
we obeyed with alacrity, being anxious to
get away from this place, and proceed on
our voyage; but having an unfavourable
wind, were obliged to drop anchor once
more off North Island, where we con-
tinued till the 21st. On Sunday the 28th
we arrived in the Straits of Banca, where
we had the misfortune to get aground,
but after two or three hours hove off again
without damage: these Straits are formed
by the islands of Sumatra and Banca, and
are considered as the entrance into the
Chinese sea.
Banca is a large island, and mostly
high land, covered with thick wood. The
Dutch have a large settlement upon it,
from which they send large quantities of
block tin to different parts of Asia; of its
other productions I have but a very im-C 63 3
perfect knowledge, as the place where we
lay at anchor was entirely uninhabited.
Its animal productions are nearly the
same as in the neighbouring islands of
Java and Sumatra.
On our first landing at Banca, we dis-
covered the tracks of wild hogs upon the
beach, and heard several of them in the
woods; but could not get within gun shot
of them. We wooded and watered our
ships here, at some small islands, called
the Nanka Isles, and during our stay we
discovered a great number of large pi-
ratical proas cruizing about the Straits;
but they were careful to observe a proper
distance from us, as we had too formidable
an appearance for them. These vessels
are large, but ill constructed, and have
generally a nine or twelve pounder mount-
ed in the bows, and some of them carry
18 or 20 swivels. They seldom venture
to attack a square rigged vessel, unlessC 64 j
they think she has no guns to defend her-
self with, and even then they surround her
with not less than 30 or 40 of their ves-
sels, the largest carrying from 60 to 100
men. They were impudent enough, while
we lay in the Straits of Sunda, to attack
a Dutch brig of 18 guns in Bantam Bay,
though several European ships were in
sight; but it being calm, they could not
get to her assistance, and want of wind
also prevented the brig from getting her
guns to bear upon them. They damaged
the rigging of the Dutch vessel very much,
and had not a breeze then sprung up, the
conflict would have been doubtful; but
this enabled the brig to beat them off!
When the weather is calm they make use
of oars, and can row a great number;
this gives them a considerable advantage
over small European craft, and enables
the proas to elude pursuit. All the rivers,
straits, and harbours, in the Chinese seas
are infested with them to such a degree,C 65 ]
that no vessel can venture there, unless
well provided with the means of defence.
On the 3d of May we got up our an-
chor, having a fair wind for running
through the Straits. About noon the Im-
perial ship Achilles, from Ostend, hove in
sight, and at night came too alongside of
us. The next morning we weighed, and
stood over towards Monopon Hill, on the
Banca side. The next day one of our
seamen died. The fever, which had been
so long and violent on board, had not
proved fatal to many persons, and at this
time rather abated; but the flux succeed-
ed it, and threatened more dreadful con-
sequences ; it was generally attributed to
the water we took in at the last place; it
had a very pleasant taste, and the weather
being so immoderately hot, we all drank
freely out of the first supply, and the next
day this disorder was general throughout
each ship. When we were in the cold
FC 66 3
latitudes off the coast of Africa, we were all
eager to get near the Equinoctial; and that
wish gratified, we were ten times as an-
xious to get away from it: but we had con-
tinued here an immoderate length of time
on one account or other, and it was no
wonder we were tired, considering the
many disagreeable circumstances we had
to encounter, such as sickness, deaths, un-
wholesome food, and many others not
proper to mention. Here the weather was
uncommonly hot, and seldom a day pass-
ed without rain, thunder, or lightning.
A disagreeable rash broke out all over us,
which we called the “ prickly heat,” from
the manner in which it pained us, being
compared to the pricking of pins all over
us; the bodies of some amongst us was
one entire sore from head to foot, and as
it afflicted us most when heated, we could
neither eat, drink, or sleep, with any com-
fort between decks, and it were danger-
ous to attempt to sleep on deck. To cheerC 67 3
our present sufferings, we were encou-
raged with the assurances that these
things would wear away, and more pleas-
ing scenes succeed them, as we advanced
to the northward, otherwise despair would
nearly have driven us all mad. On Mon-
day the 6'th we passed by the Seven
Islands, and anchored in the eveningabout
two leagues to the north-east of them.
This and the two following nights we had
heavy squalls of wind, with thunder, light-
ning, and rain. On the morning of the
8th Pulo Taya bore from west to north-
north-east from us. At 10 o’clock we
spoke the Jackall and Clarence, to make
sail ahead till they got close under land,
or into shoal water. At noon the Jackall
made a signal that she had only three fa-
thoms, when the easternmost point of the
largest island bore north-east by east, dis-
tant two leagues; and the easternmost
point of high land of Linden island north-
west five leagues. Both brigs then stood
F 2c 68 n
away to the westward, to endeavour to
find some harbour or commodious anchor-
age; but returned without being able to
accomplish it, the water being too shallow
to admit ships of any size to come near
the land. Towards evening we anchored
about three leagues from the largest island.
The two brigs stood away to the westward
once more, the boats were also sent out,
but with no better success than before:
the grand point was to find out some safe
and commodious harbour where ship-
ping might be secured from danger dur-
ing the shifting of the monsoons, that
they might not be forced to put back to
Batavia, as they very frequently are. The
violent gales that generally accompany
a change of wind are dreadful, beyond
imagination, in the Chinese seas, and are
too often attended with dangerous con-
sequences to trifle with. These islands
lay very convenient, they are large, and
the land high, and to all appearance mightC 69 3
answer the desired end; but as far as we
had examined, which was the western side
only, the water was too shallow. Captain
Cook in one of his voyages had slightly
examined the largest of them, and judged
they might prove very advantageous, either
in peace or war: this I believe induced
the present adventurers to pay more ex-
traordinary attention than otherwise they
would have done. The seamen and sol-
diers in general were very much dissatis-
fied at being detained so unnecessarily, as
they thought, in this unhealthy latitude.
They were dropping oft’ very fast. On
board the Lion two died this day, and
numbers were expected not to survive
them long; they had 120 in the sur-
geon’s list, all of them unfit for duty.
The centre of the island of Linden lay in
about 33 minutes south latitude, and 105
degrees east longitude.
The Clarence joined us early on theC 70 ]
morning of the 9th; the Jackall was
scarcely in sight to the westward. About
noon she bore down, and informed us that
she had not been able to find any harbour
where ships of any size could lay in safety:
we therefore weighed anchor in the even-
ing, and stood out to sea. This day F.
Kelly, a seaman, departed this life, and
at sunset his body was committed to the
deep, in the usual manner. On the morn-
ing of the 10th, to our great joy, we
crossed the Equator to the northward,
but we found little alteration in the heat
of the weather. We kept standing north-
north-west, with a gentle breeze and fine
moderate clear weather. Before sunrise
on the 12th we discovered land ahead of
us, bearing north-north-east. At day-
light we passed between Saddle Island
and the White Rock, the Great Anambas
north by east, distant five leagues; lati-
tude by observation this day 40 36' north.
At four o'clock in the afternoon we passedC 71 ]
by Pulo Dorman, a large coral rock,
which at a distance had the appearance
of an ancient Gothic castle; it was very
lofty, and the top was covered with some-
thing green. At five o'clock in the morn-
ing of the 16th we saw Pulo Condore, or
the island of Condore, pulo, in the Malay
tongue, signifying an island. At noon
we anchored in an open bay on the north-
east side of Condore, formed by that, and
several other islands within gun-shot of
it, called the Brothers; the largest of
which does not exceed a league in circum-
ference; they are all mountainous and
rocky, except just on the edges of the
shore. The English had formerly a set-
tlement on Pulo Condore; but putting too
much confidence in some Macassar sol-
diers, they were all inhumanly murdered;
and no European power hath since thought
it worth attention. Its produce, I believe,
is very insignificant, and there are a few
Malays upon it, some say 1400 or 1500,c72:
and others, that they do not exceed 1 oo;
which latter I am rather inclined to cre-
dit, as I do not think so great a number
as the other could exist upon it. They
have some buffaloes, and we were told,
hogs and turkies; but we could procure
none of either, except buffaloes, and them
so lean and poor that they were not thought
worth carrying on board. Fish were also
scarce amongst them, as were fruit and
vegetables. The latitude of Pulo Con-
dore is 8° 36'' north, and 107° 22' east
longitude. The next morning when our
boats were sent on shore, they found all
the people had deserted their huts by the
side of the shore, and taken every thing
along with them, not so much as a hog
or a fowl remaining behind. What had
induced them to act in this unaccountable
manner, we could not guess, as we had
carried the most friendly appearance; but
as they are naturally mischievous and
treacherous themselves, probably theyc 73 3
dreaded that we might not be sincere in
our professions. With much searching
we found one or two old men, but we
could get no information from them, and
therefore the boats all put off from this
inhospitable shore; but before they could
reach their respective ships a most violent
gale of wind came on. All got safe on
board with some difficulty. The Lion
made a signal for all the vessels to weigh
anchor; the brigs answered that they
were unable to comply with it. We en-
deavoured to heave up, but before we had
got in many fathoms of cable, the mes-
senger broke, and the capstan flew round
with such violence, that all the efforts
of the men were made to seek their own
safety by deserting it entirely; but not
before a corporal of his Lordship’s guard
had his thigh broke, a sailor his arm, and
a great number of sailors and soldiers
were severely bruised. Upwards of twen-
ty were rendered unfit for duty. ThisC 74 3
unlucky accident put a stop to all busi-
ness for some hours; mean while the gale
kept rapidly increasing. Captain Mac-
kintosh being very averse to lying so much
exposed, declared his resolution was to get
out to sea before night at all hazards, and if
we could not purchase the anchor, to cut
away; however we were saved that trouble,
for in less than an hour the cable parted
about 30 fathoms from the anchor: this
determined all at once; and we were out
at sea in a moment; but endeavoured to
keep the bay open all night, in case any
of the other vessels should venture, or be
driven out, and kept firing rockets fre-
quently, to give them notice whereabouts
we were. The night proved dark and
squally, and in the morning we found
ourselves six leagues to leeward of the
bay, and had thick dirty weather. At
ten we saw the Lion, and a few moments
after the two brigs, coming out; we lay
too till they joined us, and then put awayt is 3
right before the wind, which carried us
at the rate of nine or ten knots all the
day. Early the next morning we made
Cape James, on the coast of Cochin-
China, which is laid down in io° 42'north
latitude.
We had a very pleasant run all along
the coast, the wind being moderated, and
the weather as fine as we could wish
%
it to be, except being a little too sultry.
The land on the coast was in general
hilly, but appeared well cultivated, and
we judged pretty well inhabited. We saw
several junks and small fishing vessels.
On the 25th we saw the entrance into
Turon Bay, and a surprising number
of boats a fishing all round it. We sent
our jolly boats on board some of the near-
est, with one of the Chinese pilots, who
we imagined would probably understand
their language sufficiently to be under-
stood, and endeavour to persuade one ofC 76 3
them to pilot us in. They understood each
other but very imperfectly, and no argu-
ments were sufficient to induce any of
them to come nearer to us; the boats
therefore came back with only a few
flying fish : another of the country boats
coming pretty close under our stern, in
which were two very young, and one
very old man, we first tried mild argu-
ments, and shewed them dollars; but be-
ing as stiff as the others, the poor old
fellow was brought on board by force:
he appeared to be about ninety years of
age, though strong and vigorous. His
surprise when brought on board seemed
to take the power of speech from him for
some moments. When he had a little re-
covered himself, he burst out into such im-
moderate and violent fits of grief that as-
tonished us. all. He would lean over that
side of the vessel next the land, to which
he would point, and make motions that
he wanted to get there, while the tears[ 77 3
would burst from him in such agony, that
none, even the most hardened sailor on
board, could avoid being concerned for
him, and some there were that thought it
a piece of cruelty to detain the poor old
fellow. The captain and officers endea-
voured to dissipate his fears; but as signs
and tokens were the only means they had
to make their wishes known, nothing
could subdue his sorrow. They gave him
dollars, and offered him wearing apparel,
seeing he was almost naked, but he would
not touch them. The Chinese pilots were
very officious ; they boiled him rice, and
made different messes that they thought
would please him, and at night tried to
make him joyous : he eat but little, and
slept none.
The 26th we saw none of the nume-
rous fishing boats we had seen the pre-
ceding days, so that we apprehended the
country would be alarmed, and we shouldr
C 78 ]
not be able to procure any thing we want-
ed. The current, during the night, had
driven us to the southward of the bay,
and the wind being contrary, we were
obliged to work up again. When the
ship’s head lay towards the land, the old
man dried up his tears; but when we were
forced to tack and stand out, then would
they burst out afresh, and he cry like a
child. But upon the whole, he seemed a
little more easy this day. Presently the
wind veered round, and we had a fine stiff'
breeze setting right into the harbour;
we stood almost to the bottom of a fine
deep bay, the largest and most completely
sheltered from wind I almost ever saw,
where the whole navy of Britain might
ride in perfect security, let the wind blow
from any point of the compass. We came
to anchor about noon, and found a Por-
tugueze snow laying here; she saluted
the Lion with eleven guns, which was
returned with nine. The captain came onc 79 n
board, and informed us, the natives were
a little alarmed to see such a number of
ships, and some of so large a size, come
in; they wished to know from whence we
came, whither we were bound, and our
reasons for touching at Turon. All these
questions were answered in such a man-
ner as to dissipate their fears. As soon
as the ships were moored, the old man
was sent on shore; his joy was then as
extravagant as his grief before had been;
but he did not refuse a couple of dollars
now, which had repeatedly been offered
to him before. We soon understood that
this country had been involved in war for
some years back, and that peace was only
just established; the particulars I could
not sufficiently understand, but that the
present king’s father, who was tributary
to some neighbouring power, had raised
a formidable army, and by dint of courage
and perseverance, had established himself
firmly on the throne; he also subdued ther
[ 80 1
little kingdoms of Ava, Laos, and Siam ;
it was said that above one hundred thou-
sand souls had fallen a sacrifice to his
ambition ; and he lived but just to finish
the bloody work he had begun, and left
a prince, about fourteen years of age,
under the guardianship of his uncle; this
prince they say is surrounded by nume-
rous guards, regularly disciplined, and
trained to war: his capital is a consider-
able distance up the country. At the bot-
tom of this bay there is a largish village,
or rather cluster of huts; it stands at the
entrance of a fine river. About twelve
miles farther up, there is a large town
called Fyfo, which used to be a place of
great trade, but now all communication
between this and the neighbouring states
is cut off; it is far from being of that con-
sequence it used to be. The interior of
the country is very rich; it produceth vast
quantities of silver, which they used to
exchange for the produce of other places.c81 n
Their boats, swords, tobacco-pipes, and
almost all their utensils, are plated with
this desirable metal, and they have wedges
of it continually about them. What we
chiefly wanted with them was provisions.
Several of the mandarins paid us a visit,
and promised to let us have all we wanted,
as speedily as it could be got down from
the country. They invited our gentlemen
to pay them a visit on shore, and the chief
mandarin gave them a treat, which con-
sisted of pork, goat, buffalo, rice, and fish,
dressed in a variety of ways, so as to con-
sist of near an hundred dishes. The chief
inconvenience they experienced, was the
want of knives or forks, in lieu of which
they were obliged to make use of two
small canes, and a shell supplied the use
of a spoon. When they returned on board
a very inconsiderable present was sent to
his Lordship.
On the 29th tents were fixed, and the
Gc 82 n
sick sent on shore, for whom we were
able to procure a few temporary neces-
saries, such as ducks, sugar, &c. &c. On
the 2d of June the troops belonging to his
Lordship’s guard had their arms delivered
to them, to be in readiness to attend him
whenever he went on shore, and were all
(sick and servants excepted) mustered on
board the Lion, where they were to stop
during the rest of the voyage. The 4th
of June, being his Majesty’s birthday, the
Lion, Hindostan, and the Portugueze brig,
each fired a royal salute. Lord Macartney
and his suite went on shore, at the earnest
request of the principal mandarin; the
two brigs went to the mouth of the river
the day before, and, his Lordship had a
party of fifty men, well armed, to guard
him from any hostile attempt they might
be induced to make; for we were not per-
fectly assured of their sincerity; nor would
his Lordship have ventured amongst them,
but in hopes his condescension would haveC 83 3
a good effect, and induce them to send us
a speedy supply, particularly for the sick,
who were in great distress. The present
his Lordship took ashore for the young
Prince, was a fine double barrelled gun, a
present of great value in this country, par-
ticularly the fire-arms, of which they are
prodigiously fond. These people know
the use of gunpowder well, but they have
few muskets, and those few miserably bad.
The following day we received in re-
turn two buffaloes, a little rice, and a few
ducks; the buffalo so miserably poor,
that one we killed immediately could
scarcely be eaten, and the other died two
days after. On the 6th of June the tents
on shore were all struck, and the sick re-
moved on board; they were, in general,
far better than on our arrival at this place,
though many were still in a bad way,
and the recovery of many of them doubt-
ful. We had not been able to procure
G 2c 84:
them all the nourishment their different
ailments required, for during the three
weeks we lay here, we could get nothing
but a few ducks, a little fish, some sweet
potatoes, and sugar. The ducks were
pretty good, and after some time not un-
reasonable; but at first, the mercenary
rascals, seeing our eagerness to get them,
would only give us two for a dollar, after-
wards three, and so on, as we became
careless about theiti, we could get ten or
twelve very fine ones. On Wednesday the
5th, the Jackall, with some of the gentle-
men on board, went to take a survey of
some island and bay to the northward.
They found a fine town or village, which
from its appearance on going into the
harbour, they thought must have been
built either by Europeans or Chinese.
The houses were of stone, and regular.
On going ashore they found the natives
very busy in preparing immense quan-
tities of mortar, and other materials, as ifC 8-* 3
a work of great magnitude was going to
be undertaken. As they advanced further
into the place, they found a number of
curious things, sufficient to excite their
astonishment, in such an uncouth country
as it appeared all around this little paradise.
They noticed most, a building of some
magnitude, supported in front on well po-
lished pillars of marble, and ornamented
in different places with images, and Chi-
nese characters, that would not have dis-
graced an European workman. The build-
ing was neither fantastically light, or
clumsy, and all around it there was a
spacious well laid out garden, with regu-
lar walks; and at a great distance as far
as the eye could reach, the country was
beautifully enriched with paddy fields in
a fine state of cultivation. Our gentry
of course paid greater attention than
ordinary to such a scene, and were highly
delighted with it. The natives seemed
jealous, and wished,, though feared, toC 86 H
interrupt them. They took a very accu-
rate survey of the harbour, and all they
thought worth notice, and endeavoured
to learn what occasioned such a diffe-
rence between these people and those
around them. They resemble each other
in person, in dress, and in many different
customs, but they have many peculiarities
which are no where else to be found.
They found among them many pagodas,
in which were the images they worship-
ped, richly decked out. They are amaz-
ingly superstitious in religious affairs,
but not so grossly ignorant as the people
at Turon, especially the lower class. The
mandarins are sharp enough, and easily
comprehend any thing you would explain
to them. The young prince’s uncle, a
very intelligent man, desired one of our
gentlemen to show him the globe, and
point out his own country, as he was
given to understand an Englishman knew
and visited every part of it. His requestc 87:
was complied with, and he made a num-
ber of pointed remarks on the different
countries shown to him; he at last de-
sired they would let him see England, as
no doubt, he said, it must be of con-
siderable magnitude to furnish fleets and
armies to every part of the world. They
were ashamed to let him see so insigni-
ficant an island as it appeared to be; they
therefore carried him from England and
Ireland across the Atlantic, and pointed
out a considerable part of America and the
West India islands, as belonging to the
king their master, whom they represented
as the most powerful monarch upon the
earth, and to whom many other kings
and princes were tributary. The vast size
of our ships, and the thunder of our 24
pounders, struck them with astonishment,
and induced them at least to treat us with
civility. Had our vessels been small and
unarmed, I believe we should have come
off scurvily amongst them; when thoseC 88 3
in the Jackall had made their observations,
and were working out of the harbour
before mentioned, they observed twelve
very large proas, crowded with men, regu-
larly ranged across the harbour’s mouth,
evidently with a design to oppose their pas-
sage ; not seeing any guns on board her,
they expected no resistance; but she had
several swivel guns, and were otherwise
well provided, and therefore pushed reso-
lutely forward, and made a proper disposi-
tion of their little force. When they came
pretty near, they fired one of their swivels
and a few muskets over their heads; this
had a wonderful effect, they directly opened
to the right and left, to make a passage,
and lay upon their oars, staring with
stupid wonder on the little brig, as she
passed through them, nor dared they to
offer her any molestation. She arrived
safe at Turon Bay the 7th of June. The
same day a boat from the Lion, in which
was the master and seven men, was sentC 89 ]
up this river to take a survey of it. For
fear of creating suspicion, they had strict
orders to go no higher than the manda-
rins should direct them; but venturing to
exceed a little the liberty given them,
they were all seized and thrown into pri-
son ; their draughts and instruments were
also taken away. This affair created much
trouble to his Lordship and Sir Erasmus
Gower, not knowing how to proceed in
it; they censured the unwary conduct of
the officer; but being a subject of Great
Britain, and an officer in the navy, they
could not avoid demanding his restitution
in very pointed terms, threatening force,
if mild arguments were insufficient. At
the same time they desired the mandarins
to assure the prince, that his conduct had
no sanction from them, and that he would
be brought to a very strict account for his
disobedience of orders. Our boats went
on shore, as usual, to purchase provisions,
and met with no molestation, though theC 90^
mandarins were less frequent in their
visits on board than they used to be.
Before this happened, five or six large
boats would come to us every day, in
which were several of their chiefs, and
30 or 40 of their dependents. These
boats were very long and high at the
head and stern, like a Chinese junk, the
seats were raised very high, on which
mats were spread, and umbrellas fixed,
and on each side (if a mandarin of war)
about a dozen long spears, and other war-
like instruments. Besides rowers, which
were from 12 to 40 in number, they had
generally five or six soldiers, with swords
slung over their shoulders. I got permis-
sion to examine one of them, which was
really a very capital weapon. It was some-
thinglike our swords in shape, but stouter;
the hilt was the smaller end of an ele-
phant’s tooth, and the scabbard was a kind
of hard wood, the colour of mahogany, ele-
gantly polished, and covered in differenti:91 ^
parts with plates of silver. The dress of
the chiefs was something in the Persian fa-
shion, consisting of a pair of loose drawers,
and a long wide gown of dark cotton, but-
toned round their necks, very wide sleeves,
and flowing loosely down to their ancles;
over this some of them wore an upper gar-
ment of fine white flowered silk. Round
their heads they wear a long roll of dark
cotton or muslin, in the form of a turban.
They have a number of servants at their
heels, with umbrellas, pipes, tobacco, spit-
ting boxes, fans, &c. The dress of the
common sort of these people, was only a
pair of cotton drawers, reaching down to
the calf of their legs, and a turban like
those already described, only of inferior
stuff. In their boats they had a fine and
large reservoir of water, and different ne-
cessary utensils, and plenty of provisions.
Whenever they came alongside, and their
chiefs were on board, they squatted down
upon their heels like the Malays, eachC 92 3
with a bason full of boiled rice. They
have two long pieces of cane, with which
they shove in their victuals with wonder-
ful activity. As soon as each has finished
his meal, he washes himself, and lays down
quietly to sleep under a matting. In many
respects these people appear to be a mix-
ture of Chinese and Malays. Their huts
are but meanly built of bamboo: in the
front of each there is a shed, supported by
wooden pillars, underneath which, is a
decent seat of cane, covered with matting,
to repose themselves upon. The inside
of the house is lined with pictures and
characters in the Chinese style. The
houses are small or large, which distin-
guishes the rank and quality of the owner,
but all alike mean. In each town or vil-
lage they have a larger building than
ordinary, in which they transact all pub-
lic business, and entertain strangers. It
was one of these in which Lord Macart-
ney was feasted, and entertained with aC *» 3
kind of play, performed by young people
of both sexes, describing the warlike con-
duct of one of their chiefs, and accom-
panied with vocal and instrumental music,
but harsh and disagreeable. The women
cannot be distinguished from the men by
their dress; but they are more delicate, and
some of them, particularly the actresses,
are very handsome; but in general, they
smell rank, like the Malays. The domes-
tic animals are remarkably large, ele-
phants, a few horses, goats, and pigs; and
all the wild ones we saw were buffaloes
and monkies. They abound with fowls
and pelicans. I saw several fish; they
have plenty, which they are very fond of
when mixed with rice.
On the 10th of June, we had completed
our stock of water, and waited for nothing
but the men that were detained on shore
to put to sea; the next day was fixed upon
to sail, but the disagreeable affair detainedr 94 3
us, much to the vexation of every one
on board. The weather had been so very
sultry and unhealthy, that few of us but
were afflicted with one complaint or other.
On the 12th of June, Mr. Tottle, Purser
of the Lion, departed this life, and was
buried the same day near the watering
place.
On the 14th, the Master of the Lion,
men and boat, were all set at liberty, and
sent on board, with their drawings, and
every thing belonging to them. A very
handsome apology from the young Prince,
and a present of rice accompanied them.
On the 15th, we left Turon Bay, and on
the 20th came to an anchor amongst a clus-
ter of large islands opposite the entrance
of Canton river. The same day, the two
brigs with Captain Mackintosh, Sir George
Staunton, and the two Chinese we brought
from England, all sailed for Macao. They
all returned except the two Chinese. On: 95 3
the 22d, they brought along with them
two French Jesuits who had been long
resident in the country, and wanted a pas-
sage to Pekin. Early on the morning of
the 23d, we got under sail with a fine
stiff breeze. In the afternoon we spoke
two Portuguese brigs going to Macao.
This day George Martin, caulker s mate,
departed this life, and his body was com-
mitted to the deep.
The 25th we had a heavy gale of wind,
with thick hazy weather. The Lion and
the Clarence both had their foretop-sails
split, and their rigging much damaged.
On the morning of the 26th, we passed
the south-west end of the island of For-
mosa, but at a considerable distance; we
could only just distinguish it, and it ap-
peared very high land. In the evening,
the Jackall had the misfortune to lose a
man overboard, who fell from the yard
arm as they were reefing topsails; it beingC 96 3
dark, they could not possibly save him,'
though a good swimmer, and by the di-
rection of his cries he survived some time,
though the sea ran mountains high. On
the 28th of June, the Lion separated, and
left the two brigs in the Hindostan’s
charge, with the view of reaching Chusan
more early, to overtake a Company's ves-
sel which was stationed to cruize off that
island for us till the 30th instant. The
weather had been so hazy, and the wind
so unsettled, that we could get no observa-
tion, and were doubtful if we could reach
it in time to see her. On the 30th it
cleared up, and blew pretty fresh from
the south-west. On the 2d of July, we
made the Bay of Chusan, and saw the
Lion bearing down to us; she had been
cruizing off the island for some time, but
had not seen the vessel we expected.
About noon, our little squadron came to
an anchor in the bay. We were presently
visited by several fishing boats, and sawC 97 ]
innumerable fleets of them all over the
bay. The same day the Clarence, with Sir
George Staunton and Captain Mackintosh,
sailed to the head of the bay to Chusan, a
very considerable place, to procure if pos-
sible, some tidings of the Company’s vessel,
which probably must have been seen by
some of their boats; to see if they could
procure a pilot to carry us to Pekin.
During the time we lay here we had very
unsettled weather; the mornings gene-
rally were clear and pleasant, but towards
noon, it began to blow and rain with great
violence; but being in the latitude of 30
north, it was not so violently hot as we
had felt it for some months past: our
ship’s crew recovered their health fast,
and we had but one or two dangerously
ill. The crew of the Lion remained in a
very sickly condition, and from the time
we anchored to the 6th of July, she buried
five seaman, and had sixty in the sur-
geon’s list. We procured refreshments
Hr
C 98 ]
here, as excellent fish, tea, sugar, See.
cheap as we could wish it to be, and very
good. The number of junks, fishing boats,
and vessels of different sorts and sizes,
continually cruizing in this bay astonished
us all. At a very moderate computation,
I suppose we might see every day three
or four hundred, a chief part of them very
large; and the number of people on board
of them was still more surprising; in the
smallest fishing boat they had generally
twelve hands. They had never seen any
vessels of such a size and construction as
ours before in these parts, and were very
curious in visiting the different parts of the
ship, and admired every thing they saw.
Several who first visited us returned, and
brought their fathers or relations to see
the wonders themselves had seen. Old
men, who apparently were almost deaf
and blind with age, waddled from deck
to deck with open mouths and uplifted
hands, admiring a sight so wonderfullyC 99 3
strange. Some mandarins of the third
rank, paid us a visit, and took dimensions
of the ship, masts, &c. &c. On the morn-
ing of the 7th, the Clarence returned and
brought us a pilot; and about noon, on
the 8th of July, we weighed anchor, hav-
ing a stiff breeze from the north-east, and
a heavy swell from that quarter. Towards
\
dusk, we got quite clear of the land, and
stood out to sea all night, notwithstanding
the remonstrances of our Chinese pilot, who
wished very much to have the ship brought
to an anchor, or to keep within sight of
land. We had but very indifferent weather
till the 1 oth, when the wind got round more
favourable, and did not blow too hard. On
the evening of that day, we saw the island
of Cheu Teing Tong, bearing north-west
by north, distant eight leagues. Early
next morning, we saw several more
islands to the northward and westward,
and stood in towards land with a fine
steady breeze from the southward. We
H 2r
C 100 3
were this day, in 30° 7' north latitude,
and found the weather much more com-
fortable than it had been for many pre-
ceding months; the sick recovered fast,
and all hands were cheerful, in the pleas-
ing hope of being, in a few days, at the
end of a tedious, troublesome, and dis-
agreeable voyage. The 12 th and 13th,
we had thick foggy weather and unsteady
winds, and lost sight of each other, not-
withstanding we kept firing guns every
half hour, and were answered till about
12 o'clock at night. On the 14th, when
we supposed they must all have altered
their course, it cleared up early in the
morning, and we discovered several ves-
sels; they all proved to be Chinese junks,
except one, which was a brig under Bri-
tish colours; and to our unspeakable sa-
tisfaction, proved to be the Endeavour,
Captain Proctor, the vessel which was
fitted out by the East India Company to.
cruize for us off the island of Chusan,C 101 3
and to pilot us to the nearest port to
Pekin. She had been, after leaving Chu-
san, to Teing Ching, and not finding us
there, had been cruizing at the mouth of
the Yellow sea, where we could not well
enter without discovering each other; be-
sides experienced pilots, she had on board
one or more interpreters, without whom,
we should have been placed in an awk-
ward situation on our arrival. The wind,
this day, proving favourable and pretty
fresh, we had a prospect of reaching our
destined port in two or three days more :
all that we wished for now, to render our
satisfaction complete, was a sight of our
other ships; and we fell in with them on
the morning of the 16th, off the northern-
most extremity of the coast of China.
We had mistaken their signal guns in the
foggy night we parted from them, and
they had passed ahead of us, owing to
our mistake. On the 17th, we were
abreast of the northern point, which isC i°® □
in about 38° north latitude. The Endea-
vour was far astern, and was so bad a
sailer, that we could not keep her com-
pany if we carried any canvas at all.
Being also so near our port, and having
a very distinct view of the land, we were
not so anxious about her as we had for-
merly been. We had taken the inter-
preter out of her, and given the Captain
proper directions where to follow us, to
receive further instructions from his Lord-
ship. During the time of our separation,
we had but very indifferent weather, ge-
nerally thick and foggy. Our soundings
were pretty regular from 8 to 30 fathoms,
as we approached, or left the land. The
Yellow sea (or river) was here not more
than 30 leagues wide. We could, when
the weather was clear, plainly distin-
guish the coast of China on one side,
and the land of Mozea on the other. We
in general, kept pretty close to the former,
that we might make our pilot useful, asC 103 3
he seemed pretty well acquainted with
the land; but out of sight of it, he was
entirely useless. The 18th proved thick
and dirty, with easy variable winds. We
had got round the westward into the bay.
Several very large junks were in sight,
from one of which we got another pilot.
The 19th was as the day preceding; so
thick and foggy, that we were obliged to
keep firing guns to prevent another sepa-
ration. As we could not see the land, we
lay too with our larboard tacks aboard;
and the ships could not be seen through
the fog, though their guns could be heard
very distinctly. About eight in the morn-
ing, the Jackall ran under our stern, and
informed us we were close in with the land,
which bore from east to south-south-west
from us, and that she had run within three
quarters of a mile of it before she had
perceived it; and wished for instruction
what course to steer. About an hour
after, the sun broke through, and entirelyr
C 104 3
dispelled the mist, so that we had a perfect
view of our little fleet, and the land too.
A fine breeze from the eastward bore us
away before it; and we had a pleas-
ing hope of coming to an anchor before
the evening. The land was rather low
on the coast, but seemed hilly in the back
ground. All apparently finely cultivated,
and well inhabited. Many large junks
were in sight all day. Towards evening,
we stood into a fine large bay, which we
mistook for Mataw; a place of some such
name, where we had appointed Captain
Proctor, in the Endeavour, to join us, in
case of separation. We passed very near
the shore, and could plainly perceive the
inhabitants crowding upon the hills to see
i
us, and running to and fro, as in great
amazement. We anchored before sun-
set ; and had a boat from shore presently,
by which we soon understood our mis-
take, and learnt that we were 10 leagues
to the south-east of our intended port.c 105 2
On the 20th of July, we got up our
anchor, and passed through several plea-
sant islands. We distinguished the houses
scattered about along the beach, in de-
lightful rural situations; and every inch
of ground seemed in a high state of culti-
vation, except the very summit of the
rocks. We saw a town of some note,
and several large junks at anchor near it;
and as we passed along, the most delight-
ful prospects presented themselves we
ever saw. Houses scattered here and
there, all over a most extensive valley,
villages, and larger towns, at the distance
of about a mile from each other, in a
country beautiful beyond description.
About six o’clock in the evening, we
anchored in an open bay, opposite on
one side to Mataw, and on the other to
the city of Teing Chew. This city is
entirely walled round ; and as we judged
about 16 miles in circumference. Its
being situated on a rising ground, gaveC 106 i
us a view of the walls almost all round;
and enabled us to form a pretty exact
idea of its extent. The walls are built of
stone, and were so high, that we could
only see a few houses on the rise of the
hills ; and the walls were, I believe, thick
in proportion; for as we came in, we could,
with the help of our glasses, see hundreds
of people gathered in crowds, upon that
part of the wall nearest the shore, to gaze
at us. At about the distance of an hun-
dred yards, there were round towers of a
considerable height; and at the northern
extremity of the city, there seemed to be
a pretty strong battery, with several can-
non mounted upon it. Round about the
walls on the outside, were tents pitched,
we supposed for the military. We had
several boats came off to us, but they
only brought a few fish. This harbour
lay, by observation, in about 38° north
latitude.C 107 ]
On Monday July 22d, the Endeavour
brig, Captain Proctor arrived, and saluted
the Lion with six guns, which was re-
turned with four; the Jackall was dis-
patched to sound the bar and harbour of
Tsing Ching; this harbour being judg-
ed unsafe for the shipping, if a gale of
wind should come on. About noon we
got a pilot on board, and weighed anchor
for Tsing Ching. This day, bombardier
M‘Intire, of the Royal Artillery, died on
board of the Lion : his death was occa-
sioned by a flux, with which several others
of his Lordship's guard were afflicted.
An order from Lord Macartney, was this
day read to the troops on board of the
Lion, to the following effect:
MACARTNEY. (Copy.)
“ As the ships and brigs attendant upon
the Embassy to China, are now likely to
arrive in port there a few days hence,[ 108 ^
his Excellency the Embassador, thinks it
his duty to make the following observa-
tions and arrangements :—It is impossible
that the various and important objects of
the Embassy can be obtained, but through
the good will of the Chinese; this good
will may much depend on the ideas which
they shall be induced to entertain of the
disposition and conduct of the English
nation. They can judge only from the
behaviour of those who come amongst
them. It must be confessed that the im-
pressions hitherto made upon their minds,
in consequence of the irregularities com-
mitted by Englishmen at Canton, are
unfavourable, even to the degree of con-
sidering them as the worst of Europeans.
These impressions are communicated in
course to that tribunal, in the capital,
which reports to, and advises the Em-
peror upon all concerns with foreign
countries. It is therefore essential, by a
conduct particularly regular and circum-r 109 ]
spect, to impress them with new, just,
and more favourable ideas of Englishmen;
and to shew that even to the lowest offi-
cer in the sea or land service, or in the
civil line, they are capable of maintaining,
by example and by discipline, due order,
sobriety, and subordination among their
respective inferiors. The people in China
have not the smallest share in the govern-
ment, yet it is a maxim invariably pursued
by their superiors, to support the meanest
Chinese in any difference with a stran-
ger ; and, if the occasion should happen,
to avenge his blood, of which indeed
there was a fatal instance not long since
at Canton, where the gunner of an Eng-
lish vessel, who had been very innocently
the cause of the death of a native peasant,
was executed for it, notwithstanding the
united efforts, on the part of the several
European factories at Canton, to save
him. Peculiar caution and mildness must
consequently be observed in every sort ofC HO ]
intercourse or accidental meeting, with
any the poorest individuals of the country.
“ His Excellency, who well knows that
he need not recommend to Sir Erasmus
Gower to make whatever regulations pru-
dence may dictate on this occasion for
the persons under his immediate com-
mand; as he hopes Captain Mackintosh
will do for the officers and crew of the
Hindostan. He trusts also, that the pro-
priety and necessity of such regulations,
calculated to preserve the credit of the
English name, and the interest of the
mother country in these remote parts,
will insure a steady and cheerful obe-
dience.
“ The same motives, he flatters himself,
will likewise operate upon all the persons
immediately connected with, or in the
service of the Embassy. His Excellency
declares, that as he shall be ready toC in 3
encourage, and to report favourably home
upon the good conduct of those who shall
be found to deserve it; so he will think it
his duty, in case of misconduct or disobe-
dience of orders, to report the same with
equal exactness, and to suspend or dis-
miss transgressors, as the occasion may
require. Nor, if any offence should be
offered to a Chinese, or a misdemeanor of
any kind be committed, which may be
punishable by their laws, will he deem
himself bound to interfere, for the pur-
pose of endeavouring to ward off, or
mitigate their severity. His Excellency
relies upon Lieutenant-Colonel Benson,
commandant of his guard, that he will
have a strict and watchful eye over them.
Vigilance, as to their personal demeanor,
is as requisite in the present circum-
stances, as it is, though from other mo-
tives, in regard to the conduct of an ene-
my in time of war. The guard are to be
kept constantly together, and regularlyc 112 3
exercised in all military evolutions; nor
are any of them to absent themselves
from on board ship; or from whatever
place may be allotted them for their dwell-
ing on shore, without leave from his Ex-
cellency, or commanding officer. None
of the mechanics or servants are to leave
the ship, or usual dwelling on shore, with-
out leave from himself or Mr. Maxwell;
and his Excellency expects, that the gen-
tlemen in his train will show the example
of subordination, by communicating their
wishes to him, before they go on any oc-
casion from the ship, or usual dwelling
place on shore. No boxes, or packages
of any kind, are to be removed from the
ship, or afterwards from the place where
they shall be brought on shore, without
the Embassador’s leave, or a written order
from Mr. Barlow, the comptroller; such
order describing the nature, number, and
dimension of such package. His Ex-
cellency, in the most earnest manner,[ "3 3
requests that no person whatever belong-
ing to the ships be suffered, and he
desires that none of his suite, guard,
mechanics, or servants, presume to offer
for sale, or propose to purchase, in the
way of traffic, the smallest article of mer-
chandize of any kind, or under any pre-
tence whatever, without leave from him
previously obtained. The necessity of
avoiding the least appearance of traffic
accompanying an Embassy to Pekin, was
such as to induce the East India Com-
pany to forego the profits of a new mar-
ket; and deterred them from shipping
any goods for sale in the Hindostan, as
being destined to attend upon the Em-
bassy ; the dignity and importance of
which, in the prejudiced eyes of the
Chinese, would be utterly lost, and the
good consequences expected from it on
commercial points totally prevented, if
any actual transactions, though for trifles
for the purpose of gain, should be disco-
IC 114 1
vered amongst any of the persons con-
cerned in conveying, or attending an
Ambassador, of which the report would
soon infallibly swell into a general sys-
tem of trading. From this strictness his
Excellency will willingly relax, whenever
such advances shall have been made by
him in negotiation, as will secure the
object of his mission; and when a per-
mission from him to an European to dis-
pose of any particular article of merchan-
dize, shall be considered as a favour granted
to the Chinese purchaser.
“ His Excellency is bound to punish, as
far as in him lies, any deviation from
this regulation; he will easily have it in
his power to do so, in regard to the persons
immediately in his train or service: the
discipline of the navy will render it equal-
ly easy to Sir Erasmus Gower, in respect
to those under his immediate command ;
and the East India Company have byC "5 3
their order of the 5th of September, 1792,
and by their letter of the 8th of the same
month and year, fully authorized his Ex-
cellency to enforce compliance with the
same regulations among the officers of
the Hindostan. A copy of the said or-
der, and an extract from the said letters,
here follow, in order that Captain Mack-
intosh may communicate the same to his
officers : and his Excellency depends upon
him to prevent any breach or evasion of
the same, among any of his crew. .
“ At a Court of Directors held on Wed-
“ nesday, the 5th of September, 1792 :
“ Resolved, that the Right Honourable
Lord Viscount Macartney be authorized
to suspend or dismiss the commander,
or any officers of the Hindostan, who
shall be guilty of a breach of covenants
or disobedience of orders from the Se-
cret Committee, or from his Excellency,
I 2C 116 ]
during the continuation of the Embassy
to China.
(Signed) W. Ramsay, Sec.”
“ Extract from the Chairman and De-
puty Chairman’s Letter to Lord Macart-
ney, dated September 8, 1792.
“ The Secret Committee have given
orders to Captain Mackintosh, of the
Hindostan, to put himself entirely under
your Excellency’s direction, so long as
may be necessary for the purpose of the
Embassy. We have inclosed a copy of
his instructions, and of the covenant
which he has entered into, together with
an account of his private trade and that
of his officers. There is no intention
whatever, on the part of the Court, to
permit private trade in any other port or
place than Canton, to which the ship is
ultimately destined, unless your Excel-
lency is satisfied, that such private tradeC 117 3
will not prove of detriment to the dignity
and importance annexed to the Embassy,
or to the consequences expected there-
from ; in which case, your consent in
writing becomes necessary, to authorize
any commercial transactions by Captain
Mackintosh, or any of his officers, as ex-
plained in the instructions from the Secret
Committee. But, as we cannot be too
guarded with respect to trade, and the
consequences which may result for that
purpose, we hereby authorize your Ex-
cellency to suspend, or dismiss the com-
mander, or any officers of the Hindostan,
who shall be guilty of a breach of cove-
nants, or disobedience of orders from the
Secret Committee, or from your Excellen-
cy, during the continuation of the present
Embassy.”
“ His Excellency takes this opportunity
of declaring also, that however determined
his sense of duty makes him, to forward[ US ]
the objects of his mission, and to watch,
detect, and punish, as far as in his power,
any crime, disobedience of orders, or other
behaviour, tending to endanger or delay
the success of the present undertaking,
or to bring discredit on the English cha-
racter, or occasion any difficulty or em-
barrassment to the Embassy: so in like
manner shall he feel himself happy, in
being able at all times to report and re-
ward the merit, as well as to promote the
interest, and indulge the wishes, of every
person who has accompanied him on this
occasion, as much as may be, consistent
with the honour and welfare of the public.
“ In case of the absence or engagements
of his Excellency, at any particular mo-
ment, applications may be made in his
room to Sir George Staunton, whom his
Majesty was pleased to honour with a
commission of Minister Plenipotentiary,
to act on such occasions.C 119 ]
“ Given on board his Majesty's ship the
Lion, this 16'th day of July, 1793.
By his Excellency’s command.
Acheson Maxwell,
Edward Winder,
Secretaries.”
(Signed)
On Tuesday the 23d of July, Redford,
of the Royal Artillery, departed this life,
and was committed to the deep the same
evening. On Wednesday, we were nearly
becalmed all day. In the evening, the
Jackall made a signal for land ahead, and
presently after fired three guns to warn
us of our danger. On sounding, we had
only 7 fathoms water: we immediately
put the ship about, and stood away till
daylight on Thursday, when we stood in
again for land. About 10 o’clock, we dis-
covered a low sandy island, behind which
were a great number of Chinese junks
riding at anchor. We had this day, only
from 12 to 5 fathoms of water, thoughC 120 3
entirely out of sight of land, excepting
that small island before mentioned, and
were obliged to anchor in the evening,
opposite Ching Ching, without being able
to see any land, except from the mast
head. We were not more than 15 or 20
miles at the utmost from the mouth of the
river, but the land being so low, was the
reason we could not see it. The Jackall
joined us the following day, and gave us
a very unsatisfactory account: she could
not find water sufficient for us, nor even
for herself, to lay with safety. She had
been aground three times, and lost an
anchor in the attempt. The Endeavour,
Captain Proctor, was then dispatched to
see what she could do, as she had a less
draught of water, and had either been
here before or mistaken the bay, for at the
time we first spoke her, she told us she
had been in here after us, and that there
was room and water sufficient for any
number or size of shipping.C 121 3
On Friday the 26th a large junk, having
on board some mandarins of the first and
second rank, came to us, and told his
Lordship, that proper vessels were getting
ready to convey his Excellency, suite, and
baggage on shore, or up to Pekin; and that
we might daily expect them to come off’to
us : we were, therefore, all busied in pre-
paring to disembark; and most heartily
and cheerfully did we all exert ourselves
on so pleasing a piece of business; sea-
men and others, the former being as
anxious to get back to Chusan or Can-
ton, as we were to be, once more, on terra
firma. The officers and others belonging
to the ships, were much disappointed, and
not a little mortified, at not being able to
see the so much famed capital of China.
This open bay being too wide for the
vessels to lay in safety, it was determined
they should return to one of the before-
mentioned places, with as much speed asZ 122 ]
possible, after landing every thing des-
tined for Pekin.
Monday, July the 29th, another large
Chinese junk paid us a visit, and brought
with her a present of fresh provisions and
fruit for his Lordship; part of which was
sent to the gentlemen on board the Hin-
dostan. She informed us, the vessels be-
fore mentioned, were getting ready with
all convenient speed, and that they pro-
bably would be with us the following day.
The 30th, in the afternoon, the Endea-
vour hove in sight; and on the 31st, a
considerable number of junks appeared
astern of us; but having wind and tide
unfavourable, they were obliged to anchor
to leeward, about 12 miles. The Endea-
vour came too, at noon, under our stern :
by her we understood, the junks were
those so long and so eagerly expected by
us. Early this morning, John Kay, joinerC 123 }
and cabinet-maker, of the Hindostan, died,
after a lingering illness of ten months;
his body was committed to the deep in
the usual manner.
August the 2d, some of the junks came
alongside, and took in several things be-
longing to his Lordship and the Em-
bassy : and on the evening of the 3d, they
had nearly completed taking every thing
from the shipping that was intended to
go ashore ; and the troops received orders
to hold themselves in readiness, to disem-
bark at a moment’s notice. On the 4th,
they went on board the junks, and got
into the mouth of the river. The follow-
ing afternoon, his Lordship was saluted
with 19 guns from each ship, on his dis-
embarkation. The three brigs accompa-
nied us into the river; and stopped with
us, till we got on board some accommoda-
tion boats, which were provided to carry
us up the river. These boats were the•c 124 3
/
most convenient and commodious that can
possibly be conceived; they are broad and
flat bottomed; and the smallest draught
of water is sufficient, though they will
carry a surprising weight of goods. On
the deck, they have a kind of house, con-
sisting of a variety of different apartments
for sleeping, eating, cooking, &c. all
finished in a capital style. We had up-
wards of 20 of these vessels, of different
constructions, provided for us ; and every
attention paid that could possibly be ex-
pected, to render our passage up to the
capital easy and comfortable. From the
chief mandarins to the poorest peasant,
all seemed anxious to convince us we
were welcome: indeed it was as great a
novelty to them as it was to us; and, if
we were entertained with them and their
droll appearances, they were not less de-
lighted with ours; and we strove, by every
art we were master of, to excite their
wonder and amazement. On FridayC 125 3
the 9th pf August, having every thing
regulated to our satisfaction, we proceed-
ed up the river; there were some manda-
rins appointed to go along with us, to see
that provisions and every thing necessary,
were ready whenever we stopped. The
two first days, we got up about 40 Eng-
lish miles, on the most delightful river I
ever beheld; the Thames itself, in my
opinion, does not exceed it, except in the
variety of its prospects. This river, was
nearly as wide as the Thames at Ham-
mersmith or Kew; and continued, with-
out any perceivable difference, or branch-
ing off, nearly the same. On each side
were towns and villages, scarcely the
distance of a mile apart, and the shores
covered with multitudes of the natives,
who crowded down to see us pass. The
prospect was not various or extensive, the
country being so low, but every inch of
ground seemed cultivated in the highest
style. On the third day, the countryC 126 }
presented a more enlivening prospect,
and charming beyond description. I had
formed an idea of it before our landing,
not unfavourable to the Chinese; but, I
confess, this exceeded my utmost expec-
tation, in every point of view. We arrived
early this day, at the city Tien Sing,
where a sumptuous entertainment was
provided for his Lordship, and the gen-
tlemen in his train ; and a very handsome
cold collation of fowls, fruit, &c. sent to
his attendants and guard, on board their
respective boats; which were all drawn
up in such a manner, that they had a full
view of a musical tragi-comic representa-
tion, in the Chinese style; performed in
a temporary building, erected for that
purpose, in the front of the chief manda-
rin’s house. The performers were nume-
rous, richly dressed, and very active in
different ludicrous attitudes they put them-
selves into. This entertainment lasted
about three -hours; and when it wasC 127 3
finished, the boats began to move slowly
forward. Upon a moderate calculation,
the concourse of people gathered toge-
ther, was supposed to amount to two
millions; the houses and vessels were
scarcely perceivable for them; and hun-
dreds of them waded up to their necks in
water, to gain a sight of us, as we went
along. On one side of the river were
several regiments of soldiers drawn up
under arms; some with bows and arrows;
.others with miserable matchlocks; and
some with shields and spears. They were
all nearly in the same uniform ; and what
appeared so laughable and singular to our
troops was, that very few of them wrere
without a pipe in his mouth, and a fan in
his hand, to cool and shield him from the
sun; and as we passed along, we found
very few without either; and what was
more surprising, great numbers of them
setting down in the ranks; they were
not particular to a yard or two, in dress-C 128 ]
ing their rank, nor in what form they
sit or stand; but their distances pretty
regularly about three paces each. Every
third man carries small colours ; the staff'
of which is stuck in his clothes, behind
the neck, and is about two feet above his
head, so as not to encumber his hand :
and about every twelfth man, there is a
large standard, which is under the care of
two men; one in front, the other in the
rear, unarmed : their dress put me in mind
of a mountebank's fool’s dress, though 1
dare say, very serviceable in the time of
action; it consists of a helmet of steel,
and made in such a manner that it would
shelter the head against any cut; it comes
down to the brow and neck; it is round,
and comes off’ taper to the top ; on which
is fixed a kind of spear, about a foot long,
ornamented with red horse hair, hanging
down. Their jacket, or what they wear
instead, is really frightful at a distance;
it is beset with thin pieces of iron or brass,[ J29 3
which imitates an English brass nailed
trunk; and it is made to cover that part
of the neck which the helmet leaves un-
covered, and buttons to it on each side,
and meets itself above the mouth, so that
no parts of the head or face are exposed, but
just the eyes.
The chief mandarin at Tien Sing, made
a very handsome present of silks, &c. to
all the gentlemen, servants, and soldiers
in his Lordship’s train. The following five
or six days, the prospects on each side be-
gan to be more variegated and delightful:
the country was seen to a great distance,
and the hills which divide China from
Tartary, could be very distinctly seen.
The seats of the mandarins were scattered
here and there, surrounded by tufts of ever-
greens, and the villages interspersed, form-
ed a most charming rural prospect. The
shores of the river were lined with the na-
tives on each side, who had got together
KC 130 3
from curiosity, or to dispose of their fruits,
&c. which we were able to purchase in
great plenty, and tolerably reasonable;
such as apples, water and mesh melons,
peaches, apricots, &c. What surprised us
much was, that the women appeared to be
under as little restraint here as in Eng-
land, as we had been told, it was very rare
to gain a sight of any female in China,
they not being allowed to leave the house,
except in covered chairs or carriages, where
no one could see them ; but thus far, we
saw them near every house or village,
though not quite in number proportionable
to the other sex. I believe it is reckoned
a disgrace to have many female children;
a boy gives more pleasure at his birth to
his parents, and is taken care of; but the
girls are cruelly neglected by their pa-
rents; they are frequently suffered to perish
through want, or wilfully thrown into a
neighbouring river, without the least re-
morse, or any notice being taken of it byC 131 3
those whose duty we think it is to punish
such inhumanity: pity has sometimes in-
duced those of ample fortunes, to rescue a
few of these poor infants from such an
early and untimely death, and to bring
them up comfortably, without making any
inquiry from whom they came: but in-
stances of this kind are very rare; and I
was told the practice itself, of exposing
their infants to perish, is wearing away
very fast. After an inland voyage of about
an hundred miles, on Saturday the 17th,
we landed at Tong Chew, a city about 12
miles from Pekin. The crowds of people
gathered together to see us land were asto-
nishing ; it required the utmost exertions
of a great number of the military, to keep
them from absolutely smothering of us; it
was not possible even for an English sol-
dier to go along the streets for some days,
without having a native soldier along with
him to clear the way with a whip, which
they carry for that purpose; and which
K 2C 182 3
they sometimes use very unmercifully,
upon the bare backs of the inhabitants.
We met with great hospitality and re-
spect from all ranks of people during our
stay here, and had very comfortable ac-
commodations, with regard to lodgings and
provisions. At this place we buried a me-
chanic belonging to his Lordship, named
Eades, a button-maker: and after a stay
of four days, we departed on the 21st, at
daybreak, in a kind of covered waggons
and carts, which were the best carriages
the country afforded, and such as the gen-
try use in travelling through the empire.
I can compare them to nothing more
like than the light country carts, without
springs, used near London; some covered
with blue nankeen, others with fine bam-
boo matting. A very comfortable double
mattress, covered with fine blue calico, is
spread on the bottom of the best carriages,
on which five or six Chinese will squatwe
c133 3
down like so many tailors, though
found it difficult to stow more than two,
and in the largest only three persons.
They use mules and asses to their car-
riages, the former of which, are remark-
ably large and strong. We entered the
celebrated city of Pekin early in the fore-
noon, but had no opportunity of seeing any
thing, except immense crowds of people on
each side of us, owing to the closeness of
the carriages in which we were confined;
all we could observe was, the walls, which
were very high and strong, built of large
bricks; and the houses were very low, and
rather shabby, of the same materials. But
probably those we saw were the outskirts,
»
and not so sumptuous as the interior parts
of the city. We had been induced to form
so high an idea of its amazing grandeur,
that I confess, we were somewhat disap-
pointed; but no estimation could be form-
ed from the little we saw. From gate
to gate, the* distance we passed was fiveC 134 3
or six miles : we then entered the suburbs,
which the Chinese inhabit, as the Tartars
do the city. The buildings here were truly
elegant, and the shops of the tradesmen
well stocked with all kinds of goods.
About noon, we were set down at a coun-
try seat belonging to the Emperor, six
miles to the northward of the city, called
Yuen-meng-yuen, where comfortable pro-
vision was made for us in every respect,
and where we had hopes to rest some con-
siderable time : the general report which
prevailed amongst us was, that his Lord-
ship, after a stay of ten days, would go on
to Tartary, by the Emperor s own appoint-
ment, and leave here only the mechanics
and the sick. This place was walled round,
and might be near 2 miles in extent, and
' contained a vast variety of elegant little
buildings ; in the front of most of them
was a large canal for bathing, and other
useful purposes. The houses, or barracks
appointed for the guard, were in the middleC 135 D
of a thick wood, but sufficiently open and
airy, and surrounded with water; nothing,
in short, could be more charming and de-
lightful ; or scarcely any thing exceed our
vexation, when in about five or six days,
we were ordered to get ready to return to
Pekin, which we re-entered on the 26th, in
the same manner we had passed through
before, and were shut up like so many
prisoners, amongst a large assemblage of
buildings, walled round, and from which,
we were not suffered to depart, nor even
to take a peep over the walls. Some few,
prompted by curiosity, ventured the latter,
but being observed by the soldiers on the
outside, a terrible clamour was instantly
raisedabout our ears: ‘ The Place,’ as it was
named, in which we were, was in a few
minutes filled with mandarins, and threat-
enings thundered out against any future
transgressors. ‘ The Place’ contained above
fifty different buildings apart from each
»
other, divided by large paved courts, be-C 136 3
sides summer-houses, servants’ apartments,
storehouses, and cooking shops an amaz-
ing number. Some of the buildings were
very regular, and neatly painted in the
Chinese fashion; the outside displayed
much more elegance than the inside, which
contained no ornaments of any kind, sav-
ing a large vulgar painting at each end of
the room, nor any furniture, but a table,
and a matting for the floor. At one end
of the sleeping room, a bench is raised
about two feet from the floor, on this a
coarse woollen cloth and a mat is spread,
and for any other bedding or furniture,
you must find it yourself. We found many
inconveniences at first setting out, in this
new way of life, but custom soon recon-
ciled us, in a great measure, to their man-
ners. In cooking, they appeared very awk-
ward ; all their meat and vegetables being
hashed up in such a medley confusion, that
we scarcely knew at times what we were
eating; but in great profusion: and in aC 137 3
little time we brought them into a method
of dressing our victuals, a little in the
English way. Beef, mutton, and pork were
excellent, as were their vegetables, such
as sweet potatoes, cabbages, pumpkins,
onions, and a great variety of others, com-
mon to both Europe and Asia. Fowls were
also in great plenty, and excellent; but
fish here was very uncommon. All their
dishes are hashed or boiled; they have not
the least notion of any other method of
preparing them; but their soups are ex-
cellent. They eat but little bread; what
they prepared for us was tolerably good;
it was made into small round loaves or
cakes, done in the steam, upon a kind of
gridiron, and very light pleasant eating,
when toasted afterwards. All our meals
were regularly served, and a stated num-
ber of dishes to each table, one exactly the
same as another, both meat, bread, and
vegetables; and mandarins appointed to
see every thing done in exact order, toC 138 3
prevent impositions, or any thing from
being kept back, which were designed
us ; and in fact, this precaution was very
necessary, for otherwise we should have
been half starved. The lower class of Chi-
nese, who are chiefly slaves, being the
most thievish set of villains on the face of
the earth; and withal so dexterous, that it
was impossible to guard against them. It
was a very common practice, on our first
arrival, to keep back one half of our bread,
sugar, tea, and sometimes whole pieces of
meat; but after detection and the basti-
nado, they were more closely watched, and
we fared sumptuously. They were not in-
duced to rob us through want; had that
been the case, we might have overlooked
their impudence, but the meanest of them
had a superfluity of the best provisions : it
was disposed of, for a third of its value, to
those people who originally sent it to us,
and perhaps served in a different manner
the next day, at our own table. The man-c 139:
darins and people of better order, treated
us with singular marks of attention and
politeness, and were ever anxious to do us
some acceptable piece of service, where
it did not endanger their own personal
safety; but the slightest deviation from
any given order is punished with such se-
verity, without regard to the rank of the
offender, that all are very cautious; and
more particularly, when that order respects
any Europeans or strangers, of whom they
are so unaccountably suspicious and fear-
ful. It is true, we could boast of some
indulgences never before granted to Euro-''
peans; but notwithstanding this,a restraint
to which we had not been accustomed was
unpleasant: for instance, his Lordship ex-
cepted, none of his train, gentle or simple,
were ever allowed to leave the place ap-
pointed for them, not even to peep out of
it, till permission was obtained; which ge-
nerally created so much trouble, that they
dropped their application, and patientlyC 1^0 3
waited the issue, or looked forward to the
time of a general enlargement.
On the 2d of September, his Excellency,
attended by most of the gentry, servants,
and guard, set off to pass, as a private visit,
to the Emperor in Tartary. In the evening,
they halted at a house of the Emperor’s,
about 22 milesfromPekin,called Mi-yuen-
suen. On the 3d, we entered the hilly
country, and a road as rough as could pos-
sibly be; and after a fatiguing journey of
sixteen miles, were quartered in a large
garrisoned town, just on the borders of
Tartary. The following morning, we had
a delightful view of the great wall, which
divides that country from China. All were
anxious to see this stupendous piece of
ancient architecture, which had stood for
so many ages the wonder of the world.
By all accounts we could collect on the
spot, and from the best informed Chinese,
this wall was built near 1500 years ago, to. C 1*1 3
prevent the incursions of the Tartars, who
frequently made dreadful ravages, and plun-
dered their northern provinces before any
force could be collected to stop them. This
wall, by report, extends in length, about
1400 miles; in general over an irregular
mountainous country; and in many places
over rocks and precipices, so dreadful in
themselves, that one could not think any
prospect of gain could induce men to ven-
ture their lives in passing them. That part
of it which we measured and examined,
with uncommon pains, was in height 25
feet, and in breadth, through the gate, 36
regular paces, which breadth it carried to
the summit. In the vallies, both heighth
and breadth far exceeded this account, or
in other places, where the passage was
open and exposed to danger. It was built
of brick; many pieces of which were as
anxiously collected as if they were wedges
of the most precious metal, by all ranks,
from his Excellency to the private soldier .;c: 142 :i *
and though so ancient, yet in general, in
good order: some parts of it shows signs
of decay; nor is so much regard paid to
repair it since the union of the two empires.
At each gate there is a guard-house, where
some companies of soldiers are constantly
stationed; and others are encamped at re-
gular distances on each side of the wall.
The towers, on the top of it are at the dis-
tance of a musket shot from each other,
and from their astonishing bulk and height,
afford a prospect so extensive and magni-
ficent, that imagination can form no idea
of it. From hence, we had four days'jour-
ney in Tartary, over hills and mountains,
and through vallies not unpleasant, but
very fatiguing, as we were often obliged
to leave the carriages in climbing and de-
scending the hills. The country appeared
fertile, though so rugged, and afforded
good pasturage for immense herds of sheep
and bullocks. It was but thinly peopled;
here and there a few scattered houses inC 143 3
the vallies, but no place of note till we en-
tered Gehor, on the 4th day, which was
in the following order;—first, the light
dragoons; then the royal artillery and in-
fantry, all in slow march; next came the
band of music, playing God save the King;
they were followed by the gentlemen of
the Embassy; the mechanics and servants
brought up the rear. The place allotted
for our reception, was just at the entrance
of Gehor; at the gate of it, all were regu-
larly drawn up, and saluted his Excellency
as he entered, who was pleased to return
his thanks, in a public manner, to the mi-
litary, for the regularity and good order
observed by them during the whole march
and procession. Early on the morning
of the 14th of September, the day ap-
pointed for delivering some of the presents
from his Britannic Majesty to the Emperor,
we all marched through Gehor (a town
about 3 miles in extent,) to the Palace, in
the above order; the presents in front ofC i** 3
the guard; but none, except his Excellency
and the gentlemen, were suffered to enter
the gates; all the others returned mortified
and terribly disappointed, as they had pro-
mised themselves great things from a sight
of this favourite and famous residence of
the greatest monarch on earth; nor could
they forbear indulging hopes of seeing his
Imperial Highness, in both which, they
were disappointed. However, they were in
some measure satisfied from a gratification
the outside afforded; the extent and ele-
gance of it was beyond description, and
contrasted with the adjacent mountains
and precipices, the scene was great and
beautiful indeed, to which the rising sun
added a splendour truly magnificent. His
Excellency, during our stay at Gehor, had
four interviews with the Emperor, and was
received with most extraordinary honours;
and elegant presents each time was sent to
all his train, on their return to their own
quarters. An unaccountable number ofC 145 3
soldiers composed the Emperors guard;
they were chiefly horsemen, and amount-
ed, by a moderate computation, to at least
twenty thousand.
On the 21 st of September, we began
our journey back to Pekin, and the same
day had the misfortune to lose an artillery-
man, named Jeremiah Read; who was
buried the following day at Kola-choa-yen;
the whole of the detachment attending the
funeral. The flux, of which he died, had
by this time crept among us in a most
alarming manner; near half his Lordship’s
guard were afflicted with it, and in a very
dangerous way. The 23d, we arrived at
Kou-pee-keow, the pass through the great
wall from Eastern Tartary into China;
and on the 26th, once more re-entered
Pekin. The roads in China have been
reckoned the finest in the universe, and in
general they deserve that title; that in par-
ticular from Tartary into China, exceeds
L
\C 146 ]]
every thing of the kind, I believe, in the
world : it was made for the Emperor, on
his return to his capital, and employed
some thousand people, who keep it in con-
stant repair, and are as a guard to it. No
one but the Emperor is allowed to tread
upon it. It is levelled every day, and I
may add, every minute of the day; and is
as level as a bowling-green. At the dis-
tance of an hundred yards from each other,
cisterns are erected, to water it on the least
appearance of dust. On each side, fine full
grown poplars shade travellers from the
scorching heat of the sun ; as are also by
the side of the road for the commonalty,
which runs alongside the Emperor’s road,
and likewise upon every great road in the
empire; and whenever a river, or small
rivulet, crossed the Emperor’s road, U most
sumptuous bridge was erected; and to
*
deaden the noise of the carriage wheels,
the bottom was covered with fine matting.
The posts, which supported the bridge, andC 147 ]
the ornaments, which were numerous, and
displayed with great ingenuity, were finely
painted in various figures round about it.
On the 28th of September, Lord Ma-
cartney, attended by his suite, and a de-
tachment of his guard, set off to meet the
Emperor, at his palace near Yuen-ming-
yuen, about 8 miles from Pekin; where,
after the usual ceremonials, they left him,
and arrived here again on the 29th. Some
of the principal presents were deposited at
this palace, which is the Emperor’s fa-
vourite place of residence. The royal ar-
tillery delivered their guns a few days be-
fore, to be fixed here, viz. 4 one-pounders,
2 three-pounders, 2 twelve-inch howitzers,
with a large supply of ammunition, &c.
&c. &c. The Chinese are naturally such
timid cowardly fellows, that it is a ques-
tion if they ever make any use of them;
indeed the very sight of these pieces strike
them with terror, and the report will hn-
L 2C 14* .1
mediately drive them to a considerable dis-
tance, like so many frighted sheep.
October the 3d, a very handsome pre-
sent was sent from the Emperor to his
Lordship, the gentlemen in his suite, to
the mechanics, servants, and guard; con-
sisting of silk, tea, calico, and a variety
of other things; besides several bars of vir-
gin silver to the gentlemen, and one to
each soldier, &c. &c. worth about three
pounds sterling. This was a strong indi-
cation, that we were on the eve of our de-
parture from Pekin ; notwithstanding at
our first entrance, we fully expected to
winter there, and every individual among
us was looking forward, with anxious ex-
pectation, to the grand audience between
the Emperor and his Lordship: but we
were soon given to understand, that the
business of the Embassy had been finally
adjusted at the last private meeting be-
tween them, at the Palace nearYuen-ming-C 149 3
yuen; that it was to the satisfaction of
each, there was no doubt, or that the Em-
peror had agreed to every proposal from his
Britannic Majesty, and the East India
Company; but a profound secrecy was ob-
served on the part of his Lordship.
The gentlemen in his suite seemed very
much dissatisfied, that they were kept so
much in the dark respecting it; and it was
observed, that a general misunderstanding
seemed breeding amongst them: some
were pleased, and others were displeased,
when on the 4th of October, an order was
delivered for all to hold themselves in rea-
diness to depart on the 7th.
We had all along been confined like so
many prisoners, being never suffered to see
any part of the city, nor to purchase any of
the curiosities it contained, to carry to our
friends in Europe. The unaccountable
jealousy, and strange, conduct of the Chi-[ 150 3
nese, surprised us very much; though, in
many instances, they treated us with sin-
gular marks of respect, yet all their atten-
tion to us seemed tempered with fear and
dread; and it was apparent enough that
they wished us away from amongst them,
at least from their much famed capital,
where no Europeans are suffered to go at
large, except a few Jesuits; and they must
conform to the Chinese dress, manners,
and customs; nor are they allowed ever
after to leave the empire, but are consi-
dered as subjects belonging to it; over
them a particularly watchful eye is kept,
lest they should steal away privately. But
they seem very well satisfied with their lot;
they live on the fat of the land, as most
priests love to do, and have no laborious
function to attend to. October the 6th,
Henry Newman, of the royal artillery, de-
parted this life; he was the sixth person
of his Lordship's guard that we had lost
already, and several others were in a de-C 1*51 3
spairing way. On the 7th we took a final
leave of Pekin; we were in open carriages,
and had therefore an opportunity of gra-
tifying our sight a little; but our expec-
tations were by no means satisfied. The
city was doubtless immensely large, but
the buildings in general were low, and
had a mean appearance; the streets are
wide, but irregular, owing to different
houses and shops projecting out so far be-
yond others. The dwelling of the poor
and the opulent seemed strangely crowded
together, without any distinction: in many
places, a decent house, or tradesman’s shop,
was joined to a mean mud-walled cottage;
but neither had windows, or any admit-
tance for light next the street: each had
an inclosure backwards, which in general
was planted with trees, which gave the city
a rural appearance. The streets weredusty,
and crowded with people of all ranks, as
on our first entrance; amongst whom were
many of the female sex, whose curiosityC 16* ]
exceeded that of the men. In the evening,
we arrived at our old quarters at Teon-
cheu; and the following day embarked
once more on board some accommodation
boats, and proceeded down the river.
These vessels were much better provided
than those we had in coming up, and con-
siderably larger: provisions were also serv-
ed out to us of a superior quality, and in
greater variety and abundance; we had
also the liberty of superintending the cook-
ery on board, which we managed more in
the English style. Fruit was also served
out in great plenty ; and, in short, we had
a superfluity of necessaries and luxuries.
Every town we passed, of any note, the
people seemed anxious to give us some
proof of respectful attention ; the soldiers
were drawn up under arms, and the guard
turned out long before we appeared in
sight. Landing places, with matting, and
ornamented with variegated pieces of silk
and calico, in case his Lordship chose toC 1-53 3
land, were erected at all the principal towns.
In this manner we slowly proceeded, for-
getting our disappointments in Pekin, and
enjoying the beauties of the surrounding
scene, and the bounties of indulgent Pro-
vidence. On the 12th of October, we once
more came in sight of the city of Tien
Sing; where the mandarin, who had so
respectfully treated us before, had provid-
ed an elegant entertainment in a tempo-
rary building, at the front of his own pa-
lace; in which the principal men of the
city were posted, in their richest attire, and
saluted us as we passed along with much
civility; and the crowds of people gather-
ed together along the banks of the river,
for many miles, astonished us all. At a
moderate computation, I will venture to
affirm they exceeded two millions; and
though the numbers were so immense, yet
on the appearance of a mandarin, or sol-
dier's whip, they gave way in a moment,
without the smallest appearance of ill
/C U
nature; in fact, they durst not offer any
resistance, so strictly are they kept in sub-
jection, and the slightest disobedience pu-
nished on the spot with such severity.
At Tien Sing we entered a different
river, and proceeded near a mile below the
city before we stopped. The old gentle-
man here gave us another proof of the
generosity and goodness of his heart; each
boat received a very handsome present of
provisions, fruit, and sweetmeats, in such
abundance, that we could not consume a
tenth part of it. The old man had gained
the entire affection of every one of us, by his
continued assiduity during our passage up
from Tien Sing, our stay in China, and
journey into Tartary; he had been our
constant attendant and provider, and never
ceased in any instance to convince his
Lordship, and the Embassy in general, of
his sincere wishes for its success. We
were equally sincere in our wishes, thatC is* 3
he might not leave us till we got to the
end of our journey, or inland voyage.
Under him, a great number of inferior
mandarins and officers attended us ; many
of whom also had been with us during
our stay in the country, and had become
very familiar. We had gained some know-
ledge of their language, at least so as' to
ask for most things we vvanted, which they
instantly procured; we therefore wanted
for nothing to make us comfortable. We
thought ourselves happy, and did not re-
gret the length of time we were to spend
in our journey to the shipping, which we
were given to understand would take us
up a month or more. The weather was
cool, but pleasant; the harvest was all got
in, and the country on every side afforded
the most extensive and delightful prospect
imaginable. The roofs of the houses, erect-
ed on these accommodation boats, being
flat and pretty high, we could take a sur-
vey of the surrounding country; whichC 1<56 J
during the first thirty-three days was
quite level, and nothing to oppose the pros-
pect but towns and villages, which in many
places were so thick and close together
that we could scarcely discern the sepa-
ration.
On the banks of this river, were many
very large towns ; and on the morning of
the 4th day from Tien Sing, we had a no-
ble prospect of a large walled city; and at
a considerable distance, after we had pass-
ed it, we could nearly see all round the
walls, which in circumference might be
about 3 leagues. The suburbs were mean
and shabby mud-walled huts, which as
you approach near the city hide it entirely
from your sight. In the evening, just as
darkness began to close around us, ano-
ther city appeared on the banks of the
river;—but a very imperfect sight of it. We
observed a great number of soldiers en-
camped all along, who regularly turnedC 157 3
out under arms on our approach, and re-
mained drawn up till after every boat had
passed them; and saluted his Lordship
with three guns, which is the most they
ever fire, except to the Emperor. Guns
they cannot properly be called, being no-
thing more than a piece of hollowed wood;
one end of which is stuck in the ground,
and filled with powder, is fired right into
the air; the report is equal to a small field
piece.
On the 12th, we entered the province
of Chan-tong, and had different manda-
rins and officers appointed to conduct us
_	X
forward to the next. Each boat had also
two soldiers, to see that none of the pas-
sengers absented themselves. It is asto-
nishing what can induce them to be so jea-
lous and fearful of strangers ; for though
China is one of the finest and most desire-
able countries in the world, yet their man-
ners and way of living bear such a contrastr
C 158 3
to ours, that few would ever wish to stay
with them, that had any prospect of living,
though in the lowest style, at home. The
ignorance and superstition of the common
people here have no bounds; they have
scarcely an idea of there being any other
country than their own. In this province
in particular, I really believe, not one in
ten ever heard of any strangers passing
through it before this Embassy; every
thing was therefore a matter of wonder
and astonishment. If our boats passed any
town or village at midnight, thousands of
anxious gazers would crowd about them,
in hopes of gaining a sight of some of us;
and would follow the boats a considerable
time till they had satisfied their curiosity.
On the 22d of October, the course of
the river led us past a tower, built in a
very singular manner; it was something
like the porcelain tower at Nankin, of
which that in Kew gardens is built in imita-f
C 1*0 3
tion; it was entirely of white brick, except
between each story, which was ornamented
with a kind of varnished tile: it had eight
squares, about four yards each in circum-
ference ; and every square had a window,
or space left for one; it was eight stories
in height, beside the ground floor and cu-
pola, and was about 240 high from the
ground. Round about it, we observed a
more than ordinary number of houses for
their idol gods ; but generally in such bad
repair, that we could easily see his godship
through the ruins. The tower was built
upon an extensive open plain, and about
three miles from a small fortified city, of
which we had but a faint prospect, though
not more than gun-shot from the walls in
many places; it being surrounded (as their
finest buildings generally are) by mean,
dirty mud-walled huts. At this place we
left the river, and entered a canal which
was cut from it, but nearly equalled in
width and depth the river itself.I >«o 3
On the 24th we passed two fortified
cities, where a great many soldiers were
stationed. Hereabout, and as we got fur-
ther on, we saw many castles, or kind of
fortifications, but capable of no defence,
except against small arms, &c. The build-
ings in general, as we advanced more to
the southward, were better finished, and
not disgraced with so much dirt and mud
as many already taken notice of.
The 25th, the hilly country appeared on
our left, which we conjectured to be near
the sea coast; and the country for two or
three days, as we advanced nearer to it, was
entirely overflowed with water; though
not an inch of it but seemed to be culti-
vated with great art. The people were
busy in getting the produce, which they
carried away in boats; and in other places,
the fishermen were collecting the finny
tribe. The methods they made use of w ere
various, according to the depth, or incon-C lei n
venience of weeds, which were great in
many places; some with nets, others with
baskets, contrived in a very artful manner,
which afforded us much entertainment as
we passed along. Wild fowl seemed also
to be in great abundance; and we were
told their method of procuring them was
very singular, by concealing themselves
among the weeds, and decoying the birds,
so as to take them in their hands. The
26th and 27th, the canal took a winding
course at the foot of some very pleasant
hills, on every one of which towers and
fortifications were erected, which afforded
1
a charming prospect. There appeared to
be a vast number of soldiers stationed in
this part of the empire, particularly in the
neighbourhood of the capital towns; but
we thought it was so contrived by the
mandarins, that we should pass most of
those in the night time; but the military
were always under arms, with lanterns
posted in their front, so that we could easily
MC 162 3
count them, and observe in what manner
they were armed.
On the ist of November, pretty early in
the morning, we entered a spacious lake,
or large body of water, into which a num-
ber of fine rivers and canals emptied them-
selves. The prospect here was beautiful
beyond description; the country round it
exhibited such a variety of rural scenes,
that nothing I ever saw before could equal;
towns, villages, lawns, groves, hills, and
dales, so interspersed and mingled toge-
ther, that nature seemed to have exhausted
all her store on this pleasing spot; the
lake too was covered with vessels, sailing
in a variety of directions, which added
much to the beauty of the prospect. About
the centre of the lake the current was asto-
nishingly rapid, and carried the vessels
away with such violence, that it was with
much difficulty the men could manage
them, or prevent their running foul of eachC 163 D •
other; in fact, they seemed very diffident
of their own abilities, or conceived them-
selves in great danger : they implored the
aid of their gods to carry them through
with safety, which haply they effected,
though not without accident; one man
fell overboard, and serjeant Stewart had
also the misfortune to make a false step,
but being an excellent swimmer, he sup-
ported himself till a boat was put out, and
saved him. About noon we entered the
Yellow river, or a canal, which carried us
into it, on the 3d. Here we had an oppor-
tunity of observing one curious method of
catching fish in the lakes, which abound
in this part of the country ; two or three
men in a small boat have about a dozen
birds they call cormorants; they are as
black as a crow, but considerably larger,
with long yellow sharp-pointed beaks, and,
on a signal being given by their masters,
all dart suddenly into the water, and con-
tinue under till an oar or pole is thrown
M 2c164 n
alongside the boat, they then all rise upon
it, and discharge what fish they have .pro-
cured into the boat, and wait for further
orders.
On the 5th of November we crossed
another beautiful lake, surrounded by
mountains, and full of high rocky islands,
on some of which pagodas and places of
worship were erected, which had a very
romantic appearance. At the foot of the
mountains there were several pretty vil-
lages, whose inhabitants were chiefly em-
ployed in building of junks, many of which,
and some monstrous large ones, we saw
on the stocks. Several of their war vessels
were lying here; but they were miserable
looking wrecks. On entering the river,
above the lake, we had to go under a
bridge, and found, as we advanced higher
up, many others; some had but one, and
others had three arches. They were all
built of stone, and of a surprising height,C 2
but had nothing curious in the workman-
ship. The country hereabouts had quite a
different appearance from any part we had
hitherto seen. One day we were winding
roundabout the mountains, and the next, we
were surrounded by a low marshy country,
full of lakes and large collected pieces of
water; and never a day that we did not
go through one, and frequently two or
three, capital cities, all of which were bet-
ter built the farther we went to the south-
ward ; trade also seemed to flourish more.
The rivers swarmed with vessels, all busi-
ly employed both night and day; in short,
every thing around us bespoke them a far
more ingenious and industrious people than
any we had seen since our arrival amongst
them. The mandarins, and all above the
common ranks, were clothed in silks. The
soldiers too, who were drawn up in their
uniforms,had a more splendid appearance;
with respect to their arms and accoutre-
ments, they differed but little from thoseC 166 3
we had before seen. The cities and large
towns hereabout seemed very ancient; the
walls and houses were decaying very fast.
Its population exceeds even belief; it is
impossible for any one to conceive it, the
whole country is absolutely covered with
people, and every river is full of floating
houses; it is also wonderful to see what
numbers will nestle together, seemingly
without any inconvenience: where four
or five Englishmen would find themselves
straitened for room, ten or twelve Chi-
nese will be as happy and as snug as pos-
sible. They live chiefly on vegetables,
which the country produces in great abun-
dance : rice is also a favourite dish; of this
grain they have two crops annually; they
were getting in the second as we came
through this province. A vast quantity of
silk, tallow, and camphor, is also got here;
for many days together we could see no-
thing but groves of those trees which pro-
duce the tallow, which is taken from a nutC 167 3
or apple, exactly resembling, in colour and
shape, that seen on potatoe stalks. The mul-
berry, the orange, and the camphor trees
grow indiscriminately through the coun-
try, and have a most charming appearance.
A vast variety of other fruits and useful
articles of trade are found in this part of
the country; but we were too confined to
examine them with accuracy or attention,
so as to give a true description. The Chi-
nese in this part of the empire seemed, if
possible, more anxious to see us than those
nearer Pekin; and, from a request made
by the mandarins, Colonel Benson issued
an order that we should all appear on deck
in passing through any of the towns. The
country people, we were told, came up-
wards of an hundred miles merely to see
us pass by, and seemed quite delighted
when they were gratified with a momen-
tary glimpse.
On the 15th of November we arrived atC 168 ]
Hon-geu, a very capital city, and strongly
fortified. It is not very common to meet
with any cannon in the empire, as it is an
article they are very awkward in using, and
very fearful of; but at the gates of this
place we saw seven or eight large field-
pieces, well mounted, and in good order;
and about six miles distant, we were re-
ceived by several regiments of soldiers,
drawn up in the most regular and uniform
manner we had hitherto seen in our tra-
vels through the empire; some had bows
and arrows, others had matchlocks, and
about two regiments had swords and
shields only. In the centre of each batta-
lion were placed some pieces of artillery:
they continued saluting for some time, till
we Jiad embarked on board some small
junks which lay ready for our reception.
Lord Macartney and the greatest part of
his attendants took the route for Canton.
Colonel Benson, Captain Mackintosh, Mr.
Alexander, Mr. Dinwiddie, and nine otherse: 169 n
of inferior rank, took a different river for
Chusan Bay, where the Hindostan waited
for them. We received letters from on
board the Lion, to inform us she was
cruizing among the Ladrones, and in a
sickly condition. We parted at Hang-
cheu, and were all carried about eight
miles down to the beach in sedan chairs,
except the military, who marched in uni-
form order, at the request of the manda-
rins, to the place of embarkation, where
the whole country seemed covered with
people of all descriptions; and thousands
of soldiers, drawn up in such a manner,
that the Embassador and his train passed
through their ranks quite to the water’s
edge, where temporary bridges were con-
structed upon waggons, and drawn by
buffaloes for near half a mile into the
water, it being so shallow that no vessels
could come nearer the land. The party
for Chusan crossed an arm of the sea, and
at sunset landed at a small village, about[ '70 ]
30 miles from Nanking. Sedan chairs re-
ceived us so suddenly, that we had scarce
time to feel the ground before we were
hoisted up, six feet above it, upon the
shoulders of two lusty fellows, who trotted
away with us for about half an hour; and
then thrust us into dirty little boats, where
we lay that night; and early next morn-
ing we were hauled along a canal, cut
through a most delightful country for
about 25 or 30 miles: it not being finish-
ed, or carried to the river to which it was
intended, we were once more obliged to
disembark at the city of Tin-chin-chee,
from whence we were carried, as on the
former day, in chairs, and thrust into
them so indiscriminately, and with so little
regard to persons, that some of the gen-
tlemen were obliged to take up with very
bad ones, open and ragged, and exposed
on every side to chilly cold rain, which be-
gan to fall as we landed; while those of
inferior rank were, in general, accommo-C 171 1
dated with others as oppositely elegant
and comfortable. The next day, we were
no better provided, with respect to boats;
but for provisions, and luxuries of every
kind, we had in vast abundance, and su-
perior of the sort to any hitherto received;
the country too was so delightful, that
every trifling inconvenience was readily
passed over. The mandarins also assured
us, that they would provide larger and
better junks as soon as the depth of water
would allow; but here the canals only ad-
mitted such small craft as those we occu-
pied. The country was variegated and
hilly, so that we had to pass through se-
veral locks, very oddly constructed; they
were obliged to heave us up by means of a
windlass, and a rope passed round the
stern, till the head overbalances, and she
then launches down with great velocity on
the opposite side. The Chinese are very
active in the management of their boats,
or disagreeable accidents, and often dan-C 172 3
gers, would happen in these inland navi-
gations.
On the 14th, we reached the city of
Hoong-pee, and as our mandarin atten-
dants promised, were accommodated with
very neat and comfortable vessels; but
were so pestered with servants and sol-
diers, that we were heartily sick of our
journey. Here we entered the hilly coun-
try, and on the 15th came in sight of
the famous city of Nang-poo, situated on
the side of a rugged mountain, as barren
and uncouth as the hills in Derbyshire.
What could induce them to erect so noble
a city, in so rough a place, is astonishing,
when you view it surrounded by plains as
beautiful and fertile as any in China; but
it is strong by nature and art, the ascent
to it being almost perpendicular, except
on that side next to the river, which is
defended by innumerable forts, and the
strongest I had seen in China. TheyC 173 ]
treated us here with unusual respect, and
honoured us with visits almost every hour
in the day. The principal men seemed to
have more curiosity than those of inferior
order, and seemed delighted with our affa-
bility. They inquired about European
customs, and compared them with their
own with singular delight; and made their
remarks on any thing about us that ap-
peared unaccountable or odd. We would
also ask frequently an explanation of any
thing that appeared so to us; and in ge-
neral they were more communicative than
their countrymen had hitherto been, ex-
cepting some particulars which respected
their religion; this seemed a mystery
which they could not explain, nor could
we form a judgment what they are, or in
what belief. Their idols are numerous;
every petty village, and almost every
house of note, has its particular god for
public or private worship; and no boat,
however insignificant, is without, to whichC 174 3
they offer sacrifices and prayers, in time
of danger, and on particular days. The
custom of burying their dead, or rather of
disposing of them, disgusted us most of all:
a burial it cannot properly be termed, for
you might sometimes see thousands of
coffins wholly exposed, and the corpse in
a state of putrefaction; others were half
buried, or half covered with straw. Some
few have vaults, and a decent house
erected over, carved and ornamented with
Curious images ; and a few of their great
men, who have signalized themselves,
or have rendered any particular service
to their country, have a statue erected
to their memory at the public expence.
This particular custom is not common
all over the empire, nor indeed are any
customs; but each province varies and
differs from the neighbouring ones, as
much as though they had no connection
with each other : for instance, about Pe-
kin and the province of Pet-chee-li, aC 175 3
deep pit is made, and the corpse set up-
right in it, over which they raise a mound
of earth near eight feet high, of an oval
form, without any other token to signify
whose dust it covers.
At Ning-poo the tea tree flourishes in
greater perfection than any where else in
China; it was in blossom as we passed,
and every hill being covered with it, made
the prospect truly pleasing. The orange, the
camphor, and tallow-trees are also natives
of this province, besides many other articles
of trade and fruit, in such abundance that
it is quite a drug. They carry on a great
trade from this city to Batavia, the Phi-
lippine Islands, and other settlements in
the Chinese seas, in their own vessels;
and they supply the European ships, by
way of Canton. The principal mandarins
made each man a present of silks, tea,
nankeen, tobacco, and other trifling ar-
ticles, worth about three pounds, and[ 176 ]
strove to render our stay as agreeable as
possible; but the weather proving bad, we
were detained too long amongst them to
be contented or happy. The wind was not
only contrary for us, but it blew a perfect
gale, and rained with such violence, that
it beat through the matting which covered
our junks, and almost drowned us; it also
continued without intermission for seven
or eight days. Being eager to get on board
the Hindostan, which lay at no greater
distance than ten leagues, made us very
fractious and impatient, which the manda-
rins took notice of, but did not appear
displeased.
On Thursday, December 4th, the wind
moderating, we got under weigh, and
sailed in a winding direction among plea-
sant hills, covered with the white blos-
soms of the tea shrub and others, which
refreshed us most agreeably with their
fragrance; and in addition to our pleasure,C 177 3
about three o’clock, we came in sight of
the Hindostan; who, on our nearer ap-
proach, saluted us with nine guns: she
also received her commander under a se-
cond salute. The garrison and troops kept
up an incessant fire for two hours, and the
next day they honoured our gentlemen
with a grand review. The city of Chusan
is built partly in a pleasant valley, and on
the rise of a rugged hill; and defended by
regular built forts on every rising ground
about it. Its chief trade is with Canton,
for tea and nankeens : they also manufac-
ture a coarse calico, and a few handker-
chiefs.
In two days after our arrival, having
finished taking in the baggage, &c. be-
longing to the Embassador, we got up our
anchor with a favourable breeze, and sa-
luted the grand mandarins as we passed
by the city. We were all in good spirits,
and eager to reach Canton, where we
Nc 178:
expected to meet numbers of our country-
men, and receive letters from our friends
at home. The wind blew fresh; and just
as we cleared the bay the ship struck vio-
lently upon a rock, causing great confu-
sion on board, as we were fearful it was
all over with her, and perhaps with our-
selves too; but happily she sheered off in
a few minutes, without receiving any ap-
parent damage. As we opened the bay it
blew very hard, but the wind was in our
favour. On the 7th, we saw the island of
Formosa; and on the 8th, got among the
Ladrone islands. On the 9th, we entered
the Bay of Macao, and saw four large ships
riding at anchor off the city, but were at
too great a distance to distinguish what
they were. In the evening, we got a chop,
or passport, to enter the river. The two
forts at the entrance of the Bocca Tigris,
saluted us with three guns, and hoisted
the Emperor’s colours as we passed. They
used formerly to receive and return sa-C 179 3
lutes from all our Indiamen here; but
this practice had been disused since the
unhappy fate of the gunner at Canton,
mentioned in the former part of this Jour-
nal ; it was an honour we did not expect,
to be received in so distinguished a man-
ner, and therefore returned their salute
with two extra guns. Taking advantage
of the tide during the night to enter the
river, we passed the Lion without observ-
ing her, as she lay in Anson’s Bay, just off
the Bocca Tigris. On the following day
we got up to the second bar, where we
found four of our Indiamen ready to sail
for Europe, viz. the Bombay Castle, Mi-
nerva, Chesterfield, and Brunswick; by
them we had the first intelligence of the
anarchy and confusion in France, and
of the war which was kindling through-
out Europe. On the 3d of December,
we got up to Whampoo, the place where
all European ships lay to take in a
cargo: it is a very considerable village,
N 2n iso i
about sixteen miles below the city of
Canton.
«rtotni;'J ts ivnm.'Vi y»H ’to ohs! vnqftdru.?
No ships are allowed to go higher up
the river: the business of providing a
cargo rests with the factors, who have
most elegant houses in the city, and who
live in splendour equal to many crowned
heads. They reside here till the last,
called the “ book ship,” sails for Europe,
and then the Chinese oblige them to live
at Macao till the first ship arrives the fol-
lowing season. The people at Whampoo
having been so much used to Europeans,
particularly our countrymen, that all of
them have a little smattering of English,
and some speak it fluently. As soon as the
ships arrive, they are visited by tailors,
shoemakers, washing girls, and boats, who
supply them with a variety of things in
English taste; and at Canton you may
purchase almost any thing you want,
which the merchants provide on purpose.C 181 3
We found at Whampoo about twenty sail
of ships, from Holland, Sweden, Ostend,
and America; besides several British coun-
try vessels. The day after our arrival some
officers from the Lion came on board,
with letters from England; and on their
hearing of a war with France, she had
captured a French brig from the island of
Amsterdam, laden “with furs; and chased
a large ship, which run on shore near
Macao. We had information, that se-
veral French privateers were cruizing in
and. about the Straits of Sunda and Ma-
lacca, some mounting 30 guns, and full of
men; and a report was circulated that
they had captured the Princess Royal In-
diaman. On the 6th of December, the
Warley Indiaman arrived; and on the
7th, the Royal Charlotte, Triton, and two
others arrived from Bengal. They in-
formed us of the taking of Pondicherry;
and brought other interesting intelligence
from Asia, and from Europe. On the 11th,C 182 1
a melancholy affair happened on shore:—it
is usual for ships that arrive here to unrig
entirely,and go through a thorough repair;
and they have temporary storehouses erect-
ed, which they call the Banks Hall, for the
armourers, carpenters, sail-makers, and
other tradesmen, &c.; the steward of the
Brunswick being ashore salting of provi-
sion for the voyage home, having some
difference with a few seamen of that ship,
was so rash and imprudent as to fire a
pistol loaded with slugs amongst them,
which killed one poor fellow on the spot,
and wounded two others so dangerously,
that their lives were despaired of; he was
immediately secured in irons, to take his
trial when the ship arrived in England.
On Friday the 20th of December, the
four following ships arrived here from
England; the Lord Thurlow, Earl of Aber-
gavenny, Ceres, and Osterley; and three
days after, the Glatton came in. By theseC 183 }
ships, who sailed from the Thames in May,
we had many letters; and all the news to
that time. Our friends, who, as was be-
forementioned, parted from us at Hon-
geu, had to march through the city, which
was so crowded with people, that they
could scarcely get along; after which
they embarked on a river, about eight
miles from the city, on similar bridges to
those already described; in a few moments
after they were got on board, a number of
buffaloes being yoked to the carriages,
the bridges disappeared in a moment.
About five the same evening, they set sail
on the finest river they had ever seen,
which bent its course along a fruitful val-
ley, among hills covered with pagodas, and
guard-houses for the soldiers, and neat
cottages. On the 16'th, the river divided
itself into three or four parts; here a guard
of soldiers, parading along the banks of
the river, saluted his Lordship in a singu-
lar manner, by falling on their knees and[ 184 }
giving a loud huzza. This method of salu-
tation is practised by the Chinese to the
royal family and people of distinction,
and was never afterward omitted to his
Lordship during the journey to Canton.
The 18th, they arrived at a neat little vil-
lage, where they were all drawn up; and
each man received a trifling present of
nankeen, fans, perfumery, &c. The river
on which they had now entered was so
shallow, that it required a number of men
to push the boats along, while other poor
shivering fellows were employed in rais-
ing the water from different falls, with
which the river abounded. There were a
number of mills situated upon it, employed
in grinding of rice. On the 20th, they dis-
embarked, and were carried in chairs about
24 miles, passing through many villages
and cities, pleasantly situated. Orders were
issued that no man should, on any pre-
tence whatever, leave his chair; but the
beauty of the surrounding scenery, andC I8^ D
pity to the poor objects who carried them,
induced numbers to disobey: but this ir-
regularity created much confusion; some
riding, others walking, made the line of
march extend upwards of two miles, and
rendered any orders that were given of
no effect. Towards night, they entered
an elegant little city, and were nobly ac-
commodated with all they wanted during
their stay, which was two days; and on
the third, they once more embarked in
small comfortable warm boats, and at
night brought up alongside a large town,
where a file of soldiers received them as
before, with each of them an umbrella in
his hand. Larger boats were provided, the
river here being wide, and deep enough to
admit them of any size. On each side
houses were built on rafts of wood, and in
which many families lived together, appa-
rently in great harmony. These houses
were continually moving up or down the
river, seldom stopping more than a fewC 186 3
days in a place. Some of these houses were
very large, extending in length 200, and
in breadth 100 yards; and had every con-
venience of the houses on shore, and even
superior in many respects. Along the
banks of this river were many fields of
sugar-cane, of which the people seem re-
markably fond; indeed it is their chief
support. Around the villages and seats of
the mandarins were large groves of ever-
greens and orange trees, laden with fruit
in such a luxurious profusion, that no con-
ception can be formed of the beauty of the
prospect; in short, China is the finest
country in the world with respect to its
climate and production. I believe, there is
nothing that is common in any other part
of the world but is to be found here, and
in equal perfection : it is peculiarly happy
in the salubrity of the climate; and the
inhabitants swarm all over the country
like locusts : they are blessed with health,
and live to a good old age; and but forc 187 3
the imperious manner in which they are
governed, would certainly be the happiest
people in the universe. But they are vain,
licentious, uncivilized, and rude, when
compared with the inhabitants of Europe.
They fancy they exceed all other nations
in antiquity, and in every other respect;
and, though they could not help admiring
the presents his Lordship brought from
England, yet they affected to despise both
the one and the other, as beneath their no-
tice or imitation. In some things, they cer-
tainly excel all other people, sqch as china
ware, porcelain, silks, &c. but had Great
Britain the same materials to improve
upon, the Chinese would sink into insig-
nificance, and their trade with Europe
dwindle into nothing.
They have a very ingenious method of
watering the land, which we observed only
in this province, and about Canton: the
water is raised by wheels, according to the[ 188 ]
height of the land, and is thrown a sur-
prising distance through bamboo canes,
into a reservoir made to receive it, and
from that to another all over the country;
each wheel requires only two men to work
it, and throws up a great many tons in the
course of the day.
CJI Jfl !Ot\ ■ - .i‘- > V^fij li;
On the 9th of December we arrived at a
large walled town, where we disembarked,
and lay that night. In the morning each man
had a ticket given him, and was directed to
a large square, where a number of horses
ready saddled, waited for them; each man
pressed the best he could, and away he
scampered, helter-skelter, without waiting
for his Lordship, officer, or comrade: such
a motley group of horsemen perhaps never
appeared in any civilized country before.
The Chinese themselves were struck with
the novelty as we passed on, one, two, or
three, through the city, and for two miles
after we had got clear of it, and the coun-C 189 2
try before us, away all drove like madmen;
and very few escaped without a fall, but
luckily all, without any material hurt.
Two horses were rode to death by the in-
fantry ; and many others disabled, before
half the day’s journey was performed, which
was about 24 miles. The road was paved,
but narrow, and the country hilly; one
mountain we had to cross was so difficult
to mount, and so dangerous, owing to its
being almost perpendicular, that steps
were cut, to prevent horse or man from
slipping backward; one false step would
have plunged either headlong to the bot-
tom, and he must inevitably have been
crushed to death; nor could the path be
made straight forward, but in a slanting
direction. From the summit of the hill we
had a most extensive prospect of the coun-
try before us, and the troop behind us, all
fearfully and cautiously endeavouring to
avoid the surrounding danger; which be-
ing accomplished, the same mad humourr
C 190 3
seized upon all as at their first setting out:
and in this disorder and confusion we en-
tered the city, where we had to stop that
night; and each as he entered was con-
ducted down to the river side, and slept in
a palace belonging to the mandarin gover-
nor. The following morning, we once
more went into junks provided for us,
which were small and incommodious; and
on the 14th, we re-embarked in larger
ones, which brought us, on the 17th,
within about four miles of Canton. On the
18th, every man full dressed paraded on
shore; and were afterwards conducted to
some accommodation boats, the most com-
pletely elegant of any we had hitherto seen,
and dropped down the river, in a kind of
state, to the city, where a house was ready
provided for the reception of his Lordship;
or which might be more properly called a
palace; for of all the buildings seen, it
most deserved that title. It was originally
built by an English gentleman, partly inC 191 3
the European and partly in the Chinese
taste, surrounded by gardens and pleasure-
grounds, so delightful and extensive, that
no just idea can be formed, or description
given worthy of it. The 25th (Christmas
day), most of the troops embarked on
board the Lion at Whampoo, his Lordship
reserving only a part of the royal artillery
to do duty over him.
The ships at the lower bar, viz. the
Bombay Castle, Minerva, Brunswick, and
Chesterfield, sailed for Europe the 30th of
December. January 2, 1794,, arrived at
Whampoo the Lord Walsingham, Exeter,
and Hawke Indiamen. A seaman belong-
ing to the Lion fell overboard this even-
ing, and in spite of every exertion was
drowned.
On the 3d, the Henry Dundas arrived
from Madras; and on the 4th, a large
Spanish galleon, called the King Charles,C 192 D
commanded by Don Ferdinando de Sylva,
from Acapulco and Manilla, came in, and
put herself under the protection of the
British flag during her voyage home. The
last Indiaman that arrived here from Bom-
bay having come the eastern passage, had
touched at Manilla, and informed the
Spanish governor of their being at war
with the French; and she being of im-
mense value, did not care to run so great
a risk as venturing through the Straits
alone.
On the 8th, Lord Macartney and his
suite came on board, and were received
under a salute of 15 guns; the next day,
the Lion unmoored, and on the 10th,
weighed anchor, and dropped down through
the Bocca Tigris. The 13th, we anchored
in Macao Roads; and on the 15th, his
Lordship and suite, attended by a detach-
ment of his guard, landed at the city of
Macao.C 193 3
It is a Portugueze settlement on one
of the Ladrone Islands; and it is a very
considerable place, of large extent, and of
great strength, having several forts on
eminences round the city, which prevents
its being approached either by sea or land.
No large shipping can come within reach
of it, the water being too shallow to admit
them within the harbour, which is on the
back of the town, and formed by another of
the Ladrones. There are a great number of
small shipping fitted out here; and since a
trade has been opened between the north-
west coast of America and China a great
number of small craft touch here with the
produce of that part of the world.
Macao is about sixty leagues from
Whampoo, and about twenty from the
entrance of the Tigris; it is inhabited prin-
cipally by Chinese, who are under the
government of a mandarin stationed here
by the Emperor. It is computed that there
OC 194 2
is about ten thousand of this nation and
one thousand Portugueze, besides factors
and merchants from almost every Euro-
pean nation. There are also a great num-
ber of Negro and Asiatic slaves. The city
is large, and contains some very elegant
buildings, both public and private. The
churches are numerous, and furnished, at
an enormous expence, with paintings and
images of bigotry and superstition. There
are several convents, and a college well
endowed, and some private schools for the
education of the lower class of people.
The city is well provided for defence
both by sea and land; the forts are all
built upon eminences, and command both
the harbour and the town; the former is
very secure for small ships, but the en-
trance is both difficult and dangerous, and
larger vessels are obliged to lay in the
roads, which are exposed to every wind
that blows. The Portugueze employ aboutC 195 ]
twenty vessels in the coasting trade, from
one to four hundred tons burthen; they
are fitted out here the latter end of Feb-
ruary or beginning of March; and return
about September, with the produce of A-
sia and the north-west coast of America:
These barter with the Chinese for teas,
silks, china, anb various other commodi-
ties for the Lisbon market. The ship-
ping of Great Britain and other European
nations, generally touch here as they go to
Canton, and when they return to Europe.
The supercargoes, and those who have the
direction of the Company’s affairs, reside
here till the following season calls them to
Canton. They are in general men of a
liberal education, and spare no expence to
live like gentlemen; in truth their houses,
called factories, are palaces, and they are
attended like princes.
The island is rocky and barren, and pro-
duces scarcely any thing but vegetables;
O 2C 196 ]
but the neighbouring continent supplies it
liberally with every thing for the conve-
nience and luxury of life, so that you may
procure whatever you want at a moderate
expence.
The other islands belong to the Em-
peror of China; they are all uninhabited,
but frequented by bands of piratical rovers,
from whose thievish dispositions the islands
received the name of Ladrones.
We arrived in the Lion off Macao on the
13th of January, 1794,; his Lordship had
an elegant house ready for his reception,
and the gentlemen of his suite were lodged
in the British factory. His Lordship was
received on landing by his own guard, and
by the Governor of the island, who, with a
great number of Portuguese officers, and
all the principal people of Macao, came
down to the water side, and attended him
to the house of his Excellency the Gover-C Utf 3
nor. The most respectful attention was
paid to the Embassy at this place it ever
experienced; the forts, the churches, and
even the convents, and places where no
stranger was ever before suffered to enter,
were thrown open; and every thing curious
or strange explained to them without any
hesitation. They were astonished to find
such a reception in a Roman Catholic coun-
try. The clergy themselves seemed anxious
to outdo in civility the gentlemen in the
civil or military line. The Swedish and
Dutch factors also paid uncommon respect
to the Embassy; in fact, every one who
had any interest or influence at Macao
exerted it to the utmost, to make our stay
amongst them as comfortable as possible;
nor were their good intentions thrown
away, for not one, I believe, in the Em-
bassy but regretted his departure, though
for the purpose of returning to his native
country. We continued at Macao till the
8th of March, when his Lordship and allC 198 3
his suite embarked on board the Lion, in
the roads. A Portugueze ship, called the
Bon Jesus, joined us, along with the Spanish
galleon before mentioned from Whampoo.
The Indiamen were all to be ready for sea
by the 14th, and every necessary arrange-
ment made, so that nothing should delay
our sailing beyond that time. On the 1 ith
we stood over to Samcocks island, and
completed our stock of water.
On the 16th of March the following
Indiamen joined us from Canton, viz.
Hindostan, Royal Charlotte, Earl of Aber-
gavenny, Hawke, Ceres, Osterly, Exeter,
Warley, Triton, Lord Walsingham, Henry
Dundas, Lord Thurlow, and Glatton; and
early on the morning of the 17th we got
under weigh, having also under our pro-
tection, the Spanish galleon, a Portugueze
frigate, the Jackall brig, and an American
ship. We had fine favourable breezes
across the Chinese seas, but were veryC 199 U
much detained by some of the Indiamen
who sailed remarkably dull. On the 28th
we saw the land bearing east-south-east,
distant about seven leagues; and the 29th
we passed by Pedro Blanca, a small black
rock standing by itself, and at the same
time had land on the starboard quarter,
bearing from us west-north-west, distant
ten leagues. About noon some of the
ships made a signal for seeing a strange
sail, and we immediately bore away after
her, and soon discovered her only to be a
small fishing boat. We had information
that several large French privateers were
cruizing in these latitudes, and were iij
hopes of coming across some of them. All
hands were in high spirits, and anxious to
have a brush with their old and natural
enemy. I believe the Lion at this time
was in a better condition, either for a long
voyage or an action, than when she left
England. She had four hundred stout fel-
lows on board, and not more than one orC 200 3
two in the doctor’s list. At noon this
day, we were in latitude 20 24' north, and
105° 47' east longitude.
On the 31st of March we crossed the
Equator, and the 1st of April, saw the
island of Lingen, bearing south-west by
west, about seven leagues from us. The
Asses’ Ears, which are two sharp pointed
peaks on the centre of the high land, are
in 33' south latitude and 105° east longi-
tude. The small island of Pulo Taya was
easily distinguished, on our larboard quar-
ter, bearing south-south-east, the wind
rather squally and unsteady.
On the 3d we anchored abreast of the
Seven Islands; Monopon Hill, at noon,
bearing south-south-east, distance ten
leagues; latitude by observation T 24'
south. Calms and light airs of wind these
several days past, with much thunder,
lightning, and heavy rain.C 201 2
On the 4th we saw the island of Suma-
tra, and entered the Straits of Banca. On
the 6th, light airs of wind and calms. We
had a strong current against us, so that
we were obliged frequently to come to
an anchor. The weather was extremely
hot, which occasioned us to repine much
that we had not a stronger breeze, to
hasten our passage through the Straits,
and into a cooler latitude. By observation
this day, T 53' south. At 4 A. M. saw a
ship at anchor under the land, on the
Banca side; at g she fired two guns, and
hoisted the Hon. the East India Com-
pany’s colours, which we mistook for
American, from their similarity to each
other. The Jackall spoke her, and inform-
ed us, it was the Nancy grab, from Bom-
bay. She had been chased near the Straits
of Sunda, by four French privateers; and
it was the general opinion, that they were
lurking about to pick up some of our
homeward bound Indiamen; and we weren 202 J
in hopes of catching some of them, as they
probably had not any intimation of our
strength, and taking us for a fleet of lum-
bered India ships, might be daring enough
to attempt making a capture: we much
wished to find them in such a disposition.
On Monday the 7th, we saw several
strange ships in the south-east quarter,
and made a signal for the Exeter and
Hindostan to chase. They had a very sus-
picious appearance; one or two was un-
der sail, and others getting under weigh.
When they first saw us, they bore down
before the wind, and a short time after-
wards, stood away to windward, with all
the sail they could carry. One of them
made a signal, but not being answered, she
stood across towards the island of Nanka.
Our ships presently came near enough to
distinguish a brig, and about a dozen large
proas full of men; the former had eigh-
teen carriage guns, and the others fromC 203 3
two to six each. The Hindostan fired
a shot to bring them too; but they not
minding it, both ships fired several guns
amongst them; and finding they could
not escape they anchored, and suffered
our boats to overhaul them. The brig was
Dutch built, and probably had been cap-
tured by the Malays, being manned en-
tirely by those savages; and, no doubt,
they were cruizing about here with no
good intent. But suspicion only was not
sufficient to authorize our making a cap-
ture of them; they were therefore left to-
wards evening, and the ships that had
overhauled them returned to their respec-
tive stations in the fleet.
On the 8th, we anchored off Hog Island;
calms, and light airs of wind. The next
day we cleared the Straits, and stood away
south-south-east; this and the two days
following, we had some heavy squalls of
wind; several of the Indiamen receivedC 204 3
some trifling damage, which occasioned
considerable delay to the rest of the fleet.
On the morning of the nth, it was very
thick and hazy, till about 9 o'clock, when it
cleared up, and we discovered two strange
ships on our lee quarter; we immediately
bore down upon them, and observed them
to hoist the English union at the mizen
peak, which immediately hauling down,
they shewed a blue ensign, and afterwards
a Dutch jack at the mizen-top-gallant-
mast head: after this they hauled upon a
wind, and crowded all the sail they could.
The Exeter, being pretty near the stern-
most ship, fired a gun to bring her too, the
other hoisted a private signal to alter her
course. By this time we had cleared our
ship, run out the lower deckers, and were
ready for action, not doubting but they
were some of the French cruizers. I never
saw such alacrity, such spirit, and such
anxiety as appeared throughout the Lion
during the chase. The moment the drumC ** 3
beat to quarters every one obeyed the sum-
mons as cheerfully as though they had been
ordered to splice the main brace. In less
than half an hour, every gun was loaded,
and the ship as clear as if she was just out of
dock. The men threw away their own lum-
ber, and the officers assisted to demolish
their cabins; so that, fore and aft, nothing
was seen but guns, ammunition, lighted
matches, and various instruments for the
destruction of mankind. Every inch of can-
vas was spread before a favourable breeze,
and we could perceive that we gained fast
upon them; when about noon the head-
most ship once more hoisted the British
flag, lowered her top-gallant sails, and sa-
luted with fifteen guns; this done, they
bore down towards us. The Lion un-
shotted some of her upper-deck guns, and
returned the salute. The Exeter was or-
dered to speak her, and we soon found
them to be two ships fitted out from Ben-
gal, to clear these seas of the French pri-C 206 ]
vateers. Their being friends and country-
men did not give us half the satisfaction
we should have received, to have found
them our old and natural enemies, whom
we wished to have a brush with. Each
seaman and soldier left his quarters in
sullen disappointment. The can of grog,
which soon followed, revived their spb
rits, and many a hearty loyal toast rung
throughout the ship. Captain Mitchell,
Commodore of these, and some other Eng-
lish ships at Batavia, came on board, and
gave us the following intelligence: that the
Governor General of Bengal, hearing of the
capture of the Princess Royal Indiaman,
in the Straits of Sunda, and of the increas-
ing strength of the French privateers in
these seas, had ordered the Britannia,
Captain Cumming; Nonsuch, Captain
Hudson; Houghton, Captain Cheap; and
the William Pitt, Captain Mitchell, to be
fitted out to go in search of them. They
sailed from Bengal in December, had cap-C 207 n
tured two French ships, one of 32, the
other of 24 guns, in the Bay of Bengal.
By them they understood the enemy was
lurking about near the Straits of Malacca,
and that they had fitted out the Princess
Royal with 52 guns and 550 men. Beside
this ship they had two others, one of 50
guns, and 500 men, named the Bourdeaux;
the other of 44 guns, and 400 men, called
the Sybile; the armed brig Prudente, of 36
guns, and 300 men, and a sloop of war.
The English ships carried from 36 to 44
guns, and were in other respects well pro-
vided to give them awarm reception. The
Princess Royal not having destroyed her
signals, they of course fell into the hands
of the enemy, and made use of them to de-
coy Captain Mitchell, who took them for
friends, till he received a broadside; this
happened off Pulo Babey, near Batavia;
they fought a long time, but the French
were beat off'. Prior to this action they had
taken the Resolution and the Revenge, twoC 208 3
of the ships above mentioned. The Pigot
Indiaman had a gallant action with both
of these privateers, which lasted almost an
hour; she however beat them off, and goj;
into Bencoolen roads. The other French
squadron succeeded better, they cut her
out of the roads, and got clear away. Cap-
tain Mitchell also informed us, that two
frigates, one under royal, the other under
national colours, came into port near Bata-
via. East of Java head they fought an ob-
stinate battle; but the democrats were beat,
and the prisoners sent ashore amongst the
Malays, who in all probability did not treat
them much better than their countrymen,
and the royalists returned after the action
to Old France.
The William Pitt had the misfortune
to run upon a rock going into Batavia, and
was obliged to be hove down to Enroost.
The Houghton lay there at present as a
guard-ship to protect the Dutch, who wereC 209 3
busied in fitting out some vessels to join
our squadron. This was the principal in-
telligence we received from these two ships:
they at first mistook us for the enemy, it
being so hazy they could not see above
three or four of our ships. By an Ameri-
can ship, which they spoke in the Straits,
they learnt that we were ready for sea, and
as the fog cleared away, by our number,
they were not long in doubt who we were.
They returned with us to North Island,
where we anchored early on Sunday morn-
ing, the 13th instant. The Nonsuch and
Britannia captured two American ships,
which they sent into Batavia: though un-
der American colours, they were French
bottoms, and had French property on board.
We lay in our old station only till the fol-
lowing morning, and then stood over to-
wards Java. At noon we anchored near An-
geree Point, with the Spanish galleon and
five of our Indiamen. On hoisting our
colours, we were presently visited by a
P[ 210 ]
Dutch serjeant (who had long been resi-
dent there), with plenty of turtle, goats,
fowls, and fruit, and informed us, that the
brig we had overhauled in the Straits of
Banca, was taken by some Malay proas,
and the crew, consisting of about thirty
Dutchmen, were all inhumanly murdered.
Sir Erasmus Gower had expressed some
dissatisfaction that she was not brought
along with us, till his suspicions were
cleared up; and he could not forbear in-
veighing in bitter terms against the officers
of the Indiamen who boarded her, for suf-
fering her to escape them so easily; and
all hands were vexed that these savages,
whose inhumanity we had experienced,
should not meet with the punishment they
so justly merited, both from ourselves and
the Dutch; and in all probability so good
an opportunity might not offer again.
The Dutch serjeant also told us, that the
King of Bantam had performed the promiseC 211 ]
made to his Lordship, prior to our depar-
ture from hence to China last year, and
had revenged the death of poor Lightring,
the draughtsman, who was murdered at the
watering place, near North Island: he had
found the persons who had committed the
horrid deed, and put them all to death
in a cruel manner. The buoy belonging
to an English ship was left here; some
French cruizers had forced her to slip her
cable, and get out. We could not under-
stand the names of either of the vessels;
but the action happened only two days
before our arrival; and in all probability
the French were successful. The engage-
ment between the Princess Royal and three
privateers, was in sight of the Dutch, at
Angeree Point, and was obstinately main-
tained for an hour; but superior numbers
at length prevailed, and she was obliged to
strike the flag she had so gallantly strove
to defend.
P 2i ]
On the 15th, the ships began to come
over from North Island, and all arrived by
the following evening, with the Nonsuch
and Britannia.
The 17th, we completed our sea stock
of wood and water, and were all ready for
sea. Before we quitted Angeree Point, we
had several proofs of the thievish disposi-
tion of the Malays; there was scarcely a
boat went ashore from our ship, or the In-
diamen, but they made some attempt upon;
several of them were desperately wounded
with the axes of the wooding parties, who
spared none that appeared suspicious, but
drove them back into the woods to their
lurking places, bruised and wounded in a
shocking manner: but nothing could pre-
vent these savages from attacking our
people whenever they appeared to have an
advantage. We had large parties washing
on shore, near the watering place, and theyC 213 ]
were artful enough to convey several shirts
and other articles away un perceived. We
detected one carrying off a shirt, and pur-
sued him a considerable way; but he got
clear by concealing himself amongst some
cocoa trees; and when they found that we
were aware of them, they were quite im-
pudent, and made several daring attempts
upon our people. One fellow had the reso-
lution to attempt carrying off some waist-
coats, which one of my comrades was
hanging upon some poles; and came steal-
ing behind him with his dagger drawn,
and his hand uplifted, to plunge it into his
heart: some bushes prevented him seeing
his danger till he got within five or six
paces; when turning suddenly about, and
perceiving the Malay irresolute, whether
to advance or retreat, he hallooed to his
comrades, who coming up immediately to
his assistance, caused the fellow to make
off. The soldier, whose name was Stephen,C 214 3
had no weapon of defence but a stone,
which he threw after the rascal with great
force, and was near hitting him upon the
head, which if it had, would have prevented
his running much farther.
They seemed very inveterate against the
crew of the Spanish ship; they attacked
them on shore repeatedly, and took se-
veral articles from them by force. It is
astonishing that seven or eight Dutchmen,
which are all the Europeans settled at An-
geree Point, can keep the Malays in such
awe and subjection as they do; but the
neighbourhood of Batavia and Bantam
may be the principal reason: the Dutch
are very powerful on the Island of Java,
and they are also favoured by the King of
Bantam, who keeps the petty princes in
subjection; in fact he himself is only a pri-
soner to the Dutch, and made answerable
for the misdemeanours of his subjects.C 215 ]
April 17th, two Dutch brigs came round
from Batavia; they were cruizing to pro-
tect the country trading vessels against
the Malays; but brought no particular
news.
At daybreak on the 18th, the Lion made
a signal to unmoor, and about 2 o’clock
A. M. all the fleet were under sail, with a
favourable breeze from the south-east. We
parted from our old companion the Jack-
all in the Straits, and she joined the squa-
dron under Captain Mitchell, who pur-
posed cruizing some time longer near
Batavia, in expectation that the French
might again return to that quarter. Having
now a long voyage before us, and to pre-
vent any of the ships separating them-
selves from the fleet, Captain Sir Erasmus
Gower issued a number of additional sig-
nals, to be used in the night, and in thick
foggy weather; and he particularly cau-
tioned the different commanders to keepn216 3
in close order of sailing. Some of the In-
diamen were intolerable dull, heavy sai-
lers; the Portuguese in particular detained
the whole fleet; five or six knots an hour
were the most we could get out of her,
in a breeze that would have carried us
nine or ten. The 19th we were entirely
out of sight of land; the wind steady, and
the weather remarkably pleasant; we soon
caught the regular trades, which, within
the tropics, blow invariably from the east-
ward : our course west-south-west.
The 25th, we had been out seven days,
and in that time had made upwards of ,
1800 miles on our course, being, by ob-
servation, in latitude 110 39' south, and
930 50' east longitude ; distant from the
Cape of Good Hope 1456 leagues. The
29th, we lost sight of the Lady Wash-
ington.
On the 30th, we were in latitude 170 36'C 217 3
south, 76° 55' east longitude: Cape of Good
Hope distant 1104 leagues.
May 1st, lat. 180 32' S. 74012' east long,
the Cape, half west, distant 1043 leagues.
The American rejoined the fleet, which
were all in tolerable close order of sailing.
Strong breezes, and squally, with frequent
heavy rains. The prospect of making a
speedy passage across the Southern Ocean
kept all hands in good spirits, though they
were but in a sickly condition. Since leav-
ing the Straits of Sunda, the greatest care
was taken to prevent the disorder being uni-
versal, by washing and smoking between
decks as often as the weather would per-
mit. Made signals for the Hindostan,
Glatton, and Abergavenny to give their
longitude, which answered to our own
within a few miles.
May 2d, altered our course one point
more westerly, and stood west by south:C 218 2
the Mauritius bore west, about 800 miles
distant.
The 3d, squally weather, and much
rain. All the ships in pretty close order
of sailing except the American, who was
so far astern, that we could only just dis-
cern her from the mast head. Required,
by signal, the state and condition of some
of the Indiamen, who were in general in
a sickly way; but in other respects, tole-
rably well provided for the long voyage
before us.
On the 4th, the wind died away entirely;
and we were becalmed until the evening,
when we got a gentle easterly breeze; la-
titude 20013' south, 670 27' east longitude;
the Mauritius west, distant 573 miles.
May 5th, in latitude 210 26' south, 65°
26' east; 904 leagues distant from the
Cape of Good Hope. Squalls, and heavyC 219 3
gales of wind from the southward. On
the 6th, moderate breezes, and steady wea-
ther; latitude 220 25' south, 62° 44/ east;
distant from the Cape 842 leagues.
Fine gentle breezes, and clear weather
on the 7th. At daybreak, the Ceres In-
diaman made a signal for a strange sail to
windward, then standing the same course
as ourselves; the Lord Thurlow was di-
rected to chase; she came up about noon,
and found her to be an American brig,
called the Hancock, from Canton to New
York; out two months.
May 8th, made a signal for the longi-
tude of the following ships :
Abergavenny -	550	31'	east.
Exeter -	56	9
Hindostan -	56’	10
Henry Dundas 56 32C 220 }
Our own latitude, by observation, 240
28' south, 56° 1 o' east longitude. Fine mo-
derate winds from the eastward, and clear
pleasant weather: course west by south.
May 9th, altered our course to west.
Calms and moderate breezes from the
southward. The ships all busy in bending
new canvas, and getting the rigging, &c.
prepared for a brush in doubling the Cape,
which we did not expect to pass without
meeting a hard gale of wind. By this
day's reckoning, we were distant from it
578 leagues.
latitude.	east long.
May 10th, we were in 26° 37' south 510 22'
11th,	—	2 7013' — 50° 37'
14th,	—	28° 51' — 4o°44'
leagues.
Distant from Cape 426, course due west.
May 15th,	—	373, nearly calm.
16th,	—	358, light east'y winds.[ 221 ]
leagues.
May 17th, from Cape 338, light easterly
winds.
18th,	—	302, ditto.
Latitude 320 29' south, 350 42' east lon-
gitude.
May 19th, a violent gale of wind came on
from the westward, which blew with vio-
lence until the evening of the 20th, when
it abated considerably, and veered a little
more round to the southward, so that we
could lay our course, which was west by
south. The Glatton had the misfortune
in a squall to lose her mizen-top-mast.
The lightning struck her at the head of
the mast, and proceeding downwards, shi-
vered it to pieces: it forced its way through
the decks into the round-house, where
much damage was done; but providen-
tially no lives were lost. From the round-
house it got into the steerage, forced se-
veral ports open; and for some time theyC 222 3
were under strong apprehensions that the
ship had taken fire, for the people be-
tween decks could not see each other for
the smoke it occasioned. The violent claps
of thunder also rendered the scene truly
alarming. A ball of fire passed between
our fore and main-mast, and fell to lee-
ward, without doing us the least damage;
though the seamen were crowded together
pretty close on the deck, and on the top-
sail yards. One man only felt the shock
of it, which laid him on his back, and left
him, for some minutes, deaf and speechless.
On perceiving the disabled situation of
the Glatton, we immediately stood towards
her, and hoisted out the yawl, in which we
sent her two carpenters to assist in repair-
ing her damage : but she did not get her
mast and rigging up again till the 23d. The
weather continued pretty moderate all that
time, until towards evening a heavy gale
once more sprung up from the north-west,L 223 3
which for about twenty-four hours blew
with dreadful violence. The Royal Char-
lotte, the Portuguese frigate, and the Lady
Washington, American ship, parted from
the fleet the same night; and the follow-
ing day the Lord Walsingham was also
missing. Our old companion the Hindos-
tan, had the misfortune during the gale to
spring her fore-mast, and disable her main-
top-mast, in such a manner that she was
obliged to drop astern to repair her da-
mage. Most of the fleet having suffered
more or less, we continued under an easy
sail till the 27th, to give them an oppor-
tunity to repair, &c. The wind was mode-
rate and steady from the northward, with
fine clear weather. On the 26th, latitude,
by observation, 370 2& south, 240 46' east
longitude: distant from the Cape of Good
Hope, 116 leagues.
The longitude of the under mentioned
vessels were:C 224 3
Earl of Abergavenny,	240 45'east longitude	
Exeter, - - -	240 30'	ditto
Hindostan, - -	240 22'	ditto
Osterly, - - -	240 4/	ditto
The state and condition of the different
ships were required: they had from four
to ten men in the sick report, and from
forty to seventy days water left. The crew
of the Lion were in a very sickly condition,
having near seventy men on the doctor’s
list, and many of them in a dangerous way.
Since leaving Angeree Point, we had lost
six seamen and a boatswain’s mate; all of
them carried off by the flux.
The Portuguese frigate rejoined the fleet
on the 28th; and the same evening ano-
ther violent gale of wind came on from
the north-west, which continued about
twelve hours, and separated six more of
the ships from us. The 29th, the wind
rather moderated, but continued variableC 225 j]
till the evening of the 30th, when it came
on suddenly in a squall, and blew with
much greater violence than either of the
preceding gales; the sea was excessive
high, and broke over us in a tremendous
manner, sweeping every thing away be-
fore it; for two days it continued thus vio-
lent, and entirely separated the fleet; only
the Lord Thurlow remained in company
with us, and we had great reason to be
alarmed for the safety of the Hindostan,
who had not sufficient time to have re-
paired the damage she had sustained in the
late gale. The weather was so thick and
hazy, that we could form no conjecture
whether the ships in general were to wind-
ward or leeward of us; but we had the
pleasure to see several of them standing
towards us, early in the morning of the
1st of June. The Spaniard was the first
we distinguished, and immediately answer-
ed the signal, by hoisting his colours at
the main-top-gallant-mast head, and be-
QC 226 J
fore night twelve others rejoined us, and
bore down into their respective stations.
The Hindostan was still missing, nor could
any of the other ships give any intelli-
gence of her, or the Glatton. The Earl of
Abergavenny had carried away her main-
yard, and was otherwise much damaged;
nor was it in our power to render her any
assistance, our best carpenters being still
on board of the Glatton, and those we had
left were so much employed in repairing
our own damages, as we had shipped
a great quantity, and were obliged to
keep pumping her every hour. Our rig-
ging had suffered considerably as well
as the sails; the main, mizen, and fore-
top-mast stay-sails; the fore and main-
top-sail were torn to rags, the ship roll-
ed so excessively, that we were at last
obliged to lay her too under a balanced
mizen; and even after the gale abated, the
sea was so very high that we were in dan-
ger of rolling our masts overboard, beforeC 227 3
we could set sufficient sail to keep her
steady.
June the ist, we were, by observation,
to the southward of the Cape of Good
Hope about four degrees, and one degree to
the eastward of it, being in 38° n' south,
and 190 37' east.
June 2d, moderate breezes, but con-
trary. We stood away to the northward
in latitude 38° 6' south, 180 22' east longi-
tude.
June 3d, light and variable airs 370 o',
170 35'. Ten ships in sight. The Glat-
ton, Hindostan, Royal Charlotte, Warley,
Hawke, with the Portugueze and Ameri-
can still missing. This day the Hindos-
tan, the Portugueze, and American ships
rejoined us. The Lord Thurlow was or-
dered to go as far on our weather bow as
she could distinguish signals, and lookC 228 n
out for those ships still missing. Steady
breezes from the south-west. The fleet
was ordered to keep a N by W course.
June 4th, in latitude 36° 46' south, lon-
gitude 16'0 39' east. St. Helena N 43 W
distance 572 leagues.
June 5th, in latitude 35° 17' south, lon-
gitude 150 17' east. The Lord Thurlow
made signal for a strange sail ahead,
which we came up with and spoke about
two o’clock; she was called the Marga-
ret of Boston, from the N W coast of
America, and bound for China. On the
25th, she was spoke by the Fort William,
Marquis of Lansdown, and another India-
man from Bengal, in 570 c' east longitude,
and in the latitude of the Cape; by them
she was informed that the French priva-
teers had done considerable damage in the
Bay of Bengal, and in its neighbourhood;
she had no other information worth at-[ 229 3
tending to. In the evening we made sail
to rejoin the fleet to leeward, advising the
Lord Thurlow to keep a look out to wind-
ward. The Hawke rejoined the fleet on
6th. This, and some following days we
had a fine fresh breeze, which carried Us
into the regular trades within the Tropic.
On the 7th, we found ourselves in lati-
tude 31°34/ south, longitude 120 42' east;
the 8th, in 2g° 36' south, 90 57' east. We
saw a great number of grampusses in these
latitudes, and vast flights of birds of a
spotted colour, which they call Cape hens.
The Exeter was ordered on our weather,
the Lord Thurlow on our lee, bow, and
the Henry Dundas ahead to look out for
our missing, or for strange ships, but to
keep within sight of us, that we might dis-
l tinguish each other’s signals.
The 10th, 11th, and 12th, we had light
airs of wind and calms. By observationC 230 3
on the 12th, we were in latitude 240 49'
south, 40 27' east longitude; distant from
St. Helena 2,53 leagues.
On the 13th, we crossed the Tropic line,
and had a fine smart east breeze. On Sun-
day the 15th of June, we were in latitude
200 2o' south, and in the longitude of Lon-
don by the best calculation. Made signal
for the fleet to north-west by west, in ex-
pectation of making St. Helena in two or
three days. The sick on board began
to increase exceedingly, having near 100
men on the doctor’s list, and most of them
very bad. At sunrise on the 18th, the
Exeter and Abergavenny being ahead,
made a signal for seeing land, and several
strange sails. We hoisted several signals,
which they not answering, the ships were
cleared for action, and the fleet directed to
bear down into their respective stations:
we soon discovered two of the strange
ships to be men of war; one appeared toC 231 3
be a ship of the line, and the other a fri-
gate : they hoisted British colours, and
bore down towards us, and proved to be
the Sampson of 64, and the Argo of 44
guns, sent out to convoy the East India
fleet from St. Helena; they sailed from
England the 22d of March, and this was
the first of their making land. The other
ships were from Bengal. At noon, St. He-
lena bore west by north, distant two leagues.
The land appeared high, rocky, and bar-
ren. About 2 P. M. we anchored opposite
the town, and were saluted from the fort
on Ladder Hill with 15 guns, which we
returned with an equal number. The island
of St. Helena is in 16'0 south latitude, and
6° west longitude; it is about twenty-one
miles in circumference, mostly high and
barren land; it produces no grain what-
ever, and has not pasturage sufficient to
support cattle for the consumption of the
inhabitants. In the valleys they raise ve-
getables and fruit; for every other articleC 232 J
they depend on England. The East India
Company send annually two store-ships
with beef, flour, &c.; and the ships from
China, and the East Indies, who all touch
here on their homeward bound passage,
generally leave something, so that there is
seldom a deficiency of either necessaries
or luxuries at St. Helena. It belongs to
the East India Company, who have forti-
fied it very strongly; and they have gene-
rally from 500 to 1000 troops in garrison,
so that it would be a difficult matter to de-
prive them of it: it is the only place where
their shipping are allowed to stop from
India for a supply of water. There are
about 200 English families settled upon
it, mostly officers and servants in the Com-
pany’s service.
We found, in the Roads, an English
whaler, and several ships from Bombay,
besides the Warley and the Glatton, who
parted from us in the gale of wind off theC 233 1
Cape of Good Hope. The Royal Charlotte
came in the day after us. The Duke of
Buccleugh store-ship arrived from England
on the 20th; the Hancock, American brig,
from China, on the 26th; and the Belvi-
dereand FitzwilliamIndiamen,from Bom-
bay, on the 27th. On the 30th of June, the
fleet having completed their stock of water,
a signal was made to unmoor, and early
in the morning of July 1st, all the ships
weighed anchor ; the signal was made to
form the order of sailing, which was as
follows:
H. M. S. Sampson,
H. M. S. Lion,
Abergavenny,
Hindostan,
Henry Dundas,
Ceres,
Hawke,
Triton,
Belvidere,
Lord Thurlow,
King Charles,
Bon Jesus,
Royal Charlotte,
Fort William,
M. of Lansdown,
Glatton,
Exeter,
Warley,
Osterly,
Lord Walsirigham,
General Coote,
Fitzwilliam,
H. M. S. Argo.n 234 3
Orders given out to Commanders of Ships
by Sir Erasmus Gower.
“ Suppose I make the signal that I wish
you to sound, you will make the signal,
that you have got ground or otherwise;
that being answered, you will proceed to
explain the depth of water, by shewing
the number expressing the depth: the
same to be done by the latitude, longitude,
and variation; after having shewn the sig-
nal of either of the above, shew first the
number expressing the degrees, and then
the minutes.
“ When your signal is made to look out
to chase, or for any other cccasion, the
quarter of the compass you are to proceed
in will be shewn, after having acknowledged
understanding the signal.C 235 3
“ When the signal is made for a boat, or
the ships have communication with each
other, the days works are always to be
exchanged.
“ All signals will be made without guns,
when it can be done with the same effect;
nor will signals be confined to the top-
gallant-mast head, or yard-arms, but when
necessary, hoisted upon the lower-mast
heads, studding-sail booms, mizen peak,
&c.
“ In all questions that are asked, or sig-
nals made, the answering flag is to be
displayed; and must never be hastily
shewn, it being highly necessary the sig-
nal made should first be perfectly compre-
hended.
“ The duplicate flag hoisted alone, being
the signal that a man has fallen overboard,
is always to be kept bent, in a part of the[ 236 ^
ship where there are people always ready
to hoist it.
“ As you are in possession of the flags that
constitute these signals, you will have it in
your power to ask or give all the informa-
tion you can wish. The safety and comfort
of the ships depending in a great degree
upon their keeping company together;
whilst the consequence that will even-
tually take place, even from a partial sepa-
ration, is so obvious, and speaks so forcibly
for itself, that it leaves little for me to say
upon the subject.
“ The sail that is to be carried during the
night will always be shewn before dark:
the same precaution in the day, on the ap-
pearance of fogs, or thick weather, from
which there will be no alteration in the
night, or when the weather is bad in the
day, except from violence of winds, or in-
cidents unforeseen.I 237 ^
“ It is highly necessary, in order to avoid
separation as much as possible, that the
captain and officers be very attentive to ac-
quire a perfect knowledge of the compara-
tive rate of sailing between their own, and
the commanding officer’s ship, so as what-
ever sail he may be, when there shall be
a change of weather, so as to obscure the
seeing of each other, they may know what
proportion of sail to carry, to go at an
equal rate with him.
“ In moderate weather, or when the ships
are perfectly under command, the distance
from each other must not exceed one ca-
ble’s length; and they must steer immedi-
ately in each other’s wake, the lines to be
separated about two cables’ length.
“ In bad weather, or when inclinable to
calms, the distance must be extended ; and
I think there is more danger to be appre-
hended, in getting on board each other, inc 238 3
calms than in storms; and it is a very mis-
taken notion, and must not be put in prac-
tice, for ships to quit their stations in the
night, under pretence of self-preservation;
for if each ship acts for itself, every danger
is to be apprehended.
“ When in chase, you are to give notice
as early as possible of your opinion of the
vessel, or vessels, and that opinion you
are to change as often as you find it ne-
cessary.
“ When upon different tacks, the ship on
the starboard one is to keep the wind, and
the one on the larboard constantly to give
way.
“ In wearing, the leewardmost ship to
wear first; and in tacking, the weathermost
is the first to change her situation; when
the wind is not fair, the ships will notwith-
standing steer a little from it; that is, al-[ 239 3
ways by the compass, probably about half
a point from the wind, so as to preserve
their stations as near as possible; this
will have other advantages, that of pre-
serving the reckonings, and keeping com-
pany.
“ When I wish the ship you command to
go ahead in the night, to carry a light, and
be on the look out, I will make the signal
for such service before sunset, at the same
time placing that sail upon the Lion I
mean to carry for the night; and we are to
keep half a mile asunder: and should you,
while on that service, have even your sus-
picions of danger, I would have you make
the signal by which the fleet may most
readily avoid it, and stand from it, or bring
too, which ever may be most proper at the
time; for upon this occasion, risk is not
to be placed in competition with an hour
or two’s time.C 240 }
“ In sailing by the wind, if I am put by a
sudden shift of it on the other tack, and
should I have you change after me on that
tack, I will make the proper signal for
tacking.
“ When in line of battle, and I should
choose to quit that situation, I shall make
the signal for the ships to continue the
same course, though I act otherwise. The
vacancy that I leave, must then be filled
up by the rear closing. The same is to be
observed respecting any vacancies that may
be made by any of the ships having quitted
the line, by signal or otherwise. When
any signal respects the men of war only,
a white pendant with a blue fly will be
shewn at the same time: and if any par-
ticular ship, or ships, should be wanted to
assist in performing the duty that the men
of war are employed upon, their signals
will be made.C 241 ]
“ If I should at any time think it necessary
to form the line of battle, without attend-
ing to the prescribed order, the signal for
that purpose will be made when the ships
are to form ahead or astern of the Lion, in
the most convenient station that can be ef-
fected, with the least loss of time; but if
there should be time to form the regular
line, it will always be done upon the lee di-
vision ; the weather division going from
the wind under a press of sail, will form the
van of the fleet; the centre division will
likewise bear up a little, under a more mo-
derate sail, until they get ahead of the
lee division, which will then become the
rear, and each ship will haul her wind
when she brings the lee division in her
wake, or steer such course as may be di-
rected by the commanding officer.
“ In case of separating and meeting
again in the day time, the ship is to shew
her distinguishing pendant at its proper
RC 242 'l
mast-head, which will be answered by the
answering jack; but if the separated ship
should join us in the night, the hailing and
answering, will be the questions and an-
swers pointed out by the Admiralty.
-id £j(i ffjjO nowftta JnDifiDvncJ iaoni Dii \
“ When I am going to make a signal in
the night, a rocket will occasionally be
fired, as a preparation; and in dark or
cloudy weather, one or more rockets will
be fired, to denote the situation of the com-
manding officer. Being in distress, fire
one or more guns, and the nearest ship
is hereby required to give every assist-
ance.”
A great many other orders and regula-
tions were adopted for the conduct and
general safety of this valuable fleet, in
case of falling in with any of the enemy's
cruizers or fleets on the voyage home, as
there was sufficient reason to apprehend
they would, if possible, endeavour to makeC 243 ]
a capture of some of us. The Lion was
put in as good a state, as it was possible,
to make a gallant opposition; and though
she was rather under-manned, yet what
seamen she had were good, and in high
spirits, and there was no doubt but if call-
ed to action, they would behave as nobly
as could be expected by their most san-
guine well-wishers. The Sampson and
Argo had each their full complement of
men, and were fitted out with every ad-
vantage, for the purpose of defending the
ships from India. The former was order-
ed to keep a look out right ahead, and the
latter on our larboard beam, as far distant
as signals could be distinguished, and to
close in with the fleet each night, while
the Lion kept just ahead of the Indiamen,
so as to direct the movements of the whole.
The Washington, American ship, and the
Lucas of London, a small ship from the
southern whale fishery, left St. Helena
in company with us. The American
R 2C 244 ]
parted company on the 3d of July, and
stood away to the westward for Philadel-
phia, after saluting the Lion with fifteen
guns, which she returned with nine. For
some days we stood N N W between the
Coast of Guinea and the Island of Ascen-
sion, and St. Thomas’s. We afterwards
stood away N W, and crossed the Equinoc-
tial line on the 12th, in the longitude of 20°
west, with fine steady breezes from the SE.
On the 14th, we bore away due north, and
on the 15th a signal was made to steer N
by E. We had most delightful weather
near the Line, and were amused by shoals
of bonattas and dolphins chasing the poor
flying fish. From this to the 22d we had
variable weather, with squalls of heavy rain
and calms; the wind blew chiefly from
the northward and westward. Early on
the morning of the 21st of July, one of the
Indiamen made a signal for seeing strange
sails, and the Sampson fired a gun to sig-
nify that a fleet was discovered. As itC 24,5 n
cleared up we could distinguish eleven
sail, some of which appeared very large.
We immediately hoisted the ensign at the
main, and union at the fore-top-gallant
mast-head, being the private signal for the
day, as appointed by the Lords of the Ad-
miralty. They did not make a proper an-
swer to it, which gave us cause to suspect
they were not friends. The Sampson and
the Argo were therefore ordered to chase.
The strangers were making a number of
signals, and forming the line of battle first
on one tack, and then on the other repeat-
edly as though undetermined what to do, our
number and appearance intimidated them
to such a degree, that they could adopt no
settled motions. About ten o’clock we saw
them hoisting a number of signals, and
firing guns; immediately six sail hauled
their wind, and crowded away from us
under a press of sail. Orders were imme-
diately given to prepare for action: the
men of war and Indiamen got into their
respective stations, and all were cleared inC 246 3
anxious expectation of the event; our
courses were hauled up, and the main-
top-sail aback, so that they came up fast.
As they neared us they hoisted British co-
lours, and made directly for the Lion in
very close order. The headmost ship ap-
peared very large, our imagination painted
her at least a seventy-four, and the other
four fifties, and large frigates. The pre-
ceding signal was once more shewn, but
not being answered we made ourselves
certain that they had no friendly intent.
The guns were cast loose and loaded; but
our lower-deck ports were kept close, till
they had got nearly within reach of our
shot, when they were hauled up, the guns
run out, the matches lighted, and every
man at his station. About twelve o'clock,
the headmost ship run alongside of us,
and proved to be the Assistance of fifty
guns; the other four were Indiamen, and
the six smaller ships, the Orpheus, Co-
met, Echo, Latona, Mercury, and Hol-
derness, which stood away to windward,I 2« ]
were taken up to bring sugar from Ben-
gal. The Assistance was to convoy them
to St. Helena, or the Cape of Good Hope,
and bring the homeward bound ships back:
but falling in with us, she here left them
to pursue their voyage to India alone
(there being no danger to be apprehended
from the enemy in those seas), and joined
our fleet. By her we learnt that the Bri-
tish fleet, under Lord Howe, had gained
a complete victory over the French, and
had destroyed and taken several of their
first rates, without much loss on our side;
and we were happy to find that the seas
were scoured in such a manner, that our
enemies had not a sufficient number of
ships at sea, to offer to intercept this va-
luable fleet, of which they certainly had
pretty good intelligence, though the people
in the Assistance told us, that we were
not expected to leave St. Helena till the
latter end of this month, and that no in-
formation had arrived respecting the Lion,C 248 3
or the Embassador’s return from China.
In short, I believe, it was the prevailing
opinion, that we should return to Europe
round Cape Horn, which would have length-
ened our absence considerably. Lord Ma-
cartney had formerly expressed his wish
to do so; but the war breaking out in Eu-
rope, frustrated his intention. The grati-
fication of his own curiosity gave way to
the pleasure of being serviceable to his
country, in times of such emergency. The
Assistance had a copy of our signals, and
took her station in the centre of the fleet;
we had now one 44, one 50, and two 64
gun ships, so that we thought ourselves
able to cope with a pretty large num-
ber of Frenchmen, should they be daring
enough to come amongst us. We parted
from the ships for Bengal at dusk, in lati-
tude 120 30' north, and about 20° west
longitude. The Sir Edward Hughes fired
a gun, and hoisted his pendent as Com-
modore, after the departure of the Assist-C 249 ]
ance; they stood away SE, and we NN W,
a fresh breeze from the NE, and fine clear
weather.
The line of battle ahead, as formed on
the 21 st.
Starboard tack on board.
H. M. S. Sampson, 64 guns, 600 men.
Comp, ship Glatton,
Exeter,
Warley,
Osterly,
Lord Walsingham,
General Coote,
Fitzwilliam,
Portugueze Bon Jesus, 26 guns, 130 men.
Spanish King Charles, 34 guns, 160
men.
H. M. S. Lion, 64 guns, 400 men.
Comp, ship Royal Charlotte,
Fort William,
Marquis of Lansdown,c 250 3
Comp, ship Earl of Abergavenny,
Hindostan,
Henry Dundas,
Ceres,
Hawke,
Triton,
Belvidere,
H. M. S. Argo, 44 guns, 350 men.
July 25th, calms and light airs of va-
riable winds. Caught several small fish,
a dolphin, and a large porpoise.
On the 26th, the Sampson, about half a
cable's length to leeward of us, made a sig-
nal that a man had fallen overboard: the
‘ life buoy' was cut adrift, and two men,
who were pretty good swimmers, followed
it, and they had the good fortune to save
him, there being but little wind, and the
sea very smooth.
On the 27th, we were still in the sameC 251 ]
tantalizing situation, with respect to wind
Y
and weather. For the last fortnight we
had not made more than two or three de-
grees on our proper course. By the most
accurate reckoning, we were in 130 north
latitude, and about 25° west longitude, St.
Jago bearing N N E about fifty leagues.
On the evening of the 27th, Francis Vin-
cent, seaman, fell down the main hatch-
way, and fractured his skull in so dreadful
a manner, that he expired in great ago-
nies a few hours afterwards.
%
On the 28th, a fresh breeze sprung up
from the N E, which continued invariable
till we were within the Tropics. The 1st
of August it blew very fresh, about noon
the main-top-sail yard snapt just in the
slings, and the sail split in pieces; the top
men were all aloft, but happily none were
hurt, and another yard was soon rigged.
We crossed the Tropic of Cancer on thec252 n
5th, in 340 west longitude. The Argo and
the Bon Jesus lost each a man overboard
this day.
On the 6th, the wind veered round to the
south-east; made the signal to steer north
by west. On the same day we saw a few
birds, and a quantity of sea weed floating
round the ship, though at least 200 leagues
from the Canary Islands, which was the
nearest land to us, bearing west by north;
but I understood afterwards it came from
the Gulf of Florida, and is called gulf
weed; we saw it in vast quantities for above
a week. On the 7th, the Lucas south sea
whaler had a boat swamped in chasing a
whale. On the 8th, made the signal for the
fleet to steer north-north-east; and the
same day an officer from each man of war
met on board the Assistance to hold a
survey on her provisons, which they found
to be bad, and much damaged. We be-[ 253 3
gan to be rather in want of a fresh sup-
ply ourselves, being on short allowance,
and that of a very indifferent quality.
From the 8th to the 12th of August, we
had calms and light airs of wind. We
employed every day, when the weather
would permit, in exercising the lower deck
guns.
On the 12th, at daybreak, we discovered
a strange sail in the north-east quarter,
standing to the eastward. The Sampson
was ordered to chase; and at 2 P. M. he
shewed the stranger’s signal, but being at
so great a distance we could not properly
distinguish it. At 5 P. M. her signal was
hoisted to return into her station.
On the 20th we fell in with a Danish
ship from India, who informed our captain
that she had been overhauled by a French
squadron only three days before, and told[ 254 ]
us, that they inquired very particularly after
our fleet, how long we had been at sea, and
our number; but when he told them we
sailed from St. Helena a fortnight before
him, and consisted of two line of battle
ships and a frigate, they seemed to think
it was as well they did not meet with us;
they were one ship of 80 guns, three fri-
gates, and a sloop of war.
In the Channel we fell in with the grand
fleet, under the command of Earl Howe
(waiting for the French); it was in the
night, and very dark, and blowing hard.
Some of the men of war run foul of several
of our Indiamen, considerably damaged
them; one was totally dismasted, and
obliged to put into Plymouth to repair her
damage.
On the Gth of September, 1794, we came
to an anchor at the long wished for port,
Spithead, after a long, troublesome, tedious,[ 255 ]
and unhealthy voyage. Both soldiers and
sailors had suffered innumerable hardships,
and many of each had fallen victims to a
cruel disorder (the flux), which had raged
on board the Lion with great violence.
Since our leaving Batavia (on the 17th of
March, 1793), we had buried from the
Lion alone near ninety seamen, and seven
officers. Out of his Lordship’s guard we had
lost three artillery men, one infantry, and
one of our light dragoons, (Adam Brad-
shaw) and most of the rest were very weak,
and fitter for the hospital than a march, or
the fatigues of a campaign; but we were in
hopes our native country, and nourishing
diet, would soon restore us to perfect health
again.
On the 8th we disembarked with joyful
hearts I believe, fora pleasing countenance
appeared in every man's face, thinking in a
few minutes to step upon our native soil
once more, and bid adieu to the brinyC 2.56 ]
main; and no one regretted their departure
from the ship; and we said to each other,
we should think but trifling of the hard-
ships of soldiering hereafter, having so se-
verely felt that of sailoring.
THE END.

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