very careful look-out, and altered our courfe to N. N. W, and
having run thirty-five miles in that direction, our foundings again
gradually diininifhed to twenty-two fathom, and we at lait, about
midnight, got fight of the main land oi China, bearing N. by W.
four leagues diftant. We then brought the £hip to, with her head
to the fea, propofing to wait for the morning ; and before fun-rife
we were furprized to find ourfelves in the midft o f an incredible
number of fithing boats, which feemed to cover the furface of the
fea as far as the eye could reach. I may well ftile their number
incredible ; fince I cannot believe, upon the lowed eftimate, that
there were fo few as fix thoufand, moft of them manned, with five
hands, and none o f thofe we faw with lefs than three. Nor was
this fwarm of fithing veffels peculiar to that fpot j for, as we ran on
to the weftward, we found them as abundant on every part of the
coaft. We at firft doubted not but we fhould procure a Pilot from
them to carry us to Macao; but though many of them came clofe
to the (hip, and we endeavoured to tempt them by (hewing them
a number of dollars, a moft alluring bait for Chinefe o f all ranks
and profeflions, yet we could not entice them on board us, nor procure
ally directions from them ; though, I prefume, the only difficulty
was their not comprehending what we wanted them to do.,
as we could have no communication with them but by figns. Indeed
we often pronounced the word Macao; but this we had reafon
to fuppofe they underftood in a different-fenfe; fince in return they
fcfnetimes held up fiih to ns, and we afterwards learnt, that the
Chinefe name for filh is o f a fomewhat fimilar found. But what
furprifed us moft was the inattention and want of curiofity, which
we obferved in this herd of fifoermen. A (hip like ours had doubt-
lefs never been in thofe feas before; and perhaps, there might not
be one, amOngft all the Chinefe, employed in that fiihery, who had
ever feen an European veffel; fo that we might reafonably have
expected to have been confidered by them as a very uncommon
and extraordinary objeCt. But though many o f their boats came
clofe to the (hip, yet they did not appear to be at all interefted
3 about
about us, nor did they deviate in the lead: from their courfe to regard
us/ Which infenfibility, efpecially of fnaritime perfons, in a
matter relating to their own profeffion, is fparcely to be credited,
did not the general behaviour of the Chinefe, in other inftances,
furnifti us with continual prpofs of a fimilar turn of mind. It
may perhaps be doubted, whether this caft qf temper be foe effeCI
of nature or education j but, in either cafe, it is an inconteftable
fymptom of a mean and contemptible difpofition, and is alone a
fufficient .confutation of the extravagant praifes, which many prer
judiced writers have beftowed on the ingenuity and capacity o f
this Nation. But to return.
Not being able to procure any information from foe Chinefe
fifoermen about our proper courfe to M a c fio , it was ne.ceffary for us
to rely entirely on our own judgment: And concluding from our
latitude, which was 3.3° : 42' North, and from our foundings,
which were only feventeen or eighteen fathoms, that we were yet
to the eaftward of Pedro Blanco, we ftill flood on to the weftward.
And for the affiftance of future Navigators, who may hereafter
doubt what part o f the coaft they are upon, I muft obferve, that
befides the latitude of Pedro Blanco, which is 220 : 18', and the
depth of water which to .the weftward of that rock is almoft
every where twenty fathoms, there is another circ.umftance which
will be greatly afliftant in judging of the pofition o f the foip :
This is the kind of ground ; for, till we came within thirty miles
of Pedro Blanco, we had conftantly a fandy bottom ; but there the
bottom changed to foft and muddy, and continued quite fo to foe
I (land of Macao; only while we were in fight of Pedro Blanco,
and very near it, we had for a foort fpace a bottom,of greenifo
mud, intermixed with fand.
It was on the 5th of November, at midnight, when we firft
made the coaft of China. The next day about two o’clock, as
we were (landing to the weftward within two leagues of the
coaft, dill furrounded by fifhing v-effels in as great numbers as
at firft, we perceived that a boat a-head of us waved a red flag,
and