3Si L O R D A N S O N ' S V O Y A G E
and S. W. by W, we at ten o’clock happily anchored in Macao
road, in five fathom water, the city o f Macao bearing W. by N,
three leagues diftant; the peak of Lantoon E. by N, and the grand
Ladrone S. by E, each of them about five leagues diftant. Thus,
after a fatiguing cruife of about two years continuance, we once
more arrived at an amicable port, and a civilized country j where
the conveniencies of life were in great plenty; where the naval
ftores, which we now extremely wanted, could be in fome degree
procured; where we expedted the inexprefiible fatisfadtion o f receiving
letters from our relations and friends; and where our
countrymen, who were lately arrived from "England, would be
capable of anfwering the numerous enquiries we were prepared to
make, both about public and private occurrences, and to relate to
us many particulars, which, whether of importance or not, would
be liftned to by us with the utmoft attention after the long fulpen-
fion of our correfpondence with our tountry, to which the nature
o f our undertaking had hitherto fubjedted us.
C H A P . VII.
Proceedings at Macao.
TH E city of Macao, in the road of which we came to an
anchor on the 12 th o f November, is a Portuguefe feulement,
iituated in an Ifland at the entrance o f the river of
Canton. It was. formerly very rich and populous, and capable of
defending itfelf againft the power of the adjacent Cbinefe Governors
: But at prefent it is much fallen from its antient fplendor ;
for though it is inhabited by Portuguefe, and hath a Governor
nominated by the King of Portugal, yet it fubfifts merely by the
fiufferance of the Clineje, who can ftarve the place, and difpoffefs
the Portuguefe whenever they pleafe : This obliges the Governor
o f Macao to behave with great circumfpedtion, and carefully to
avoid every circumftance that may give offence to the Cbinefe. The
river of Canton, off the mouth of which this city lies, is the only
Cbinefe^port frequented by European Ihips; and is, on many accounts,
a more commodious harbour than Macao: But the peculiar
cuftoms of the Cbinefe, folely adapted to the entertainment of
trading ihips, and the apprehenfions of the Commodore, left he
ihould embroil the Eajl-India Company with the Regency of Canton,
i f he ihould infill on being treated upon a different footing
than the Merchantmen, made him refolve rather to go to Macao,
than to venture into the river of Canton. Indeed, had not this
reafon prevailed with him, he himfelf had nothing to fear. For
it is certain that he might have entered the port of Canton, and
might have continued there as long as he pleafed, and afterwards
have left it again, although the whole power of the Çbinefe Empire
had been brought together to oppofe him.
Z z The