-3*6 L O R D A N S O N ’ S V O Y A G E
only. However, notwithftandingall thefe obftacles, it fhould feem-,
that the reprefentation of the Commodore to the Mandarines, of
the facility with which he could right himfelf, if juftice were denied
him, had at laft its effeCt: Since, on the 6th of January, in
■ the morning, the Governor o f Janfqn, the Commodore’s Advocate,
fent down the Viceroy of -Cantoris warrant for the refitment of the
■ Centurion, and for fupplying her people with all they wanted.
Having now the neceflary licences, a number of Chinefe Smiths and
Carpenters wefit on board the next day to treat about the work they
were to do; all which they propofed to undertake by the great.
They demanded at firft, -to the amount of a thoufand pound fterl-
ing for the «pairs of the Ihip, the boats, and the mails. This the
Commodore Ceemed to think an unreafonable fum, and endeavoured
to perfuade them to work by the day ; but that was a method
they would not-hearken to j lo it was at laft agreed, that the Carpenters
fhould have to the amount of about fix hundred pounds
for their workand that the Smiths fhould be paid for their ironwork
by weight, allowing them at the rate of three pounds a hundred
nearly for the fmall work, and forty-fix Ihillings for the large.
This being regulated, the Commodore next exerted himfelf to
get the mod important bufinefs of the whole compleated; I mean,
the heaving down the Centurion, and examining the Hate of her
bottom. The firft Lieutenant therefore was difpatched to Canton
to hire two country veflejs, called in their language junks, one of
them being intended to heave down by, and the other to ferve as a
magazine for the powder and ammunition : Whilft at the fame time
the ground was fmoothed on one of the neighbouring ](lands, and
a large tent was pitched for lodging the lumber and provifions, and
near a hundred Chinefe Caulkers were foon fet to work on the decks
and fides o f the (hip. But all thefe preparations, and the getting -
ready the careening gear, took up a great deal of time; for the
Chinefe Caulkers, though they worked very well, were far from
being expeditious. Befides, it was the 26th o f January before the
junks arrived; and the neceftary materials, which were to be pur-
chafed at Canton, came down very llowly ; partly from the diftance
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R O U N D t h e w o r l d . 367
of the place, and partly from the delays and backwandnefs o f the
Chinefe Merchants. And in this interval Mr. Anfon had the additional
perplexity to difcover, that his fore-maft was broken afunder
above the upper-deck partners, and was only kept together by the'
fifties which had been formerly clapt upon it.
However, the Centurions people made the moft of their time,-
and exerted themfelves the bed they could ; and--as, by clearing
the (hip, the Carpenters were enabled to come at the leak, they
took care to fecure that effectually, whilft the other-preparations
were going forwards. The leak was found to be below the fifteen *
foot mark, and was principally occafioned by one of the bolts being
wore away and loofe in the joining of the ftern, where it was. '
fcarfed.
At laft, all things being prepared, they on the 22d of February,
in the morning, hove out the firft courfe of the Centurion’s t ftam
board-fide, and had the fatisfaflion to . find; that her bottom appeared
found and good ; and, the next day-, (having by that time
compleated the new Iheathing of the firft courfe) they righted her
again, to fet up anew the careening geer, which.had ftretched
much. Thus they continued heaving down, and often righting the
{hip from a fufpieion o f their careening tackle, till the 3d of March, ,
when, h a y i n g -compleated the paying and fheathing the bottom;
which proved to he every where very found, they, for the laft time, .
righted the ftiip, to their great joy ; fmce not-only the fatigue of
careening had been confiderable, but they had been apprehenfive of
being attacked by the Spaniards, whilft the (hip was thus incapacitated
for defence. Nor- were their fears altogether groundlefs; for f
they learnt afterwards, by a Portuguefe veffel, that the Spaniards 'at::
Mantla had been informed, that -the Centurion was in the Typa, and .
intended to careen there ; and that thereupon the Governor had 1
fummoned his Council, and had propofed to them to endeavour to ,
burn her, whilft (he was careening, which was an-enterprize, which
i f properly conducted, might have put them in great danger. It
was far.ther reported,., that this fGhepie -was. not only propofed,- but.;
refolved .