>779- prehenfive, left they fhould embroil themfelves with the
>— v— * Chinefe government at Canton; and, by that means, bring,
perhaps, irreparable mifchie f on the Company's affairs in
China. For I was further informed, that the Mandarines
were always ready to take occafion, even on the flighted:
grounds, to put a flop to their tra d in g ; and that it was
often with great difficulty, and never without certain expence,
that they could get fuch reftraints taken off. Thefe
impofitions were daily increafing ; and, indeed, I found it
a prevailing opinion, in all the European factories, that
they fhould foon be reduced either to quit the commerce
o f that country, or to bear the fame indignities to which
the Dutch are fubjefted in Japan.
The arrival of the Refolution and Difcovery, at fuch a
time, could not fa il o f occafioning frefh a larms; and,
therefore, finding there was no probability o f m y proceedin
g to Canton, I difpatched a letter to the Engliih fuper-
cargoes, to acquaint them with the caufe o f our putting
into the T ygris, to requeft their affiftance in procuring me
a paflport, and in forwarding the ftores we wanted, o f which
I fent them a lift, as expeditioufly as poffible.
F r id a y 3. The next morning I was accompanied, on board by our
countryman, who pointing out to us the lituation o f the
T ypa ; we weighed at h a lf pail fix, and flood toward it; but
the wind failing, we came to, at eight, in three and a h a lf
fathoms w a te r ; Macao, bearing Weft North Weft, three
miles diftant; the Grand Ladrone South Eaft by South.
T he Refolution here faluted the-Portugueze fort with eleven
guns, which were returned by the fame number. Early on
Saturday 4. the 4th, we again weighed, and flood into the Typa, and
moor.ed with the itreanj anchor and cable to the Weflward.
The Comprador, whom we at firft engaged with, having '779-
difappeared with a fmall fum o f money, which had been _,— -
given him to purchafe provifions, we contracted with another,
who continued to fupply both fhips, during our whole
flay. This was done fecretly, and in the night time, under
pretence, that it was contrary to the regulations o f the port;
hut we fufpetfted all this caution to have been ufed with a
view either o f enhancing the price o f the articles he furniihed,
or o f fecuring to h im fe lf the profits o f his employment, without
being obliged to ihare them with the Mandarines.
On the gth, Captain Gore received an anfwer from the Thurfday9.
Committee o f the Engliih Supercargoes at Canton, in which
they afiured him, that their beft endeavours fhould be ufed
to procure the fupplies we flood in need of, as expeditioufly
as poffib le ; and that a. paflport fhould be fent for one o f his
officers, hoping, at the fame time, that we were fufficiently
acquainted with the charadler o f the Chinefe Government,
to attribute any delays, that might unavoidably happen, to
th e ir true caufe.
The day following, an Engliih merchant, from one o f our rmiv i°.
Settlements in the Eaft-Indies, applied to Captain Gore for
the affiftance o f a few hands to navigate a veflel he had
purchafed at Macao, up to Canton. Captain Gore ju d g in g
this a good opportunity for me to proceed to that place, gave
orders that I fhould take along with me my Second Lieutenant,
the Lieutenant o f marines, and ten feamen. Though
this was not precifely the mode in which I could have
wifhed to vifit Canton, yet as it was very uncertain when
the paflport might arrive, and my prefence might contribute
materially to the expediting o f our fupplies, I did not
hefitate to put m y fe lf on board, having left orders with Mr.