1/79-
D e c em b er .
Sa tu rda y 1 1 .
Williamfon, to get the Difcovery ready for fea as foon as
poffible, and to make fuch additions and alterations in her
upper works, as might contribute to make her more defen-
fible. That the feries o f our aftronomical obfervations
might fuffer no interruption by m y abfence, I intrailed the
care o f continuing them to Mr. Trevenen, in whofe abilities
and diligence I could repofe an intire confidence.
We left the harbour o f Macao on the n th o f December,
and failing round the South Eaftern extremity o f the ifland,
w e fleered to the Northward, leaving, as we palled along,
Lantao Lintin, and feveral fmaller iflands, to the right. A ll
thefe iflands, as well as that o f Macao, which lie to the
left, are intirely without w o o d ; the land is high and barren,
and uninhabited, except occafionally by fiihermen. As
we approached the Bocca T y gris, which is thirteen leagues
from Macao, the Chinefe coaft appears to the Eaftward in
fleep white c liffs ; the two forts, commanding the mouth o f
the river, are e xa itly in the fame ftate as when Lord Anfon
was h e r e ; that on the left is a fine old caftle, furrounded
by a grove o f trees, and has an agreeable romantic appearance.
We were here vifited b y an officer o f the cu ftom s ; on
which occafion the owner o f the veffel, being apprehenfive
that, i f w e were difcovered on board, it would occafion fome
alarm, and might be attended with difagreeable confe-
quences, begged us to retire into the cabin below.
The breadth o f the river above thefe forts is variable, the
banks being low and flat, and fubjedt to be overflowed b y
the tide to a great extent. The ground on each fide is level,
and laid out in rice fields; but as we advanced, it rofe grar
dually into hills o f confiderable declivity, the fides o f which
are
are cut into terraces, and planted with fweet potatoes, fugar- ■ 779-
canes, yams, plantains, and the cotton-tree. We faw many — /
lo fty pagodas, fcattered over the country, and feveral towns
at a diftance, fome o f which appeared to be o f a confiderable
fize.
We did not arrive at Wampu, which is only nine leagues
from the Bocca T ygris, till the 18th, our progrefs having Saturday .s.
been retarded by contrary winds, and the lightnefs o f the
veffel. Wampu is a fmall Chinefe town, o ff which the
fhips o f the different nations, who trade here, lie, in order
to take in their lading. The river, higher up, is faid by M.
Sonnerat not to be deep enough to admit heavy laden vef-
fels, even i f the policy o f the Chinefe had fuffered the Europeans
to navigate them up to Can ton ; but this circum-
flance I cannot take upon me to decide on, as no ftranger, I
believe, has been permitted to inform himfe lf with certainty
o f the truth. T h e fmall iflands, that lie oppofite to
the town, are allotted to the feveral failories, who have
built warehoufes for the reception o f the merchandize that
is brought down from Canton.
From Wampu, I immediately proceeded in a fampdne, or
Chinefe boat, to Canton, which is about two leagues and a
h a lf higher up the river. Thefe boats are the neateft and
moll convenient for pafienge’rs I ever faw. They are o f various
fizes, almoft flat at the bottom, very broad upon the
beam, and narrow at the head and ftern, which are raifed
and ornamented; the middle, where we fat, was arched
over with a roof o f bamboo, which may be raifed or lowered
at p lea fu re ; in the fides were fmall windows with
iliutters, and the apartment was furniihed with handfome
mats, chairs, and tables. In the fiern was placed a fmall
3 I 2 waxen