c h a p . crews of several which we passed consisted principally of females, who
April,
1827.
did not appear to be in the least inconvenienced hy their situation.
In the forenoon we passed Piedra Branca, and in the evening entered
the channel between the Great Lemma and Potoy. As no pilot
offered, I stood on, guided by the chart of Lieutenant Boss, which was
extremely accurate, and at ten at night brought up in the Lantao
passage, and at nine o’clock next morning anchored in the Typa. In
entering this harbour we found less depth of water than is marked in the
plan of Captain King; and by the survey which we subsequently made,
it appeared that at low water a ship cannot depend upon a greater depth
than two fathoms, until after she passes the rocky head on her right.
Immediately after we were anchored, I visited the late Sir AVilliam
Fraser, who was then chief officer of the company’s factory at Canton,
and we both waited upon the Portuguese governor. He gave us a
very ungracious reception, for which we could account in no other way
than by supposing he felt annoyed at our unceremonious entry of the
Typa, without either pilot or permission; for the Portuguese at Macao, I
understand, claim the Typa as their own, under the emperor’s original
grant of Macao to them for their services to China. Some Portuguese
officers who came on board during my absence intimated that the
ship would not be allowed to remain in the harbour. AVe heard
nothing more of the matter, however, for several days, when a mandarin
waited upon Sir AATlliam Fraser to inquire into the business of
the man of war anchored in the Typa. About the same time several
war junks, two of which had mandarin’s flags, came down the river,
beating their gongs, and anchored not far from us.
The mandarin received a satisfactory answer from Sir AA"illiam
Fraser, but some days after, the Hoppo finding the ship did not go away,
addressed the following letter to the Hong merchants:—
“ AA'an, by imperial appointment, commissioner for foreign duties
of the port of Canton, an officer of the imperial household, cavalry
officer, &c. &c. &c. raised three steps, and recorded seventeen times.
“ Hereby issues an order to the Hong merchants.
“ I'he Macao JVengiiin have reported that on the 18th of the 13th
moon, the pilot Chinnang-Kwang announced that on the 17th an En- CHAP.
o-lish cruiser, Peit-che*, arrived, and anchored at Tausae.
“ On the pilot’s inquiring, the said captain affirmed that he came Agrt
from his own country to cruise about other parts, but gales of wind
forced him in here, where he would anchor awhile till the wind was fair,
and then he would take his departure. 1 could only in obedience ascertain
these circumstances, and also the following particulars:
“ There are in the ship 120 seamen, 26 guns, 60 muskets, 60 swords,
700 catties of powder, and 700 balls.
“ This information is hereby communicated to higher authority.
“ Coming before me, the Hoppo, I have inquired into the case, and
since the said vessel is not a merchant ship nor convoy to merchantmen,
it is inexpedient to allow pretexts to be made for her anchoring, and
creating a disturbance. I, therefore, order her to be driven out of the
port, and on the receipt of this order, let the merchants, in obedience
thereto, enjoin the said nations, foreigners, to force her away. They will
not be allowed to make glossing pretexts for her lingering about, and
creating a disturbance which will implicate them in crime. Let the
day of her departure be reported. Haste ! Haste ! a special order.
“ Taou Kwang,
“ 7th year, 3d month, 24th day.”
The Hong merchants transmitted this bombastic letter of the
FIoppo to the British fiictory with the following letter; but I must observe
that the pilot was incorrect in saying that he derived his information
from me, or that such a pretext for putting into the Typa was
made.
“ AA"e respectfully inform you that on 23d iiist. we received an
edict from the Hoppo concerning Peit-che’s cruiser anchoring at lausae,
and ordering her away. AVe send a cojiy of the document for your
perusal, and beg your benevolent brethren of the committee to enforce
the order on the said Peit-che’s cruiser to go away and return home. She
is not allow'cd to linger about.
• The Chinese caU their vessels by the names of the persons ivho command them.
3 I. 2