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and as leading to our destination. The mirth of the crowd pretty well
satisfied us there was no great danger in advancing, and we went on
further than we should otherwise have done ; but in a little time they
began to drop off; and we were at last left alone with the guide, who
really became alarmed. AVe had reached the foot of the hill on which
the capital is situated, and were ascending to have a near view of the
liouses, when he threw himself on his knees in evident alarm, bowed
his head to the dust, and embracing our knees implored us to desist,
assuring us that the maiidarin would take his head off if we did not.
Some of the ofHcers w ho went in another direction were told by their
guide that he would get bambooed if they did not turn back, which is
more probable than that the heavy penalty apprehended by our companion
should be attached to so light a crime.
To quiet the irritation of the poor old man, who trembled violently,
we ascended a hill some distance to the left, which commanded an extensive
view of the country, and from whence w'e could survey the
capital with our telescopes. The country was highly cultivated, and
the grounds irrigated with Chinese ingenuity and perseverance by
small streams of water passing through them, keejiing such as were
planted with rice thoroughly wet. AYe noticed in our walk s/veet
potatoes, millet, wheat, Indian corn, potatoes, cabbages, barley, sugarcane,
pease, tea shrubs, rice, taro, tobacco, capsicums, cucumbers, cocoa-
nuts, carrots, lettuces, onions, plantains, pomegranates, and oranges ;
but amidst this display of agricultural industry there were several
eminences topped with fine trees on which the hand of the farmer
might have been advantageously employed, but which were allowmd
to lie waste, and were covered with a rank grass. Such places, however,
being usually the repositories of the dead, it may have been
thought indecorous by the considerate Loo Chooans to disturb the
ground near it with a hoe. These eminences, like the basis of the
island, being formed of a very porous calcareous rock, are peculiarly
adapted to the excavation of tombs, and the natives have taken advan-
tage of them to dispose of their dead in them. The accompanying
view from Mr. Smyth’s sketch will convey the best idea of what they
are like.
The capital, for such I am disposed to call the town on the hill, <AWP.
notwithstanding the denial of several of the natives, was surrounded
by a white wall, within which there were a great many houses, and
two strong buildings like forts; with, as already mentioned, several
small masts with gaffs, bearing flags of different colours. This space
was thickly interspersed with trees, whence we conjectured the houses
were furnished with gardens. There seemed to be very few people
moving about the island, even between the upper and lower towns,
with which it would be supposed there must necessarily be much
intercourse. AA"e rested awhile on the eminence that afforded this
agreeable view of a country but very little known, and were joined by
several persons whom fear or indolence had prevented keeping pace
with us. Our guide now lighted his pipe and forgot his apprehension
in the consoling fumes of tobacco, while some of the party amused
themselves with viewing the capital through a telescope, each preventing
the other having a quiet view by their anxiety to obtain a peep. Our
clothes in the meantime were undergoing an examination from the remainder
of the party, who, after looking closely into the texture of the
material, exclaimed—choorassa, choorassa ! (beautiful).
AYhile we sat here a Japanese junk bore down from the northward,
and according to the information of those around us, which afterwards
proved to he correct, she came from an island called Ooshimar, to the
northward of Loo Choo, and was laden with rice, hemp, and other articles.
Her sails and rigging resembled the drawing of the Japaiiese junks in La
Perouse’s voyage. She passed close to the Blossom at anchor, and from
the report of the offleers her crew had their heads shaved in the fashion
of the Japanese. Her arrival excited general interest, brought all the
inhabitants to the housetops, and a number of canoes crowded round
her before she reached the inner harbour, where she was towed and
secured alongside several other junks bearing the same flag.
On our return w'e passed through a village consisting of a number
of square inclosures of low stone walls, separated by lanes planted on
both sides, and so overgrown with bamboo and ratans that we could
neither see the houses nor the sky; several handsome creepers entwined
themselves round the stems of these canes, and a variety of flowers,
3 o 2