he pointed out the entrance into -the bay, which does not
readily discover itself to those who are .strangers to it. The
weather being squally, we did not succeed in getting in til}
the latter part of the following day.
The deplorable state to which our sick were now reduced
by the typhous fever and dysentery, wlfich had been caught
at Batavia, and had spread pearly -through the whole of
the ship’s company, was the principal reason of our going
to Turon, after the disappointment we met with at Pulp
Condore. I t may be imagined then how great and grievous
was the mortification we all felt pn being told, by the Cap-
tain of a Portugueze vessel which was lying in the bay, that
an existing rebellion, having plunged the whole of Cochin-
china into a state of civil war, had reduced the country to
- such a wretched situation as to preclude every hope of our
procuring the refreshments of which we stood so much in
need ; and that it would be more advisable for us to proceed
to Macao without a moment’s delay, than to wait there in
fruitless expectation of getting those supplies, which might
perhaps be promised, but which, he knew very well, could
not be provided. The miserable condition of opr old fisherr
man, and the general appearance of the place, and every
thing we saw, seemed to confirm the unwelcome intelligence
of Manuel Duomc. Few natives came near the ships; those
that did come were shy and suspicious in their conduct, and
when we went on shore they seemed to avoid us. No provisions
nor any kind of refreshments were brought off- to the
ships, and it was not without difficulty we could procure on
shore a few fowls and a trifling quantity of fruit and roots.
The second day, however, the market was rather better ,
stocked; and, in a few days more, when they found that
their articles were saleable at their own prices, and money
plentiful, it was abundantly supplied with live stock, fruit,
and vegetables. The leading men of the place, who now
began to come forward, shewed an inclination to be civil,
and to pay spine attention to our requisitions. They even
visited us on board ; and on the fourth or fifth day it was announced
that, for the sake of convenience, a public dinner
would be daily prepared on shore, for such of the gentlemen
and officers of the squadron as might chuse to partake of it.
Our intercourse with the people was now become constant
and unrestrained, and mutual confidence was established
between u s ; and this brought to light a discovery not very
creditable to our friend Manuel Duome. This Portugueze
trader, in the true spirit of commercial jealousy, had availed
himself of the suspicions of the Cochinchinese, and insinuated
that nothing was more probable than the English squadron
having come thither with hostile views. And it seemed he
was at no little pains to convince them that such was really
the case, in the hope that, by their shutting the markets
against us, we should be induced to take a speedy departure, '
and leave the coast clear to himself. To explain the circumstances
which gave colour to these suspicions will require a
brief statement of the affairs of this distracted country for the
last thirty years; and I am unwilling to think that the historical
sketch I am about to give will be considered, even by-
Mr. Pinkerton, as unimportant or uninteresting.
K K