T y p h o n s .
T id x s .
towards the beginning arid conclufion of the feafon. During
the wet months the heat is intolerable, efpecially when the fun
can force its rays through the thick clouds.
T he Typhons, or as Dumpier calls them buffoons, are moil
tremendous in this bay and on the coaft o f China. They prevale
in the months of July, Auguji, and September, and commonly
near the change o f the moon. They are preceded by
very fine weather ; a prefaging cloud appears in the north-eaft,
black near the horizon, edged with copper color, on the upper
part fading into a glaring white. It often exhibits a ghaftly
appearance twelve hours before the Typhon burfts; its rage lafts
many hours from the north-eaft, attended with dreadful claps
o f thunder, large and frequent flafhes o f lightning, and ex-
ceflive hard rains; then it finks into a dead calm ; after which
it begins again with redoubled rage from the fouth-weft, and
continues an equal length of time.
T h e great Hailey gives an account o f the iurprifiug tides in
this bay ; each flux is of twelve hours duration, and its re-flux
the fame, fo that there occurs but one high water in twenty-four
hours. The great Philofopher ihall fpeak in his own words >
“ On the firft and fecond days, at the water’s increafe, the in-
“ fluxes are very ftnall and uncertain, but afterwards the tides
« for thirteen days are conftant in their courfe, one flood and
« one ebbing being completed in twenty-four hours time, equally
ft fharing the fpace of a lunar circuition of the earth between
“ them, and every flood beginning neareft three quarters o f an
(< hour later than the precedent flood, and alio confiderably in-
“ creafing in the height of the tide every day, from the third unto
« the fixth and fevenfh days, of the water’s age, on which two
« days the flood runs very high ; but on the eighth day (which
“ may be accounted the laft o f the fpring tides) the waters be-
“ gin gradually to decreafe again, retaining the fame orderly dif-
f! ference of time in each tide, until the, next following firft day
“ o f the water’s increafe; when, during two days unfettlednefs,
there is a fhifting o f the tides in refpeft o f the beginning of
(C the flood and ebb, after which Taid fhifting, a conftancy in
“ their inverted courfe is again retained in the above mentioned
“ order for thirteen days following.”
Cacbao, the principal city of Fonquin, lies about eighty miles
higher up the river, and is the place where the chief trade is
carried on. The imports: are conveyed from the ihips in large
‘fonquinefe boats, navigated by the natives. The tide runs with
great-rapidity thirty or forty miles above Domea, through a rich
and beautiful plain ; near Hean, a town of two thoufand houfes,
is the place where the two channels meet, and form the Delta of
S’onquin, about eighty miles from the fea. The Chinefe merchants
have a ftreet to themfelves at Hean. For a time they re-
fided at Cachao, but became fo numerous that they feemed to
fwallow up the very natives; the king therefore ordered them to
remove here. The French alfo had a faftory in this town in
Dampier\ time. Is is from that honeft voyager I take my account,
having no later authority of any authenticity. The Chinefe
and Siamefe jonks come up as high as the town, and ride in
the middle of the river.
Cachao is a city o f twenty thoufand houfes ; the walls ufually
made of mud and thatch, but fome are o f brick, covered with
tiles.
C i t y o f
C a c h a o .