theufbg, by firing guns in the.'way d£ fog sigdals; Hot-
withstanding : which* the Hindosfân was ; separited this
day from the rest .of the squadron. Shortly afterwards,
she. perceived three large Chinese vessels, which, by
nehni^ nr jaceident, had deviated from the, usual systeih
amongst t^em of skiling near the coltst. The soundings
hereabouts were found by all tie squadron. to vary so
frequently and suddenly, that notwithstanding the pre-
serfoeof: the pilots, it was thought expedient tb proceed
with uncommon cadtion, and even sometimes to lie to.
Thesoundings throughout this seà never exceeded forty-
two .fotboms : in the deepest;water, thé bottom was
mostly muMy; and sand was-found usaaöy wbefo, the
water (shoaled. The pilots observed, that the thicMett
fogs accompanied the south-east winds, which lasted
generally four-or five days at a time.
Saturday, the thirteenth of July. The wind feouttótstv'
and ’weather thick, with veryTew efoar -itt^vafejft'Che
lead was cast every'hour to ascertain the soundingsT"
î I Sunday, the fourteenth of July. The wind-utfntik tred
from the same quarter. This morning, the fogbeiftg'fora
time dispelled, severafland birds appeared, and'sea Weed
andbambooswöre seen floating upon the water ; together
with other indications o f being near land. A tóuifiber
of junks, ór Chinese vessels, were likewise pèrcèïved
steering different ways.
In The separate route of the Hindustan, she saw* this
day a sfoÉfe'square'rig^tEutópean- vessBl. A Chinese
junk In thc^EüropfiantsdaS' would nofehave toepasioried ydiow sea.
more.’ surprise;’; had ' ijol® an intimeftionsbeen "giWtt from
Mapao, jthat the commissioners had sent from! thence,' before;
the squadron arrived«!® the ih'dghbfiurhndd'of that
place, a vessel with dispatches for the Emb&slador . It
was the iEr^eayOUr *brig, commanded b^Tjaplain Proe-
for. She had also on board a' young'>man who could
speak Spanish >&nd Chinese ; 'and meant to1' dfter' His
Services aaan additional interpreter to the embassy: The
Endeavour belonged to the East India Company,' and
had been employed', under tKdeömmahd o f aigehtiémM®
of science of .thé name of M‘Clu;er^ in a Wy&gefof observation
and disèovery .thro the great eastern Ajthlpè-
fogfo comprehended in whatlarecalled thé ChiuBsc'seas,
according to tbeliberal ^ in pursued, in ma$y testanbes,
by the India Company, .of a^endiHg foithie'prombtion of
knowledge, in the midst of its commercial undertakings.
Captain M'iCluer ma s considered-sasrfaé diligent; 'and' iea^ •
pable observer. , He hadeither wisitedTormeriydM?fe-
lew island«, e^<hadformed an exalted idea.df thedimate,
and hf the dispos kibnof The inhabitant^,' frofoT^
interestingkoeoidit which, lias been published'pf J'tftem
by Mr. Keate, from the materials furnished by -Captain
Wilson; sGaptaift MiCluor. determined to :séek for that
happiness in the Telew islands which hé considered, no
doubt, as less attainable in a larger .and .more co'mpii- -