■throvifh^tbe' ^ow anc* sandy beaêhfwas discovered above the surface
of the water, extending -from north-west,.-to we$,‘and
distant from thejship at least four leagues. Lieutenant,
now Captain, Campbell, who had been sent in the^ackall
fcj explore, the coast found that “ the river. Pei^ho which
“'comes from Tien-sing was distant fifteen miles froni
“ the present anchorage of the squadron; that a bar
“ crossed the mouth of the river stretching hortlr-north-
■“ east and south-south-west,-over which, at low
“ the depth was not more than three - or four fdet, and
“ which in many' places, was almost dry;> that the tides
“ •rose, and fell six dr seven feet at the mouth ofi
“ riven; and dial the time of high water, at the full and
“ change of the moon; was about half after three?; that
five or six miles.outside the mouth ofithe river as&hi||è
“ bamboo beacon was placed upon the bar, with some
“ of a smaller size, continued nearly in a straight line to
the shore p' which were intended tossefyf
“ direct vessels èntering into the river; it beings tUeant
“ §hat these-beacons should be kept closerOn boardviand
Ira the larboard ór left hand side. That a course of wést
“ by north, aecordingVto the compass*,! led up the-best
“ channel, in a line with a fort which Stands ontheÉéuth
“ wést side of the entrance 'into; the river, which iafc-its
pH hiouth was about one-third of a mile in width, and three
“ fathoms in depth at low water ; that the eity and port
‘ of Tien-sing was reported' to be thirty, ok forty miles
“ by land, from the mOuthof the? rivers, andl twice* as far
v by water.’? *As?to the promised?harbour -iof the pilot-, Yellow sea,
noi the'^least traces4 of it were ’ toibifeseovered <■, : except
•that*there mightfbdv'so’me shelter behind? the low^sandry
islands' against'the; swell oft he *st2 a ?; dthoilitt le against 'the
winds?.’ The? Situation of these islands, agreed5;indeed,;
fcix&My; with the’sketch. Which had i been? given* bly the
pilot ;*;ari<dw behind them15were| perceived fhergnasts? of
many junks'. Thfi' pl&ce^ihoweverp was>-ndt? examinedj
from the'irttlfelhope'-that-was,'dntCrtai'ne4 |j^ftflndmgf:an|f
sebC^Sfey foMar^gb ships fe®rkp£ A ^ery<s!ightiviaWs®fithe
la rid surrounding the? gulf was suffieidfit? tostsSesf that no
se'cure harbour was'likely to be found iiponi its; shores.
AVgCfod*! harbour is-' generally- formed -by the, mea'flLSC©f
rnksfy-rocks^ odkti lea-sgof high and c’oMssideiabteknouhds
of compact earth, thrusttforward by some1 nspegular^ope-.
ration;?or in .sbmfe Convulsion, of nature and Iblving
within-them an idlet of thd%6'^,;Twhi.dhtThbsBp.ri)j;eetog
pbintif may' protect from the violehc^tof .Shfe windsl and
waves?:» whereas- the .country whi<dr5tefarihatesctM'sigulf
is utterly devoid ;of. any’solid and el ey^hd; brasses:?.ea-
pableofbecoming a bulwark, behindswhiehi there might
be a safe retieatifor shipping.;- Instead* of such a- bulwalk
nothing is'seen but alow and level surface^the-natural
effect of agradualdepositionof vsoihwasheddownfEom
the interior mountains; ?which soil fills' bp^eyery original
inequality,’and rrieets? .afterwards- ire. a bbgiidas line., the