It i
January,
On the:7th of January, 1788, we fent to Canton 130 pekd of
Hints, >a -parcel of blankets, and feveral grofs of buckles ; a Hoppo
%oat was alfo loaded with flints from the King George. The blankets
and buckles were brought out to trade with the Americans;
■ and we were given to underftand they were a very faleable article
-amongft the Chinefe.
. By the 14th, our quarter-deck being completely caulked, we paid
i t over with a compofition of damar and oil; the main and foremans
were aKo paid with the fame compofition.
On the 20th, twoEafl India Captains came to furvey our veffel,
by the direction o f the Supercargoes, previous to their fendjng
any teas on board; they found feveral defefts in our lower deck,
and gave direftions for having it properly fecured; at the fame
time they fent us. a carpenter and a caulker, to affift our people in
expediting this bufinefs.
In the afternoon a boat came alongside, with ioochefts bohea
tea. At eleven o’clock in the evening we parted our mooring junk,
on which we got out the large kedge and ftream cable to fteady
the ihip.
The Surveyors having ordered our lower deck, to be floated, on
the 23d the Carpenters got the dams ready for that purpofe; and
at eleven o’clock, the Surveyors again coming on board, found the
veffel completely fit for a cargo.
On the 25th we had the good fortune to recover our fraall bower,
together with nine fathom of the junk.
On
On the 26th, our principal furs, viz, the 2,552 otter; 434 cub,
and 34 fox, were fold and delivered to the Eaft India Company’s
Supercargoes, for 50,000 dollars.
It fhould feem, that our Captains had only a mere negative iir
this bufinefs; but finding it impoflible to obtain a better price, and
it being high time to think of failing, they were glad to clofe with
this offer, though very far Ihort of what we.at one time had reafon
to expect: indeed there now were other reafons, and thole, very
weighty ones, befides what I have already mentioned, for concluding
this bufinefs. The furs brought by the Nootka had recently!
been fold for 9,750 dollars :— 700 fine fea-otter Ikins, (the cargo of-
the Imperial Eagle, Captain Berkley) were in the hands of Mr.
Beale, a principal Owner, and refident at Canton :— 1,000 otter-
Ikins were fent by the Spanilh Milfionaries from California, and'
that part of the coaft towards King George’s Sound; to Manilla,
and from thence were lately arrived at Canton two French vef-
fels which had been upon the American coaft on difcovery^, sad-
lately arrived at Macao, had picked up 200 fine lea otter-lkins ;
add to this, a great number of black rabbit-lkins and fur-feals,
which are held in tolerable eftimation here, had lately been brought
from England : all thefe being in the market at once, quite glutted
it, and had fuch an effect on the Chinefe, that they fcarcely
thought furs worth taking away. Thefe circumftances being duly-
confidered, it certainly was the moll prudent ftep our Captains
could poflibly take to clofe with the Supercargoes, as (exclufive
of other confiderations) by this means we were enabled to remit
bills of exchange to our Owners, and our departure was greatly
facilitated.
On