Diary of a Journey Overlard, Through the Maritime Provinces of China

This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. http://books.google.com DIARY A JOURNEY OVERLAND, THROUGH THE MARITIME PROVINCES OF CHINA, ^ FROM " ' I MANCHAO, ON THE SOUTH COAST OF HAINAN, TO CANTON, IN THE YEARS 1819 AliO 1820. LONDON: PRINTED FOR SIR RICHARD PHILLIPS AND Co. BRIDE-COURT, BRIDGE-STREET. 1822. W. tEWIS, PRIMER, 21, JINCJ-LAKE, CORMIILL. ADVERTISEMENT. THE following Pages consist of the popular portion of observations recently made in a Journey overland, through the maritime Provinces of China. The pre ceding part, as it contains merely nautical and meteoro logical information,, of no interest to the general reader, is omitted. On the strict truth of the present communication let no doubt be entertained ; and its value is the more de serving of estimation, as none but those exposed to the opportunity of shipwreck are likely to learn so much of that curious portion of mankind, as is exhibited in the following pages. It would therefore be tiresome and unnecessary to de tail occurrences at sea, and the subsequent matters in cidental to mercantile negociation, in which my time was occupied in Cochin-China, and for that reason I beg leave to shew merely what I consider most directly worthy of attention regarding the Hainanese and Chinese. J. R., Supercargo. JOURNAL - OF A VOYAGE FROM MACAO, TOWARDS TENON, IN COCHIN-CHINA, N the llth of November, 1819, the Friendship sailed from the Typha,* with a moderate breeze at N. N. E. and hazy weather. At noon the Grand Ladrone bore E. by S., distance five and a-half or six leagues. • This is a river of China, through which a ship proceeding to the har bour of Macao must pass, there being thirteen feet at low water ill the fair track between the Typlia and the entrance of the harbour, whereas in the more open space between Kai-kong and' Macao, there are not more than about eleven feet under the same circumstances. Such is the information usually given as to these places, yet the statement of the journal, with singular ac curacy, and on it absolute reliance may be reposed, puts the matter in a some what different point of view, seriously worth the attention of navigators. The city of Macao, usually pronounced Macow, is called by the Chinese Ou-moon, (moon in Chinese signifies an entrance or pass) and was ceded by that people to the Portuguese towards the close of the sixteenth century. The celebrated Albuquerque was the first European who formed the design of opening a communication with China, in consequence of his having met with, at Malacca, several vessels of that nation, whose seamen had more politeness and decorum than were at that period to be found among the nobi lity of Europe. The information which they gave him concerning the civilization and re sources of their country, induced that eminent man to lay the whole before the court of Lisbon ; and, immediately after, a squadron was fitted out, in 1517, for the double purpose of peace or war, as the exigencies of occasion might require, a thing which formed the grand feature of every naval expe dition at that period. The whole was put under the command of Ferdinand . Andrada, who was accompanied by Thomas Ferena, in quality of ambas? sador. " On their arrival at the entrance of the river of Canton, the fleet was stopped, and only two vessels allowed to pass up the river ; onrboard of one were the ambassador and commodore. Andrada was a man of strict honour; so that he soon gained on the Chinese, notwithstanding their natural aver sion to strangers. By his exactness and probity he drew them to trade, and brought them to have great confidence in him ; but what had the greatest effect, and might have established the commerce of the Portuguese to the exclusion of all other nations, was his giving notice a litlle before his depar ture, that at such a time he meant to sail, and that if any had demands upon VOYAGES and TRAVELS, Vol. VI. B 2 Journal of a Voyage from Macao, 12th. — The first part of these twenty-four hours an increasing breeze, with dark hazy weather, and a high swell from the East ward. The middle and latter, hard gales with frequent heavy him, or any of those belonging to him, they mi^ht apply and receive satis faction. This was an instance of probity new to the Chinese, but so agree able that they made him great professions of friendship, and assured him that they would jnost willingly trade with his nation, in hopes of meeting always with the like usage: but so fair a prospect did uot long continue, and even the first had very nearly proved the last voyage of the Portuguese to China. The commanders of the ships that were left at the mouth of the river, landed and began a trade with the natives ; but presuming on their power in India, treated the Chinese with great insolence and iniquity. They brought on shore several pieces of cannon, and then took what they pleased at their own rates, and treated with the pirates for such as they had taken prisAersj of whom they made slaves. The viceroy of the province quickly assembled a great naval force, with which he surrounded the Portuguese squadron, and would infallibly have taken them if a storm had not arisen, which scattered the 'Chinese fleet, and enabled the Portuguese to return to Malacca with more profit than honour. The ambassador proved the victim of this misconduct; he was confined in prison, where he afterwards died. " It was many years before the Chinese would admit the Portuguese to trade with them, but at length, they allowed them to send some ships to the island of Sanuam, where they were permitted to erect tents on shore for a short space of time, in which they disposed of their merchandize. At length, towards the close of the sixteenth century, a favourable opportunity offered, not only of restoring their commerce, but of procuring a permanent esta blishment in China. The pirntes committed great ravages on the coast, and having acquired a large force, made themselves masters of the port of Macao, and from thence not only blocked up the port of Canton, but also besieged the city. The Mandarines in their distress had recourse to the Portuguese, whose ships were then at the island of Sanuam. They readily offered their assistance, and not. only forced the pirates to raise the siege, but pursued them to Macao, which they took, and where the chief of the pirates was killed. The viceroy having made a report to the emperor of this extraor dinary service, he, out of gratitude, published an edict, by which the Portu guese were to 'have the island .of Macao, with the power of forming a settle ment, which they gladly accepted. They accordingly built a {own and fortified it after the European manner; but the Chinese have effectually provided for their own security, by not allowing them any provisions but what they receive through their meansV' — See Milbnrne's Oriental Commerce. The Portuguese still retain nominal dominion over the island, but the Chinese, who never lose sight of their national interest, and the integrity of the celestial empire, are really the masters of the place, their mandarines exercising magisterial authority as effectually at Macao as at Canton. According to Mr. Horsburgh, Macao is situated in latitude 22 degrees, 10J minutes north, and longitude 113 degrees 32 minutes east, or 18 miles eastward/of Canton by chronometer reckoning, and twelve miles westward of Grand Ladrone. The town stands on a high peninsula that terminates the island of Macao to the southward, being joined to it by a narrow isthmus ore the north side of the town : several miserable erections called forts, appear on the hills which surround the town, b.ut even these neglected buildings, by their contrast with the neat country-houses sprinkled upon the rising- grounds, give the whole an entertaining appearance. Thesu houses are the favourite residence of the principal merchants, who- towards Tenon, in Cochin-China, $c. 3 squalls and' constant rain. Latitude per account at noon, 19 degrees 49 minutes north; longitude 112 degrees 38 minutes east. At a quarter before midnight, perceiving the ship's motion to be somewhat heavy and unusual, we sounded the well and found she had sprung a leak, and was nearly half full of water. The two pumps being shortly after choked and rendered useless, we turned all hands to bale with the buckets at the hatchways : finding, however, that the leak gained fast upon us, the sea now breaking, fairly over her, we were obliged to relinquish this attempt; and holding a consultation of what was best to be done, it was the general opinion, that to run ashore on the nearest land (in order to save the lives of the crew,) was the most prudent measure that in our present situation could be adopted. At half-past midnight, the wind veering round to east, bore up, and stood in west for the coast of Hainan, but there was great reason to fear the ship would founder before morning. At one A. M. a perfect hurricane blowing, with frequent violent gusts of cross and unexpected wind, and a tremendous heavy sea, handed the foresail and scudded under bare poles. At two, scudding under the goose wings of the foresail, the ship, though now apparently water-logged, seemed to fly through the water, and the sea was at this time in a complete foam.

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