ugh survey of the bay. The mission house at this
place was fitted up with every comfort, and we even found luxuries which
we looked in vain for at San Domingo.

[Illustration: NATIVE OF BATAN.]

After completing the survey of this portion of the island, the governor
(who had accompanied us from San Domingo) and a party of us set off to
return to San Domingo by land. Our path lay over mountains nearly 2000
feet in height, from the summit of which every point and inlet could be
discerned, over the whole of the group which lay below, exactly as if
they were laid down on a chart. Our walk was very fatiguing, and we were
all rejoiced when, from an eminence, we descried the village of San
Carlos, the residence of the warm-hearted and hospitable Father
Nicholas. We descended into the vale, and were heartily welcomed by the
jolly old priest, who regaled us with all that his larder could supply
us. It had been arranged that the ship should leave Ivana for San
Domingo on the following morning. At the entreaty of the good padre we
remained at San Carlos all night, and the following morning returned to
San Domingo, the ship anchoring in the bay on the same afternoon. We had
now become quite domesticated with the friendly Spaniards. In the
evenings we were received by an assemblage of the natives at the
governor's house. They were dressed in their best, and went through an
unmeaning dance, which was kept up till a late hour.

On the 27th November we left Batan, and its kind inhabitants, who
exacted a promise that we would return at some future period, and shaped
a course for the Madjicosima islands, which are subject to the kingdom
of Loo Choo. On the afternoon of the 1st of December land was discovered
ahead, and a few hours afterwards we anchored in a narrow passage,
surrounded by reefs on every side. We were anchored off the island of
Pa-tchu-san, one of the group: it was very mountainous. On the following
morning the captain and some of the officers went on shore. They were
received by several hundred natives, who saluted them as they passed on
their way to a temporary shed, where a levee was held by all the
principal mandarins. Our Chinese interpreter, who was a native of
Canton, explained the captain's wishes, and the nature of the service
that we were employed on. They appeared uneasy at the proposal of our
surveying the whole group, and informed the captain that they would
refer the question to the viceroy, and give him a