ned on the 2d July, bringing a
boat in which were three Chinese sailors, or fishermen, whom they could
not understand, and all they could learn from them was, that Canton bore
from them to the S.W.

On the 3d July, finding they had got too far to leeward of Macao, and
being unable to procure a pilot, they resolved to sail for _Amoy_, as
the only course that was left them, and accordingly arrived before that
port in the evening of the 5th; but being afraid to enter it in the
night, they plied off and on till daybreak of the 6th. They here noticed
great numbers of snakes in the sea, brought down by the rivers that
empty themselves upon that coast. The entrance into the port of _Amoy_
is sufficiently conspicuous, in consequence of a high mountain, on the
top of which is a tower, or pagoda, which may be seen at the distance of
twenty leagues out to sea, and has a small island immediately before the
mouth of the bay. The river _Change-neu_[245] discharges itself here
into the sea, forming a spacious bay about eight leagues in circuit,
where ships may ride at anchor in great safety, the only difficulty
being in getting into port, which they happily accomplished in the
evening of the 6th July, being well pleased to find themselves once more
in a place where they might hope to procure refreshments, and be able to
repair their ship; or if that were impracticable, whence they might
procure a passage home. Clipperton was as much rejoiced as the rest;
for, having had his full share of afflictions and misfortunes at sea, he
was happy in the prospect of securing a small sum of money for his own
use, and sending home what belonged to the owners, if the ship were
really past repairing, as his people reported.

[Footnote 245: No name resembling _Amoy_ is to be found on the coast of
China in any of our best maps, and the text gives no distinct indication
of its situation. The river _Changeneu_ of the text, perhaps refers to
_Tchang-tcheou_, a city in the province of Fokien, having a large bay in
lat. 24 deg. 30' N. long. 118 deg. 15' E. and _Amoy_ may have been some
corruption of the port of discharge at the mouth of the river which
passes Tchang-tcheou.--E.]

They had no sooner anchored in the port than ten custom-house officers
were placed on board. At Amoy, as in most other ports in China, the
customs are under the direction of a single mandarin, called the Hoppo,
or Hoppou. The Chinese are justly reputed the craftiest people in the