he "Reach," which
passed off very pleasantly. The usual quantity of champagne and
patriotism expended. Toasts proposed and drank, and the fact generally
conceded that the United States were the greatest states on the face of
the globe, and the "United Staters" the greatest people.

Our repairs completed we unmoored, and commenced to back and fill down
the river until we had cleared the shipping, and then taking advantage
of the tide, got into the bay and headed for Macao. Found the flagship
at anchor in the outer roads, and after saluting and communicating with
the Commodore, went into the Typa, and moored there.

The Typa is an anchorage inside the harbor, and is so called from an
island which protects it from the sea. It has from four to four and a
half fathoms water, and of course cannot be entered by very large
vessels. Although in former times the largest sized East-Indiamen have
gone in. They are now forced, if stopping at Macao, to anchor outside,
abreast the town, and some four or five miles off.

Hong-Shan river, or the Broadway, commences here, and is a kind of a
cut-off, navigated by junks from Canton to Macao.

The city of Macao, called first by the Portuguese, Port da Macao, from
the name of a Chinese idol found there, is called Gaou, or Ou-moon by
the Chinese, and occupies the southernmost point of the island of
Heang-Shan.

After the discovery of the passage to the East Indies around the Cape of
Good Hope, by De Gama, who landed on the Malabar Coast in 1498, the
Portuguese continued to navigate these seas, and were allowed by the
Chinese a shelter on this point. In the year 1550, having obtained a
foothold, by degrees they built themselves stone houses and forts, and
commenced the foundation of a city.

About this time, they had established a profitable commerce with Japan,
China, and the Eastern Islands, and this settlement became the centre of
an extensive trade, which increased until Macao grew into a place of
considerable importance.

The Chinese government, however, in granting this favor to the
Portuguese fenced it around with their usual caution, and placed many
restrictions upon them. The point upon which Macao stands, is almost
separated from the Island, the connection being an Isthmus of about
three hundred feet; across which, about three miles from the Praya, a
wall is built through which is a gateway, guarded by Chinese soldiers,
and beyond which the Portuguese were not allowed to pass