ements in the
East Indies, applied to Captain Gore for the assistance of a few hands to
navigate a vessel he had purchased at Macao, up to Canton. Captain Gore
judging this a good opportunity for me to proceed to that place, gave
orders that I should take along with me my second lieutenant, the
lieutenant of marines, and ten seamen. Though this was not precisely the
mode in which I could have wished to visit Canton, yet as it was very
uncertain when the passport might arrive, and my presence might contribute
materially to the expediting of our supplies, I did not hesitate to put
myself on board, having left orders with Mr Williamson, to get the
Discovery ready for sea as soon as possible, and to make such additions and
alterations in her upper works, as might contribute to make her more
defensible. That the series of our astronomical observations might suffer
no interruption by my absence, I entrusted the care of continuing them to
Mr Trevenen, in whose abilities and diligence I could repose an entire
confidence.

We left the harbour of Macao on the 11th of December, and sailing round the
south-eastern extremity of the island, we steered to the northward,
leaving, as we passed along, Lantao, Lintin, and several smaller islands,
to the right. All these islands, as well as that of Macao, which lie to the
left, are entirely without wood; the land is high and barren, and
uninhabited, except occasionally by fishermen. As we approached the Bocca
Tygris, which is thirteen leagues from Macao, the Chinese coast appears to
the eastward in steep white cliffs; the two forts, commanding the mouth of
the river, are exactly in the same state as when Lord Anson was there; that
on the left is a fine old castle, surrounded by a grove of trees, and has
an agreeable romantic appearance.

We were here visited by an officer of the customs; on which occasion the
owner of the vessel, being apprehensive that, if we were discovered on
board, it would occasion some alarm, and might be attended with
disagreeable consequences, begged us to retire into the cabin below.

The breadth of the river above these forts is variable, the banks being low
and flat, and subject to be overflowed by the tide to a great extent. The
ground on each side is level and laid out in rice-fields; but as we
advanced, it rose gradually into hills of considerable declivity, the sides
of which are cut into terraces, and planted with sweet potatoes, sugar-
canes, yams, plant