42& 



A VOYAGE TO 



1779- 

 December. 



Saturday 1 1 . 



Williamfon, to get the Difcovery ready for fea as foon as 

 poflible, and to make fuch additions and alterations in her 

 upper works, as might contribute to make her more defen- 

 fible. That the feries of our aftronomical obfervations 

 might fuffer no interruption by my abfence, I intruded the 

 care of continuing them to Mr. Trevenen, in whofe abili- 

 ties and diligence I could repofe an intire confidence. 



We left the harbour of Macao on the nth of December, 

 and failing round the South Eaftern extremity of the ifland, 

 we fleered to the Northward, leaving, as we pafTed along, 

 Lantao Lintin, and feveral fmaller iflands, to the right. All 

 thefc iflands, as well as that of Macao, which lie to the 

 left, are-intirely without wood; the land is high and bar- 

 ren, and uninhabited, except occafionally by fifhermen. As 

 we approached the Bocca Tygris, which is thirteen leagues 

 from Macao, the Chinefe coaft appears to the Eaftward in 

 fteep white cliffs ; the two forts, commanding the mouth of 

 the river, are exactly in the fame ftate as when Lord Anfon 

 was here ; that on the left is a fine old caftle, furrounded 

 by a grove of trees, and has an agreeable romantic ap- 

 pearance. 



We were here vifited by an officer of the cuftoms ; on 

 which occafion the owner of the vefTel, being apprehenfive 

 that, if we were difcovered on board, it would occafion fome 

 alarm, and might be attended with difagreeable confe- 

 quences, begged us to retire into the cabin below. 



The breadth of the river above thefe forts is variable, the 

 banks being low and flat, and fubject to be overflowed by 

 the tide to a great extent. The ground on each fide is level, 

 and laid out in rice fields ; but as we advanced, it rofe gra- 

 dually into hills of confiderable declivity, the fides of which 



are 



