43^ 



VOYAGE TO 



December. 



Having procured an account of the price of provifions at 

 Canton, as fettled for the year 1780, which the reader will 

 find at the end of this Chapter, I have only to obferve, that 

 the different articles are fuppofed to be the bed of the kind; 

 and that the natives purchafe the fame for nearly one- 

 third lefs than the price, which in the lift ,is fixed only for 

 ftrangers. 



I had hitherto intended, as well to avoid the trouble and 

 delay of applying for paffports, as to fave the unneceffary 

 expence of hiring a Sampane, which I underftood amounted 

 at lead to twelve pounds fterling, to go along with the ftores 

 to Macao, in the country merchant's fliip I have before 

 mentioned : but having received an invitation from two 

 Englifh gentlemen, who had obtained paffports for four, I 

 accepted, along with Mr. Philips, their offer of places in a 

 Chinefe boat, and left Mr. Lannyon to take care of the men 

 and ftores, which were to fail the next day. In the evening of 

 the 26th, 1 took my leave of the fupercargoes, having 

 thanked them for their many obliging favours ; amongft 

 which I mull not forget to mention an handfome prefent 

 of tea, for the ufe of the fhips companies, and a large col- 

 lection of Englifh periodical publications. The latter we 

 found a valuable acquifition, as they both ferved to amufe 

 our impatience, during our tedious voyage home, and 

 enabled us to return not total ftrangers to what had been 

 tranfacting in our native country. At one o'clock, the next 

 morning, we left Canton, and arrived at Macao, about the 

 Tuefday a8. fume hour the day following, having paffed down a chan- 

 nel, which lies to the Wcftward of that by which we had 

 come up. 



Sunday 26. 



Monday 27. 



During 



