84 REMAINS OF A BATTERY. [1843. 



mount on Y-ki-ma, and near the spot where the disaster 

 of the 'Providence' must have occurred, having the 

 points of the compass cut upon it. It was a column or 

 pedestal of stone, on a mount used as a look-out, or 

 lounging place for smoking; a similar stone was also 

 noticed upon one of the highest islands of the northern 

 coast of Koo-kien-san, elevated about 1,500 feet above the 

 level of the sea ; in both cases the direction of the Mag- 

 netic Meridian, tested by theodolite, was found to be 

 correct. 



We entertained the chiefs of both groups of islands on 

 board the ' Samarang', and amused them on shore by 

 the exhibition of the magic lanthorn ; it did not, however, 

 create much surprise amongst them : at Pa-tchung-san 

 the chiefs expressed a wish to see the guns fired, but 

 even this did not elicit particular astonishment. They 

 had probably occasion, at some distant period, to think 

 of defence ; as at Ty-pin-san, near their largest town, I ob- 

 served walls which only required the presence of guns to 

 constitute a battery, and was furnished with a loop-holed 

 screen in front to serve the use of archers or matchlocks. 

 These works might have been constructed either as a 

 defence against ths Chinese or Ladrone pirates, which 

 formerly infested these seas, or they may have furnished 

 a stronghold to the pirates themselves. The houses in 

 the immediate vicinity were also of stone, roofed with 

 tiles, and the road for a considerable distance well paved ; 

 but this was the only spot, on any of these islands, 

 which exhibited any marks of strength. The inhabitants 

 were not disposed to prevent our entry, but, on the con- 

 trary, offered the walled position, on which a staff and 



