346 OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA. [1845. 



as spies, put an end to our conference. They seemed to 

 be very much surprised at the facility with which our 

 Chinese interpreter expressed himself in the court dialect 

 of China, and particularly at his assisting us, probably 

 termed here, as in China, barbarians. They were so far, 

 or pretended to be, ignorant of our transactions with the 

 Celestial Empire, that they doubted the assertion of the 

 interpreter, that England did not pay tribute to China ; 

 and when informed of their submission and payment of 

 six millions of dollars, as ransom at Canton, and further 

 discomfiture, and payment of twenty-four millions, at 

 Nankin, they termed him a very bad man, to tell such 

 untruths of his country. 



Another gross insult, similar to that noticed at our first 

 visit, occurred here, but on this occasion, I not only allowed 

 justice to take its course, but insisted on the instant re- 

 moval of the offender from the island. On the 14th of 

 July we completed our tour, resuming our old position 

 off the eastern island, which, as we were unable to 

 obtain any native name either for it, or any of the other 

 islets, or promontories, I have thought fit to designate as 

 Beaufort Island, after our worthy chief, at the head of the 

 Hydrographic department. 



I am not aware that any European has before landed 

 on, or surveyed, this island, although from its represen- 

 tation on the charts of former navigators, it is roughly, 

 but incorrectly, exhibited. Throughout its extent it has 

 but one safe anchorage, and that happens to be on the 

 spot where, with our customary good fortune, we first 

 dropped anchor. The second temporary roadstead, from 

 whence a vessel would be compelled to seek an offing, at 



