VOL. XXIII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 6q3 



instance I was acquainted with, when the intumescence proved so great, that 

 at length the abdominal teguments were vastly extended ; but the gentlewoman 

 recovered on the happy delivery of two large children. 



j4bslrcict of tivo Letters from Mr. James Cunningham, F. R. S. and Physician 

 to the English at Chusan in China, giving an Account of his Voyage tldther, 

 of the Island of ('husan, of the several Sorts of Tea, of the Fishing, Agri- 

 culture of the Chinese, i^c. N" iSO, p. 1201, 



On the 31st of August, 1701, we anchored under the Crocodile islands, 

 both to shelter us from the bad weather, which is generally expected on this 

 coast at new and full moon, and also to look for fresh water : these are 3 small 

 islands lying in the latitude of 26°, about 6 leagues from the river of Hock- 

 sieu ; on two of which we found very good water, with a convenient watering- 

 place on the south west side of the innermost of the three ; and by the assist- 

 ance of a few Chinese fishermen we procured some fresh provisions from the 

 main land ; for we did not think it safe to adventure ourselves thither, lest we 

 should have been brought into trouble by the government there. While we 

 lay here, on the 5th of September, we had a sudden short shift of the monsoon 

 to S. W. the fury of which was felt by others in coming upon the coast of 

 China at the same time. The 8th of September we put to sea again, turning 

 to windward night and day without all the islands, which are very numerous 

 along this coast, to which we were altogether strangers beyond Emuy, and the 

 hydrography thereof is hitherto so imperfect, that there was no trusting to our 

 drafts, which made our navigation somewhat more dangerous : however, on the 

 1st of October we got into the latitude of 30°, where we came to an anchor 

 near the land, till we found the way by boat to Chusan, about 12 leagues 

 within the islands ; from whence we had a pilot, who carried us safely thither 

 on the 11th of October. Upon this island the Chinese have granted us a 

 settlement and liberty of trade, but not to Ning-po, which is 6 or 8 hours 

 sail to the westward, all the way among islands ; this being the largest, is 8 or 

 9 leagues in length from east to west, and 4 or 5 leagues in breadth ; about 3 

 leagues from that point of the main land called Cape Liampo by the Portuguese, 

 but Khi-tu by the Chinese : at the west end of this island is the harbour, very 

 safe and convenient, where the ships ride within call of the factory, which is 

 built close by the shore on a low plain valley, with near 200 houses about it for 

 the benefit of trade ; inhabited by men, whose jealousy, has not as yet per- 

 mitted them to let their wives dwell here ; for the town where they reside 

 is 4 of a mile further from the shore, environed with a fine stone wall, about 

 3 miles in circumference, mounted with 22 square bastions, placed at irregular 



