332 MORE CRUISING AFTER PIRATES. 



Leaving Macao, aud steaming about thirty miles to 

 the west of Puckshui, I turned sharply to the right, and 

 towards the mainland, which was separated from the 

 chain of islands by ten or twelve miles of shallow 

 water, with only here and there a passage across it. 

 The water being invariably muddy, it was very difficult 

 to follow these narrow, deep lines of soundings, and 

 such I found it this time ; for after getting something 

 like half-way across towards the coast-line, the gun-boat 

 grounded, and all the pulling we could accumulate on 

 the anchor laid out for the purpose had no effect; 

 fortunately it was very nearly low-water, and the tide 

 would soon make. The aspect of the heavens suddenly 

 changed from bright sunshine to a mass of heavy and 

 gloomy-looking clouds, the wind rose quickly, and a 

 shower and squall approached from the eastward, and 

 quite shut out the land. The muddy water was soon 

 lashed into excitement with the increasing wind, and 

 looking all round the general impression was gloom 

 and unpleasantness. 



At this moment a junk emerged from the heavy 

 rain, and came booming on with her great sails full 

 before the breeze. That it must be the craft that we 

 were after I felt almost certain, and to stop him I was 

 determined. Pitching a big shot across his bows for 



