jured by the sim's mysj while persona venturing iti ihcm have 

 been scorched lo dcmbj thtjreforc people do tiot uar*5 to coa- 

 dam iheir use,* 



Jl|l^ THE Ata auN. 

 This resemblea in eonie respects a common gun, havin^a 

 handle that infljr bs pulled up and down ; when usjed thrg 

 handle must be worked, and the bullet put in ; the sound of 

 the explosion 19 not loud. This inatnimenc is capble 

 of doing injury, and the taws of the Dutch alrictly prohibit 

 its use ; should *ny of the people ofTend against ihls prohi- 

 bition tbey are soon diiecoFcred^ hence no one dares to pur- 

 chase them. 



THE MAKIkBEL's compass, OR 



SOUTH-FOIMTING 



In the mariner's compass met wiih on board of Dutch 

 fihipa they do not use a needle, but a fiat piece of steel, broad 

 in ihe middle, and tajiering towards each end, resembling a 

 flhutlle ; in tlie centre is a small hollow place, which fits on 

 to a pin fixed lindcrnealh j thus it appeara like an t+nibrella,! 

 that can turn round ; on the surface are writen certain Euro- 

 pean characttirs, with sixteea points, called east, west, south, 

 and north ; also eouth^east and nortli-east, south- west and 

 Dorth-wcet ; they further s|jeak of ihe right and left of the 

 eomtb-east, and north-east^ fiouCh-west and north-west ; thus 

 forming a complete scheme. When Chinese mariners wish 

 to proceed any where,*they turn the cliaraciera of ihe com pass, 

 to accommodate it to the position of th* vessel ; ijut when 

 European sailors want to go towards any quarter^ they turn 



* Thin ftcoount of the balloon it evidently taken froto the Teporli of 

 todtie partiaHy-informejdl Europe&nB, who have attempt£d to describe it to 

 ear author ^ howe%'er^ ballooni!' have never been seen in the eaat, it 

 IS bftrdl)' to be expected that a Chinese should Buccted in giving a. 

 correrl account of them. 



t The Gbiiieae pa^r umbrtUas are nearly ilat when opened out. 



