Chap. III. 
GALE IN THE FORMOSA CHANNEL. 
31 
CHAPTER III. 
Leave Amoy — Gale in the Formosa Channel — Driven back to 
Chi moo — Chimoo Bay — Chinese Mode of paying Taxes — Cha- 
racter of the Natives — Journey to the Hills — Chimoo Pagoda — 
Interesting Scenery — Attacked and Eobbed — My Servant's 
Opinion of the State of Matters — Get back in Safety to the Shore 
— Novel Mode of crossing the wet Sands — The Bay of Chinchew. 
Having travelled all over the country adjacent to 
Amoy, and completed my researches, at the end of Sep- 
tember I sailed again towards the Formosa Channel, on 
my way to our most northern stations of Chusan, 
Ning-po, and Shanghae. The monsoon, however, had 
now changed from south-west to north-east, and w^e 
experienced very stormy weather, with strong northerly 
currents, which, of course were directJy against us. The 
vessel was at last obliged to put into the Bay of Chin- 
chew from stress of weather, and, having sprung her 
bowsprit in the gale, it was impossible for her to pro- 
ceed. At one time the sea was running so high, and 
the vessel plunging so much, that the whole of her decks 
were frequently under water. Some idea may be formed 
of the storm when I mention that a large fish weighing 
at least thirty pounds was thrown out of the sea upon 
the skylight on the poop, the frame of which was dashed 
to pieces, and the fish fell through, and landed upon the 
cabin table. 
