1832.] 
MACAO. 
337 
sistance to the Portuguese, who had an estabhshment at Sancian,' 
an island on the coast, with several ships of war in the harbour- 
which were instantly despatched against the pirates. The Portu- 
guese proved victorious, and raised the siege, and pursued the 
piratical chief as far as Macao, where he put a termination to his 
own existence. His band, however, or a nautical banditti of a 
similar^ class, long continued to infest the islands, coasts, and 
rivers in the neighbourhood, even until the year eighteen hundred 
and ten, when they were effectually subdued by the joint efforts 
of the Portuguese, English, and Chinese. 
When the Emperor of China was informed of the service 
which the Portuguese had rendered him on this occasion, he be- 
stowed on them the Peninsula of Macao, as a mark of his grati-^ 
tude. They had long wished to estabhsh themselves upon a 
footing more solid than the one they had at Sancian ;* and now 
proceeded with avidity to build a town on their new territory, 
which soon became very flourishing, being most advantageously 
situated for prosecuting a trade with Japan. It is defended by 
three forts. 
The approach to Macao, from the sea, is very beautiful in the 
daytime, and is not without its charms by a brilliant moonlight. 
It was midnight when the frigate came to anchor in the road. 
The following morning brought with it novelty, if nothing more. 
The fleet of little boats were all in motion. The land around 
seemed broken into a thousand hills, covered with stinted verdure. 
Macao, though distant, looked beautiful and highly picturesque. 
Every thing was new to the beholder, and strikingly characteristic 
of a foreign land. One reason, perhaps, why China, and every 
thing connected with it, imparts the idea of loonderful, is, that 
each stranger who visits this country is previously determined tO' 
be astonished at every thing he sees and hears ; nor will strange 
things be wanting ! 
Early in the morning, an oflScer was sent to communicate with 
the authorities of the town of Macao; and while he was' still 
absent on that duty, the Potomac's anchor was weighed, and her 
sails loosed. On the boat's return with the officer, the frigate was 
* Sancian is an island of China, on the coast of Quang-tong (Canton), forty miles 
m circumference, famous for being the bustial-place of Francis Xavier, whose tomb' 
is to be seen on a small hill. 
