500 
VOYAGE TO THE 
CHAP. We saw no shells of any value. A few cardium, trochus, and 
XVII ^ 
strombus were brought me by An-yah, and the baliotis was seen on the 
beach ; but the history of this island states that mother of pearl, large 
flat shells nearly transparent, and cowries formed part of the tribute to 
Japan. An-yah, however, assured me there were no pearl shells upon 
the coast. 
Jhe climate of Loo Choo must be very mild, from the nature of 
the dwelling-houses and the di’ess of the people ; the mean temperature 
of the air, for the fortnight which we passed in the harbour, was 70°. Un- 
like the Typa, we here experienced no great transitions, but an almost 
. uniform temperature, which dissipated all the sickness the Typa had 
occasioned. W e had, however, a good deal of rain in this time, which 
was about the change of the monsoon. By An-yah’s account this island 
is occasionally visited by violent ta-foongs (mighty wdnds), which un- 
roof the houses and destroy the crops, and do other damage. They had 
experienced one, only the month previous to our arrival, which we w’ere 
told had destroyed a great deal of rice, and was the cause of so many 
Japanese vessels being in the port. In 1708 it appears that one of 
these hurricanes did incalculable mischief, and occasioned much misery. 
The inhabitants seem to entertain a great dread of famine, and it is not 
improbable that these ta-foongs may occasion the evil. April, May, 
June, July, August, and September are the months in which these winds 
are liable to occur. 
The harbour of Napa-kiang, though open to winds from the north, 
by the west, to south-west is very secure, provided ships anchor in the 
Barnpool ; a bay formed by the coral, to the northward of the Capstan 
Bock. In the outer anchorage, at high water, there is sometimes a con- 
siderable swell ; and were it to blow hard from the westward at the time 
of the spring tides I have no doubt it would be sensibly felt. The reefs 
which afford protection to the harbour are scarcely above the sea at low 
water neap tides, and some remain wholly covered. In general they 
are much broken, and have many knolls in their vicinity, which ought 
to make ships cautious how they stand towards them. There are two 
entrances to tlie outer harbour, one from the northward, and the other 
from the westward. The former is narrow, and has several dangerous 
