PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT. 
511 
the palace of the king was burned, and hurricanes did incalculable CHAP, 
mischief, and when the people were dying daily with contagious 
diseases, Kang-hi used every endeavour to mitigate their distress, and, Ma>y 
by his humanity and generosity, secured to himself the lasting grati- 
tude of the inhabitants of Loo Choo. 
In 1719 he sent Supao-koang, a learned physician, to make himself 
acquainted with the nature and productions of the island, and to inform 
himself of every particular concerning the government and the people. 
Since that period nothing is mentioned of Loo Choo in Chinese history, 
beyond the periodical payment of the tribute, and the arrival of am- 
bassadors from that country at the court of Pekin. 
In 1771 the well-known Count Benyowsky touched at an island 
belonging to Loo Choo, named Usmay-Ligon, where he found that 
almost all the inhabitants had been converted to Christianity by a Jesuit 
missionary. If we can credit his statement, he was treated by the na- 
tives with the greatest hospitality and unreserve. Contrary to the 
custom of the eastern Asiatic nations, these people brought their 
daughters to the count and his associates, and pressed them to select 
wives from among them. In short, the conduct of the inhabitants is 
described as being so engaging, that some of Benyowsky ’s crew de- 
termined to remain with them, and were actually left behind when 
the count put to sea. And the natives, on the other hand, are asserted 
to have been so attached to their visiters, that they made them pro- 
mise to return and form a settlement among them, and signed a treaty 
of friendship with the count. The veracious traveller found muskets 
with matchlocks in use with these people; and to add to their means 
of defence, on his departure he presented them with 80 muskets of 
his own, 600 swords, and 600 pikes, besides 20 barrels of powder and 
10 barrels of musket-balls. 
Loo Choo in 1 796 was visited by Captain Broughton, and in 1 80S 
by the ship Frederick of Calcutta, which made an unsuccessful effort 
to dispose of her cargo. The inhabitants on both these occasions were, 
as usual, extremely civil and polite, but resisted every attempt at open- 
ing a commerce. The next mention of this interesting island is in the 
Well-known publications of Captain Basil Hall, and of Mr. M’Cleod, the 
surgeon of the Alceste. 
