424 
A VOYAGE TO 
1779- might contribute materially to the expediting of our fun- 
December ^ o 1 
plies, I did not hefitate to put myfelf on board, having 
left orders with Mr. Williamfon, to get the Difcovery ready 
for fea as foon as pofiible, and to make fuch additions and 
alterations in her upper works, as might contribute to 
make her more defenfible* That the feries of our agro¬ 
nomical obfervations might fuffer no interruption by my 
abfence, I Intrufted the care of continuing them to Mr. 
Trevenen, in whofe abilities and diligence I could repofe' 
an intire confidence. 
Saturday 11. We left the harbour of Macao on the nth of December, 
and failing round the South Eaftern extremity of the ifland, 
we ileered to the Northward, leaving, as we pafled along, 
Lantao, Lintin, and feveral fmaller iflands, to the right. All 
thefe illands, as well as that of Macao, which lie to the 
left, are entirely without wood ; the land is high and bar¬ 
ren, and uninhabited, except occafionally by fifhermen. As 
we approached the Bocca Tygris, which is thirteen leagues 
from Macao, the Ghinefe coaft appears to the Ealhvard in 
fteep white cliffs; the two forts, commanding the mouth 
of the river, are exactly in the fame ftate as when Lord 
Anfon was here; that on the left is a fine old caftle, fur- 
rounded by a grove of trees., and has an agreeable roman¬ 
tic appearance. 
We were here vilited by an officer of the cuftoms; on 
which occafion the owner of the veflel, being apprehenfive 
that, if we were difeovered on board, it would occafion fome 
alarm, and might be attended with difagreeable confe- 
quences, begged us to retire into the cabin below. 
The breadth of the river above thefe forts is variable, the 
banks being low and flat, and fiibje£t to be overflowed by 
the tide to a great extent. The ground on each fide is level, 
and 
