Our pilot carried us between the islands of Bamboo and
Cabouce, but the winds hanging in the northern board, and the tides often
setting strongly against us, we were obliged to come frequently to an
anchor, so that we did not get through between the two islands till the
12th of November at two in the morning. At ten o'clock we happily
anchored in Macao road. Thus, after a fatiguing cruise of above two
years' continuance, we once more arrived in an amicable port in a
civilised country, where the conveniences of life were in great plenty;
where the naval stores, which we now extremely wanted, could be in some
degree procured; where we expected the inexpressible satisfaction of
receiving letters from our relations and friends; and where our
countrymen who were lately arrived from England would be capable of
answering the numerous enquiries we were prepared to make both about
public and private occurrences, and to relate to us many particulars
which, whether of importance or not, would be listened to by us with the
utmost attention, after the long suspension of our correspondence with
our country to which the nature of our undertaking had hitherto subjected
us.
CHAPTER 31.
MACAO--INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR--A VISIT TO CANTON.
The city of Macao is a Portuguese settlement situated in an island at the
mouth of the river of Canton. It was formerly a very rich and populous
city, and capable of defending itself against the power of the adjacent
Chinese governors, but at present it is much fallen from its ancient
splendour; for though it is inhabited by the Portuguese and has a
governor nominated by the King of Portugal, yet it subsists merely by the
sufferance of the Chinese, who can starve the place and dispossess the
Portuguese whenever they please.
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