surrounded by fishing-boats, and we once more sent the cutter on board
one of them to endeavour to procure a pilot, but could not prevail.
However, one of the Chinese directed us by signs to sail round the
westernmost of the islands or rocks of Lema, and then to haul up. We
followed this direction, and in the evening came to anchor in eighteen
fathoms.

After having continued at anchor all night, we on the 9th, at four in the
morning, sent our cutter to sound the channel where we proposed to pass;
but before the return of the cutter a Chinese pilot put on board us, and
told us in broken Portuguese he would carry us to Macao for thirty
dollars. These were immediately paid him, and we then weighed and made
sail, and soon after several other pilots came on board us, who, to
recommend themselves, produced certificates from the captains of several
ships they had piloted in; but we continued the ship under the management
of the Chinese who came first on board. By this time we learned that we
were not far distant from Macao, and that there were in the river of
Canton, at the mouth of which Macao lies, eleven European ships, of which
four were English. 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 situ