aptains, and as Luco was desirous of our perusing it, we broke
the seal, and found it to be written by the bishop who wrote the
certificate. Its contents were as follows: "That having reason to expect,
by some late intelligence from Europe, that a vessel would soon come to
Cochin China, he had, in consequence of this news, got the court to send a
_Mandarin_ (the bearer) to Pulo Condore, to wait its arrival; that if the
vessel should put in there, the commander might either send by the bearer
an account to him of his arrival, or trust himself to the _Mandarin_, who
would pilot him into a well-sheltered port in Cochin China, not more than a
day's sail from Condore; that, should he choose to remain in Condore till
the return of the messenger, proper interpreters would be sent back, and
any other assistance, which a letter should point out, be furnished; that
it was unnecessary to be more particular, of which the captain himself must
be sensible." This letter had the same date as the certificate, and was
returned to Luco again, without any copy being taken.

From this letter, and the whole of Luco's conversation, there remained
little doubt, that it was a French ship he was to expect; at the same time
we found he would be glad not to lose his errand, and had no objection to
become our pilot. We could not discover from the _Mandarin_, the exact
object and business which the vessel he was waiting for intended to
prosecute in Cochin China. It is true, that our interpreter, the black, was
extremely dull and stupid, and I should therefore be sorry, with such
imperfect means of information, to run the risk of misleading the reader by
any conjectures of my own, respecting the object of Luco's visit to this
island. I shall only add, that he told us the French ships might perhaps
have put into Tirnon, and from thence sail to Cochin China; and as he had
received no intelligence of them, he thought this most likely to have been
the case.

Captain Gore's enquiries were next directed to find out what supplies could
be obtained from the island. Luco said, that he had two buffaloes of his
own, which were at our service; and that there were plenty on the island,
which might be purchased for four or five dollars a head; but finding that
Captain Gore thought that sum exceedingly moderate, and would willingly
give for them a much greater, the price was afterward raised upon us to
seven and eight dollars.

Early in the morning of the 23d, the