Yet All That Has Been Recorded By Harris Of These Remarks, Give
Only A Very Imperfect Account Of Chusan And Of China.
This short article
consists of extracts from two letters written by Cunningham from Chusan,
and a brief supplement by Harris respecting two unfortunate factories at
Pulo Condore and Pulo Laut.
- E.
[Footnote 318: Harris. I. 852.]
[Footnote 319: Annals of the E.I. Co. vol. II. and III. passim.]
Sec.1. Voyage to Chusan, and short Notices of that Island.[320]
In my last letter, from the island of Borneo, I gave you an account of
our arrival at that island on the 17th July. We only remained there two
days, as the season of the year was already far advanced, and made the
best of our way from thence through the Straits of Banda,[321] with
favourable winds and weather. We got upon the coast of China on the 13th
August, when we had variable winds, which carried us abreast of
Emoy[322] by the 19th following. The wind then set in fresh at N.E. so
that we were in great fear of losing our passage, and were now obliged
to beat up all the way against both wind and current; yet the weather
remained so favourable that we were never obliged to hand our top-sails,
otherwise we must have lost more way in a single day than we could have
recovered in eight. On the 31st August we came to anchor under the
Crocodile islands,[323] both for shelter from the bad weather, usual
on this coast at new and full-moon, which has been fatal to many ships,
and also to procure fresh water, now scarce with us, as we had not
recruited our store since leaving the Cape of Good Hope. These are three
small islands in lat. 26 deg. N. about six leagues from the river of
Hokien, [Fo-kien] on two of which we found very good water, with a
convenient landing-place on the S.W. side of the innermost island. By
the assistance of some Chinese fishers, we procured also some fresh
provisions from the main land, not thinking it safe to venture there
ourselves, lest we may have been brought into trouble by the governor of
that part of the country. While here, on the 5th September, we had a
sudden short shift of the monsoon from the S.W. blowing with great fury;
which was also experienced by other vessels then coming on the coast of
China. We again put to sea on the 18th September, turning to windward
night and day on the outside of all the islands, which are very numerous
all along this coast, but with which we were unacquainted after passing
beyond Emoy. Besides, the hydrography of this coast is hitherto so
very imperfect, that we could not trust in any degree to our draughts,
owing to which our navigation was both difficult and dangerous.
[Footnote 320: From a letter to a member of the Royal Society, dated in
September, 1701.
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