Every Merchant Has His Own Room, Or
Division, In The Hold, In Which He Stows His Own Goods, Sometimes
Lodging Along With Them.
These junks have only two masts, a main and
fore, the latter having a square-sail and yard, and the former a sail
that is narrow aloft, like a sloop's main-sail.
In fine weather they
have also a top-sail, which, in foul weather, they lower to the deck,
yard and all. The main-mast of one of their largest junks is equal in
size to that of our third-rate men of war, but all of one piece, not
built.
Fearing the approach of a storm, and wanting sea-room, we weighed on the
3d June, and stood out to sea; but next day we were assailed by the most
violent tempest at N.E. I ever saw, which lasted at intervals for three
days, when the weather became quite serene. We then refitted our ship,
but our men were so terrified by the last storm, and dreading the
approach of full moon, that we resolved to steer for the Pescadores,
or Fisher Isles, in lat. 23 deg. 40' N. off the western side of
Tai-ouan, or Formosa. This is a numerous group of islands in the
Straits of Formosa, having a good harbour between the two eastermost;
and on the west side of the most easterly there is a large town with a
fort, in which was a garrison of 300 Tartars. The houses in this town
were low, yet neatly built; and on the other island, on the west side of
the harbour, there was another small town near the sea, inhabited by
Chinese.
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