Most Of The Islands In This Group Have Some Chinese
Inhabitants.
We were very civilly treated by the Tartar governor, who
sent us some presents, and among the rest a heifer, the beef of which
was excellent; but would not allow us to trade, or even to land on the
isle.
We sailed thence on the 29th July, passing the S.W. end of Formosa, a
large island reaching from lat. 22 deg. to 25 deg. 18' both N. and in long. 121 deg.
E. It was formerly well inhabited by the Chinese, and frequented by the
English; but the Tartars have since spoiled the harbour, lest the
Chinese should fortify themselves there. On the 6th August we came to
anchor on the east side of the northermost of the Five Islands, or
Bashees, in fifteen fathoms. These islands are from the latitude of
20 deg. 26' to 21 deg. 13' both N. and long. 121 deg. 50' E. Contrary to our
expectations, we found three or four large towns on the island at which
we anchored. The westmost of these islands, which the Dutch among us
named Orange isle, is the largest, being seven or eight leagues from
N. to S. and two from E. to W. There are two other large islands to the
S. of this; the northern of which we named Grafton isle, which is four
leagues from N. to S. and a league and a half from E. to W. The other,
and most southerly, we named Monmouth isle, being three leagues from
N. to S. and one from E. to W. Two other isles, lying E. and W. between
Monmouth isle and the S. end of Orange isle, we called Bashee isle,
from a certain liquor we drank there, and Goat isle.
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