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Transcription
138
May 1854
May King Chian
night. I ordered our pilot to luff up in
to one of these coves, which appeared suit-
able for our purpose, but this measure pro-
ceived so much opposition from our Chinese
Crew, who assured us that we could not
pass the night there without an attack
from the pirates, that we finally let them
have their own way, and went again to
the little fishing village on the Main,
where we had spent the night of the
3rd. Here we came to anchor late in the
evening, set our watch and retired.
Saturday, May 6th
This being the last day of our excursion,
(as our provisions were nearly expended)
we determined to make the most
of it, and had our vessel underway
long before daylight. After dredging a
little in the bay, I put Mr Wright
ashore on the South side of San-too,
and then dredged along the shores of that is-
land nearly to its eastern extremity; tak-
ing two fine large Briesi, and several
fine Oliva, alive. The wind today was
from the N.E., and had increased to
a good breeze; and as it would have
taken a long time to beat out to the Nine
pin Islands, as I had intended, we took a stretch
between the E. point of Samtoo and the
island of Waglan, and dredged this line twice.
I met with very fair success, but with
the exception of certain interesting shells (in-
cluding a rare Triton (Persna) of Montfort)
the species were nearly the same as those ta-
kew on the first day. Having now fallen
considerably to leeward, we were obliged to
beat up to Samtoo against a fresh north
easter, and after boarding a few crawling
boats, and passing very closely a school of
blackfish or porpoises, we ran into a rocky
bay on the S. side of the isthmus which
connects the E. promontory or peninsula of
Samtoo with the main part of the island.
Seeing nothing of Mr Wright, and fearing
he had fallen among thieves, I sent Small
ashore, well armed, to hunt him up; with
directions to go to the highest part of the
ridge near us and examine closely the
country to the westward, to which Mr.
Wrights was advancing when last seen.
In the mean time I amused myself
by practicing with my rifle and the
139