[5] Edinburgh Review, Vol. IX. p. 332. JAMES SMITH. _Jordonhill, May, 1816._ VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. CHAPTER I. Departure from England--Voyage to China--Transactions at Canton--Author enters on board an American ship--Passage to Kamschatka--Touches at Japan--Transactions there--Arrives at the harbour of St. Peter and St. Paul--Some account of the Russian settlement in that place. Early in May, 1806, I entered as seaman on board the Thames Indiaman, Matthew Riches, Esq. commander, on a voyage to China. We sailed on the 14th of that month from Motherbank, in company with the Arniston, Royal Charlotte, Glatton, Marquis of Ely, Marquis of Wellesley, Monarch, Cirencester, and Neptune, Indiamen, under convoy of the Lion, 64, and Medusa frigate; we were also accompanied by a fleet of transports, with troops, destined for the expedition to Buenos Ayres. In our voyage to the Cape of Good Hope, no incident occurred worthy of being recorded, not even the ordinary ceremonies upon crossing the line. We had a detachment of the 30th regiment on board, the commanding officer of which did not choose that the men should undergo the ducking usual upon that occasion. About this time I was appointed sail-maker’s mate. We arrived at the Cape on the 7th of August, and remained there 15 days. We sailed from thence on the 22d; and on the day after our departure, encountered a severe gale of wind. It came on so suddenly that we had only time to take in our studding sails; all the others, except the fore and fore-top gallant sails, were blown out of the bolt ropes; the ship was running before the wind, and broached to several times; fortunately, however, we suffered no other damage than the loss of the sails. We experienced two other gales whilst in the Indian seas, but, being better prepared, met with no material accident. On the 12th of September we saw the island of St. Paul, and arrived at Pulo Penang, or Prince of Wales’ Island, about the middle of October. We proceeded on our voyage for China on the 24th of November, and anchored at Wampoa on the 18th of January, 1807. Having remained there nearly six weeks, and taken in about half of our cargo, an unfortunate dispute took place between the crew of the Neptune and some Chinese, in which one of the latter lost his life. In consequence of this, the government insisted that a man should be given up in his place, and stopped the loading of the ships to enforce compliance with this demand, threatening, at the same time, to prevent their departure by choking up the second bar.[6] As a measure of precaution the ships dropped down the river below the bar, and a boat was despatched to Canton to wait the orders of the commodore. [6] For an account of the dispute, see Appendix, No. IV. Note B.