Account of a voyage of discovery to the west coast of Corea, and the great Loo-Choo IslandHall, Basil
History
Account of a voyage of discovery to the west coast of Corea, and the great Loo-Choo Island
Hall, Basil
Korea -- Description and travel; Ryukyu Islands -- Description and travel
[Footnote 7: Chin-chin in the corrupt dialect of Canton, means the
ceremony of salutation, which consists in the action of holding up the
closed hands, pressed together before the face, and bowing at the same
time.]
[Footnote 8: Ta-whang-tee is Chinese for Emperor, King.]
[Footnote 9: Chopsticks are two pieces of ivory or wood, about a foot in
length, of the thickness of a quill; they serve in China instead of a
knife and fork, and are held in the right hand. Until the difficult art
of holding them is attained, they are perfectly useless. The Chief at
this feast, seeing that we made little progress, ordered sharp pointed
sticks to be brought, which he good humouredly recommended our using
instead of the chopsticks.]
[Footnote 10: A large collection, which was at this time made of these
Zoophites, was unfortunately lost in the Alceste.]
CHAPTER III.
The Lyra sent to survey the Island of Loo-choo--Discovery of Port
Melville--Description of that Harbour, and the Villages on its
Banks--Lyra nearly wrecked--Interview with Natives at the South
Point--Return to Napakiang--Behaviour of the Natives at a Seaman's
Funeral--Madera's Character and Conduct--Sociable Habits of the
Natives--Dinner given to the Chiefs of the Island by Captain
Maxwell--Madera's Behaviour on this Occasion--Two Women seen--A Lady
of Rank visits the Boatswain's Wife--Captain Maxwell fractures his
Finger--Loo-choo Surgeon--Concern of the Natives--Visit of the
Prince--Discussion about the King of Loo-choo's Letter--Madera
appears in a new Character--Feast given by the Prince--List of
Supplies given to the Ships--Behaviour of the Prince on taking
Leave--Preparations for Departure--Madera's Distress--Last Interview
with the Chiefs--Brief Memorandums upon the Religion, Manners, and
Customs of Loo-choo--Advice to a Stranger visiting this Island.
As soon as the survey of Napakiang anchorage was completed, and a
perfectly good understanding established with the natives, it was
determined to make a survey of the whole island, and the Lyra was
ordered upon this service. She were absent about a week, during which
period the general chart of the island was constructed. It will be
obvious to every one acquainted with the subject, that, in so short a
time, a very exact survey of the coast of an island nearly sixty miles
long could not have been made: yet, as the weather was in general fine,
and other circumstances favourable, the chart will be found sufficiently
correct for most practical purposes. As the chart and the nautical and
hydrographical details are given in the Appendix, I propose at present
to relate only such particulars of the cruise as seem likely to interest
the general reader.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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