As if to make all things work comfortably, the setting in of the south-west monsoon brought foreign ships to Whampoa to receive cargoes of teas, which were meanwhile arriving from the interior, from August to November; and the north-east monsoon, as the ships loaded and left the port in succession, blew them down again. The only exceptions were known as 'out-of-season ships,' of which there were rarely over two yearly. These came east about _viâ_ Gilolo or Dampier's Straits, and they took away the last teas of a season. An occasional ship, trusting to good weatherly qualities, would take the Palawan passage _late_ in the year, beat up under the coast of Luconia to Cape Boleno, and then stretch across the China Sea; but it was dangerous from its numerous shoals, and a vessel would be dreadfully knocked about, even if successful. About 1830 or 1831 a bold and successful attempt to set the north-east monsoon at defiance was made by the _first_ opium clipper. She was called the 'Red Rover,' and was commanded by Captain Clifton, owned at, and from Calcutta. It was considered a most extraordinary performance. The earliest shipments of a season were made from Whampoa by the East India Company, in November usually. They consisted of contracts made at the end of the previous year. They could be seen in large quantities stored in the Hongs, waiting the first ships to come in. These teas were currently known as 'winter teas,' and went to keep up the quantity of one year's supply which the Company was bound by its Charter to keep on hand in London at all times. Continuous shipments followed, so that by the end of the year or a little later their vessels were all away. To the United States green teas were exported almost solely until about 1828, when the first blacks were shipped; after that date they became a feature in the trade. Contracts were made for the new season's teas, either at fixed prices, or, if it was an object to get a ship off quickly, then the prices were governed by those of the opening of the market. The 'opening' of the tea season was eagerly looked forward to; and such was the contrast between the busy and the dull season that during the former we were repeatedly in the offices until two o'clock in the morning. The seasons of 1830 to 1838 were particularly active ones, and besides business with India, England, and the West Coast of America, our own house had frequently at Whampoa at one time ten to fifteen ships (in the year 1833 twenty-two), every one loading teas and silks for the United States, and, after 1833, vessels loading for England as well. It was during one of these years--I think 1834--that we despatched the _first_ English vessel from Whampoa that had yet carried a full cargo of free teas to New South Wales; she was named the 'Royal Saxon,' and was commanded by Captain Robert Towns.