Gower, kept the coast of China aboard only, and neither touched at the Tartar nor Corean side. Cooke, Perouse, Broughton, and others, had well defined the bounds on the eastern coast of this country, but the western had been laid down by the Jesuits in their map, from Chinese accounts and their own imaginations only[1].
Having thus materially benefited nautical science, Captains Maxwell and Hall visited the Great Loo-Choo island, anchoring in Napa-kiang roads on the 16th Sept. The natives at first shewed the same disinclination to intercourse as those of Corea, and it required great discretion and mildness to produce a contrary feeling. In this object, however, they succeeded. The judicious forbearance manifested by them on. their first arrival secured the favorable opinion, and disarmed the jealousy of the public authorities; whilst their uniform kindness of manner won the general regard of this truly amiable people, from whom they received the most liberal assistance and friendly treatment, during a stay of six weeks; at the end of which time their separation took place, under circumstances of mutual esteem and regret. Whether the Loo-Choo islands can be rendered either of political or commercial utility, may deserve consideration; and looking to the possibility of the question being decided in the affirmative, the information thus obtained respecting them, and the favorable impression produced, must be deemed both interesting and important[2].
Returning from Loo-Choo, the Alceste and Lyra passed the Pa-tchou islands, and the south end of Formosa, crossed
- ↑ Captain Maxwell found the main land of Corea from 100 to 130 miles farther to the eastward than his charts led him to believe.
- ↑ Captain Hall, on his return to England, published a very interesting narrative of the “Voyage to Corea, and the Island of Loo-Choo.” This work he dedicated to Sir Murray Maxwell, “to whose ability in conducting the voyage, zeal in giving encouragement to every inquiry, sagacity in discovering the disposition of the natives, and address in gaining their confidence and good will,” he attributes “whatever may be found interesting” in his pages.
The first edition of Captain Hall’s publication, which gives a full account of the voyage to Corea and Loo-Choo, is divided into a Narrative, an Appendix, containing charts and various nautical and scientific notices, and a Vocabulary of the Loo-Choo language. The second edition is confined to
