22.
I then proceeded on, and hove to off the entrance of Junk's channel, but having no pilot on board, the place being surrounded by sand banks, and there being no junks in sight with whom I could communicate, I did not conceive it prudent to remain there in Her Majesty's steam vessel under my command; and the island mentioned in Mr. Taylor's letter being no less than 25 miles distant from any spot where I could with safety anchor, I was unwilling to send a boat up the channels to make inquiry, as I imagined such a proceeding would be attended with too much danger. I therefore steamed slowly down the coast of Hainan, speaking, as opportunities occurred, with such of the fishing vessels as lay in my course, and from all of them I obtained precisely the same information as had been previously afforded me by the junks communicated with off the Taya-Islands.
There did not appear to be the slightest sign of habitation along the entire coast.
Early on the morning of the 10th instant, I arrived off Tinhosa Island; but I found this place, like the other part of the coast, entirely uninhabited; there being neither any junks in sight; nor, after looking well into the bay without anchoring, anything, which could have conduced to the furtherance of this object in view.
I judged it my duty to return to Hongkong.
I had intended on my passage back to this port to have touched at Tien-pak, with the view of ascertaining whether the piratical fleet were still at anchor there; but at 3 o'clock on the morning of the 11th instant, several of the tubes commenced to give way in the