Fait en six Expeditions, dont trois en Français, et
trois en
le
Espagnol, et de bonne for
quatre mai mil huit
(4 mai 1881)
a
Hong Kong
cent soixante et un.
Ont signé Approvada conforme
>
a la copia Camino
y
en Castellano
Ca
approuvant l' Ecriture ci dessus
M. de Foursan.
(Ince copy
Waalexander
Acting Colonial Secretary.
Captain Foursan's Puport-
Report of Captain de Foursan comman- ding "Ville D' Ayen" of Bordeaux. W left Hongkong 26th June 1861, having experienced calms and light easterly winds upill arrived at Kouehawong. The distance to this place is two hundred and twenty miles, The passage is dangerous on account of thei Tumerous pirates infesting the coast of Loo. choo, so that we have been obliged on several occasions to fire into junks that attempted) to follow the ship-wo saw on many occa- sions the pirates chasing peaceable traders. On the evening of 30th June we anchored E. and ]
. with mount Jacquelin bearing 10 miles. The following morning went into the bay of Kunchawong, passing over the bar, the sound- ings upon which were four fathoms and a half at low water. The soundings giving after- wards seven, eight, and teu fathoms, the bar! was distant four miles from the shore; after-' wards we stoered N. W. between two lines of breakers. Going in you must steer on the North side and bring up N. and S. between monst Jacquelin and the Pagoda Hill about the middle of the bay where you find fifteen to twenty fathoms withsa ny bottom. Great care must be taken of a shifting sand-bank about mount Jacquelin bearing S. 90 mount Pagoda N. 65, on this bank at low water there is only 2 fathoms and a half. The bay of Kunchawong is very spacious and has communication withi the interior of the province by natural canals and rivers. Rice and sugar is in great quantity, and the trade in the hands of the Chinese, and entirely unknown to Europeans. Any Eu- ropean house who would establish a branch there cannot fail to make a good business. It will be dangerous now to do so on account of the pirates bringing their illgotten goods for sale a few months ago some Macao lurchsa were there selling opium silk &c, and they had on board large sums of money $20,000. The Fille D'Agen went to Kunelawong to get a cargo of coolies for Callag. The pre- ceeding cargoes had been obtained most ra- pidly, but it was not the same with us as we found only 120 coolics when we arrived. We found the Chinese very badly disposed towards Europeans, and the Captains of the lorchas were warned several times as it was the intention of the Chinese to sieze them, We had a visit from Father Amat a French Missionary living at Leechow who told us that the Mandarins refused to post the treaty of Pekin over the streets, and were doing their best to set the people of the country against us. Two lorehas put at our service by the Company who chartered us were at anchor at the island of Taiching―ten miles from the ship, and came every ten or twelve days to the ship with the e solies obtained. On 16th Aug.we saw the loreha No. 16 coming down and as soon as the Iorcha was close to the ship the mate of said vessel came on board, and paid, that the inhabitants of Taiching had made prisoners of three sailors who had gone Jon shore to get provisions. He came to ask help to see if he could recover them. We gave him two of our men and ammunition and arms; he went back to Preet the other lorcha and the captains hold a meeting to see what could be arranged. It was resolved to catch as many of the inhabitants as they could so that they could be exchanged for the three men that had been caught on shore. Forty five were taken, at 8 PM. a Chinamen in our confidence who had been engaging coolies for jus came on board the lorcha No. 45, and came to say that he had lost his loreha- money-crew and Chinese G coolies lost four jinen drowned, and said that the three Chris- tians had been killed when they were taken; at 9 AM. saw an immense quantity of people jon shore, the lorehas fearing to be attacked bogan to lift the or anchors and commenced coming towards the vessel; at 10 PM the tide was favorable and when the people heard the anchor being raised from the shore an immerse
Inoise was heard beating drums, tomtoms &c., |
meanwhile our Chinese
confindent was nying to the Captain of the lorcha remain and not be afraid. but nevertheless the lorclias went down followed by immensenumbers of sampans, but which could not catch them. The Chinese confident seeing that it was im- possible to keep the lorcha inside the River and seeing the trickh ad failed told the mate of the orcha that a plot had been made by the people on shore to take the forchas that night, and come afterwards and attack the ship. All was well for an hour. The Cap-I tains of lorehas put watches on the hatchesj to watch the Chinese below. As soon as the lorcha was close to the ship the confidant rose with forty five Chinese. Three jumped on deck and fought with the watchñan but one was wounded, and two jumped into the hold. The Capt. came to our ship for help! and we sent officer and 6 armed men, who when arrived on board told the Chinese to surrender through the interpreter and no harm would acerue to them. The Chinese thinking they would all have to be killed on account of the three sailors killed they refused and began to throw all sorts of missiles at the Europeans who fired killing three with fire arms, and two with lances. The ery was to kill all Christians on deek annd that God would avenge them if they fell (Chinese.)
In their despair they made two holes in the bottom of the lorcha and all were drowned, but the lorcha did not sink having much fire- wood in side, and next morning she was hauled' ou shore and repaired and all dead bodies suck with sand bags. The following morning 20th. I received orders from the agent to sail and at 11.M. began to get the anchor up but being deeply imbolded in the sand, we lost one hour and had much trouble, this circumstance gave time to 5 heavily armed lorehas to come down, but it was too late, we had too much advance and we were able to save our lives and the ship I went out from the bay the wind being E. S. E. the lorcha's seeing it impossible to catch us, aucliored where we were an hour before Two Company's lorela's came with us at 5 F.. the moment of low tide we struck a sinul sandbank by 21 fths, waters, situated in aboutthe middle of pass, pilot said it was shifting. Happily for us the tide was rising but the sea was heavy the shocks were so powerful! that I feared to see the spars going over and I' had in a short time 24 in of water in hold. The wind increasing the tide came in fast I anchored waiting for fall tide. This circums tance compelled us to come to Hongkong.
The day of my departure from Kum- chawong, 20th Aug. I received 2 letters from father Amat. In the last be says. The letter written to the mandarin of Loochow by the coolie Co. Agent has been handed to him and I send you the answer. My catechist tells me that it is full of lies and is making fun of strangers is certain. The treaty of Pekin has not been posted anywhere here and he dislikes native Christians more than ever by the only fact that he thinks they have con- nection with foreigners. It will not bel long before we are persecuted and if you would write a word to the authorities at Can- ton you should oblige us greatly. I am going to do the same myself and the mandarins here refuse to do justice to the native Chris- tions."
I have just heard that you had 3 men killed I can't believe it true."
The news has arrived at Loochew the Mandarin was informed of it, and I doubt not that the attack was planned by him."
I just wish that this news should come to the notice of the Canton Authorities to induce them to see if some assistanco could not be; rendered to poor Father Amat who has been in that place for the last 10 years.
Trade
293
(Daily Press. Chiun braland Funds Report - 11. Sept. 1861.)
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