Chinese mandarins, consume the far greater part of their profits.  Each of their vessels, on going up to Canton, has in the first place to pay L100 sterling for leave to trade.  They are next obliged to make a considerable present, for permission to have their goods brought on board by the Chinese, to whom they must not only pay ready money for all they buy, but have sometimes to advance the price beforehand for a year.  After all this, they have to make another present for leave to depart, at least double the amount of what they formerly paid for liberty to trade; and they have to pay heavy duties to the emperor for every thing they buy or sell, besides their enormous presents to his ministers.

SECTION IV.

Residence of Captain Clipperton at Macao, and Returns from thence to England.

On entering the port of Macao in the Success, Captain Clipperton saluted the fortress, which compliment was returned.  He then went on shore, where he prevailed on the captain of a Portuguese ship of war, formerly mentioned, to carry the property belonging to his owners to Brazil.  At this place, the crew of the Success found themselves considerably at a loss, as the Portuguese commander declared himself entirely in favour of Captain Clipperton.  Captain Cook, therefore, and another of the officers of the Success, went up to Canton, to consult with Mr Winder, supercargo of an English East Indiaman, and son to one of the principal owners, as to what should be done with, the Success.  On their return, the ship was surveyed, condemned, and sold for 4000 dollars, which was much less than her worth.  This was, however, no fault in Captain Clipperton, who, to shew that he still adhered to his former opinion, that the ship was fit to proceed to England, agreed with the persons who purchased her for a passage to Batavia, a convincing proof that he did not believe her in any danger of foundering at sea.

The ship being sold, the crew naturally considered themselves at liberty to shift for themselves, and to use their best endeavours each to save what little remained to him, after their unfortunate expedition.  All were satisfied that Captain Mitchell, with his crew and cargo, had either gone to the bottom or fallen into the hands of the Spaniards, so that they had no hopes of any farther dividend from that quarter; yet it was some consolation that they were so near the English factory at Canton, and as six dollars were required for a passage to that place in one of the Chinese boats, twenty of them agreed to go there immediately, in hopes of getting a passage from thence to England.  Mr Taylor, one of the mates of the Success, was of the number:  But before the boat set sail, he had some presentiment of danger, and chose rather to lose his money, by waiting for another opportunity.  He had reason to be satisfied with himself for this conduct; as he soon learnt that the boat tad been taken by a pirate, and the people stript