the name of several islands of Asia, in the Indian Ocean; the principal of which alone, according to Dr Brooke's, is inhabited. This is the island Pulo Condore, which, being visited by Lord Macartney as he sailed to China, is thus described by Sir George Staunton. "It has the advantage of convenient anchoring places in either monsoon. The squadron accordingly stopped on the 17th of May, in a spacious bay on the eastern side of the island; and came to anchor at the entrance of its southern extremity, as the water shoaled there to five fathoms and a half, occasioned by a bank which stretches across two-thirds of the entrance. It was found afterwards, that beyond the bank there is a safe passage to the inner part of the bay, the north of which is sheltered by a small island lying to the eastward. The whole of the bay is formed by four small islands, which approach so nearly to each other, as to appear, from several points, to join. They They all seem to be the rude fragments of primitive mountains, separated from the great continent in the lapse of time. The principal island is eleven or twelve miles in length, and about three in breadth. It is in the form of a crescent, and consists of a ridge of peaked hills. Its latitude, as calculated from a meridional observation, is $8^\circ 40'$ north from the equator; and its longitude, according to a good chronometer, is $105^\circ 55'$ east from Greenwich.

"The English had a settlement on Condore until the beginning of the present century, when some Malay soldiers in their pay, in resentment for some unjustifiable treatment, murdered their superiors, with the exception of a very few who escaped off the island, where no Europeans have since resided. At the bottom of the bay was a village situated close to a fine sandy beach, with a long range of cocoanut trees before it, and it was defended from the north-east sea by a reef of coral rocks, within which was good anchorage for small vessels, and an easy landing for boats. A party went on shore from Lord Macartney's squadron, with the precaution, however, of being armed, as large canoes were espied within the reef, which might have been Malay pirates. Several of the inhabitants came to the beach, and with the appearance of much urbanity of manners welcomed them on shore, and conducted them to the house of their chief. It was a neat bamboo cabin, larger than the rest. The floor was elevated a few feet above the ground, and strewn with mats, on which were assembled as many men as the place could hold. It was apparently on the occasion of some festival, or pleasurable meeting. There was in one of the apartments an altar decorated with images, and the partitions hung with figures of monstrous deities; but the countenances and deportment of the people conveyed no idea of religious awe, and no person was seen in the posture of prayer or adoration. A few spears stood against the wall with their points downwards, together with some matchlocks and a swivel gun. The dress of those people was composed chiefly of blue cotton worn loosely about them; and their flat faces and little eyes denoted a Chinese origin or relation. Several long slips of paper, hanging from the ceiling, were covered with columns of Chinese writing. One of the missionaries, who was of the party, could not, however, in any degree, understand their conversation; but when the words were written, they instantly became intelligible to him. Though their colloquial language was altogether different from what is spoken in China, yet the characters were all Chinese; and the fact was clearly ascertained on this occasion, that those characters have an equal advantage with Arabic numbers, of which the figures convey the same meaning wherever known; whereas the letters of other languages denote not things, but elementary sounds, which combined variously together, form words, or more complicated sounds, conveying different ideas in different languages, though the form of their alphabet be the same.

"The inhabitants of Pulo Condore were, it seems, Cochin-Chinese, with their descendants, who fled from their own country, in consequence of their attachment to one of its sovereigns, dethroned by several of his own subjects. It was proposed to purchase provisions here; and the people promised to have the specified quantity ready, if possible, the next day, when it was intended, if the weather should be favourable, to land the invalids. The next morning was fair in the beginning; and a party of pleasure was made from the Hindoostan to a small island close to Pulo Condore. They were scarcely arrived upon it when the weather began to lower; and the boat set off on its return, in order to reach the ship before the impending storm should begin.

"With difficulty it reached the ship; and as soon as the weather became fair, messengers were dispatched on shore to receive and pay for the provisions promised. When they arrived at the village, they were astonished to find it abandoned. The houses were left open, and none of the effects, except some arms, that had on the first visit been perceived within them, or even of the poultry feeding about the doors, were taken away. In the principal cabin a paper was found, in the Chinese language, of which the literal translation purported, as nearly as it could be made, that 'the people of the island were few in number, and very poor, yet honest, and incapable of doing mischief; but felt much terror at the arrival of such great ships and powerful persons, especially as not being able to satisfy their wants in regard to the quantity of cattle and other provisions, of which the poor inhabitants of Pulo Condore had scarcely any to supply, and consequently could not give the expected satisfaction.' They therefore, through dread and apprehension, resolved to fly to preserve their lives. That they supplicate the great people to have pity on them; that they left all they had behind them, and only requested that their cabins might not be burnt; and conclude by prostrating themselves to the great people a hundred times."

The writers of this letter had probably received ill treatment from other strangers. It was determined that they should not continue to think ill of all who came to visit them. On their return they were perhaps as much surprised to find their houses still entire, as their visitors had been who found they were deserted. Nothing was disturbed; and a small present, likely to be acceptable to the chief, was left for him in the principal dwelling, with a Chinese letter, signifying that 'the ships and people were English, who called merely for refreshment, and on fair terms of purchase, without any ill intention; being a civilized nation, endowed with principles of humanity, which did not allow them to plunder or injure others who happened to be weaker or fewer than themselves.'

Pulo Lingen, another of this cluster, is likewise a considerable island, remarkable for a mountain in its centre, terminating in a fork like Parnassus; but to which the unpoetical name below the name of after ears. Every day presented new islands to the view, displaying a vast variety in form, size, and colour. Some isolated, and some collected in clusters. Many were clothed with verdure; some had tall trees growing on them; others were mere rocks, the resort of innumerable birds, and whitened with their dung.