With very few exceptions, the junks return to China on. the succeeding! South-west Monsoon, reaching Hainan in May, June, July, and August. They make no long deep-water passages if they can help it, and usually work: well up the coast of Annam before! selting a direct course for the south! coast of Hainan. Their masters appear to know nothing whatever of deep-water navigation. The junks carry only the moot primitive Chinese compasses, and in 1007 it was noted that each of Uhese was set on a small tray of human bone ash, which was believed {0 counteract the attraction of any iron or steel in, the vicinity fof the compose. The voyage from Singapore or Bangkok to either' Chiinglan or Poch'in occupies from twelve days to two months, depending on the winds. The homeward cargoes appear now to consist chiccly of teak and other hardwoods, rice, and cow bones (said to be used for fertilizing purposes); but small quantities of piece-goods, rubber manufactures, and sundry goods are occasionally sent up to China by funk, inmost eases from Singapore. In former years, mangrove bark was a common cargo.
Discharging Cargoes cargoes of the greater number} of the junks—of fully 50, it is said—fre consigned to Ch'inglan, and those fof a majority of the remainder to Poch'in, while odd junks discharge various small ports on the east coast of Hainan. On making their landfall fon the fouth coast of the island, the Junks usually carry on to their! destinations without putting in any~ Where en Toute, unless to water ship. They carry only a very limited supply} of water—in wooden tanks on deck! aft—and this is husbanded carefully.
Atter having discharged their cargoes, those junks which belong to other ports proceed thither, and a majority trade in Chinese waters until they go abroad again on the next] North-east Mongoon. Some spend the intervening time in repairing and refitting, and one or two may lie up for a season.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.