of all their property.  After a short stay at Macao, Mr Taylor had an opportunity of going up to Canton in an armed boat along with a mandarin, for which he and the rest of the crew belonging to the Success, who went along with him, paid twenty dollars each.  In their passage up, they had satisfactory proof that in some cases there may be frugality in expence, as they saw a pirate take a boat in sight of that in which was the mandarin.  This plainly shewed that the government winks at these things, perhaps deeming it good policy to raise thereby a considerable revenue, partly by presents from the pirates, and partly by sums paid by merchants and passengers for protection.  From this, and many other circumstances which might be adduced, the boasted wisdom of the Chinese is nothing more than the science of dexterously hiding their robberies from the inspection of the law:  In which, perhaps, they are as much exceeded by some northern nations as in the use of the compass, of which they pretend to be the original inventors, and perhaps with justice; but both in the management of the compass, and in this political trade of pirating, they are equally clumsy.

Mr Taylor and his company arrived at the English factory in Canton on the 4th November, where they were well received, and promised all assistance for getting home.  There were at this time ships ready to sail, first for several ports in India and then for Europe.  The captains of these vessels, on being solicited by the gentlemen of the factory to take Captain Clipperton’s men on board, agreed to carry them for five pounds a man, which they all accordingly paid, esteeming it a very great favour.  Mr Taylor and two or three more embarked in the Maurice, Captain Peacock, then riding at Wanapo, [Wampoa,] about three leagues below Canton, the place where European ships lie; and the rest of the company were distributed among the other ships.  They sailed on the 9th, in company with the Macclesfield, an English East-Indiaman, and the House-of-Austria, belonging to Ostend.  Mr Taylor arrived safely at Batavia in the month of December; sailed thence by the Cape and St Helena, and arrived in London in May 1722.  The rest of the company returned also, some sooner and some later.

As for Captain Mitchell, who was sent to Brazil with a small crew, he was never more heard of, having probably been destroyed at the island of Velas, where he went ashore to procure fresh provisions.  This has generally been considered as the greatest blemish in the management of Captain Clipperton, but I confess without just cause, in my opinion; as the great stress laid on that measure by Captain Rogers, might very well have induced Captain Clipperton to try what might be done in this way, especially as his owners had very strongly recommended the account of Captain Rogers to be his rule and guide.  I also think the proposal in itself was very reasonable, and such as an officer who had the good of the expedition at heart had good