"The China Pilot" (1861)

Macao Harbour

Macao, a Portuguese settlement in China stands on a small peninsula projecting from the south east end of the island of Macao on the south west side of the entrance of Canton river. The peninsula is nearly 2 miles long and less than a mile wide at its broadest part and is connected with the island by a low narrow sandy isthmus across which extends a barrier wall to exclude foreigners from the interior of the island.

The town is built on the declivities round the harbour, the shore beneath being embanked, so as to form a marine parade backed by a terrace of white houses. (...)

The harbour is formed between the peninsula and the large island of Patera to the westward. Its entrance is narrow but the depths are 26 feet at low water close to fort San Iago which is built on the east point and from thence the soundings are 21 and 20 feet along the eastern shore to the town.

Pilots

The river pilots are procured at Macao and each receives a chop from the residing mandarin to deliver to the officer stationed at the Boca Tigris describing the force of the ship and to what nation she belongs

in The China Pilot: The Coasts of China, Korea and Tartary; the Sea of Japan (...), 3ª edição, Londres, 1861

Nota: imagem não incluída no livro referido que trata sobretudo de indicações sobre navegação náutica; trata-se de uma pintura a óleo - do século 19 de autor anónimo - com uma vista da baía da Praia Grande.