CHAP.I. THE JOS-HOUSE. 16 incense sticks.The devotees seek for the pro- tection of a grinning elf of sandal wood,or endeavour to propitiate some favourite idol of porcelain,much after the fashion and practice among the most superstitious of the followers of the Romish Church:as Pere Intorcetta said,it seemed as if the Devil had run a race with the Jesuits to China,and,having got the start of them,had contrived these things for their mor- tification. Dgu=d（oogle
chap. I. THE JOS-HOUSE. 15 incense sticks. The devotees seek for the pro tection of a grinning elf of sandal wood, or endeavour to propitiate some favourite idol of porcelain, much after the fashion and practice among the most superstitious of the followers of the Romish Church : as P&re Intorcetta said, it seemed as if the Devil had run a race with the Jesuits to China, and, having got the start of them, had contrived these things for their mor tification
16 DEPARTURE FROM SINGAPORE.CHAP.II. CHAP.II. DEPARTURE FROM 8INGAPORE.-DRUMMING FISH.-LEMA I8LAND8,一HONG-KONO,一PEDESTRIAN EXCUR8ION.一 CHINESE REVERENCE FOR THE AGED.-TRIP TO MACAO. CHINEBE BOAT-WOMEN.-MERCENARY CHARACTER OF THE CHINEBE.-KIDNAPPING.-PORTUQUEBE SETTLERS. 一RETURN TO且ONG-KONG,一DEPARTURE OF THE FLEET FOR THE SCENE OF OPERATION8. We sailed from Singapore on the afternoon of the 11th of May,leaving the Rattlesnake and Serpent, two 'of our outstripped and crestfallen vanguard, actively employed completing provisions and water. When about five miles from the harbour,we passed within hail of H.M.frigate Thalia,Captain C. Hope.He,like the rest,had experienced lighter winds by keeping a lower latitude. In the evening we heard,for the third time since we entered the Archipelago,an extraordinary noise under the ship's quarters and round her stern.It resembled the buzzing of a multitude of bees,and caused a tremulous motion,which was distinctly felt by placing the hand on the vessel's side.The profound among us speculated upon the phenomenon,and reasoned most learnedly on every ideal probability.One conjectured that
16 DEPASTURE FROM SINGAPORE, chap. n. CHAP. II. DEPARTURE PROM SINGAPORE. DRUMMING FISH. LEMA ISLANDS. HONG-KONG. PEDESTRIAN EXCURSION. CHINESE REVERENCE FOR THE AGED. TRIP TO MACAO. CHINESE BOAT-WOMEN. MERCENARY CHARACTER OF THE CHINESE. —KIDNAPPING. PORTUGUESE SETTLERS. RETURN TO HONG-KONG. DEPARTURE OF THE FLEET FOR THE SCENE OF OPERATIONS. We sailed from Singapore on the afternoon of the 11th of May, leaving the Rattlesnake and Serpent, two of our outstripped and crestfallen vanguard, actively employed completing provisions and water. When about five miles from the harbour, we passed within hail of H. M. frigate Thalia, Captain C. Hope. He, like the rest, had experienced lighter winds by keeping a lower latitude. In the evening we heard, for the third time since we entered the Archipelago, an extraordinary noise under the ship's quarters and round her stern. It resembled the buzzing of a multitude of bees, and caused a tremulous motion, which was distinctly felt by placing the hand on the vessel's side. The profound among us speculated upon the phenomenon, and reasoned most learnedly on every ideal probability. One conjectured that
CHAP.IL DRUMMING FISH. 17 we were grinding over the top shoots of a coral forest;another,that shoals of sucking-fish had mistaken us for a shark;some,that it might be caused by myriads of hiseing serpents (I may mention that yellow and black snakes are very numerous in these seas);and some surmised that we were cutting through floating spawn:but the water was free from any phoephoric sparkle,and notwithstanding the varieties of opinion as to its cause,the noise was sufficiently loud to induce the carpenter on its first occurrence to leave his bed and sound the well. I have since ascertained that it arose from shoals of a large fish peculiar to these seas called the“drumming fish.”They make themselves distinctly heard while passing under the bottom of the ship,even at the depth of seven fathoms. Instead of the steady S.W.monsoon,which we had reason to expect,we encountered light and variable winds,with rain and squalls occa- sionally.At daylight on the 30th of May we sighted land,and ran between two islands of the Lema string. The first appearance of a hostile shore must always excite a feeling of strong interest.The approach to China,hitherto so little known,in- creased if possible such sensations.Every feature and object on these conical and grass-covered
chap. n. DEUMMING FISH. 17 we were grinding over the top shoots of a coral forest; another, that shoals of sucking-fish had mistaken us for a shark ; some, that it might be Caused by myriads of hissing serpents (I may mention that yellow and black snakes are very numerous in these seas) ; and some surmised that we were cutting through floating spawn : but the water was free from any phosphoric sparkle, and notwithstanding the varieties of opinion as to its cause, the noise was sufficiently loud to induce the carpenter on its first occurrence to leave his bed and sound the well. I have since ascertained that it arose from shoals of a large fish peculiar to these seas called the "drumming fish." They make themselves distinctly heard while passing under the bottom of the ship, even at the depth of seven fathoms. Instead of the steady S. W. monsoon, which we had reason to expect, we encountered light and variable winds, with rain and squalls occa sionally. At daylight on the 30th of May we sighted land, and ran between two islands of the Lema string. The first appearance of a hostile shore must always excite a feeling of strong interest. The approach to China, hitherto so little known, in creased if possible such sensations. Every feature and object on these conical and grass-covered
18 LEMA ISLANDS. CHAP.II. islands of sandstone formation,surrounded by numerous little coves affording safe harbours for fleets of fishing-junks,was examined with more curiosity than its appearance or importance could otherwise have called forth,and the mean huts that occasionally appeared planted on the de- clivities were peered at by at least twenty glasses, which the quickly repeated cry of "land in sight"brought on deck. The scenery reminded me forcibly of that of the N.W.coast of Scotland;and if,instead of vessels with mat sails,painted bows,and high trelliced sterns,there had been compact boats, with well-set tanned canvas spread to the breeze, the association would have been complete. Upwards of 300 large junks passed us,standing out to sea to pick up their night nets.They average about twenty-five tons,and are pcopled by entire families of men,women,and children, many of whom have never been on terra firma. About noon we entered the channel of Hong- Kong,and made our number to H.M.ship Blen- heim,72,Captain Sir Thomas Herbert. We anchored in the midst of men-of-war and transports,in a port where,a few short months before,ships were scarcely ever seen.Along the shore,and scattered over the breast of mountains rising to the height of 1500 feet,were wharfs and oogle
18 LEMA ISLANDS. chap. II. islands of sandstone formation, surrounded by numerous little coves affording safe harbours for fleets of fishing-junks, was examined with more curiosity than its appearance or importance could otherwise have called forth, and the mean huts that occasionally appeared planted on the de clivities were peered at by at least twenty glasses, which the quickly repeated cry of " land in sight " brought on deck. The scenery reminded me forcibly of that of the N.W. coast of Scotland; and if, instead of vessels with mat sails, painted bows, and high treUiced sterns, there had been compact boats, with well-set tanned canvas spread to the breeze, the association would have been complete. Upwards of 300 large junks passed us, standing out to sea to pick up their night nets. They average about twenty-five tons, and are peopled by entire families of men, women, and children, many of whom have never been on terra firma. About noon we entered the channel of HongKong, and made our number to H. M. ship Blen heim, 72, Captain Sir Thomas Herbert. We anchored in the midst of men-of-war and transports, in a port where, a few short months before, ships were scarcely ever seen. Along the shore, and scattered over the breast of mountains rising to the height of 1500 feet, were wharfs and
CHAP.立. HONG-KONG. 19 extensive stores,forts and magazines,streets of huts and commodious houses,a bazaar and a market place,besides some comfortable bungelows and handsome country-houses,belonging to the public functionaries,built at considerable eleva- tions,to command fresh air and a fine view.Ten months before,when Sir Henry Pottinger first landed,he lived in a pitched tent! Then three small villages contained the entire population,amounting to about 4000;now there are upwards of 12,000 souls in our new town alone, and the great difficulty is,to restrain the rapid increase in proportion to the gradual advancement of the colony.As much as 60001.has been already received during the last year from the sale and lease of lands,and hundreds of desirable lots are marked out,which will be eagerly purchased at a high price when people become fully aware that government will guarantee its powerful pro- tection. It has many advantages over Macao,although there are several who advocate the superiority of the latter place.Doubtless an old established settlement has its benefits at first,and its closer proximity to Canton secures a gain of time;but this is more than balanced by the superior and safer anchorage of Hong-Kong,and the greater facility we shall have in maintaining a strict Google
chap. II. HONG-KONG. 19 extensive stores, forts and magazines, streets of huts and commodious houses, a bazaar and a market place, besides some comfortable bungelows and handsome country-houses, belonging to the public functionaries, built at considerable eleva tions, to command fresh air and a fine view. Ten months before, when Sir Henry Pottinger first landed, he lived in a pitched tent ! Then three small villages contained the entire population, amounting to about 4000 ; now there are upwards of 12,000 souls in our new town alone, and the great difficulty is, to restrain the rapid increase in proportion to the gradual advancement of the colony. As much as 6000/. has been already received during the last year from the sale and lease of lands, and hundreds of desirable lots are marked out, which will be eagerly purchased at a high price when people become fully aware that government will guarantee its powerful pro tection. It has many advantages over Macao, although there are several who advocate the superiority of the latter place. Doubtless an old established settlement has its benefits at first, and its closer proximity to Canton secures a gain of time ; but this is more than balanced by the superior and safer anchorage of Hong-Kong, and the greater facility we shall have in maintaining a strict