Well may this be called a celestial empire, wherein moons and stars condescend to take up their local habitation. It is ludicrous to hear the inhabitants talking of having intercourse with the celestial people in the different moons, “Where did you come from last?” “I came from the other moon,” was a very common question and answer.
On the 14th of September we sailed over to the “Cum, sing, moon,”[10] and anchored at six o’clock, P.M.; this possessed far more extensive and picturesque beauties than the harbour we had left.[11] The entrance is, however, difficult, and even dangerous for strangers; yet, after having been once, the same person could easily take a ship in or out at any time without risk, taking advantage of the tides. From the land around this place not being so elevated as in the rival harbour, the gusts that descend from the gullies in stormy weather are not so violent, and a ship is consequently not so liable to drive as has been experienced during some severe typhoons, which occurred a short time previous to our arrival.
Many of those outlaw ships that trade in opium, (one of the most important, although prohibited, branches of commerce in the Chinese empire,) remain either in this harbour, or that of the “Cap, sing, moon,” during the season of the year that typhoons are expected, and anchor off the island of Lintin during the fine-weather months. One part of this trade in opium is carried on by the Chinese smuggling boats, which take it from the European receiving ships stationed here, or more properly speaking at “Lintin,” (this being merely a temporary place of refuge from typhoons).
By occasionally visiting the Hercules, one of the receiving ships for opium, I was able to observe, through the kindness of Mr. Parry, her chief officer, how this extensive and lucrative trade is conducted. The sales are effected in Canton by the European merchants, and orders sent down with the smuggling boats for the delivery of the opium from the different ships; the boats engaged in this occupation are armed with spears, shields, and even fire-arms, to repel any attack that may be made upon them by the mandarin guard-boats. They are also manned by a very brave and athletic crew; indeed Chinese fight very well one against the other, but cannot bring forward sufficient courage to face Europeans, except the advantages are overpowering on their side. These boats are provided with sails, in addition to a number of oars and rowers, and they pass through the water with inconceivable rapidity. The mandarin boats, having a weaker and less choice crew, can seldom or ever overtake them; this, however, may in part be explained from the fact of the guard-boats, (the revenue cutters,) sent by the Chinese government to cruize against smugglers, coming alongside for a supply of the prohibited drug, to smuggle it themselves into the heart of the Chinese empire. Any thing can be done by bribery in this country, and these boats are often employed for smuggling cassia, treasure, &c. on board European ships at Lintin, &c.; indeed every smuggling boat that takes opium from an opium ship, leaves a payment of one dollar on each chest for the mandarins, and on the opium returns being made up, the sum is regularly paid to them; each boat leaves also a kum, shaw, or present for the ship, of five dollars.
The chests of the drug are opened on board; the balls or cakes are taken out, and immediately deposited in small mat bags, brought by them for the purpose, and sown up; being in that way more convenient to smuggle than in large heavy chests. There are three kinds of opium usually sold in the English ships—the Malwa, Benares, and Patna; a fourth, the Turkey opium, is confined to American and other foreign vessels. The Patna opium is in balls, packed in partitioned cases, each chest containing forty balls. Old opium fetches a higher price than new; the former being solid, the latter soft and more liable to run. The old chests, so termed, are usually two years old when they come under that denomination. The Malwa opium is in rather flattened cakes. The prices of this drug of course fluctuate very much: the consumption in the Chinese Empire must be enormous, and is entirely—not the least extraordinary part of the affair—carried on by an illicit trade.[12]
The payments are usually made, if to any extent, in Sycee silver, which is taken by weight, no silver coinage being acknowledged by the Chinese government. The Chinese purchasers of the opium refine it by boiling, previous to using it for smoking: the mandarins, besides smoking, use it also in the form of tincture, usually carrying a small bottle containing it about them. The present Emperor of China has been described as being totally incapacitated from any business, through the excess to which he has carried the debilitating practice of opium smoking.
I took several opportunities of making herborisations about the hills in this harbour; and in so doing, fortunately, did not meet with any molestation from the inhabitants. On landing, usually upon a sandy beach, or rocks of granite, shell-fish, and other marine animals, were very scarce. The hills were covered, about the declivities, with a large quantity of shrubs and plants, and a variety of grasses: the summits were usually barren, and covered with sand. Two or three species of Melastoma were very abundant; and one species, the quinquenervia, was in full flower, being beautifully covered with a profusion of large rose-coloured blossoms, forming a contrast, by their brilliancy, to the dull, uninteresting character of the vegetation around.
Several of the fern tribe were also abundant, either by the borders of the rivulets, or strewed over the declivities and summits of the hills. Among them was the Gleichenia hermanni, Bluchnum, Polypodium, &c.; as well as a Ficus, bearing small red fruit, and other shrubs. In the valleys, or any little irrigated spots, the cultivation of rice was particularly attended to. The fruit of the Melastoma (for several of the shrubs were in fructification) yielded a dark bluish juice, on which several coleopterous insects fed. Two water snakes were caught upon the beach; one of a bright yellow over the head and neck, and of slender form. Among other botanical specimens collected was a Rhus, Flemingia, Rosa, Malva, Cereopsis, &c.
On the 1st of October I visited Macao. This ancient colony of the Portuguese, in China, has a very picturesque and romantic aspect on approaching it from the sea: it is situated upon a peninsula, and, from bearing some resemblance to a mallet, has received the name Macao, which in the Portuguese language signifies that instrument. The white houses, rising one above the other; the high mountains in the back-ground, and about it; the castle, and monasteries, perched on the elevated summits of some of the hills; the numerous sacred edifices, elevating themselves above the neighbouring houses, the most conspicuous objects in all Roman Catholic countries,—all contribute to the beauty of this little city: it seemed, both from the roadstead and on landing, a Portuguese town, to which the taste and wealth of our native land had been added, not the least cause of its neatness or beauty: it contains also very agreeable society, both for residents and strangers.