I have presumed to address this work to you, more to prove the truth of its motto, than from any hope that it may be intrinsically worthy of your acceptance.
Connected with a noble profession by ties at once sad and dear, I have considered that a narration of events seen in its service—however unworthily set down, might not be uninteresting to you; and feeling assured that your prayers and kind wishes have followed us through "changing skies," as we have sped across "distant seas,"—upon our safe return, I am truly happy in being able to imitate the custom of mariners of more sunny climes, and to place this offering of affection upon the altar of Gratitude.
THE AUTHOR.
CONTENTS.
| PAGE | |
| [CHAPTER I.] | |
| Set Sail—Sea-sickness—Get agood offing—Sailho!—Isletsof St. Paul—Shipwreck there—Sufferings—Crossing theLine—Fernando Noronha—Fire—Remarkablepeak—Arrivalat Rio—Disappointment—Beauties of the harbor—Ashore atlast—Village of San Domingo—Flying trip to city—Yellowfever—All hands up anchor—Sugarloaf Mountain—Off forthe Cape | [9] |
| [CHAPTER II.] | |
| Telling Tales out of School—Double the Cape—The FlyingDutchman—Albatross and Cape pigeons—Catching thealbatross—The man who ate the albatross—Superstitionof sailors—Man overboard—Lyingto—Accident—Death—Thesailor's grave | [20] |
| [CHAPTER III.] | |
| Island of St. Paul—Steering for Java Head—Landho!—Christmas Island—Straits of Sunda—ABeautiful Scene—Sentimental Simile—Come toanchor—Anger Point—Villageof Anger—On shore in Java—Perfume of the East—Banyantree—The governor and Dutch hotel keeper—Welcome atan inn—Attack on Anger Fort—Dutch officers' prowess,and French!—TheJavanese—Chinaman—Mosque—Mahomet—Bazaar—Watering place | [26] |
| [CHAPTER IV.] | |
| China Sea—Anchor off Macào—Canton River—Whampoa—Tripto Canton—The San-pan—Pagodas—LobCreek—Salt junks—Description of a Junk—Mandarin, or searchboats—Pirates—Crowded state of River at Canton—Landat Factory Stairs—Visit Vice-Consul—New China Street—ACow-House—Wondersof Canton—Factory gardens—Water parties—Buddhist temples,and holy pigs—Dock-yard at Whampoa—American missionary atNewtown—Bethel, and its pastor—Fourth of July—Back toMacào—The Typa—The Barrier | [33] |
| [CHAPTER V.] | |
| Passage ashore—A-ti—The Praya—Forts—Governor'sRoad—Description of Macào—Murder of Amaral—Manoeuvring of Seuand his triumph—A new Governor—His death—Council ofGovernment—View from Guia Fort—Marques's garden—Camoen'sgrotto—Epitaph and doggerel written there—A beautifulspot—Stealing fire from the gods—Fate of Prometheus | [44] |
| [CHAPTER VI.] | |
| Up the Canton River again—Bay of Canton—BoccaTigris—Forts at the Bogue—Their construction—Conduct of Chinesewhen attacked—TheFeast of Lanterns—The Rebellion—Paddyfields and mosquitoes—Back to Typa—Pleasant times—Blowingup of a frigate! | [54] |
| [CHAPTER VII.] | |
| Visit Hong-Kong—A beautiful morning—Harbor ofHong-Kong—Settlement of Victoria—Line-of-battleship Hastings—Forecastle logic—An arrival from the Northern Seas—HerB. M. S. Herald—Salutes—Description of Victoria—ClubHouse—Health of Hong-Kong—Death vacancies—Feasting andfêtes—Ball—Pic-Nic—Departure from Hong-Kong | [63] |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] | |
| China—Limited opportunities—The Chinese nation comparedwith others—Its antiquity—Magnitude of territory andpracticability of laws—Supposed origin of the Chinese—Fablesof their early writers—Explanation of theirexaggerations—Foundation of the Empire—Chinese traditionscompared with sacred history—Similarity of events—Wise menof the East—Introduction of Buddhism—Arts andsciences—The magnetic Needle—Discoveryof Gunpowder—Origin of thename—China—Che-Hwang-te, King of Tsin—Parallel betweenhim and Napoleon—Religion—Confucius—TheTaouists—Buddhism—A Buddhist's idea of Heaven | [70] |
| [CHAPTER IX.] | |
| Christmas and the New Year in Macào—Removal of remains ofDa Cunha—The dead give place to the quick—Chinese mannerof fishing—A new principle in hydraulics—Inspection ofMacào Militia—An ancient cemetery—Arrival of the newGovernor, Cardoza—Underway for Manilla—Fetch up atHong-Kong—Another start—Island of Luconia—Bay ofManilla—Earthquake—Discovery and settlement of thePhilippines—Description of Manilla—The Calzada—Apuppet-show | [81] |
| [CHAPTER X.] | |
| Drive to the Balsa—Meaning of the word—A mob ofwomen—Nora Creena—Magic, slipper—Description of thedrive—Ferryman of the females—Decline the office—Thesuburbs—A la Balsa—Manilla, intra murales—The Moleby Moonlight—Friend in a fit—Circo Olympico—Scenesin the Circle | [90] |
| [CHAPTER XI.] | |
| An early drive—Visit to Churches—TheCathedral—Description—Reflections—Church of the BinondoQuarter—The dead child—Baptism—Life's entrances andexit—Ceremony of taking the veil—Poor Maraquita—Anepisode—Don Cæsar de Bazan—Interiorof the convent—Interview with the Lady Superior—Interchange ofcompliments—Spanish courtesy—An admission | [99] |
| [CHAPTER XII.] | |
| Fabrico del Tobago—Manufacture of the cheroot—Descriptionof the process—Female operatives—Giganticeffects—Midshipman attacked—A delightful Evening—Boatahoy—Disappointed in trip to Lagunade Bay—FuncionFamilia—Madame Theodore—The Calçadaagain—Margarita—Teatro Binondo—TeatroTagalo de Tondo—Espana—Anecdoteof an Englishman—Farewell to Manilla—Out to Sea | [105] |
| [CHAPTER XIII.] | |
| Anchor in harbor of Hong-Kong—Hastings and Herald bothoff—Advantage of newspapers—A first-rate notice—ThePress of Victoria—The Friend of China—Itspugnacity—Advertising sheets—Description ofIsland—Rain—Character of Chinese inhabitants | [114] |
| [CHAPTER XIV.] | |
| Hong-Kong—Object of its settlement—Its service as anopium dépôt—Views of the opium trade—Itshistory—Considered the cause and object of the war—Treaty ofNankin—Opium trade fixed on China | [121] |
| [CHAPTER XV.] | |
| Trip to Macào—Disappointed in getting ashore—Mailarrived—Get no letters—Expression of sentiments—Causesand effects—Overland mail—Idea of a route—HappyValley—Chase of Pirates—A Poisson d'Avril—Intothe Typa again—Arrival of consort—Late dates—Catholicfête—Depart for Shanghae—The Yang-tse-Kiang—Improvementin the appearance of the country—Betterrace of men—Banks of the Woo-sung | [127] |
| [CHAPTER XVI.] | |
| Shanghae—Immense number of junks—Foreignresidences—Novelty of Chimneys—Revoltingappearance of beggars—Undertakers—Priceof coffins—Decline trading—Descriptionof city—Stagnant pools—Tea gardens—Sweetsite—The Taoutae—Advantages ofShanghae—Departure—Ship ashore!—Sensation | [135] |
| [CHAPTER XVII.] | |
| Amoy—Its trade—Cause ofdecay—Infanticide—Manner ofdestroying female infants—China woman'sconfession—Environs—Britishand American cemeteries—The fatalrock—Koo-lung-Seu—Chinesegunnery—ChineseCustoms—Marriage—Death—Mannerof mourning—Pagoda of Nan-tae-Woo-Shan | [142] |
| [CHAPTER XVIII.] | |
| Formosa—Description of the island—Itsproductions—Coalmines—Metals—The Dutchpossessions—Their expulsion—Properpolicy of civilized powers | [148] |
| [CHAPTER XIX.] | |
| Leave Amoy—Arrive in Macào Roads—Liveashore—Wellguarded—Night calls—Ventriloquistat Typa Fort—Ordered on board—Upto Whampoa—Clipper Ships—Overto Hong-Kong—Coronation day—Independenceday—Hurried on board—The mail—Ty-foongs | [154] |
| [CHAPTER XX.] | |
| Ty-foong passed—Pleasant season—Theatricalexhibition—The Macàense—PhilharmonicSociety—Italian Opera—Awaiting orders forhome—Thoughtsof home and friends—Idea suggested by the settingsun—Poetry—Maladie dePays—Its effects upon theSwiss—A remedy—My own experience, and manner ofCure | [161] |
| [CHAPTER XXI.] | |
| Haul up all standing—Boat races—Interestin the sport—Excitementgeneral—Arrangements—Jockeyism—Regatta—Preparations—Thestart—The race—The result—Launch andfirst cutter—Race described con-amore—Suggestion of anold salt—Satan and sailors | [166] |
| [CHAPTER XXII.] | |
| Effects of the race—Suppers and their effects—The stuffthat dreams are made of—A scrape in the Typa—Again atWhampoa | [172] |
| [CHAPTER XXIII.] | |
| Anson's Bay—Hong-Kong again—P. & O. Company's hulktakes fire—Escape of captain's wife—Toong-KooBay—Piracy—Fire at Macào—Wolfagain at Whampoa—Amateur theatricals at Canton—Melancholy musings | [177] |
| [CHAPTER XXIV.] | |
| Commodore arrives at last—Preparations for astart—Delay—Washington's Birthday—Theclipper Challenge—Prisoners from her—Homewardbound!—Reflections onleaving—Case of small-pox—Second visit to Anger | [184] |
| [CHAPTER XXV.] | |
| No mosquitoes at Anger—The land of the East—Asketch—Advantages of Anger—Dolce-far-niente—Islandof Java—Batavia—Bantam—Comparisonbetween Anger and Singapore | [189] |
| [CHAPTER XXVI.] | |
| Pass through Sunda Strait—H. B. M. S. Rattler—Catch thetrades—A learned opinion on diaries—Extracts fromdiary—Isleof France—Its romance—Bourbon—Mauritius—Capeof Good Hope—Description—Trouble in gettingin—Table Bay and Mountain | [194] |
| [CHAPTER XXVII.] | |
| Land at Cape Town—Hotels and widows—Driveto Constantia—Description of drive—Priceof wine—Manumission of slaves—Seasons atthe Cape—The town through a microscope, &c. &c. | [200] |
| [CHAPTER XXVIII.] | |
| Settlement of Cape Town—Its productions—TheKaffir war—Latestdispatches—Cause of the rebellion—Description of the Kaffirby the traveller—Opinion of him by the resident—Authority ofprominent men—Observatory, &c. | [208] |
| [CHAPTER XXIX.] | |
| A death on board—Our freight—Extracts fromdiary—St. Helenaand Napoleon—The trades—Poetical idea of astarry telegraph—Good sailing | [217] |
| [CHAPTER XXX.] | |
| Classic ground—Hispaniola—Romance of thewestern waters—Extracts from diary—On awind—Newsboats wanted—TheBermudas—Target practice | [222] |
| [CHAPTER XXXI.] | |
| The Gulf Stream—Darby'stheory—Its ingenuity—The coastsof America—John Cabot, the Venetian—"Terra primumvisa"—Completion of cruise—Conclusion | [226] |