3t^ara, ^tm fork CHARLES WILLIAM WASON COLLECTION CHINA AND THE CHINESE THE GIFT OF CHARLES WILLIAM WASON CLASS OF 1876 1918 Cornell University Library QH 179.C71 Rambles of a naturalist on the shores an 3 1924 024 005 807 Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tlie Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924024005807 RAMBLES OF A NATUBALIST THE SHOKES AND WATERS OF THE CHINA SEA: OBSERVATIONS IN NATURAL HISTORY DURING A VOYAGE TO CHINA, FORMOSA, BORNEO, SINGAPORE, Etc., MADE IN HER MAJESTY'S VESSELS IN 1866 AND 1867. CUTHBERT COLLINGWOOD, M.A., M.B, Oxon, F.L.S., ETC. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 1868. \Thi Right of Translation is reserved. Jebkaticn. JOSEPH DALTON HOOKER, D.C.L., M.D., F.E.S., &c. DIRECTOR OF THE ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. Dbae De, Hooker : I know that it is to you that I am mainly indebted for the opportunity of making the observations contained in the following pages, as well as for the pleasure I have derived from the increased scope of my Natural History studies which my voyage has afforded me. And although the tenor of those observations and studies has been in the main zoological rather than botanical, I will not permit that circumstance to deprive me of the gratification of dedicating the results to one who so kindly and readily aided me with his influence and advice. I am, dear Dr. Hooker, Sincerely yours, CUTHBEET COLLINGWOOD. Greenwich, March, 1868. PKEFACE. The circumstances under which the voyage here re- corded was undertaken need not be fully entered into. Suiifice it to say, that, actuated solely by a desire of in- creasing my own information, and the hope of, in some measure, advancing science, I was induced to seize an opportunity which seemed to present itself of fulfilling what had always been an object of my ambition. The pleasure I have myself derived from it has entirely ob- scured the vexations and drawbacks to which I have been subjected in its fulfilment. That I have met with dis- appointment and discouragement from those to whom I had most right to look for support and co-operation, is a circumstance which, although it greatly limited and cur- tailed my operations, is entirely forgotten in the dehght of having visited Nature in her deepest recesses, and viewed her in her grandest aspects. Whatever sHght value the following pages may possess, will be due to the circumstance that the facts they re- cord are derived from observation, and not from books ; and that I have not endeavoured to adjust my own ob- servations to the experience of others, but have rather corrected my previous knowledge by the aid of personal research. I feel bound in this place to tender my thanks to certain gentlemen who have kindly aided me in my plans and movements : — To Captain Richards, Hydrographer of the Navy, to whose recommendation I am indebted for iv PEEPAOE. the primary opportunity of making the voyage ; to Com- mander Bullock, of H.M.S. " Serpent," and Captain Courtenay, late of H.M.S. " Scylla," from both of whom I received uniform courtesy and kindness ; to Lieutenant Eichards, and Mr. Sutton (Chief Engineer) of the " Ser- pent," and Lieutenant D. Stewart, of the " Scylla," to each of whom I am indebted for steady and valuable assistance ; to Mr. Jose d 'Ahneida, of Singapore, Messrs. Hugh Low, C. C. De Crespigny, J. Tyndall Woods, and Howard, of Labuan; to Mr. Alfred Houghton, Mr. Mar- tin, and the Tuan Muda of Sarawak ; to Dr. Maxwell, of Ta-kau, and Mr. Gregory, Vice-Consul of Tam-suy, For- mosa ; to the Venerable Archdeacon Gray, Consular Chap- lain, and Dr. J. G. Kerr, of Canton ; and last, though not least, to Mr. F. D. Lalcaca, and (the late) Captain Jameson, of Hong Kong ; — all of whom showed me various acts of kindness, which will not soon be forgotten. My thanks are also due to Drs. Baird and Gunther ; to Messrs. G. E. Gray, F. Walker, Frederick Smith, A. G. Butler, and Waterhouse, Junior, of the British Museum ; as well as to Messrs. Albany Hancock, C. Spence Bate, and Professor Oliver ; — all of whom have kindly assisted me in the identification of species. It should be mentioned, that the account of the Pratas Island, and the chapter on the Luminosity of the- Sea, were published in the " Quarterly Journal of Science" for 1867, and are reprinted with the permission of the Editors, having had the advantage of subsequent revision and en- largement. Other papers have been incorporated from the Proceedings of the Linnsean, Geological, Ethnological, and Eoyal Geographical Societies, as weU as from the Annals of Natural History, &c., in order to give unity to the narrative, and completeness to the Natural History observations. Greenwich, March, 1868. CONTENTS. CHAPTEE I. THE VOYAGE TO CHINA OVERLAND— IMPRESSIONS OF HONG KONG. PAGE Dissolving Views — Marseilles — The Bear Rock— Flocks of Cranes — Alexandria — The Delta — Grand Cairo — The Desert — Red Sea — Aden — First Shore Hunt — Point de GaUe — Tropical Calm — Light- ning — Tropic Birds — Singapore — Traveller's Tree —Caricature Plant — Approach to Hong Kong— Appearance from the Sea — Boats and their occupants CHAPTEE II. HONG KONG TO PRATAS ISLAND. Anglifled appearance of Hong Kong— Physical Character — The Chinese Quarter— Leave Hong Kong — Arrive at Pratas Reef— Description of the Island — We Visit the Island— Its Vegetation — Insect Fauna- Marine Animals— Sea-Weeds — Fishermen's Temple — Lagoon- Birds of the Island— The Gannets' Settlement— The Seine— Towing Net— Rollers —We quit the Reef— Birds observed upon the Ship between Pratas and Formosa 20 CHAPTEE III. FORMOSA. TA-KAU-CON, AND THE PESCADORES ISLAND. Character of Native Race— Dutch Occupation— Treaty Ports— East Coast— Arrive at Ta-kau— Lagoon— Apes' Hill — Land-Crabs— Leaping Fishes— Walk in the Country— Water Buffaloes— Padi Birds— Village of Pi-hi-kun— Chinese Ladies— The Pescadores— viii CONTENTS. PAGE Ponghou—Makung— Cheap Provisions— Cuttle Fish — Absence of Trees and Birds— The Rocks- Visit the Mandarin— Photography- Wreckers 35 CHAPTEE IV. .FORMOSA {continued)— TAU-SVY. Towing 'Set in Formosa Channel — Pterosoma — Firola— Sagitta — Atlanta — Glaucus — Alima — Phyllosoma, or glass-crab — Cerapus — Hyalsea • — -Vest Coast of Formosa — Fort Zeelandia — Notonectse — Arrive at Tam-suy — The Harbour— Boulder Clay — Chinese Graves— Rice- paper Plant — Bamboo — The Town — People — Rice Embargo — Visit to Mbang-ka — Camphor Monopoly — Visit the Chief Mandarin — Return Visit — Queen's Birthday 5i CHAPTEE V. FORMOSA (continued)— ¥ROM TAM-SUY TO KE-LUNG. The Sulphur Springs near Tam-suy — approach to them — their present condition — effects on Animal Life — Preparations for River Voyage — Village of Pah-chie-nah — Arrive at Sik-kow — Bivouac at Chuy- teng-cha — Birds on the Route — Rapids — Population — Domestic * Animals — Arrive at Liang-kha — Descent to Ke-lung — Character of the People 70 CHAPTEE VI. FORMOSA (continued)— KE-hVNG. Prevalence of Sandstone — Formation of the Harbour — Caverns — Village Population — Modes of Fishing — Sandstone Peaks and Images — Rising of the Coast — The Coal Mines — Mode of Working — Value of the Coal — Geological position of the Beds — Burning Properties — Petroleum — Marine Animals of the Shore — Peronia — Aplysia — Nudibranchs — Creseis— Singular shoal of Stephanomias ... 85 CHAPTEE VII. FORMOSA (cojttinued)—SAV-0 BAY. East Coast — Steep Island — Reefs at Sau-o — Chinese Village of Sau-o — Village of Tame Aborigines— Their Huts— Physical Characters — Dross— Native Cloth — Search after the Wild Aborigines — Charac- CONTENTS. PAGE teristics of the Villagers — Their Occupations — An Alarm— They visit the Ship— Native Politeness— Language— Religious Ideas — Diseases— Distinctions from Chinese Race 101 CHAPTEE VIII. THE ISLANDS NOETH-EAST OF FORMOSA. Visit of a Chinese Admiral — Ke-lung Island — The Harbour from the Sea — Pinnacle Island — Craig Island — The Wideawakes — Their Breeding Place— Geological Structure of Craig Island— Hunt on the Rocks — Grapsi — Agincourt Island — Pinnacle Rocks— Hoa-pin- san and Tia-usu — The Raleigh Rock — The Dredge — Chromodoris — Gigantic Foraminifera— Further Search — Return to Ke-lung . . 116 CHAPTEE IX. HAITAN STRAITS AND COAST OF CHINA. Bed Discoloration of the Sea — Haitan Island and Straits — Middle Island — New Anemone— Black Islet — Its Fauna and Flora — Chinese Pirates — Rumbling Fish — Slut Island — New Nudibranchs — Iridescent Seaweed — Trigger-Shrimp— Comatula — The River Min — Pagoda Anchorage — Chinese Pagodas — Shwin-gan Passage- — Luminous Sea— Plague of Flies — Insects at Sea — Wosung River — Shanghai 129 CHAPTEE X. HONG KONG TO LABUAN. Atmospheric Phenomena — Fiery-Cross Reef — Corals and Coral Fish — A Wade on the Reef — Marine Animals — Gigantic Anemones — Anemone-inhabiting Fish— Stormy Weather — Waterspout — Aspect of Labuan — Vegetation— The Jungle — Camphor Trees — The Coal Mines — Workings — Quality of the Coal— Geological Considerations — Petroleum . . 145 CHAPTEE XI. LABUAN. Bruni, the Capital of Borueo-Piracy— Establishment of the Colony of Labiian — Its Objects— Natural, Productions — Pigs— Monkeys — CONTENTS. Kahan, or Proboscis Monkey— Birds— Megapode — Chick-chaek — Barking Lizard — Iguanas— Cobra — Pythons — Electric Snake — Scorpions — Centipedes— Cicadas — Beetles— Hemiptera— Desecra- tion of European Graves — Isolated Position of the Residents of Labuan 1^2 CHAPTEE XII. LABUA2!f [coniinued). Butterflies of Labuan— Mode of Flight— Number of Species— Dominant Species — Butterflies of Pulo Daat— Hermit Crabs — Cocoa-nut Planting— Dragon-Flies— Water Beetles — Jungle Spiders— Car- penter-Bee and Mason-Wasp — Eulima and StiUfer — Alligators — Mollusca— Feather-Stars— Nudibranchs— Mantle-cutting Doris- Land Shells— Eeef at Pulo Pappan—Dendractinia— Weather at Labuan — Luminous Fungi 181 CHAPTEE XIII. SARAWAK. Entrance to River — ^Antimony Anchorage — Tamuh-puti — Drift-wood — Town of Kuching — Former Condition of Sarawak — Sir James Brooke — Prospects of the Settlement — The Tuan Muda — The Dyaks — Their Superstitions — Miss Burdett Coutts' Estate — Gambler planting — Flying Squirrel — Flying Lizard — Flying Foxes — Vege- table Productions — Rain — Italian Naturalists — Quadrupeds — Domestic Animals— Dyed Fowls — Reef at Pulo Marundum . . 201 CHAPTEE XIV. THE SARAWAK RIVER. Eclipse of the Moon— Boats and Rowers— First Halt — Reach the Rapids — The Datu and Chief Hadji — Diamond-washing— Gold — The Last Rapid— Dress of the Dyaks — The Council— Scenery of the River — Mode of Producing Fire — Journey Continued — Incidents — Change Prahu for Canoes — Return Down Rapids in the Dark — Bivouac — Malay Boat-songs — Limestone Cavern— Berlidah — Ascent of Penin- jau — Dyak Village of Serambo — Rajah's Summer Residence — Bombok — Return to Sarawak 220 CONTENTS. xi CHAPTEE XV. SmGAPOEE. PAGE Variety of Life in Singapore — The Malays — Their Villages — The Klings — Kling Women — Their Occupations — Beligious Ceremonies — Mosque — The Chinese — The Bugis — Residences— Native Streets — Tigers, not mimerous — Fire-Flies — Botanic Gardens — Sensitive Plants — Kling Bird-Catchers — Climate of Singapore— Productions of the Sea Shore— Sharks 242 CHAPTER XVI. CULTIVATION IN SINGAPORE. Climate of Singapore — Soil — Nutmeg Planting — Appearance of the Tree — Over-Manuring— The Nutmeg Disease — Its Causes — Ruin of the Planters — Occasional Spontaneous Recovery — Cotton — Coffee — Cinnamon — Sugar-Cane — Gutta-percha — Gamboge — Gambler and Pepper — Fruit Trees — Cocoa-nut — The Cocoa-nut Beetles — Sago Plantations 260 CHAPTER XVII. JOHORE AND THE STRAITS. Excursion to Tanjong Putri — Chinese Carnival — The Tumonggong — Sing-songs — Chinese Thespians — Gambling Parties — The Game of "Poh" — Gambling in Singapore and Hong Kong — Mountebank Dentistry — Opium Smoking— Statistics of Consumption — Value of Imports — Chinese Opium — Considerations — Saw Mills — Horsburgh Lighthouse — Coast of Johore — Habits of the Pill- Crab — Ubiquity of Ants 275 CHAPTER XVIII. MANILLA. Appearance of the City— Manilla Bay — The Town — Chinese Shops — Aspect of the Mestizas— Dilapidated Condition of City — The Great Earthquake of 1863— Features of the Shocks — Their Effects— Moral Effect on the People — Game-Cocks — The River Pasig — Tobacco Manufacture — Taxes on Commerce — Sea Snakes — Tropical Skies compared with Northern — The Southern Cross — Effects of Clear Atmosphere^Moon-blindness — Case 293 xii CONTENTS. CHAPTEE XIX. HONG KONG— CHINESE NEW YEAE, ETC. PAGE Chinese Pyrotechny — Salutations by Crackers— Eeligioiis Ceremonies — Holiday-making— Family Groiips-^Children— Visits of Ceremony — Boats — Toy-makers — Mandarin Processions in Canton — Irruption of Beggars— Chinese Tame Birds — Shantung Lark — Tumblers — Canaries — Mina — Street Kobbery in Hong Kong — Insecurity of the Person — Police Regulations— Contrast with Canton — Character of the Chinese— Facility of Escape to Canton 311 CHAPTEE XX. CANTON. Strangeness of Canton — Bogue Forts — "Whampoa- Pagodas — Approach to City — Boat Population - Pic-nio Boats — Streets of Canton — Chops — Puutinqua's Garden — Fa-tee Nurseries — Gold-Fish — Defor- mities — Diet of Chinese — Dog-eating — Salt Monopoly— Unity of Chinese People — Its Causes — Insurrectionary Movements — Influence of Western Civilization — Benefits of Western Trade — Pekin Me- morial on Western Education — Proposed Introduction of Railways — Language the Great Barrier — Prospects of Christianity . . 330 CHAPTEE XXI. THE SURFACE POPULATION OF THE OCEAN. Floating Animals — Capriciousness of their Appearance — Calms — The Towing Net — Meduss— Noctural Animals — Formosa Channel — Hydrozoa — Yellow Fly — Blue Animals in Deep Sea — Abundance of Animals in Bad Weather — Lucernarian Jelly-fishes — Their Vast Numbers — Peculiarities — Portuguese Man-of-War — Stinging Powers — Fish Sheltering in their Threads — Sargasso Sea— Its Inhabitants — Atlantic Calms — Compound Salpse — Three Forms — Chains of Salpffi 352 CHAPTEE XXII. OBSERVATIONS AT SEA. Flying-fish- Their Range— Object of their Flight— Always away from the Ship — Mode of Flight — Absence of Vibration of Wings— Nature of Impulse — A Flying-fish Hunt— Albicores — Abundance of Flying- flah — Trichodesmium, or Sea Dust — Red Sea Conferva — Abundance CONTENTS. of Conferva in the China Sea— Its Range— Cases of Red Discolora- tion — Microscopic Characters of Sea Dust — Oscillatoria — Observa- tions of Former Voyagers— Horizontal Rainbow— Development and Peculiarities — Changing Aspect of the Sea— Natural Colour of the Deep Sea — Changes in Shallow Water— By Rough Weather- Father Secohi's Spectroscopic Observations 373 CHAPTER XXIII. THE LUMINOSITY OF THE SEA. Nature of the Phenomenon — Phosphorescence a Misnomer— Classification of Luminous Phenomena — Sparks always visible — Their Cause — Luminous Sheath to Ship — Singapore Harbour — Simon's Bay — Noctilucae — Scene on the Chinese Coast — Moon-shaped Patches of Light — Not caused by Medusae — Often spontaneous — Probably Pyrosomas — Recurrent Flashes — Colour and Appearance sponta- neous — Depth of the Animals — Examples of Recurrence — Milky Sea — Its Rarity — -Conditions of Lumiuosity— Non-luminous Animals — Rationale of Luminosity — A Correlative of some other Force — Contractility — Luminous Envelopes — ^Range of Luminosity among Animals 391 CHAPTER XXIV. THE VOYAGE HOME. Storm at Hong Kong — Loss of the " Osprey ' — Sea-birds at the Cape — Simon's Bay — Cormorants — Botany of the Cape — Physical Features of False Bay — Cape Town — Marine Animals of Simon's Bay — Coast of St. Helena — James' Town — Napoleon's Tomb — Ascension — General Features — Craters — Vegetation — Insects — " Wide-awake Fair" — Boldness of the Birds — Turtle Ponds — Varieties of Turtle — Western Isles— Pico — Fayal — Villa de Horta — Character of Vegeta- tion — Spithead — Conclusion . .410 APPENDIX. Sau-o Vocabulary — Dialect of Ke-lung 434 LIST OF ILLUSTEATIONS. ■ — < — PAGE SANDSTONE PILLAKS, SOTTTH SIDE KB-LTJN(i HARBOUK, FORMOSA FrOlUispiece ENTRANCE TO THE HARBOUR OF TA-KAU 35 THE SULPHUR SPRINGS NEAR TAM-StTT 70 COMATULA . . 137 THE WATERSPOUT 145 GROUP OF NUDIBRANOHIATB MOLLUSCA .... To Face 195 MALAY HOUSES AT THE ANCHORAGE, SARAWAK 201 THE PANGAH, OR HEAD-HOUSE, BOMBOK 220 CHAINS OF SALP^ To Face 372 BBROOlD CILIOGEADE, FROM THE ATLANTIC 410 KAMBLES OF A NATUKALIST. CHAPTEE I. THE VOYAGE TO CHINA OVERLAND— IMPRESSIONS OF HONG KONG. Dissolving Views — Marseilles — The Bear Rook — Flocks of Cranes— Alex- andria — The Delta — Grand Cairo— The Desert — Red Sea— Aden — First Shore Hunt— Point do Galle — Tropical Calm— Lightning — Tropic Birds — Singapore— Traveller's Tree — Caricature Plant — Approach to Hong Kong— Appearance from the Sea — Boats and their occupants. When a man leaves his home and country for the purpose of malting a closer acquaintance with Nature and natural phenomena in distant lands, he naturally does not wait to begin his observations until he shall have travelled a certain number of thousands of miles. And thus, although my destination was Cliina, I fomad much that was striking and interesting, from the point of view which I had chosen, on the road. The overland route to India and China is indeed so generally known, and so experimentally famihar to a large number of persons, that it would serve no purpose to dwell upon its details ; but nevertheless a work, whose plan mainly seeks to recount tlie aspects of Nature in foreign countries, would scai'cely be complete were no reference made to so large a portion of travel as is passed over by the steamers of the Peninsula!' and Oriental Company between Marseilles and Hong Kong. 2 EAMBLES 03? A NATUEALIST. [Oh. I. The great drawback of this route, to a person not travelling on business which requires despatch, is the restless rapidity of movement which allows of no quiet, except on the calm days at sea. When at length, after an interval of a few such days, land is reached, he catches a glimpse of a comitry, it may be the most interesting he has ever visited ; but in a few hours, almost before he can realize that it is not a pleasant dream, inexorable necessity attracts him once more to the ship, and he turns his back upon the new country, it may be for ever — its people, its vegetation, its scenery, leaving the impression of an unreal vision upon his memory, which will endure as such as long as he lives. I can only compare the passage overland to the picture patterns seen in a kaleidoscope, changing with such rapidity that the impression of one is stUl vivid when it is succeeded by another, while yet each picture is complete in itself, and has features which distinguish it no less from its predecessors than from its successors. Or I might liken it to a series of dissolving views, in which the eye still dwelling upon the last and recently formed picture, finds it replaced by some other and contrasting one, when another port is reached, which gradually, by the force of its present reality, drives out of the miad (for the time) the one which has for some days occupied all its thoughts. Thus we change the verdu- rous Delta for the arid desert plain — and this again for the piled-up, barren rocks of Arabia — which in tm-n give place to the green and smiling fertility of the palm groves of Ceylon, and the scarcely less luxuriant islands of Penang and Singa- pore. The vine-clad hills and olive groves of the south of France, and the tall flower stems of the great thick-leaved aloes about Marseilles, were hailed as some foretaste of that luxuriance Ch. I.] FLOCKS OF OEANES. 3 of vegetation which we were soon to witness in the tropics, of which, however, we were destined to see but little until we had reached its perfection in the rich garden of Ceylon. The rocky islands of Corsica and Sardinia, the picturesque Maritimo, and the white fortifications of Malta, present nowhere a tree or a bush to relieve their barrenness, and the only thing remotely interesting to a zoologist is the sem- blance of a gigantic bear which may be seen walking down a shelving crag in the straits of Bonifacio, and appropriately called the Bear Eock. At Malta, some hours of moonlight and dawn were all that were allowed us, which thus prevented landing. Steaming down the placid waters of the Mediterranean at this time of year (the beginning of March) is perhaps the perfection of pleasant travelling. The air is more soft and balmy than it can be at any season in our own climate, and without being oppressively warm, aU thought of- cold is abandoned, and a sensation of agreeable exhilaration mingles with one of ideal comfort. Once or twice a flying fish broke the quiet surface of the water, but the Mediterranean species did not make their appearance in any numbers. South of Candia my attention was arrested by four successive flocks of cranes flying northward, whose screams could be heard distinctly as they passed close over the ship — a circumstance which was stated to be unusual, the captain of the ship never having observed it before in his frequent passages up and down the Mediterranean. There were about 50 birds in each flock. The first assumed a long irregular hne, but the other three were more or less wedge-shaped, particu- larly one, in which the figure was remarkably symmetrical. Buffon's idea of the cause of this peculiar arrangement, viz. that the strongest naturally keeps first, while the rest are B 2 4 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. I. necessitated to follow behind, would hardly, I think, account for the regularity of the figure, which is maintained until it faints into the tenuity of a spider's thread in the distance. His theory is, indeed, no improvement upon that of Cicero,* who, being an augur, studied the flight of birds, and sup- posed that when migrating in large bodies, they assumed the >- form from an intuitive knowledge that it offers less resistance to their rapid flight— while one, probably a strong- pinioned bird, is selected by them as their leader ; though it is probable that this one, in turn, gives place to others during their progress. The first sight of the shores of the Nile Delta is by no means striking, though just what a consideration of its nature would lead one to expect. A long low coast, terminating in sand-hills, is presented to, view, whose monotony is only broken by distant and somewhat formal rows of date-palms, interspersed with windmills. But here, as we land at Alexandria, our first dissolving view fairly gives place to a totally new picture, in which the colours of the kaleidoscope play a conspicuous part. We seem at once plunged into the embodiment of the dreams of those days when we read of Aladdin, The Three Calenders, and Haroun-al-Easchid. Streets narrow and winding — shops open to the street, and without windows of any kind — merchandise piled up around the owner, who sat cross-legged upon the counter, smoking his pipe and awaiting custom — barbers shaving their cus- tomers in public — divans, where Arabs were sipping coffee meditatively — bakers and provision-merchants with wares anything but tempting to a European — and Nubians, as black as jet, carrying water-skins, of which the outsides were sufiiciently disgusting objects. Passing to and fro through * Cicero, de Natnrfl Deorum, lib. ii. cap. 49. Ch. I.] ALEXAKDEIA AND THE DELTA. 5 the streets, which were impregnated with a penetrating and far from agreeable odour, and under a sun more powerful than we had ever felt in England, were crowds of Arabs, Turks, Negroes, and Egyptians, in every variety of costume and of every shade of colour ; — some in gaudy dresses, and flowing robes, turbans, and fezzes — others with bare legs and arms, or wearing only a kind of smock, and variously contrived head-covexings — women veiled, with a long strip of black hanging down from their eyes to their feet ; others in dazzling white, veil included, or with little ones astride upon their shoulders — children of all ages and degrees of dirtiness, crying for backsheesh — lean mules and donkeys, with turbaned and portly Turks upon their backs, or with bundles of merchandize hanging on either side — strings of camels laden with various goods — ^warlike gentlemen vnth long curved scymitars at their sides, and pistols two or three feet in length stuck in their belts — all these together formed a combination often described, perhaps, but not to be for- gotten when once seen. A land journey is always a pleasant interlude in a long sea voyage, though the small carriages of the Pasha's rail- way, generally filled with their full complement, are not the most delightful of conveyances under an Egyptian sun. Across the fertile Delta agricultural operations were every- where going on. Groups of date-pahns (Phcenix dactylifera) and groves of olive ti'ees constantly met the eye ; numerous camels, herds of buffaloes, mingled with the coloured do- mestic cattle, goats of a small size, and broad-tailed sheep, ' were in plenty throughout the route. The fields were often separated by hedges of mimosa (M. Nilotica), and frequent villages occurred, mere collections of mud huts, squalid and desolate (and sometimes deserted and in ruins), about which 6 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. I. were Arabs equally squalid and wretched-looking, the children cased in dirt, wearing a single scanty and dirty garment, with eyes more or less affected with ophthalmia, and holding out their hands for backsheesh as we passed. Villainous-looking dogs, like gaunt jackals, lurked about the huts, and luxuriant cacti flourished in some of the gardens. Large kingfishers hovered over the ponds, and handsome black and white stork- like birds stood motionless like sentinels by the side of canals — buzzard-like hawks flew familiarly about, and occa- sionally swooped down almost among the people collected at a station — crows, and plovers, and sparrows, were Mot uncommon, particularly the last, probably, however, not our domestic species, but the tree sparrow (Passer montanus). As the sun went down, the zodiacal light appeared very distinctly ; and for several nights I remarked it as we passed down the Eed Sea, much more clearly than I had ever observed it in England. Conspicuously upon our right hand shone out the Egyptian star, Canopus, never visible in this latitude ; but whose first sight roused associations in unison with the classic locality we were traversing, — for at sunset we had crossed a branch of the Nile. The glimpse afforded by a ride through Cau-o did not differ essentially from that described at Alexandria ; but the city is far more interesting and remarkable; the streets more narrow and mazy, ornamented with ai-abesques and frescos ; minarets and domes meet one at every turn, while the people seemed even more essentially Eastern than in the commercial town of Alexandria. Giving my ass his reins I diverged from my party, and let the beast take me where he would, trusting to his instinct to lead me finally aright; and thus unencumbered, I could gaze at my ease Ch. I.] THE DESERT. 7 upon the motley crowd of well-conditioned Turks and white- veiled ladies, running Arabs and sooty Nubians, — mules, donkeys, and camels, which threatened to overturn the crowds of active, half -naked, and dusky children which rain hither and thither across the streets. Having thus palid a visit to the Mosque of Mehemet Ah, and seen its marble pavement and pillars of alabaster, and having gained a distant view of the Pyramids, another scene succeeded the vanishing picture of Grand Cairo. This time it was the desert ; barren sands and low stony hills of an uniform and monotonous brownish-yeUow tint, broken here and there by a stunted vegetation — ^these small green oases being, however, few and far between. But little hfe is visible here. A few black crows flew about the out- skirts of Cairo and Suez, but did not penetrate far into the desert, although some mud villages of the Arabs made their appearance even here ; and we more than once passed a group of Arabs, accompanied by their jackal-looking dogs, apparently walking through the desert along the line of rail- road. Now and then the skeleton of a camel lay bleaching on the ground, more particularly in the neighbourhood of Suez, and at the central station of Awebed a small lady-bird (CoccineUa) flew into the carriage. It was a true desert species, of the characteristic pale brown isabelline colour, admirably matching the prevailing tint of the sands on which its lot was cast. The passage down the Eed Sea was cool and pleasant, but uneventful. An agreeable breeze followed us, and favourable contrasts were drawn by many with previous experiences. Passing Mocha, we were near enough to see its white houses, over which the unusua;! phenomenon of rain was falling abundantly, and it was also raining fm^ther to the 8 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. I. south, over the land. Barren rocks accompanied us the whole way, beginning with the distant mountains of Sinai and Horebj and having left behind the volcanic islands of Zebayer and the peaks of Babel-Mandeb, to both of which we were quite sufficiently near to discern their evidently crateriform character, another picture was for a few hours presented to oin- bodily eyes. This time it was the barren, craggy, extinct volcano which is now Aden, where the scene was as whoUy new and distinct as any previous one. The black Somali from the opposite African coast, their heads either plastered with chenam, or their light-yellowish hair, dyed from its native hue by this treatment, and woven iato long ringlets all over the face, here mingled with Arabs, and formed fitting denizens of a country that was little better than an arid desert. Long strings of camels toiled in pro- cession up the hiUs, laden with water-skins, fire-wood, and bars of iron, — and here and there a half-naked negro met us, seated upon a dromedary's hump, and passing us at a long swinging trot, such as only a camel could accomplish. Vegetation was here scarcely less rare than in the desert itseK — small patches of green, however, were here and there visible, produced by a Eesedaceous plant (allied to mignonette), which struggled to maintain existence — and it was not until we arrived at the neighbourhood of the great water tanks that we observed how the industry of man had converted a wilderness into a garden, and at infinite labour and expense had not only conveyed thither flowers and plants from distant regions, but even the very soU in which they were growing. Here, in the yawniag mouth of what, ages back, had been the fiery gulf of a great volcano, but of which nothing but the form now remains, are the canton- ments or military stations, aiid aU around is life and bustle. Ch. I.] MAEINE ANIMALS AT ADEN. 9 But time, and the unwonted and intense heat, would not permit of more than a cursory -view of those great works, the water tanks, or of the curious scenes of Eastern life which are to, be viewed in the great market-place and bazaar ; and having taken our glimpse we returned as we had come. Having a short time at my disposal before rejoining the vessel, I went down to the beach, where, although the water was rather high, I met with some matters of interest. Under the stones on which were many largish Chitons, were nu- merous grape-like eggs of the cuttle-fish (Sepia), each egg containing a small well-developed cuttle, which, when de- tached, at once moved actively away, and discharged ink from its ink-bag. I was fortunate in finding, also, under a stone, three specimens of a beautiful nudibranch, or mariae slug, which I kept alive for some days for the admiration of some intelligent fellow-passengers, who expressed their astonish- ment that such brilliantly-coloured and graceful creatures should exist, and many were the questions as to how I had found them. They were of the genus BomeUa, and probably Bornella digitata of Adams, a rare species, which had only previously been met with in the Straits of Sunda by Mr. Adams (in H.M.S. " Samarang"), two or three specimens, and the same number on the Madras coast. Delicately marbled with vermilion streaks, they swam freely in the water by a lateral twisting movement of the body, waving at the same time their singularly complex and elegant tufts in a most striking and graceful manner. Vain, however, were all my attempts to depict these nudibranchs in a satisfactory manner, for the conditions on board a mail-steamer are by no means favourable for such studies. I therefore placed them in glycerine, which has a wonderful power of retaining the bright colours, transparency, and delicate outline of some of 10 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. I. these perishable animals ; but has, unfortunately, the draw- back that, it unfits them for subsequent dissection, so that it is always advisable to place some specimens in this medium, and others in spirit, for the use of the comparative anatomist. Once more, after a week's voyaging over the calm waters of the Indian Ocean, the view changes, and for a few hours we are walking through the cocoa-nut gi'oves and cinnamon gardens of Ceylon. Glad, indeed, were we of the shade afforded by the over-arching palms, which here, for the first time, greeted om- eyes with all the luxuriance of equatorial vegetation, — a change rendered the more agreeable and striking by the contrast it afforded to the barren rocks, which, since we quitted Marseilles, had everywhere met our view, excepting only the green patch of Delta between Alexandria and Cairo. Here plantains and pumilows, limes and pine-apples are to be had almost for the asking; and here, after a glorious drive through a forest of palms, thickly studded with native cottages, about which dusky forms hovered, and little naked children who required no pro- tection for their tender bodies, we at length seated ourselves beside a bed of the sensitive mimosa, and enjoyed a prospect as though the view from Eichmond Hill had been trans- ported to a tropical clime, with all the voluptuous accompani- ments of a garden in Paradise. But in these latitudes during the fine season the ocean presents aspects nothing inferior in glory and magnificence to the scenes beheld on land. A perfect calm, such as occurred a few days later, was a thmg to be remembered ; and although I have seen many calms since, they have by no means always combined every element of beauty which tended to make this one unique. The sea was like an azure mifror, polished, spotless, and brilliant, in which the slightest Ch. I.] A CALM AT SEA IN THE TEOPICS. 11 mote would have seemed a flaw; but from out of which, from time to time, shoals of flying fishes, like flocks of little white birds, emerged, with a splash and a whuT Uke a covey of partridges, dropping one hy one into the water again Uke a shower of canister or grape, and leavuig only a few ripples which presently subsided, and the water was once more like a clear sapphire. The sky was filled with noble cumuli of various shades of white, arranged in successive piles or layers from the zenith to the horizon, flat below, massively rolling above ; and so crystal-clear was the atmosphere that those most distant were as well defined as those nearly over- head ; and even the clouds below the horizon, and of which only the flocculent convoluted tops were visible, were sharply cut against the distant sea-line. It was lilce a noble temple, whose floor was lapis-lazuli, and whose roof was infinity. But' once before had I witnessed a parallel scene, but with the colours reversed, when far up the recesses of Mont Blanc, the deep unwonted blue of the cloudless sky was cut by the clear, trenchant outlines of spotless aiguilles which towered up all round from the pm^e white floor of the snowy glacier. Events interesting to the observant natiu'alist can hardly fail to happen each day while traversing the ocean, and it is not to be supposed that during this time nothing was seen worth recording ; but I have thought it better to collect the various circumstances worthy of notice in a separate chapter, on the surface life of the ocean, than to speak of them in a piecemeal and isolated manner, which also would stand in the way of any interesting generalisations. Scarcely a day passes, however, without some addition to one's stock of observation and information, whether it be a fish swimmiug the sea^ a bird winging the air, or some floating delicate animal which 12 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. I. would seem least fitted to buffet with the waves, which at some seasons lash themselves into irresistible fury. The straits of Malacca, with its fine prospects of Sumatra, gave a taste of those tropical storms which have procured for them the name of Straits' weather. Not that we were at any time involved in the thunder cloud ; but on this and on several other occasions, certain peculiarities of electrical phenomena occurred, which may be appropriately referred to here. In the first place, it has always struck me as a singular phenomenon, that day after day thunderstorms have apparently been bm-sting around us, in several places illumi- nating the horizon, and yet we seemed to be exempted from them. This was particularly the case in the Straits of Malacca, and on the coast of China. Nor was it all of the kind known as summer lightning, for I have delighted to watch the vivid spark coursing through the air, or dashing down upon the sea or land ; but although I have so often watched lightning night after night successively, the sound of thunder has been a rare occurrence. Again, on two occasions I have witnessed storms which have apparently been of such severity that to be situated beneath them must have seemed like being at the mouth of hell. Once at Shanghai, in July, the sky was illuminated with one incessant unintermitting glai-e, lasting several hours, but no thunder was heai'd; and a simUai- circum- stance took place in May off the south coast of Madagascar, when a storm broke to the south of us, even exceeding this in grandeur. From 7 to 11 p.m. a flickering glare, which left the sky dark only for a second once in half an hour or an hour, showed that a terrific elemental strife was going on. The central point seemed elevated 10° or 15° above the horizon, and as the nearer clouds cleared away I watched Ch. I.] TEOPICAL LIGHTNING. 13 for hours the unceasing flashes — tongues of fire darting out round the distant clouds — radiatiag iu five or six distinct streams of flame from a given point, like the thunderbolt in the hands of Jupiter — coursing along the sky, or dashing down iuto the sea at the horizon Hke liquid fire ; but aU this while not a sound was heard, no thunder reached the ears, and the position of the storm scarcely altered during the whole time. At 11 I retired from watching it, hut as long as I remained awake I could see the reflection playing upon the walls of the cabin, like the flickering of an un- steady candle. The day succeeding was marked by a brilliancy of atmosphere and freshness of temperature we had not experienced before, and the only important change we observed was an adverse wind. On this occasion I noticed a peculiarity, which was also very strikingly marked, in a storm which passed near us at Sarawak. The lightning in this case was unusually vivid, but the flashes did not have the appearance of simple instantaneous sparks, but looked just as though they con- sisted of Hquid fire poured out from a vessel ia a continuous stream, and lasting a perceptible time, during which the lightning %'ibrated upon the retina — the zigzag form of the flash, however, being perfectly retained meanwhile. As we neared the Straits we observed several floating logs, or trunks of trees, which in the distance looked hke boats. Some of them were covered with gannets (Sula alba ?), as thick as they could cluster, though the birds could have rested, if they chose, one would suppose, upon the water, belonging as they do to the fully-webbed Peli- canidse^ These birds are seldom seen far from land, and their appearance is a sign of its proximity ; not so, however, with . the Tropic birds (Phaethon sethereus), beautiful black 14 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. £0g. I. and white creatures with yellow beaks, and conspicuous for their long pointed tails. Four of these birds appeared about the ship on two successive days in the Indian Ocean, on the second of which we were 800 miles from land. As long as I was able to watch them I did not see them settle upon the water, nor did they appear to attempt to catch the flying fishes, which at the time were on the wing in considerable numbers. An hour's walk in Penang gave the first glimpse of Chinese life, and one could not fail to be struck with the activity and energy displayed here as everywhere by the celestial race, — all astir and busy, though but just daylight. The verdure of the place, and the elegance and grace of the various specimens of palms which met the view, were an agreeable relief to the eye after a week at sea. The dense jungles and sandy beaches of the Malacca peninsula were visible as we proceeded towards Singapore, and at night many fires were visible, which made one speculate on the occupation and characters of the inhabitants of this tiger- haunted land. At Singapore, after threading the green, wooded islets which conduct to the harbour, having ridden through hedges of bamboo, groves of cocoa and betel-nut, mangrove swamps on which were built villages, forcibh' recalling to mind the ancient lake-habitations, — streets peopled by Malays, Chinese, and Klings or Madrasees in every variety of picturesque costume, I at length found myself in the verandah of a bungalow, and overlooldng a garden in which many strange trees and plants were growing. Among these was the Traveller's tree (Urania speciosa), the banana-like leaves of which spring in a beautifully imbricated fashion from the two opposite sides only of the stem, the whole tree representing a gigantic Ch. I.] TKB OAEIOATUEE PLANT. 13 open fan. The rain falling upon the leaves and leaf-stalks, runs downs a channel in the latter until it reaches the hase, where a reservoir is formed by the sheathing petioles, wliich so closely embrace one another that it cannot escajje. An incision, therefore, through these sheaths produces a con- stant fountain of pure, refreshing fluid, of which the ex- perienced traveller may at his pleasure avail himself. Another singular tree, or rather shrub, I first observed here was commonly known as the face-leafed plant, or Caricature plant of the East Indies (Justicia picta), every leaf of which exhibited upon its blotched sm-face a series of remarkable caricature resemblances of the human face divine. One of these trees in the garden of Gustave Dore would be worth a fortiuie to him, suppljong him with a never-failing fund of grotesque physiognomy, from which he might illustrate every serio-comic romance ever written by S"wift or Dickens, by Eabelais or Cervantes. About the verandah the most common bird appeared to be the rice bird, or Java sparrow (Loxia oryzovora) ; but on a subsequent occasion, in November, I looked in vain for these birdsj which had been so plentiful in the beginning of April. I shall, however, have occasion to return to Singapore, and shall therefore now proceed on our journey across the China Sea, at this season beautifully calm ; and another week of delightful dolcefar niente brought us near the goal to which for six weeks we had been constantly travelling. The day before reaching our ultimate destination of Hong Kong, we experienced, for the first time during all the voyage, squally and impleasant weather, which was not disagreeable, however, when regarded simply as a change from the uniformly fine and calm seas we had experienced for six weeks ; moi'e particularly as there were no signs of 16 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. I. the dreaded typhoon. As we approached the coast, great numbers of junks, with mat sails and two masts, appeared, the high poops of which gave them the strange aspect of plunging headlong into the water; but they appear to be excellent sailers, and under ordinary circumstances have no real tendency to do so. The numerous islands cliTstered about the entrance of the Canton river began to make their appearance on the following morning, bare of trees, but usually smooth and more or less green ; and ultimately the back of the island of Hong Kong itself, sparsely dotted with handsome residences, though otherwise not very pre- possessing, being barren and exposed, interlaced by craggy ravines, and running up into elevated crags, the highest of which, surmounted by a flagstaff, is called Victoria Peak. This is the telegraph station, from which the appearance of every ship that approaches the harbom- is signalled, and from which a booming gun announces to every expectant inhabitant of Hong Kong, and to every ship in the port, that the mail is iii sight. The first sight of the Hong Kong of the present day is something not to be forgotten, and perhaps unequalled by any view of the same character. Having passed Green Island, a round knoll in mid-channel, we begin to sight the shipping, from the midst of which a puff of smoke announces that the " Fort William," Peninsular and Oriental receiving ship, now sights us rounding the angle of rock. On our left is the long stretch of sea ending in the Capsing- moon pass, through which lies the way to Canton. The rugged crag of the Peak rises on our right, at the base of which the town lies like a city of palaces, gradually de- veloping as we proceed round the front of it. Meanwhile our attention becomes divided between the varied and Ch. I.] FIEST YIEW OF HONG KONG. 17 numerous shipping, and the magnificent scene which the land affords on either hand, but more especially upon the island side. Passing by a heterogeneous crowd of junks which ply between Hong Kong and Canton or Macao, for the supply of the market, and which attract notice from their novel and foreign aspect, we thread our way among British shipping of every class, among which also are many British men-of-war and gunboats, mingled with not a few foreign vessels. Through these, often withia speak- ing distance, we steam slowly and cautiously, and have time to watch the gradual unfolding of the city of Hong Kong. Built terrace upon terrace up the base of the hill, a series of splendid palatial residences, with open verandahs around them, rise nobly, and in strong contrast to the dark back-ground of the craggy peak which towers above them — on one side sloping gradually down towards the Lyemoon pass in the East, and on the other side suddenly and pre- cipitously terminating towards the sea in the West, — re- minding the spectator very strongly of the Eock of Gibraltar. On the opposite shore, a long line of barren, serrated peaks, sweeping picturesquely up from the shore, with nowhere any sign of life or habitation, forms a striking contrast to the busy life and activity of that from which we have just turned. Although from the nature of the ground there are numer- ous spots on shore which command exquisite views, the position of the spectator on ship-board in the harbour is pecuharly adapted for obtaining the most charming and picturesque scenery — for as the vessel swings with the tide, a series of panoramic pictures, as it were, is gained, em- bracing every quarter of the compass ; and these, when seen from so advantageous a position as the stem galleries of the 18 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. I. " Princess Charlotte " in fine spring weather, were truly de- lightful. And when night came, and the young moon lighted up the scene, the rows of lights round the dark mass of the mountain, which itself stands out in bold relief against the twilight sky— the smooth,, bright sea reflecting the moon-lit heaven, and bearing upon its surface innumerable sombi'e ships, each showing its guardian lamp— was a fairy-hke scene which I never tired of watching. Without leaving the ship, too, there were points of interest in Chinese life which forced themselves upon the attention. The numerous boats, or sampans, plying about between the shore and the various ships, aU manned by Chinese, were in themselves a study ; and some were constantly hanging about the ship at a respectful distance, in the hope of a fare. They are, for the most part, long boats with a small awning near the stem, under which the passengers sit, and they have a complement of four or five rowers. I have said they were manned; but although there are usually one or two men among them, the majority of the rowers are women, or young girls. In fact each boat is the home of a family, and in their boat they spend their whole existence — how, it is difficult to comprehend ; but naturally they become expert in rowing and handling their craft. In fine weather but little skUl is required, but there are times when the sea in the harbour is so rough that boats cannot be obtained at any price ; and I have heard of people, only last winter, being detained on board ship for nine days together, unable to get ashore. The family inhabiting a boat all share in the work — it may be a husband, wife, daughter, and son — or, if the family is not sufficiently numerous, the complement is made up by agree- ment from without. But the women and girls, whose dress differs but little from that of the men (when the latter wear Ch. I.] CHINESE BOATWOMEN. 19 any), are no less strong and active than their lords ; and, moreover, they are not unfrequently burdened in a manner which would at first sight seem to hamper their movements very considerably. Strapped upon their backs, it is a com- mon sight to see an infant, his little bare feet peeping out on either side, and the unsupported head tumbling from side to side with every movement of the mother, who, in the act of rowing, places herself in postmres by no means always suitable to the child's comfort ; but it seldom complains, and seems to become accustomed to the strange rockiag motion. Often the mother hands the infant over to the back of a child, girl or boy alike, of nine or ten years old, who moves about the boat apparently with little reference to his burthen. Children of an age to toddle about, but stiU so young as to require attention, are often tethered by a string to the middle of the boat, or ornamented by sundry gourds fastened to their bodies, so that in case they fall overboard, as I have seen them do, they may float until picked up. The numerous cargo boats plying in the harbour add to the liveliness of the scene. They are mostly rowed by men, who stand up and push the oar before them. A strange sight it is in wet weather to see these men, who, under these circumstances, wear cloaks made of grass, — the raw material sewn together, — which, crowned by the broad and pointed bamboo hat, give them an aspect of savagery which can scarcely be surpassed. CHAPTEE II. •HOFG KONG TO PKATAS ISLAND. Anglifled appearance of Hong Kong — Physical Character — The Chinese Quarter — Leave Hong Kong— Arrive at Pratas Reef— Description of the Island — We visit the Island — Its Vegetation— Insect Fauna — Marine Animals — Sea "Weeds — Fishermen's Temple — Lagoon — Birds of the Island— The Gannets' Settlement— The Seine— Towing Net— EoUers— We quit the Eeef— Birds ohserved upon the Ship between Pratas and Formosa. It scarcely forms a part of my plan to enter largely into a description of Hong Kong, nor shall I attempt to do more in this place than cursorily refer to some of those features which most strike a stranger from the West. I shall have occasion to return again to the island, which is a convenient starting-point for many places. Hong Kong is so essentially English China, that a traveller who passed by here, and visited no other part of the country, would have but a very imperfect idea of Chinese life and manners. The houses are fine, substantial, and European for the most part, the Chinese town forming quite a sub- ordinate part of the place ; and the population is a mixture of English, French, Portuguese, Americans, Parsees, Ma- hommedans, and Chinese. Of these, aU, except the Chinese, are of a good class, being for the most part well-to-do merchants, who employ the Chinese in their offices either as compradores, clerks, servants, or coolies. Some Chinese there are who do business in Hong Kong on their own Ch. II.] HONa KONG. 2] account, and the compradores of the large European houses are often highly respectable men ; but the majority of the Chinese population are of an inferior class. Nearly all of them imderstand enough English to carry on a tolerably free iatercourse with their masters, though this EngHsh is of that mongrel kind known as pidgin (or business, pronounced by them hidgness) English, which it is not only necessary to understand as spoken by them, but also to speak freely in , order to be intelligible to the Chinese. The island is syenitic granite, of a kind which very readily .decomposes upon the surface where exposed to the weather, and the water which percolates from this disintegrated rock appears to have deleterious properties, to which the im- healthiness of some parts of the island would seem to be mainly due. Irruptions of trap are visible in some parts, and the whole island partakes of the characteristic barren aspect of the greater part of the Chinese coast, and, except in sheltered situations, as in the part called the Happy Valley, is for the most part destitute of any trees, except a stunted pine. Good roads are constructed round the greater part of the island, often high up the lull side, which com- mand glorious prospects over the sea, and the rocky and elevated mainland of China ; which, with the ever varying appearance of the harbour crowded with shipping of every nation, render a walk upon the upper road one of the most picturesque and grand that can be anywhere met with. There are no Chinese features, however, observable about Hong Kong, which are not seen better in other and less hybrid parts of China. Everything is more or less diluted with the European element ; and I was much struck, when I first observed a smaU-footed Chinese woman of superior class meandering with painful steps through the street, ac- 22 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [On. H. companied by an elderly attendant, to see that the sight seemed to attract as much attention from the Chinese popu- lation as it did from myself. Around every shop door were clustered curious groups, who watched the fair hoofed lady untU she was almost out of sight, though I imagine their curiosity was chiefly excited by the imusual appearance of a lady so evidently superior, walking in the streets. Still there was much that was curious, and could not fail to in- terest me ; and in order to observe them more at home, and free from foreign interruption, I bent my steps into the purely Chinese quarter, where I soon made the discovery, however, that squalor and dirt and crime were also here at home. How I suffered for my temerity I will recoimt iu another place ; suffice it to say that here I learned a lesson I did not forget as long as I remained among the Chinese people. After a fortnight spent ia Hong Kong, I joined her Ma- jesty's despatch boat " Serpent," Commander Bullock, who most kindly shared his owQ accommodation with me. The destination of the " Serpent " was the Formosa Channel, with a probability of visiting some of the ports of the island of Formosa, the coast of Chiaa, and Shanghai — a hope that was fuUy realised by the event ; while the various delays, and the devious course rendered necessary by survejdng opera- tions, gave me much and desirable opportunity of prosecut- ing my observations. We quitted Hong Kong on the 24th April, steering first south for the Pratas Island, which we reached on the 28th. Pratas Island is situated in lat. 20° 42' N., and long. 116° 43' E., and is of a horse-shoe shape, occupying the centre of the sunken or western part of the great Pratas reef. The reef itself is of a crescentic form, extending 13 mUes to the Oh. II.] PEATAS ISLAND AND EEEF. 23 eastward, and having a breadth from north to south of 12 miles, enclosiag a lagoon of about 10 miles in diameter, dotted over with numberless coral patches and shoals. It Hes in the du*ect line of route between Manilla and Hong Kong, and is therefore a spot where many a good ship has been wrecked, especially upon its south-eastern side, which is too often concealed by the thick fogs which prevail during the north-east monsoon. The Pratas reef and island were surveyed by H.M.S. " Saracen," J. Richards master com- manding, in 1858, and at that time it was beheved that vessels of 15 feet draught could enter the lagoon by the south channel, between the south side of the island and the south-west horn of the reef ; but in our recent visit Capt, Bullock found, that although only drawing 12^ feet, he . could not safely make the attempt, and consequently the ship was anchored on the edge of the reef, three miles south of the island, which thus sheltered it from the strong north- east wind blowing at the time. Pratas Island is about a mile and a half long, and half-a- mUe wide, and is only visible at a distance of eight or nine miles in clear weather ; not rising in its highest part more than 25 or 30 feet above the level of the sea, though the bushes which cover some parts give it an additional eleva- tion of 10 feet or so. On Monday morning, April 30th, with Capt. Bullock and Mr. Sutton, chief engineer of the " Serpent," I visited the island, two hours' puU, from the ship, and spent the day in exploring its character and natural history featm-es. It is formed entirely of coarse coral-sand or debris, generally shelving gradually, but in some parts having a steep bank about three feet high. The interior is rough and hilly, from accumulations of similar white sand blown up from the shore, 24 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. II. and so overgrown is it with slirubs as to be in some parts almost impenetrable, thougli the soil might be supposed to be anything Ijut favourable to vegetable growth, nothing but sand being anywhere visible, and that of the coarsest and loosest description. The bushes in some places approach very near the sea, and between them and the water's edge various flowers not unfrequently peep out from the inhos- pitahle soil, including a potentilla, an anemone, a plantago, and some grasses. On the west side of the island is a deep indentation into which the sea enters, forming a shallow lagoon or bay, on the bants of which the vegetation assumes quite a park-like aspect ; bushes, and even small trees, with spreading branches springing forth close to the ground, pro- ducing a scene of great luxuriance and some beauty. Amongst the bushes immense orthopterous insects (GryUi) flew about, exhibiting a deep-red underwing, and looking very much Kke small birds. To the shrubs also were attached numerous geometric webs, which were occupied by a species of spider belonging to the genus Acrosoma, having a squarish abdomen, from the upper surface of which projected several spike-Hke processes. This was the only species of spider which came under my notice ; and entangled in its web there appeared to be as often a spider of the same species as any other kind of insect, the paucity of insect life on the island apparently driving them to cannibalism. A moth, whose expanse of wing was about an inch, and having smaU red and black spots upon it, was pretty numerous, and appeared to be the only lepidopterous insect, with the exception of a large clear-winged species, which was captured, but unfortu- nately escaped again. These, with some ants and a few beetles, constituted the insect fauna, as far as could be de- termined during our single visit. The beetles were a species Ch. n.] SWIPT-POOTBD CEABS. 25 of Dermestes, and a little Corynsetes, cosmopolitan in its habitat, and common nearly aU over the world. Among the coral-debris upon the beach were numerous masses of various sizes, consisting of roUed Astraeas, Mad- repores, &c. ; and mingled with them were fragments of shells of a great many species of Conus, Cyprsea, Turbo, Pinna, Hippopus, &c. ; but none of them entrte. Innu- merable little hermits (Paguri and Cenobitse) occupied the deserted shells of Naticse and Neritinse, and larger ones those of good-sized Turbines ; but I saw no live shells upon the beach, except a few insignificant ones, such as Litorinse and Purpurse ; nor, though the water was bright and clear, and I waded out as far as I could go, could I anywhere see traces of Annelids or Echinoderms. The harder parts of the sand were perforated with deep holes of various sizes, from which emerged from time to time a wary and swift-footed crab (Ocypoda), which scuttled nimbly down to the sea upon the first sign of approaching footsteps, and appeared to be aware of us at least at 50 yards distance. Nor was it easy to capture a specimen, for while on the one hand they never made the mistake of running away from the sea, on the other hand, if cut off, they fled so quickly, and doubled so nimbly, suddenly running the opposite way without the clumsy. process of turning round, that they afforded great amusement and not a little exercise and exertion. The sea in the neighbom-hood of the Pratas Island has a very variegated appearance, from the alternations of bare white sandy bottom, with patches of Ulva and Zostera, both of which are very abundant. The Ulva is a very beautiful reticulated species (Ulva reticulata, Forsk.), and the Zos- tera leaves float about in aU directions and in all stages of decay, generally hearing upon them minute dendritic poly- 26 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. II. zoa, orbitolites, spirorbis, &c., with which the towing-net from the ship was replenished. Besides the tJlva, I ob- tained several other species of seaweed, washed up on the beach, and conspicuous among them a species of Padina, very abundant everywhere in these seas, and a Sargassum. As might be expected on so small an island, quadrupeds are scarce, nor did we observe any, though it is said the universal Rat was seen there when the " Dove " visited the spot, nor did I notice the bones of any quadrupeds which would have indicated their existence there. The skeletons of turtle were met with more than once, but whether they visit the island, or are cast up dead upon the beach, I am unable to say. No other traces of reptiles were observed. Pratas Island is occasionally visited by Chinese fishermen, who repair to it in the early part of the year, 'and there is a good junk-anchorage in the north-east comer of the lagoon. We soon came upon traces of such a visit in a clear patch among the scrub, in, the midst of which a well had been sunk, from which brackish water might be . obtained. There were scattered about various implements of pottery, in the shape of water- vessels and teapots, some entire and others more or less broken, and surrounding them were strewed great numbers of shells, of a species of Strombus (S. Luhuanus), the remnants of a past feast, and which remained to form a future kitchen-midden in the sand. At the head of the shallow inlet or lagoon stood a joss-house, or Chinese temple, in a rather dilapidated condition from the effects of wind and weather, the roof nearly torn off, and the plank walls very shaky, so that the rain and weather had left their visible traces also upon the contents and furniture. In this rough building were 30 or 40 josses, or wooden idols, of various sizes, once resplendent in paint and gilding, but Oh. II.] FISHERMEN'S JOSS-HOUSE. 27 now faded and weather-worn. They were arranged sym- metrically upon a sort of altar, and upon the tables before them were bundles of joss-sticks, packets of joss-papers, rouleaux of paper dollars, lucky stones, gongs, tom-toms, while around the building were grotesque wood carvings, procession staves, and all the paraphernalia of the Chinese devil-propitiators. We soon found, however, that they must be handled with caution — they were rotting with damp and decay, and harboured numbers of small scorpions, white ants, and ugly-looking spiders, which commanded a certain amount of respect from their malignant and venomous ap- pearance. The blue-jackets especially, with their bare feet, were very shy of walking about in a spot where scorpions had their habitation, but fortunately no one suffered from their stings. Among other offerings to Joss, were a number of large model-ships, representing three-deckers, and made of paper stretched upon frames of wood, now much torn and dilapidated, but which showed plainly the piratical tendencies of the frequenters of the temple, and their desire that Joss should cast some barbarian ships upon the shore for them to plunder. As far as we could judge, however, from the con- dition of the place, it must have been three or four months since anyone had visited the island. A slope of long, rank grass led down from the joss-house to the shores of the shallow inlet, upon which, and in the water, were strewed immense numbers of dead shells of Cerithium vertaguSj some few of which were inhabited by hermit crabs. From observations made at the island upon the tide, it appeared that during the day of fuU moon it was high water at 8 a.m., and ebbed untU 3.15 p.m., by which time it had fallen three feet. It was not surprising, therefore, that some of these deserted shells were high and dry ; but 28 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. II. this would hardly account for the fact that, considerably- above high- water mark, many lay half-embedded in the dried mud and thick confervoid growth which had long lain above high-water mark, and bore the signs of having been well baked and cracked by many a noonday sun. The banks of the lagoon had evidently been under water comparatively recently, and much higher up than the tide now reached. But although some classes of animals were poorly repre- sented upon Pratas Island, there were plenty of birds, and of several species, both sea and land birds. A buzzard I noticed several times ; but it was too wary to allow me to come within gunshot, although it offered a tantalising mark just out of range. I observed a very handsome shrike, with an ash-coloured head and black moustache. The blue- jackets reported that they had seen a canary ,• and I after- wards saw myself a yellowish bird resembling the English siskin, which was probably the bird they had noticed. Another bird (Petrocinclus manihensis), about the size of a blackbird, was of a glossy metallic blue above and fawn- coloured beneath. Its stomach contained the elytra of beetles. A fifth species presented aU the appearance of a veritable blackbird, but I could not get near enough to ex- amine it closely. A species of swallow, probably Hirundo gutturalis, with glossy bluish back, chestnut throat, and with a speckled fawn-colour imderneath, was flying about ia considerable numbers ; and on the banks of the shallow in- let I saw a bright-coloured kingfisher, very similar in appear- ance and size to our own species. There were also some small birds which crossed our path from time to time, with the jerking flight and the chirrup of the hard-billed perchers. Large flocks of Tringas (sandpipers), of at least two species, were visible on the sandy flats of the inlet which were left Ch. n.] BIRDS OP PEATAS ISLAND. 29 uncovered in the afternoon, and also upon some parts of the seaward shore of the island, where it was inclined to be soft and marshy. There were also two species of plover, the one of a reddish-brown colour, with orange-red legs ; the other of a delicate mouse colour, with yeUow legs ; and a godwit (Limosa), speckled grey and brown, with greenish legs and a recurved beak, A large rapacious-looking bird, which came sailing majestically within gunshot, was brought down, and turned out to be the frigate bird (Tachypetes aqiulus), a bird confined to tropical regions, but having a wide range throughout them, being not uncommon both in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. "When it feU, a strong guano-hke smell pervaded it, which was very disagreeable. I measured its expanse of wing, which proved to be nearly seven feet from tip to tip ; and on opening its stomach I found, in a partially digested state, three large flying fishes and two squids. Small flocks of a pretty species of white egret frequently flew along the shore, and indeed, with gannets, made their appearance about the ship immediately upon her anchoring off the shoal. I shot one from the ship for examination, and found it to be 20 inches long from tip of beak to end of tail, and of a pure white colour, with the exception of a few orange feathers over the base of the beak, which formed a crest ; biU yeUow, and legs greenish brown. It was not provided with any of those special feathers which adorn our British species. The stomach contained a few remains of beetles. But. the dominant and characteristic bird of Pratas Island is the Gannet (Sula alba). These birds measure 4 ft. 10 in. from tip to tip of wing, and 2 ft. 9 in. total length from beak to tail, which is wedge-shaped. The head, neck, back, and tail are fuscous, breast and beUy white, legs and feet yellow, and completely webbed. They are common birds on most 30 • EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. II. of these islands, and are well-known to seamen. They % heavily and usually low, fearlessly approachiag within gun- shot, and even stone's throw, and some of the men amused themselves with throwing lumps of coral at them as they flew by, the same bird returning again and again at the rigk of being knocked down- A walk through the interior of the island among the shrubs and bushes revealed to me the domestic economy of these birds. In the open places, and under the shelter of the bushes, the mother gannets were sitting upon their nests and eggs. The nests were mere hollows in the coral sand, strewed with a few bits of grass, with some admixture of feathers, and perhaps a piece of seaweed, forming, at best, a very rude cradle, in which were deposited two eggs. These eggs were about the size of goose eggs, white, with a suspicion of a blue tinge, not smooth and glossy like hens' eggs, but more or less scratched, as though the scratches were made when the external coat was soft, and had after- wards dried, preserving the marks. One nest alone contained four eggs. The poor bird sitting upon the nest would show symptoms of uneasiaess as we approached, pecking the ground or coarse grass fiercely with its long, straight beak, but did not offer to quit the nest untU we were within two or three yards of it, or even less. Then placing the end of its bill upon the ground, with a gulping effort it vomited up its meal, depositing, it beside the nest, and floundering forward, took wing and rose into the air. This was the proceeding at nearly every one of the hundreds of nests which we disturbed; it was evident that the birds had just gorged themselves with food, and then sat down upon their eggs (unless, indeed, their mates had brought them food, a circumstance which I did not see myself), and that they were unable to raise them- Oh. II.] THE GANNETS' NESTS. 31 selves off the ground imtil they had got rid of the superfluous weight in their stomachs. On examining the vomited food, I found it to consist invariably of flying-fish, generally of a large size, and usually but sUghtly digested. There were sometimes six or seven of these fish, in other instances only three or four, and in two or three cases a squid or two inter- mixed with them. But what numbers of flying-fish must exist in the neighbourhood to afford such a daily supply to so large a number of birds ; and yet we did not see a trace of flying-fishes about the island, and might otherwise have supposed there were none. Meanwhile the gannets formed a thick cloud overhead, the noise of whose screams and the rustling of whose wings formed a wild accompaniment of sounds. They flew so close overhead that we could have knocked them down with a stick in any numbers, and I was obliged to wave my gun about as I walked along, in order to keep them from carrying away my hat. By degrees the birds rose higher, and those we had disturbed returned to their nests as soon as we had passed a few yards beyond. In the latter part of the afternoon a seining party came from the ship, and the nets being prepared, four casts were made very successfully. A great number of fish were taken and stowed away in the sail-bags, but it was too late and too dark to examine them very closely, and they were distributed amongst the ship's company and dressed for breakfast. Among them were a great many of a large silvery mullet ; no flying-fish, however. In one of these hauls the net was so impeded by the quantity of the reticulated Ulva before mentioned, that it was drawn in with great difficulty. It was now dark, and a breeze was springing up. A blue light burnt from the shore was answered by another from the ship, thus distinguishing her position, and having em- 32 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. II. barked in the gig we were soon scudding along under saU. Meantime the full moon rose grandly over the sea, and in half-an-hour we had measured the way back to the ship which it had taken two hours' hard pull to do in the morning. The towing-net hanging out from the ship when lying off the island was, the first evening, fiUed with a dense brown deposit, which on examination proved to be composed solely of Zoese, or crab-larvse, all of the same species. The next morning on raising it again in the same spot, not a Zoea made its appearance, but instead of them were numbers of Leucifer, Entomostraca, and other minute Crustacea, also little Atlantse, fronds of reticulated Ulva, and decaying leaves of Zostera, upon which were Orbitolites, Spirorbis, and minute Polyzoa. A strong north-east wind prevented us the following day from paying another visit to the island ; while, lying under its lee, we remained at anchor for the sake of the shelter it afforded us. But on the second day, towards sunset, our attention was attracted by the curious phenomenon of long rolling waves coming in from the south-west, which increased as the evening advanced, causing considerable motion in the ship. Towards midnight these south-west roUers increased to such an extent, the wind still blowing strong from the north-east, that it was deemed desirable to slip cable and put to sea, since the proximity, of the reef was very un- desirable if bad weather set in, while the rolling swell endangered our bumping upon the reef in a spot where our fair-weather anchorage left but little room to spare. We kept outside the edge of the reef therefore during the night, and next day approached its north-west comer. Here we saw the terrible sight of the long line of breakers on our lee Ch.II.] BIEDS between FORMOSA AND PEATAS. 33 side, extending for mUes along the northern edge of the reef, over which the sea, lashed into foam by a strong breeze of some days' duration, was dashing wildly in a broad straight band of white foam. Finding that the wind fresh- ened, and that we could do no more at the Pratas Shoal, we steered north-east and left the dangerous reef behind. The explanation of the curious phenomenon of south-west roUers coming in with a north-east wind followed in due time. They were caused by a typhoon which was blowing between 200 and 300 mUes to the south of us, and which recurved in lat. 16° 10' N. and long. 116° 30' E., according to the observations of Capt. Symington, whose ship, the " Northfleet," was twice caught in it, and who published an accoimt of the Cyclone. Pratas Island being so small a spot, and situated 170 miles from the mainland of China and about 250 from For- mosa, it is remarkable that so many land-birds should have found a home there ; and the incidents of the two or three days which elapsed during our passage from the reef to the Island of Formosa were particularly interesting, as throwing light upon this circumstance. Steering north-east for Ta- kau-con, we experienced a strong head-wind the whole way, that is, the direction of the wind being in a straight line from South Formosa to Pratas Island. We left the reef on May 3rd; on the 4th a large flock of sandpipers met us, going with the wind towards Pratas, where no doubt they would find a resting-place. But the following day, being then a little more than halfway from the reef to Fonnosa, the rigging was scarcely free at any time during the day from feathered guests, which must have been driven off the Formosa coast by the wind, and some of them at least would have reached Pratas had tliey not found a resting-place, and 34 GAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. II. in some instances a passage back, on board the " Serpent." The following birds I observed at various times during the day, and sometimes several of them flying about the ship, and from time to time settling on various parts of the rig- ging : — a yellow warbler (Sylvia) ; a yellow wagtail (Motacilla boarula) ; a shrike (Lanius), grey with a black moustache, apparently identical with the one already seen on the island ; two species of swallow (Hirundo) ; a small heron (Ardea) ; a handsome black bird rather bigger than a common black- bird, with a crimson beak and a large white spot on each wing; a red dove with a white head; a yellow and black spotted plover (Charadrius pluvialis orientalis), precisely resembling the British golden plover ; a species of flycatcher (Myiagra azurea) ; and a bird closely resembling a hen chafiinch (? Munia topela). This iuteresting assemblage of birds was evidently but a few of the numbers blown off the land (probably Formosa) by the force of a moderately strong north-east wind, and of them, many would perish in the sea, a few would find relief and restoration in passing ships, and without doubt some would reach Pratas Island, and finding means of subsistence would take up their residence there, and be jotted down in the Avi-fauna of the next observer. Entranoa to the Harbour of Ta-kau. CHAPTEE III. FORMOSA. TA-KAU-CON, AND THE PESCADORES ISLANDS. Character of Native Race —Dutch Occupation — Treaty Ports — East Coast — Arrive at Ta-kau— Lagoon — Apes' Hill— Land Crabs— Leaping Fishes — Walk in the Country —Water Buffaloes — Padi Birds — Village of Pi-hi-kun — Chinese Ladies — The Pescadores — Ponghou — Makung — Cheap Provisions— Cuttle Fish — Absence of Trees and Birds — The Socks — Visit the Mandarin — Photography — Wreckers. The CMnese do not appear to have been acquainted with the existence of the Island of Formosa, or Tai-wan, untU the year 1431 a.d., a circumstance which does not speak much for the naval enterprise of a people who had possessed the mariner's compass for so many centuries. It was originally inhabited by a race who were described as — ^the men of tall stature, very corpulent, and having a complexion between brown and yellow, who went naked during the summer — D 2 36 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. HI. without blushing, adds the Dutch chronicler : the women, of short stature, yet corpulent and strong, of a lighter com- plexion than the men, well dressed, and exhibiting a natural modesty. Both sexes friendly and good-natured, they would not readily cheat or steal, not treacherous like other Orientals, anxious to learn ; the men, however, averse to labour, so that the women had to do aU the work of the field, and the heaviest work at home. Formosa was discovered for Europe by the Portuguese, and from its pleasant aspect called by them Ilha Formoza, which name it has retained. The Dutch, however, who found the natives as above described, occupied and colonised the island, and doubtless did much good there ; raised the people from a state of barbarism, educated them, and instructed them in the Christian religion. The Chinese, already conscious of the advantages of settling in so fertile a country, treated the aborigiues like dogs- robbing and murdering them as it suited their convenience ; and it is no matter of surprise, therefore, that the natives felt an attachment to the Dutch, who enforced their own laws, prohibited fighting among them, made the education of their children compulsory, and left them nothing of their own barbarous customs and laws, except the privilege of selecting their own chiefs to manage the affairs each of his own village ; each chief being himself under the jurisdiction of a Dutch military officer, who, with 25 men, was stationed in every village of importance. The aborigines of Formosa are reputed still to have a traditional reverence and regard for white men, and it is much to be regretted that so firm and benignant a rule as the Dutch seem here to have inaugurated should have been cut short by an overpowering attack of the neighbouring half- civilised Chinese. ' Ch. III.] CHINESE POLICY IN FOEMOSA. 37 Formosa is now opened up once more to western enter- prise ; but in a very different manner from the time when the Dutch philanthropists occupied it. It is stUl in the hands of ' the Chinese, who reserve their monopolies of some of its most important productions, such as sulphur, camphor, rice, &c. By treaty, the ports of Ta-kau ia the south, and of Tam-suy and Ke-lung in the north, are open to foreign trade, and a few merchants have settled in these places. The capital of the island, however, Tai-wan-foo, being situated nearly three miles inland, up a muddy and shallow river, is very unsuited for commerce or for residence, and although our consul, Mr. Swinhoe, who has done much for the zoology of the island during his residence in it, first iplanted his consular flag here, he soon found it desirable to remove it to Ta-kau. But stUl the resources of the country are undeveloped, and it yet remains for some enterprising nation to do justice to Formosa. Chinese policy only stunts the growth of its commerce, and, dog-in-the-manger like, most imperfectly and iasufficiently does that which it will not allow any one else to share in, except at a disadvantage. The western side of Formosa only is occupied by the Cliinese. The eastern rises for the most part into a range of lofty mountains, in the recesses of which still dwell the aborigines, with here and there perhaps a small community of Chinese, who are more or less in awe of their savage neighbours. This side, too, is very rarely visited by Euro- peans, being almost devoid of harbours, and the coast inhospitable and dangerous. The only harbour, in fact, upon the east coast is that of Sau-o bay, concerning which more wiU be said in another chapter. This interesting region we were now approaching, with the 38 EAMBLE8 OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. III. probability of spending some weeks in visiting its various ports; and on the 6th May the "Serpent" arrived off Ta-kau- con, ia the south-eastern comer of the island. The harbour is so small, and the entrance so narrow, that we did not attempt to take the ship in, but contented ourselves with anchoring outside, where heavy rollers, the result of the recent typhoon, were setting in from the south- west. Several catamarans — mere rafts of bamboos, on which a single Chinaman stands and rows — came off with vegetables and fruit, presenting a curious appearance, for not only were they entirely lost to sight when in the trough of the sea, but even when borne up on the crest of the wave the rower seemed to be standing upon the water itself. The aspect of Ta-kau from the anchorage was striking and interesting. North of the harbour was Apes' HiU, consist- ing of a double truncated elevation, the higher plateau reaching 1120 feet — and, southwards, the Saracen cliffs, a long line of low perpendicular rocks, upon which a few cycads were growing. Between these elevations was the narrow entrance to the harbour, within which could be seen the yards of several square-rigged vessels moimting Bremen colours, while behind all was a magnificent range of moun- tains in the distance — a portion of that chain which traverses the island of Formosa from north to south — whose slopes and base are the abodes of numberless species of deer, wild cats, pheasants, &c., and which formerly had the reputation of harbouring tigers also. But we have much to learn yet of the natural productions of the island ; and but few Europeans have penetrated even to the foot of these lulls, about which we know but little more now than we did when the forgeries of Psalmanazar guUed a susceptible public. Ch. in.] HAEBOUR OF TA-KAU. 39 On rowing into the harbour, the numerous picturesque junks anchored within gave it a foreign appearance, very striking to one who, Hke myself, now entered a Chinese port for the first time. On either side houses, including some in European style, were scattered — ^the real Chinese town forming a long, narrow, dirty street, similar in character to those which I shall have occasion to describe in other parts of Formosa. It is situated directly on the shores of the harbour immediately on entering, and is inhabited by a very low and poor coolie class of Chinese. The European com- munity at Ta-kau is very small, consisting of a vice-consul, one or two English merchants, two medical gentlemen — one of whom. Dr. MaxweU, is a medical missionary — and a commissioner of the Imperial customs. The harbour opens into an extensive lagoon which runs some nules inland, and is separated from the sea by a narrow strip of slightly-elevated land, which serves as a mole. From the hills in the neighbourhood of the harbour this lagoon may be seen stretching away through mangrove- covered flats, among which boats could be seen threading their way. Beyond this, a wide and fertile plain of alluvial soil, covered with padi fields and other cultivation, swept up to the base of the magnificent mountains already mentioned, and was dotted with villages, clumps of trees, and other elements of a luxuriant landscape ; while out to seaward the small island of Lambay broke the monotony of the view in that direction. Apes' TTin is so called from the fact that a (tailed) species of monkey is occasionally seen upon certain parts of it ; but as far as I could learn, they are difficult to meet with, though I was assured that they really existed. I ascended to the summit, which was very rugged, the side next the sea 40 RAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. IH. being rocky and precipitous ; and as it was this part which the monkeys were said chiefly to inhabit, I did my best to get a sight of them. Lying flat down, therefore, I looked over the edge, but neither the dislodgment of stones nor the clapping of my hands succeeded in elicitiag any traces of the animals, which, in fact, appear to be almost as mythical and rarely seen as the true apes on the rock of Gibraltar. While thus engaged, a loud rush near my head made me retreat from my insecure position, and on looking up I found that a number of large kites (Milvus govinda), which were always hovpring about the coast in search of garbage, had assembled overhead, and one of them had made a swoop near me, probably to recoimoitre the unusual object. The lower part of Apes' Hill consists of rugged coral blocks, embedded among which I obtained a few recent shells. The blocks are thrown up in a very loose manner, but for the most part covered with bushes and herbage, even up to the summit. Abundance of a species of Euphorbia, and stunted bushes of guava (Psidium) grew upon the sloping sides, while near the summit appeared the charac- teristic cycads, which were now in flower, and might easily have been, mistaken at a distance for small palms. Among them flew in considerable numbers a large, red-winged orthopterous insect (Gryllus), and at the smnmit was a small green species, with the head singularly elongated and pro- duced' in front, belonging to the genus Tryxalis, which seems largely represented in the island. Upon the shores of the lagoon was an excellent spot for watching the habits of the land crabs (Gelasimi), which marched about in a serio-comic manner amid their holes ; each one as it cautiously moved along held up in front of its eyes its single large and delicately-tinted claw, with an Ch. in.] LAND CEABS, AND LEAPING FISH. 41 expression half of defiance, half of defence. Prowling thus about, probably lq search of food, they were readily alarmed, and retired to their holes, which generally seemed too smaU for them, so that it took a little time for them to accommo- date themselves to their narrow dimensions. If closely pur- sued, therefore, they were easily captured. I carried one to some distance, and placed it at the mouth of another hole, down which it immediately dived and disappeared, and although I waited a considerable time in the expectation that the tenant of the hole would drive it out and show some dis- pleasure at the intrusion, nothing of the kind occurred. Another singular animal which I saw here for the first time, but which I found numerous on many subsequent occasions, was the leaping fish, Boleophthalmus Boddaertii. These curious salamandrine-lookiug creatures, for it was difficult at first to say which they were, contrived to elude pursuit in the most active and provoking manner. Each step in advance caused them to jump, jump, in a rapid and agile manner from almost under my feet — for when at . rest they were scarcely distinguishable from the mud on which they were lying, and to which they admirably assimilated in colour — but on the least alarm they would make a series of leaps, which rapidly brought them down to the margin of the water, and from which it was next to impossible to cut them off. They are wedge-shaped in form, usually about 3 or 4 in. long, with flat poiated tails and broad heads, upon which is situated a pair of prominent eyes. They have been called by sailors "Jumping Johnnies," and are by no means confined to muddy or sandy shores, for I have found them equally among smooth rocky places, up which they climb with great skill, by a series of leaps, wriggling and curving the tail at each leap in a contrary 42 EAMBLE8 OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. III. direction, that is, to right and left alternately. Their leaps are effected by means of their curiously-bent ventral fins, which look something like a pair of hands placed imme- diately behiud the head, and as they always make straight for the water and double with great agility, it is scarcely possible to capture them excepting with a net. The vicinity of Ta-kau is fertile and highly cultivated, and the country populous and interesting. The lagoon has the appearance of a broad river, with mangrove-bordered creeks and numerous large arms, and at its head is a muddy ex- panse, given up to hosts of land crabs (Gelasimi), whose myriad holes give forth a crackling sound as their tenants withdraw themselves on the approach of footsteps. Beyond this, padi fields cover the greater part of the country, among which numerous villages stand like habitable spots of terra firma amidst a marsh. The padi fields are for the most part rectangular, with narrow ridges between them, which afford a precarious footing, and render it necessary to keep a care- ful eye upon one's footsteps ; for the rice grows up from pools of muddy water, into which an indiscreet step woiild at once plunge the incautious pedestrian. Upon these waters, numerous aquatic insects (Hydrometrae and Gyrini), of species indistinguishable at first sight from those in English ponds, were sporting ; and many large shells, chiefly Paludinse (P. sethiops and P. chinensis), were floating among the stalks of the rice. Strange as it may appear, the aspect of the scene forcibly reminded one of English cornfields in spring — the green rice hiding the unsightly marshy aspect of the country. Nestling amid the trees, among which bananas and bam- boos held a conspicuous place, were numerous villages, the houses of which were usually plastered over with mud. Be- Ch. IIL] WATEE BUFPALOES. 43 side them were small cottage gardens> and plantations of sweet potato (Convolvulus batatas). From their villages groups of curious natives came out to see us ; noisy dogs rushed out, barking, and ran away growling; and great hollow-backed pigs, of the real Chinese breed, grunted lazily from the mire in which they were wallowing ; while here and there, in a secluded spot, was tethered a water buffalo (Bos bubalus), one of those unsightly brutes which represent the domestic cattle of China, his black hide plas- tered with mud half dried, and his neck stretched out with a stupid and frightened expression. No sooner did we appear in sight than, in many instances, the animal, clever enough to recognise strangers, began to caper about, and, violently snapping the cord which was fastened to a ring through his nose, went crashing through the bamboo fences into the plantations, with the effect of quickly bringing out his wrath- ful master in hot pursuit. In some spots we came to a herd of these animals bathing. They delight in water, and in wallowing where the mud is deepest and softest ; and they require no persuasion to go into a pond, however thick and dirty, but, laying themselves down, they remain with their noses just above the water for any length of time. Such herds were usually under the charge of two or three lads ; and the animals, on seeing us approach, immediately began to stretch out their necks, regarding us with a stupidly vicious stare, as though they would immediately quit the water and rush at us. The former they would probably have done had we not been very circumspect, and their guardians were in great fear of their rushing out and being dispersed ; but there was little chance of their running at us, for they would more probably have ^ampeded in the opposite direction. 44 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. IH. The most common bird was imdoubtedly the Padi bird, a species of heron (Ardea prasinosceles), -which was constantly flying over the padi, or rice-fields ; and it was also accom- panied by a pretty white egret (Herodias garzetta) ; but on the banks of a small lake a cluster of trees was full of these birds, whose colours were relieved by two other species, one (Buphus coromandus), which possessed a number of rich buff feathers ; while the other was of the ash grey of our ordinary heron (Ardea cinerea), which is here common. Vast numbers of these birds, all mingled together in the trees, were set off by the thick green foliage, and had a very pretty effect. They kept up a loud and constant chatter, and seemed all disputing with one another for the possession of nesting-places. As we returned to Ta-kau we captured a splendid night heron (Nycticorax griseus), a truly nocturnal bird, but the exigencies of whose young family required it to be abroad in the day at this season ; and among the smaller birds, the most notable were two species of flycatcher — one, Myiagra azurea ; and the other, Ixos Sinensis. Several pretty doves nestled up in the trees, among which I noticed Turtur humilis by its peculiar coo ; and on the lagoon a summer-snipe (Totanus) afforded practice for our guns. At the village of Pi-hi-kun we halted to refresh, and were soon surrounded by an admiring group of villagers, who turned out to gaze at us, and crowded round with the great- est curiosity to see the foreigners eat, and to examine all their accoutrements. The gim, powder-flask, and shot-case came in for their share of admiration, which was at its height when we brought down a Padi bird as it flew over the village. Our clothes, their texture and cut, were curiously inspected, and all the contents of our pockets were turned out, the old men being as inquisitive as the youngest, but all civil and Ch. in.] POEMOSA LADIES. 45 good-liumoured. It was my telescope, however, which caused the greatest fwrore, and all in turn were treated to a peep through it. Not in the least degree backward was the irre- pressible boy, who, in Formosa as everywhere else, mairi- taitied his character for impudence and inquisitiveness. We became very popular, and water was brought us in a gourd, and pine-apples produced, which assisted in extinguishing hunger and thirst at the same time ; and when at length we left the place we were escorted out of the village by a crowd of gamins, to whom the day's excitement was something to be talked about for a long time after. The girls and young women, however, were timid and backward, sometimes venturing into the skirts of the crowd to get a stolen look at us, but immediately retreating to a safe distance if they saw that they were observed. The women of the better class in this part of Formosa dress in the most briUiant colours, and numerous parties which we met walking out in the cool of the evening were amusing impersonations of the Chinese pictures and figures long familiar to us. The ladies, of whom, with children, these parties usually consisted, were, hke all the females of Formosa, small-footed, and supported their difficult and tottering steps with a long walking-stick. Their dresses, consisting of a wide-sleeved tunic, cut in the formal style universal among Chinese ladies, were of the brightest scarlet, blue, or orange, embroidered with black, which contrasted well with the colour ; and their full trousers were of some other equally showy material. In their hair, dressed in the elaborate Chinese tea-pot fashion, they wore artificial flowers made of the pith of the rice-paper plant, of Amoy manufac- ture ; and as they walked painfully along, with the hobbling gait peculiar to their hoof-like feet, their figures swaying to 4(5 EAMBLES OP A NATURALIST. [Oh. III. and fro, and their arms more or less outstretched to balance themselves, they had, to us, a most grotesque appearance — ' but in Chinese eyes the acme of grace and loveliness, which they figuratively liken to the waving of willows agitated by the breeze. After three or four days' stay at Ta-kau-con, we steered towards the Pescadores islands, a group between Formosa and the mainland, sometimes called the Ponghou Archi- pelago. This cluster consists of 21 inhabited islands besides several uninhabited rocks, lying between the parallels of 23" and 24° N., and are included with Formosa in the Chinese province of Fo-kien. A strong breeze kept us rolling tremendously as we crossed the channel, and it was a matter of congratulation to have reached the outlying rocks of Three Island and Round Island, and to get imder the lee of Ponghou, the principal island of the group, along which we coasted more quietly. This gave me, moreover, an opportunity of examining the remarkable structure of the neighbouring members of this group, which all presented a peculiar flat and truncated appearance. This was particu- larly observable in Table and Tablet Islands, both of which consisted of flat tables, about 200 feet high, supported above upon well marked basaltic columns, and sloping from these down to the water's edge, just as is seen on the Antrim coast. So also the large island of Ponghou exhibited a coltimnar structure in several places, often with a sandy beach at its base ; and on approaching Pong Point, the south-western promontory, I observed the columns to be broken off close down upon the beach, forming a causeway in two places, though on a smaller scale than at the Giant's Causeway. The absence of trees from all the islands gives them a rather dreary aspect. We entered Ponghou harbour Cii. III.] ISLANDERS OP MAKUNG. 47 and anchored near the town of Makung, the chief town of the archipelago, and were immediately saluted with half-a- dozen guns fired' hy some junks lying farther ia the hay, though with what object we could not teU. Two or three boats presently came alongside, with persons of a very civi- lized and decent appearance, and by no means the wild- looking and half-clad feUows who might have been expected to inhabit such a remote place. "We found it difficult to communicate with them, however, for although a race of Chinese, our China boys could not readily imderstand their dialect, nor could they make themselves imderstood. We landed shortly after at a large old Dutch fort, which once commanded the harbour, and in which a number of rusty guns were still lying in the ruined embrasures. The beach was strewn with numerous worn blocks of coral, and several fishermen were living under their boats, which they turn up at night, to shelter them against the wind. We were very soon surrounded by an admiring crowd, composed principally of the irrepressible boys, for although some men followed us with them, no women were seen. The men and boys usually wore blue turbans, and the women, when we saw them, had universally small ban- daged feet, and wore bunches of artificial flowers m their hair, as we had observed them to do at Ta-kau — ornaments imported from the opposite city of Amoy. The people generally struck us as being decently clothed, and presented a marked contrast to the squalor and dirt everywhere visible among those we had hitherto seen ia Formosa. The boys also were usually neatly dressed, and there was a some- thing in their behaviour which gave an impression of good breeding, such as we were surprised to meet with in this isolated region. We entered a boys' school at the outskirts 48 EAMBLES OP A NATURALIST. [Oh. IH. of the town, where every one, from the schoolmaster to the smallest boys, seemed to enjoy the novelty of the visit, and to wish to show us attention. They exhibited their books, and, for a few cents, even willingly sold some of them, in which the youngsters had been drawiag heroes and idols, in all the grotesque attitudes ia which the Chinese appear to delight. Followed by an attendant crowd, we walked through the streets of the town, which were usually narrow, and covered over with a screen of rattans or bamboos, which formed an effectual shelter from the sun's direct rays, and kept the street cool, as is the fashion at Suez. The shops were spacious and cleanly, and the articles exposed for sale very various, but all of Chinese manufacture, and chiefly from Amoy. No European goods were visible ; indeed the only article of foreign make which we encountered was some red serge. The houses are nearly all built of blocks of coral cemented together, and the tiled roofs are peculiarly curved ia the characteristic Chinese manner. In the out- skirts we occasionally saw women and children sitting at the doors ; but as soon as they caught sight of us at the end of the street, they would hastily jump up and rush alarmedly in doors, and bar themselves in — though sometimes cm-iosity seemed to get the better of their timidity, and they might be seen peepiag at us from behind their grass screens. If a girl ventured into the skirts of the crowd which surrounded us, a look was sufficient to drive her away ; the moment our eyes met, she would sidle off confusedly, and get out of sight; children scampered away screaming whenever we appeared ; and the dogs invariably singled us out, barked sullenly, and ran off to a safe distance — their exit being much hastened by the sight of a stick, for they are the most cowardly of brutes, and in this particular town often fright- Cn. III.] MOLLUSCAN DIETAET AT MAXtJNG. 49 fully mangy and wretched-looking, much more fit to be shot than to be wandering about the streets. Provisions were exceedingly cheap at Makung. When Her Majesty's ship " Swallow" visited the harbour recently, eggs were purchased at the rate of 300 for the dollar, and a calf cost but one dollar. When a foraging party from our ship went ashore, they purchased a calf for two dollars, and eggs at one dollar the 150, and other things in proportion. A large basket of the ground-nuts (Arachis hypogsea), a very favourite article of food in China, all ready husked, cost only 60 cents, and four dollars the picul (133 pbs.) were asked for the very best rice. Beyond the town, the harbour terminates in a broad, extensive, shallow bay, which at low water affords employ- ment to a large number of people, who wade over it in search of shell-fish and other articles, which they consume largely in their diet. Women are principally employed in this business, both here and elsewhere, and they carry with them a basket, and a little iron hammer and pick, with which they pull out the animal from the narrowest crevices of the rocks. In some parts of the town, large heaps of shells belonging to the subgenus Modulus were to be seen, forming incipient kitchen-middens, and illustrating at once the chief molluscs of the bay, and an article of consider- able consumption by the people. Haliotides (sea-ears) are also sold in the market place, as well as cuttle-fish, both fresh and dried, all of which enter into their dietary. We obtained one of these large cuttles, or more properly cala- maries (Loligo), with the intention of trying its esculent qualities; but whether the fault of the cooking or otherwise, even though curried, we did not care to repeat the trial. When quite fresh, the large maculae, and fine spots on the 50 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. HI. surface, were in a constant state of change, the colour com- ing and going, from alternate contraction and expansion of the pigment vesicles, without any direct • irritation. When pale, the colour could be made to re-appear by drawing the finger along the skin, but the power of contraction appeared to be lost when the vesicles had been cut through. As it lay on the table during the night, I cast my eye upon it, and observed that it was luminous — a glow of whitish light irregularly illuminating its whole surface. At this time it was quite dry, and the luminous appearance was not altered by passing my finger over it. On enquiring for shells, a good many were by degrees brought to us, chiefly consisting of common cowries and harps, and olives of several large and handsome varieties of Oliva erythrostoma ; but nothing else could we obtain here, though, if we had remained longer, it would perhaps have been possible to have procured others. All these islands appear to be very destitute of trees ; and standing on the high ground of Observation Island, on the opposite side of the harbour, I looked in every direction for a tree or bush, in vain. Although, however, the volcanic structure of the island is not favourable to the growth of wood, many very pretty flowers abound, the commonest of which is a species of Cassia. Probably on account of the deficiency of wood, very few birds were to be seen. A few terns flew about the harbour, and some summer snipes (Totanus) were seen occasionally. The commonest bird was the tree-sparrow (Passer montanus), abundant everywhere in the East, where it takes the place of the common sparrow of Great Britain (P. domesticus) ; and besides these, I observed, a small shrike, and a number of larks (Alauda ccelivox) upon Observation Island, whose habit and character Ch. III.] MAEINE PAUNA. 51 of song were precisely similar to those of the skylark of our own country. The rocks of Makung Harbour, which I had an oppor- tunity of examining, were basaltic in formation, washed smooth by the waves, and in some spots exhibiting in section the columnar structure. No seaweeds grew on these rocks, with the sole exception of the peacock-tail (Padina), which was abundant, nor could I meet with any echinoderms (starfishes, &c.). Indeed, the coast was extremely barren, and produced little else than small Paguri (or hermits) in shells of Murex, Litorina, &c., small Chitons and Patellae. Ligiee ran over the rocks, gleaming with rich metallic blue, and darkening them in crowds, here as nearly everywhere ; and I really believe that these are the most abundant of all crustaceans, at all events of those seen. The only animal of interest I met with was a very handsome Doris, of a deep blue colour, spotted with yellow, and with branchiae and tentacles of a bright vermilion. This richly-coloured species may be the Doris Barnardi of Kelaart (MS.). Under the stones were numerous small porcelain crabs (P. platycheles). An attempt to dredge in the bay was only rewarded with bags of mud containing a few broken bivalves. Before quitting Makung, we pay! a visit to the chief Mandarin of the place, but were not successful in seeing him at his yd-mun. The appearance of a foreign man-of-war in the harbour was embarrassing to the official mind, and from its rarity was somewhat alarming, inasmuch as the poor Mandarin probably was unable to conceive of such a circumstance without accompanying demands, or that it could possibly happen without any further reference • to him than a mere polite visit of ceremony. He had, therefore, given out that he had gone to Ta-kau, with which answer we E 2 52 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALI8T. [Oh. HI had, of course, to be satisfied ; but the lad who guided us to his house had probably a pretty correct appreciation of the situation, when he grinningly hinted, " Mandoli too muchee fear." After three days' stay we quitted Makung, our chief engineer, Mr. Sutton, an excellent photographer, having taken some views in the town on the morning of our depar- ture. On this occasion the crowd was with difficulty kept off from the apparatus, their extreme curiosity proving rather inconvenient. One man, whUe a picture was being developed, and attention temporarily withdrawn, furtively drank the contents of the bottle of glacial acetic acid, and it was well for him it was not something even more deleterious. Another, who was more impudent than most of his neigh- bours, accepted the challenge to he painted with the nitrate of silver solution. Accordingly he received a moustache, beard, rings round his eyes, &c., which were beginning to darken in the sunlight as we left the scene, greatly amused at the surprise which awaited our forward friend when the fuU effects of the solution should become developed; but, unfortunately, we had no opportunity of seeing him in his altered aspect, though we may imagine it would be a source of no small embarrassament to him, and amusement to his pitiless neighbours. A few months subsequent to our visit to the Pescadores, two English ships were wrecked in the neighbourhood. The first of these, as soon as she was observed to be upon a reef, was surrounded by 30 boats, and some 300 natives boarded her and looted the ship of every movable article. They do not appear to have offered any personal molestation to the Europeans, who were even accommodated with the shelter of a joss-house; but their goods were taken as something Ch. III.] WRECKING AT MAEUNG. 63 which had fallen to the plunderers by right. In the second case also, the European crew were stripped and robbed ; but, otherwise, the intruders showed an inclination, provided good remuneration were offered, to assist the captain out of his difficulties. Not everywhere on the Chinese coast is so much forbearance shown as by these islanders. CHAPTEE IV. FORMOSA {contimied)~T Ail-SVY. Towing Ket in Formosa Channel — Pterosoma — |^rola—Sagitta— Atlanta — Glaucus — Alima — Phyllosoma, or glass-crab— Cerapus — Hyalsea — West Coast of Formosa— Fort Zeelaudia-Notonects— Arrive at Tam-suy — The Harbour —Boulder Clay — Chinese Graves- Eice-paper Plant— Bamboo — The Town— People— Rice Embargo— Visit to Mbangka— Camphor Mono- poly—Visit the Chief Mandarin— Return Visit— Queen's 'Birthday. At daybreak on May 15 we weighed and stood out of the harbour of Makung, first directing our course towards a sup- posed shoal, marked doubtful on the chart, which we did not, however, succeed in discovering. But the appearances were quite sufl&cient to deceive the inexperienced — such as long hnes of ripple caused by the rapid north and south tide of the channel, and drift dust in the distance looking like breakers. The mast-head man also reported shoal water ; but it proved to be a fallacious appearance caused by the tide rips, which ran so strong that the towing-net could not be kept out except at slack water. And here I may refer to several singular marine animals, discovered by the towing-net in the Formosa channel, which proved a rich locality for strange and rare forms. Among them was the Pterosoma (Pt. plana), a transparent, delicately- tinted winged animal, thick and gelatinous, and almost in- visible in the water. It belongs to a class of moUusks known to naturalists as Heteropods, oceanic animals of Ch. IV.] CONTENTS OF THE TOWING NET. So anomalous forms, with the foot variously modified for swim- ming. The Pterosoma was established as a genus by Lesson, upon a species he found swimming in the vicinity of New Guinea ; but either the drawings of his animal are very badly executed in all the books, or the one found in my net must be a second species, for there is but little resemblance between them. Another delicate animal of the same class was the Firola, a transparent creature, with a long proboscis, and swimming by means of a well- developed fin in the lower part of its body. A third was still more curious — an elon- gated, transparent body, without eyes or tentacles, but furnished with two pairs of fins and a fish-like tail, the whole body like a minute arrow, and hence called Sagitta. It darts through the water by sudden and instantaneous jerks, during which it is lost to view for a moment. So trans- parent is the body that the whole internal organisation may easily be observed, and the circulation of granules, upwards (towards the head), in the neighbourhood of the tail on either side the body, and in the middle downwards towards the tail. This animal is referred by Prof. Huxley to the articulate division of animals. Another of these nucleo- branchs, as they are termed, because their respiratory and digestive organs form a kind of nucleus on the posterior part of the back, was the pretty little curly-sheUed Atlanta — shell and animal equally transparent, the latter with eyes and tentacles, and moving actively by means of a fan-shaped fin. AU these delicate oceanic animals have a remarkable range, being found for the most part both ia the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, as weU as in the Mediterranean Sea. Only once did I meet with the little purple Glaucus, an oceanic nudibranch, of which so much has been written. This sea-lizard, as it has been called, soft and fragile as it 66 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. IT. is, is a very tyrant over animals beautiful and delicate as itself, and the pretty blue Porpitse are» the victims. But as this was rare, so the glass-like crustacean, Alima hyalina, was common in the net — ^lovely forms, whose carapace seemed carved from the purest crystal, with an elegance of sculptur- ing and sharpness of outline that could not be surpassed, — perishable animals, but which, while they remained alive, were active in the water. The only spots of colour in their bodies were their two eyes, mounted on long, stalks, and giving out a rich golden-green glow, which was positively luminous. Almost equally transparent were the glass-crabs (Phyllosoma), whose flat, leaf-like bodies and long branched legs seemed as though made of fine plates of clear mica. These nocturnal oceanic animals (for they never appear in the net by day) are, however, very passive and quiet, and seldom show any signs of life. It is not improbable that they are larval forms of some possibly altogether different beings. To find caddis-worms in the towing-net seemed remark- able ; but small worm-like Crustacea (Cerapus), furnished with large antennae, and living in tubes or cases, were not unfrequently met with. These little creatures have usually their head and foremost legs peeping out of their case, which seems to be just large enough for the body ; but alarm it, and it vanishes within, re-appearing immediately, head first, at the other side, so that one can hardly be persuaded that it has not two heads. Although some were minute, others were of considerable size, and much larger than those usually described. More than once, Hyalseas, and other graceful Pteropods, were captured ; but one of these, pro- bably the Hyalsea tridentata of Lamarck, presented appear- ances such as I have nowhere seen described. When fij^st Oh. IV.] NEW POEM OF HYALiEA. 57 taken, the keeled lower angles of the globular shell showed nothing worthy of remark, the appendages were small and contracted ; but gradually they became spread out to their full size, and became large, oval, semi-transpai-ent leaves of a light green colour, exceeding in length aU the rest of the body, now hanging straight down, and now more div.ergent. The animal could contract them at pleasure, and in a mo- ment spread them out as before. The shell itself was tinted with rich brown ; and it appeared to have three pairs of fins, the largest and uppermost brown, a smaller pair of a reddish tinge, and a third pair transparent and projecting somewhat backward over the convex side of the shell. The edges of the wings (or fins) and the points of union of the green leaf- like expansions to the other parts of the body, were of so delicate a structure as to be invisible, except on close and careful inspection. This animal swam rapidly in a hori- zontal direction, and kept itself floating on the surface of the water by a butterfly-like movement of the fins ; but when at rest, it kept them folded over the convex side of the sheU. The whole west coast of Formosa, between Ta-kau in the south-west and Tam-suy in the north, is very flat, consisting for the most part of low alluvial plains, with no conspicuous elevations. The mountain range which culminates in Mount Morrison, and renders the east coast harbourless by its near approach to the sea, nowhere comes near the western side. As we advance northward from Apes' HiU, the coast becomes low and level ; little flat islets appear at intervals, which are seen to be connected by sand-banks on a nearer approach. The capital, Tai-wan-fu, not many miles above Ta-kau, is invisible from the sea, being situated some two or three miles up a muddy river : at its port, however, 16 large junks 58 RAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. IV. and a square-rigged Bremen vessel, as well as numerous fishing-boats lay at anchor. Near the mouth of this river also are the ruins of an old Dutch fort on the beach, celebrated in the annals of the island as Fort Zeelandia, and more particularly in connexion with the tragical episode which ended the Dutch occupation in 1661. Formosa, under its enterprisiag colonists, had reached a political and social condition far superior to that which it now enjoys, and an attachment had sprung up between the natives and their foreign rulers ; but this very prosperity excited the cupidity of Kok-siaga, a renowned piratical chief, who, in May, 1661, appeared with a fleet and force of 25,000 men. The Dutch concentrated themselves in Fort Zeelandia, while hundreds of the settlers fell victims to the cruel invader, whose descent was sudden and imexpected. Finding that the besieged were determined to hold out to the last ex- tremity, the pirate became exasperated and would listen to no terms ; meanwhile massacring with cruel tortures hun- dreds of Dutch prisoners who had fallen into his hands, after which the corpses were stripped and buried in heaps — the women beiag distributed among the officers and men of his force. The little garrison at length was compelled to capitulate, and the Dutch were for ever expelled from the island ; whUe the natives, who were in a fair way of being civilised and Christianised, have, meanwhile, relapsed into their primitive barbarism. The devotion of the Eev. Mr. Hambroek, a minister of the Dutch reformed church, who was sent by Kok-singa to make terms with the besieged, is still on record — a devotion worthy of a Regulus, and bearing a close analogy to that old tale of Carthage. North of Zeelandia is Kok-si-kon, formerly a port, but now closed up ; and beyond this a long, low, sandy beach. Ch. IV.] CHAEACTEE OF THE COAST. 59 upon whicli people could be seen walking, or sometimes sitting in groups to watch us ; nets hangiQg up, with here and there a long, low hut; and after dark, a number of lights, having all the appearance of a row of gas lamps. Along all this low coast a singular aerial misty effect was observable, which appeared to arise from a lagoon behind the sandy beach. Everything seemed enlarged ; men, passing by, seemed " as trees walking ; " little villages appeared like large towns of stone houses, until we approached nearer, when they dwindled down to mere collections of huts. It was a kind of mirage arising from irregular refraction. In Gilim Bay 30 junks lay at anchor. The only place where hills approach tliis coast is in lat. 24° 15', where long sloping shores, highly cultivated, thickly populated, and dotted with numerous villages, skirt the ranges of high hills rising about two or three miles inland, which are often intersected by horizontal valleys of denudation, affording long and pretty vistas ; the lofty moimtains of the Morrison range affording a picturesque background to the whole. As we were passing this part of the coast towards evening, the cabin table became covered with small water-boatmen (Notonectae, of the restricted genus Corixa), freshwater insects, which must either have made an unwonted flight out to sea, or have been washed off the land by the embouchure of some river which here joined the channel. They flew about the cabin and round the lamp like moths, and having placed some in a basin of salt water which happened to be upon the table, they swam merrily ; but they were aU dead in the morning. It had been a beautiful calm day, but in the evening a breeze sprung up along the coast. At early morning on May 18th we were off the harbour of 60 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. IV. Tam-suy, which, like that of Ta-kau, is well pointed out hy natural landmarks on either side. Two lofty and picturesque hills render it very conspicuous, that on the north called Tai-tun, which forms an imposing ridge, rising to the height of 2,800 feet ; and that on the south side, known as Kwan-yin, and having two prominent peaks, attaining an elevation of 1,720 and 1,240 feet respectively. We were soon boarded by a Chinese pilot, who was anxious to take us in, and who magnified the dangers of crossing the bar without his assistance ; but our captain knowing something of Chinese character, was quite aware that the pilot was as likely to run us ashore as not, and preferred trusting to his own experience and skill. It being low-water we rowed into the harbour, reconnoitring the bar as we crossed, and proving its practicability ; but, meanwhile, a breeze sprung up, and a heavy sea broke over it, while a thick haze obscured the ship and shut it out of view. An attempt to recross the bar in the boat proved tuisuccessful, and we were fain to remain on shore, while the ship was forced to put to sea and stand out till morning. Our rockets and blue lights that night were unanswered, and we were therefore glad to see with the morning light our vessel once more in the offing; we speedily rejoined her, and at high-tide crossed the bar and entered the harbour, much to the confusion of the pilot, who soon after came on board and offered his services in the new character of compradore. The town of Tam-suy, or as it appears to be otherwise called, Hoo-wei, is situated upon the right bank of the harbour. From land to land at the entrance is just haK a mile, but a considerable spit of sand diminishes it by more than one half. Within the harbour, however, it rapidly increases to three-quarters of a mile, and even a mUe in Oh. IV.] BOULDEES AT TAM-SUT. 61 width, affording good anchorage for large vessels. Imme- diately upon the left-hand on entering, there is a small Chinese fort ; and half a mile higher are the ruins of an old Dutch casemate — a square, red-brick building, once no doubt of considerable strength, and elevated 50 or 60 ft. above the water's edge. This elevated right bank, upon which the town stands, presents very remarkable features. It rises in an imdulating manner for about 100 ft., and is entirely composed of allu- vial clay, containing a vast number of boulders of stone. These boulders are of the most various sizes, from such as can be easily lifted by the hand, to large blocks of 20 ft. in circumference. They are also of very varied forms — some being round and smooth, and evidently more or less rolled ; while others are quite angular, and have little or no appear- ance of having been water-worn. I carefully examined many of these blocks to see if I could discover any traces of striation which could be attributed to glacial action, but although I met with some suspicious markings, I could not satisfy myself that they were scored by the agency of ice. Moreover, there was no marked difference in the various boulders as to their lithological character, but to all appear- ance they were, with little exception, formed of the ordinary pebble green-stone. This alluvial soil is very fertile, and the undulatory cha- racter of the ground gives considerable picturesqueness to the neighbourhood of Tam-suy. Houses are scattered about on the hill-sides, and a large amphitheatre just outside the town forms a spacious and well-filled burial-ground, consist- ing of an immense assemblage of the characteristic forms of Chinese graves. These are mostly of the horse-shoe form, or rather omega-shaped, and vary in elaborate and compli- 62 EAMBLES OF A NATUEAIIST. [Ch. IV. cated structure according to the position of the occupant. The ordinary merchant has a simple tomb, with a rectan- gular stone tablet in the centre, inscribed with Chinese characters in red and black ; while the tombs of the Man- darins are often extensive structures, in which the Hmbs of the omega are enlarged into fantastic and elaborate copings of stone, ornamented with statues and carvings. The poor are satisfied with a simple mound and small sculptured headstone, or even less ; though such is the veneration for ancestry, that the poorest usually find means to secure some memorial of their deceased parents. Upon these hills grows in considerable abundance the Eice-paper plant (Aralia papyrifera) ; and from this place it is largely exported to China for the purpose of making upon the prepared paper those brUliant colourings for which the Chinese are so renowned. It is a small but handsome plant, the stein growing to the height of from 4 to 6 feet, and then giving off by long footstalks a number of hand- some large digitated leaves of a dark green colour, but whitish beneath, which spread out sometimes 4 or 5 feet on either side. For a long time the source of rice-paper was a mystery, and its name indicates the common fallacy as to its origin ; but an examination with the microscope could not fail to detect the large cellular substance of which it is really composed, namely, the little-altered pith of a plant. This pith is of a snowy whiteness, and occupies the whole of the cylindrical stem, more particularly at its upper portion, becoming smaller near the base. I never found any hollow centre in the pith, although it is said the Chinese them- selves call it the Tung-tsau, or hollow plant; nor did I observe any specimens in the neighbourhood of Tam-suy more than 6 feet high, although the Chinese accounts make Ch. IV.] EIOE-PAPEE PLANT. BAMBOO. C3 it twice that height. Probably the specimens which came imder my notice were young, or those which had not had the benefit of cultivation, for they were scattered sporadically upon the hill-sides. The mode of preparing the paper from this plant is by skilfully paring the previously-removed pith with a broad and sharp knife, which shaves it cleanly off in a spiral manner from the circumference to the centre, at the same time preserving an equable thickness throughout. The substance is then flattened out, cut into smooth sheets, and is ready for the reception of pigment, which can be laid on with remarkable facility and brilliancy. But perhaps the most prominent feature of the vegetation of Tam-suy and its neighbourhood is the bamboo (Bambusa arundinacea), everywhere a striking object from its graceful feathery foliage. It lines the river's banks, forms hedges and fences, and is remarkably beautiful. At the same time it is the most useful of trees, from which almost every article and utensil is made ; the small canes, and the large heavy stems alike, with little preparation, being converted into innumerable useful objects; while the split wood is utilized in a hundred ingenious ways, and there is scarcely any manufactured article into which the bamboo in some form does not enter. The long rambhng town of Tam-suy consists, for the most part, of a narrow street of shops of a poor description, paved with great cobble-stones, or else not at all, and in which pigs of all sizes, and barking dogs, dispute the passage, which, iu some parts, scarcely admits of two passengers passing one another. The Tice-Consul, Mr. Gregory, re- sides here, as well as three or four other Europeans, either engaged in mercantile affairs, or employed in the Chinese customs. The consulate, however, is but a poor building 64 EAMBLES OP A NATURALIST. [Oh. IV. for the representative of Great Britain ; for the inhabitants, who are mostly of the Coolie class, and upon occasion can show themselves a turbulent set, have a prejudice, forsooth, against building houses more than one story high, and no such dwelling exists in Tam-suy. Squalid, however, and unsightly as are the buildings of Tam-suy, there is a very pretentious joss-house or temple, in which the stone pillars, elaborately carved, represent, with considerable cleverness, fantastic dragons encircling the columns in high relief, and holding loose stone balls in their mouths. Workmen were still engaged upon these sculptures. The people of Tam-suy are poor and meanly clad, and the same may be said of the other towns in this part of Formosa. The males usually wear nothing more than a short pair of drawers, or some substitute for them, many of the younger male children going entirely naked. The women and girls, however, are always decently clothed, very few of the female children being bare even to the waist. Bandaged or small feet are universal among them, the only exceptions being a few among the lowest of the low. Bullocks, goats, and poultry are difficult to obtain, but pigs are abundant, though few who had an opportunity of witnessing their disgusting habits and foul feeding would care to eat them. Ducks also are plentiful. Eice is abundantly produced in the neighbourhood, as well as in other parts of Formosa, but its exportation is forbidden on pretence that no more is produced than is required for home consumpticm. This embargo was issued by the Tao-tai of Tai-wan in 1864; but inasmuch as the approbation of the foreign ministers of Pekin had not been previously obtained, it appears to have been illegal. More- jCh.IV.] EICE EMBAEGO. 65 over, the Chinese authorities winked at the exportation by natives, and junks laden with it left Tai-wan in spite of the embargo, greatly, no doubt, to the advantage of the man- darins. The excuse that no more was produced than was required was simply a subterfuge ; and the evil effects to the commerce of the island are evident from the fact, that it was roughly estimated that the direct loss with regard to Ta-kau alone, ia commissions, was equivalent to 63,000 dollars per annum as long as the prohibition lasted. Although, how- ever, it extended to all Pormosa, it was enforced with far less stringency at Tam-suy than in the other ports. A Hamburg merchant, Mr. MUlisch, residing at Mbang- ka, or Bang-ka, situated nine or ten miles up the right branch of the Tam-suy river, having invited us to visit him there, we took the opportunity of seeing a town which, being the chief of the Hoo-wei district, was more considerable and interesting than Tam-suy. Mr. MiUisch was the only Euro- pean resident there, and occupied a handsome two-storied house, the only one I observed in this part of Formosa. "We accordingly went up with the tide in the captain's gig, aided by a breeze from the sea. For the first four miles the stream was of varying width, averaging about a mile, and running in a south-easterly direction at the foot of the Kwang-yin hills, which, seen in the light of a western sun, had a remarkably piled-up or cone-in-cone appearance, and at the base are perforated with caverns. . On the right bank a cultivated plain stretched to the foot of the Tai-tun hUls, which expanded to the eastward as we proceeded. At length, at a village called Kan-tow, the stream divided, the left branch continuing its course across the island in an easterly direction, while the right, which we followed, took a south- easterly course through a flat country, in which rice, sugar. 66 EAMBLES OF A NAtTDEALIST. [Ch. IV. and maize are cultivated ; and a straight reach of 3| miles brought us to Twa-tu-teen, a large village, where the stream trended to the south, and after another mile and a half we arrived at Mbang-ka. This is a large town, situated on the river side, and abounding in the narrow and unsavoury streets before described, one side being covered over with a kind of arcade, and the other side open, but by far the dirtier of the two, being chiefly occupied by pigs and children, both of which swarmed everywhere. Accumulations of filth lay about at the very doors of the inhabitants, and it was no unusual sight to see women adorned with bright and gaudy finery sitting within a foot or two of a pool of seething filth enough to breed a pestilence. Chairs or sedans were to be obtained here — ^rickety vehicles, in one of which I perambulated the town ; but in some places the comers of the streets were so narrow that it was with the utmost difficulty that my chair could be coaxed round, and then only by a series of in- genious manoeuvres. Mbang-ka derives considerable importance from the fact that large junks can come up thus far ; and one arm of the river, which again divides just above, flows from San-kop- yung, the district which produces large quantities of cam- phor; and here the junks are loaded with that important and valuable commodity, the source of which is the laurel (Laurus camphora). But the camphor trade is at present of little value to any one, except to those to whom the monopoly is granted by the Chinese Government. The camphor mandarin, as he is termed, who enjoys this mono- poly, pays 40,000 dollars per annum into the imperial chest for his privilege, and having obtained the camphor at the rate of about five dollars per picul of 133^ lbs., he can then Ch. IV.] VISIT TO THE MANDAEIN. 67 sell it for 27 dollars. One dollar for duties and some other slight expenses increase the cost, and about 10 per cent, of the camphor is lost by evaporation during the transit ; for with the proverbial dogged conservatism of their nation, they insist on continuing to pack it in wood instead of stowing it in tin cases, by which contrivance it might all be saved. Still the profits are very considerable, and will probably remain in the hands of the monopolists until some enterprising Eiuropean merchant shaU wrest it from their hands, and open up this important trade to foreign com- petition. The branch of the river which diverges above Mbang-ka from that leading to the camphor district is navigable for boats up a series of rapids to the borders of the aborigines- country. While at Mbang-ka, Capt. BuUock having made an ap- pointment with the chief military mandarin of the district, Ching-yung, to pay him a visit, we repaired to his ya-mun, where he received us with official formality. His residence was situated just outside the town ; and our party, includ- ing Mr. Gregory, the vice-consul, having reached it, with a procession of chairs at our heels (for we preferred walking, although it was etiquette to go in chairs), we were saluted with three guns as we entered the enclosure. In this en- closure I may here mention that I observed a horse, belong- ing to the mandarin, of the spotted circus-kind, which seems to be most prized by the Chinese. Mr. MiUisch also pos- sessed a horse j but these two were the only horses I saw in all Formosa, though I have been informed that at Tai-wan- foo, the capital, horses are known. Having seated ourselves in the audience-chamber, tea was served in cups of egg" shell china by a number of attendants, as soon as they had F 2 68 EAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Ch. IV. succeeded in chasing out the ragged crowd which had curi- ously followed us into this sanctum. The mandarin was decorated with a clear blue button and peacock's feather, and appeared to be an intelligent and rather superior man of about 35 years of age. He conversed freely through the medium of Mr. Gregory, who acted as interpreter ; and after having remained some 20 minutes we quitted the place with the same formalities as on entering, the mandarin having first accepted Capt. Bullock's invitation to visit the ship at Tam-suy, next day, -which happened to be her Majesty's birthday. The day following, therefore, the 24th of May, we were prepared to receive his promised visit, and to show him the manner of decorating the ship in honour of that occasion. As usual, at eight a.m., the ship was dressed out with flags, &c. ; and Captain BuUock having invited the European residents to dinner, a long table was prepared on the quarter- deck, and a stage erected at one end, upon which the blue- jackets were to enact a play which they had got up among themselves. It was not, however, tiU nearly five o'clock that the mandaria arrived, accompanied by the subordinate man- darin of Tam-suy, his secretary, the consul's linguist, and a crowd of attendants. They seemed much pleased with every- thing they saw, and miautely examined aU the principal arrangements of the ship, particularly the guns ; so that time drew on, and the dioner hour (half-past six) was get- ting very near. The Europeans began to arrive ; but our Chinese friends as yet showed no signs of bringing their visit to a termination. Under these circumstances Capt. Bullock, , who was quite willing that they should remain, asked them to be his guests for the evening. Chinese polite- ness, according to the rites, should have declined adding Ch. IV.] THE QUEEN'S BIETHDAY. 69 four impromptu guests to an already full table ; but undis- guised interest and curiosity seized upon the opportunity, and they accepted the invitation without hesitation. Mr. Gregory, the vice-consul, sat with them and acted as inter- preter ; and as they had their own attendants they fared as well as they could desire. They seemed to appreciate the champagne and other beverages of an English dinner, and did full justice to the viands, even using knives and forks. Dinner ended, and some speeches following, they were politely listened to ; and when at length it was announced that the curtain was about to be drawn up, they still kept their seats. The play was " Therese," a tragedy of course, for sailors always select something serious and lugubrious, the most affecting parts being, of course, those where it was most difficult to avoid hurting their feelings by a burst of laughter. The Chiaese looked on to the end ; and even afterwards, when some songs, sailors' hornpipes, &c., followed, they re- mained politely attentive ; and it was only when one of the Chinese servants was forced upon the stage to sing a stave in the real falsetto, singsong, Chinese style, that they allowed their gravity to forsake them, and fairly joined in the laugh which the absurdity of the thing universally raised. Late in the evening they rose to leave, with many expressions of gratification, and three guns saluted them as they went ashore in the captain's gig. The Tam-suy mandarin, whose name was Lim-ching-fang, wished to have invited us to a return dinner ; but unfortu- nately our plans did not admit of longer stay, and prepara- tions were made the following day for taking the ship round to Ke-lung. Tlie Siilpliui Springs near Tam-suy CHAPTER V. FORMOSA {continued}— FUOM. TAM-SUY TO KE-LUNG. The Svilphur Springs near Tam-suy ; approach to them ; their present condi- tion ; effects on Animal Life — Preparations for River Voyage — Village of Pah-chie-nah — Arrive at Sik-kow — Bivouac at Chuy-teng-cha — Birds on the route — Rapids — Population^Domestic Animals — ^Arrive at Liang- kha — Descent to Ke-lung — Character of the People. Having heard of the existence of some sulphur-springs in the vicinity of Tam-suy, I was glad of an opportunity of visiting them ; and accompanied by Mr. Lessler, of Tam-suy, who kindly lent me his boat for the purpose, we devoted one of the days of our stay to a journey thither. The locality of the springs is among the hiUs, about equidistant from. Tam-suy and Mbang-ka, and we approached them by taking the left-hand branch of the river, where it divides at Kan-tow. They are highly interesting from a geological point Ch. v.] beetles of NOETH FORMOSA. 71 of view, indicating, as they do, the existence of volcanic action near the surface in this part of Formosa — a circum- stance which we might have been led to expect from the frequent reports of earthquakes, though none occurred while I was in the island. These sulphur-springs are not the only springs of the kind in those parts; others are indicated at no great dis- tance. The road to them from the spot where we left our boat ran through a beautiful and highly cultivated district. Besides numerous padi fields situated upon the hiU-sides, and ingeniously irrigated by a series of platforms, down which the water flows from one to the other after the manner of the cascades of St. Cloud, a remarkable feature is an immense pineapple-plantation of many acres in extent, so that the verdure of these hills leaves one unprepared for the fact of subterranean heat finding a vent in such close proximity. On the road we were accompanied by a number of children, who for the reward of a few cash, darted out in forays upon the coleopterous insects of the surrounding country. They brought us splendid longicoms, especially the white-spotted Cerosterna punctator, and the equally handsome Batocera Germani, the first of which we had found ia some profusion on the shrubs among the rice-paper hills at Tam-suy. Perhaps the most numerous beetle was a small metallic blue Popilia, and almost equally common was a fine species of green Euchlora, among which was here and there a bronze Mimela of smaller size. Many beautiful yellow Cassidse were among them; but aU partook of a Chinese character and facies. About halfway up the ascent we crossed a stream having the character of a mountain torrent, the stones at the bottom 72 EAMBLES OP A NATUEAIIST. [Oh. V. of which were covered with a deep green deposit, very copious in the quieter and more sheltered spots ; and upon dipping one's hand into this stream, the temperature was found to be too high to allow it to remain there. At this point it was ahout 130°; but higher up it could be seen steaming, notwithstanding the tropical heat of the day. This stream does not appear to flow directly from the sulphur-springs above, but probably from some subterranean source connected with them. The channel leading down directly from the springs was quite dry, though it bore evidences of having been, comparatively recently, the theatre of similar exhalations. The rocks over the opposite side of this ravine were lofty, and cropped out boldly, striking south-east, and dipping down to the north-east in the direction of the springs. At this spot they had a bleached appearance, visible from a distance, precisely similar to that exhibited at the active springs. They bore, however, at that moment, no other sign of their past activity ; but, on a near approach to them, a very perceptible odour of sulphuretted hydrogen was smelt, and the rocks themselves appeared to have had their surface disintegrated by the action of the steam. A short distance above this spot we reached a eul-de-sac in the hills, bounded on the right by bold bare rocks, having the lithologlcal characters of a coarse calcareous grit, and dipping about 15° to the north-east. This was the spot occupied by the present active sulphur-springs, and was of small extent, embracing not more than two acres of ground, whose desolation formfed a very striking contrast to the verdure on nearly three sides of it. This spot was perfectly barren, and was fiUed up with low hillocks of friable rocks, loose stones and debris, having the character of a moraine, Ch. v.] ASPECT OF THE SULPHUR SPEUSTGS. 73 and interspersed at irregular intervals with shallow pits or depressions, containing mud and sand, and sometimes foul, muddy water. From cracks and fissures hx these depressions arose clouds of steam, and yellow patches of sulphur were visible from a distance. At the time of my visit, ia the middle of June 1866, there were seven or eight springs in a more or less active condition, from which clouds of superheated steam arose, either by a small round hole, or narrow fissure, or by several such apertures. The rushing steam produced a loud noise, like that accompanying the blowing off of steam from a boiler ; and above the fissures was a quantity of sublimated sulphur, adhering to the. rock in acicular crystals, forming, about the most active spring, a bright yellow patch which was visible from a considerable distance. It was no easy matter to reach the sublimed sulphur, for, on a close approach to the spot, a jet of hot steam made it necessary to withdraw, and warned us that a nearer approach was dangerous. I managed however, with the aid of a stick, to procure some from the crevices in and around which it was deposited. Most of the springs were dry ; but one rose through muddy water, which bubbled' up in a series of rapid explosions, carrying the boiling water, sand, and mud five or six feet high, and splashing it all around. It is evident that the degree of activity of these springs is very variable, and that at the tinie of my visit they were in a comparatively quiescent state. The jets of steam were isolated, and a comparatively small portion of the two acres, at which I estimated the area of grey barrenness,, was in an active condition. Numerous pits which had evidently at some period sent forth iJieir jets of steam were perfectly quiet, and stones coated with sulphur scattered among them 74 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. V. showed their occasional activity. Moreover, the edge of the level, where it began to descend down the ravine before men- tioned, was covered with a thick crust, which had evidently been at one time in a semifluid state, and had slowly flowed, a viscous mass, over the edge, and now had the appearance of dried asphalt. This was doubtless the remains of mud, through which the sulphur rose, such as we still saw in some comparatively small pools, but which at one time had been in sufficient quantity to rise above the general depression and run over the edge into the raviae. The sulphur appeared ia all cases to be deposited in a perfectly pure sublimed form ; nor was there any smell to be detected in the active springs themselves. The steam is laden with the element in a dissolved condition, and deposits it in pure crystals upon any substance with which it comes in contact. The effects produced upon the exposed rocks were in all cases due to the disintegrating and bleaching effects of steam ; and the smell of sulphuretted hydrogen was most perceptible in a spot where the rocks had been disintegrated, but where there was no sign of present activity. It has been supposed that the locality is very fatal to animal life, from the presence of sulphurous vapours, — ^that it is a sort of Avernus, destroying birds and insects which pass in its neighbourhood. But I cannot endorse this view. I myself observed birds and insects flying over it with ease and impunity, nor was any noxious smeU elsewhere perceptible. Any ill effects could be produced only by the direct action of the steam, with which the sidphv/r could have little or nothing to do; and if any corroboration of this were required, it need only be mentioned that the patch occupied by the sulphur- springs is immediately surrounded by the brightest verdure,, Ch. v.] PEEPAEATIONS FOR EIVEE VOYAGE. 75 and a stream of clear water runs along its edge, and alone separates it from padi fields in the most green and healthy- condition. At the present time no attempt is made to obtain sulphur from this prolific source. Although it can be obtained at the rate of 45 cents per picul of 133 lbs. (about 2s. per cwt.), the Chinese Government stupidly and obstiaately forbid its, being worked. Still, sulphur has been largely obtained from these springs under the rose, or by means of a bribe, and it yet remains for European enterprise to open up so important and probably almost inexhaustible a source of this valuable material. < On the 25th May, Captain Bullock having decided to take the ship round to Ke-lung harbour, on the east coast, I made arrangements to proceed overland and meet her there. The journey across the country could, as I learned, be performed almost entirely by boat, with no other difficulty than some rapids in the higher part of the river. It was, moreover, short, and was not unfrequently performed by two or three gentlemen who carried on the occupation of merchants either at Tam-suy or Ke-lung, and had often occasion to com- municate personally with one or the other town. Having therefore obtained the necessary information fi-om them, Mr. Sutton, the chief engineer of the " Serpent," and my- selfi proceeded at once to make our preparations for the voyage. Having obtained a sampan, or native boat, with three men, we placed in it provisions for two days, camera, collecting ap- paratus, &c., intending to proceed leisurely. The boat was a flat-bottomed one, adapted for the peculiar navigation, about 20 feet long and six feet wide, covered with a bamboo awn- ing, and having a grass mat at the bottom ; and, with the 76 , EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. V. aid of a large mat-sail and a sea-breeze, we rapidly proceeded up the Tam-suy River, soon arriving at the spot where it first divides at Kan-tow. From here we followed the right- hand branch which flows east by south through cultivated fields, in which we occasionally met with patches of Boeh- meria nivea, and small groves of betel-palm(Areca catechu) ; but the characteristic tree of the banks here, as everywhere along the river, was the bamboo, whose graceful and feathery foliage gave a great charm to the scene. On the north-east side were numerous lulls, of heights varying between 1000 and 1500 feet, amongst which are situated the sulphur- springs, already described. A little more than three miles brought us to the village of Pah-chie-nah, which is more airy and cleanly than either Mbangka or Hoo-wei, and pos- sesses an excellent market-place, though the inhabitants appear to be of the same poor class. Numerous duck-boats were met with on these banks, which bring some couple of hundred ducks to a feeding-ground, where they are turned loose to spend the day under the charge of a lad, who acts as duck-herd. They keep close together aU day, so that they might aU be covered with a blanket, and at night are conveyed in the boat back to their pens. Another feature of the route was the Chinese water-wheels for irrigating the fields, in which three or four Chinese are constantly at work, treadmill-fashion. At sunset we moored our boat a mile beyond Pah-chie- nah, in a bend of the river and at the foot of a hill which commanded a magnificent view of the noble range of moun- tains running from north to south of the island, and which the setting sun lighted up gloriously. On the opposite side of the river, upon a steep rocky bank, was a house, outside of which sat a family of Chinese of a better class, the head Ch. v.] NIGHT ON TKE EIVEE. 77 of which, having, somewhat to our surprise, leisurely ex- amined us with a good double field-glass, made signs for us to go over and chin-chin with them. We accordingly did so, and, having partaken of their tea, offered them some of our own provisions, with which they appeared much iu- terested, particularly the white bread, though the loaf-sugar seemed most generally appreciated. "We slept in the boat, the night being briUiantly fine, a strong dew falling towards sunrise, and the stillness being broken by the croaking of frogs, the chirping of cicadas, the occasional leaping of a large fish in the stream, the passage of boats up the river, and the distant creaking of a water- wheel which appeared to be in action aU night long. A strong tide was flowing ; but the water appeared perfectly fresh to the taste, even at the flood. "We had agreed to keep watch and watch during the night, and I most religiously kept awake during the first hours, listening to these various sounds. When, however, my turn had passed, and after a short nap I awoke, I was not a little disgusted to find my companion snoring instead of watching. But there did not appear to be any real reason for the precaution. The following morning, after taking some photographic views, capturing some of the beautiful butterflies and beetles which, especially the former, abounded on the hiUs, we pro- ceeded on our journey. The thermometer being at 89° in the shade, we were glad of our bamboo awning ; and there being no wind and a strong ebb tide, we made but little progress for some time, moving slowly by a very meandering course through a highly picturesque country. HiUs of varying height rose on either side, usually covered with vegetation, and occasionally opening and showing green padi fields ; while in front an abrupt and very remarkable 78 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. V. long stratified hill occupied a conspicuous paxt of the land- scape, and this we gradually approached tiU we reached the town of Sik-kow, behiad which it was situated. Sik-kow is similar in character to the other towns on the route ; but the streets are wider than those of Mbangka or Hoo-wei. The inhabitants, however, did not give us any notion of their being more simple or primitive on account of their comparative seclusion, but rather the reverse. A noisy crowd followed us through the streets, some members of which appeared to incline to impudence, and one man seemed by his loud talk and gestures to be attempting to incite others against us, while the general greeting of " hwan- ha " (foreigners) was heard no less here than everywhere else on the route. Leaving Sik-kow, we proceeded eastward through similar scenery, increasing, however, in its striking character, for some six miles further. A little beyond Sik-kow on the left bank, a bed of large oyster-shells, some of them eight or nine inches in length, and having a close resemblance to, if not identical with, the recent Ostrea canadensis, arrested our attention. They were imbedded in stiff blue clay in the river's bank, and immediately overlieS a thin seam of an inferior coal, which cropped out beneath. The bank (which, as in most other places, was perforated with the in- numerable holes of freshwater crabs), including clay, shells, and coal, was about four feet high above the water's edge, and the bed extended about 100 yards in length. "We arrived at the town of Chuy-teng-cha at nightfall; and here, as its name implies, the tide-way ends. As it was dark we did not land, but proceeded a little further, and passed the night in a small bay at the foot of the rapids. Numerous boats upon the beach and many in motion seemed Oh. v.] BIEDS ON THE EOUTE. 79 to show that this was a busy town of some importance ; and by questions put and answered, as we passed, in which we could hear from time to time the word " hwan-ha," we knew that the people were discussing our movements and the kind of freight our boatmen had under their charge. We had no fear of them, however, for they turned out to be excellent fellows, good-tempered, willing, and obliging, and mightily amused at aU our proceedings — one of them, in particular, laughing from morning till night. On the second night, as before, we were tormented hy mosquitoes, which made it difficult to obtain any rest ; while the close heat of the atmosphere made us wish to divest ourselves of some of our clothing, a proceeding forbidden by the tormenting insects. Frogs and cicadas again kept up a serenade all night ; and a nocturnal bird sang a harsh song in some trees upon a chff opposite. I could not get a sight of this bird, whose four notes somewhat resembled the creak- ing of a wheel; the last two notes beiug often repeated twice. As soon as dawn began to appear it flew away, and I heard it no more. At the same time two or three large bats, which at first in the twilight I mistook for owls, flew home to their retreats with a loud croak. As soon as the sun arose, pheasants began to crow upon the fern-covered hills, and we heard and saw several during the day ; but, although we landed for the purpose, we were unable to get a shot. But by far the commonest bird we met with throughout was a black bird — ^whose feathers, however, had a rich green gloss — about the size of an English ousel, with a long forked tail and whitish rump. This bird made a harsh note not unlike a jay. This was the Black Drongo, Dicrurus macrocercus of Latham ; they were visible every- where along the banks, usually in pairs, seldom flying over 80 EAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Ch. V. the river, and often perched upon the topmost spray of si bamboo in a conspicuous position. I procured the nest and eggs of this bird. The nest was made of dried grass and cotton-grass, simple in form, and situated upon the bough of a tree about 15 feet from the ground ; the eggs were three in number — pinkish, with sparse umber spots and blotches, particularly about the larger end. The other birds I noticed were doves of a small species, kingfishers, pied wagtaUs, grey shrikes, and a small short-taUed bird (Cotyle sinensis), with the habits and character of a sand martin. Early in the morning, a lark (probably Alauda coelivox) singing in the fields could scarcely be distinguished from the English skylark, and another bird's song reminded me greatly of the English song-thrush. A second thrush-like bird also was singing, as weU as the sprightly little Prinia sonitans ; but not more than half-a-dozen birds could be said to be in song here, at a time when nearly thirty would be enlivening the woods and groves of England. Having passed the end of the tide-way, the remainder of the journey was made through a series of strong rapids, up which it was necessary to drag the boat by main force. They commenced immediately from our resting-place of the previous night, and our boatmen jumped out of the bows, and passing a bamboo across them pushed one on each side, while the third pushed behind, and thus our flat-bottomed craft moved up the incline into a reach of deep water. This proceeding was repeated perhaps a score of times, the in- tervening reaches being bounded by very beautifully wooded hills, with precipitous rocks dipping to the water's edge about 15° to the east. Many beautiful secluded retreats were thus passed, generally, however, with signs of life near them ; for it is remarkable how densely populated this side Oh. v.] INDUSTEY OP THE PEOPLE. 81 of the island appears to be — nowhere could we go without meeting Chinese in some form or other : in the quietest and most retired spots a cottage might often be descried upon close inspection. If we wished to sKoot a bird among the brushwood, w,e were most likely to find a group of women and children peering at us from behind ; if it were on the bank, some fishermen at work, or lads wading in the mud for shell-fish, or women washing iu the stream, were sure to be there, so that it was never safe to shoot, except at the upper part of the trees. Ferries were numerous, and generally at work as we passed ; water-wheels were met with at every turn, generally worked by three men, or two sets of three ; children leading water-buffaloes on the bank were frequently seen, and the unwieldy heads of these animals often peered at us above the water with a mingled expres- sion of curiosity and stupidity ; and even in the midst of the stream were Chinamen and boys, sometimes stark naked, but more frequently with something about the loins, dredg- ing for sheU-fish and crabs in the river. The shell most commonly obtained in these situations was a dark costate species of Cyrena ; but in the markets two other species were equally abundant as articles of food, viz. Cythersea petechiana, and a species of Tapes. A long black Modiola (M. teres) was also largely eaten. But everything is fish that comes to the Chinaman's net, and he is always at work, even in the most unpromising situations, to earn a livelihood in a mud-bank, or a sand-flat, or up to his neck in water in a river. Population teemed everywhere, and, while in England we might have walked for miles without meeting an individual, we were scarcely ever out of sight of some human being in this part of Formosa. The houses were built of mud and thatched, occasionally 82 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALI8T. [Ch. V. more substantially of brick and tiles, but usually of grass and reeds, arranged in tiers, and plastered over witb mud and cement, — the floor, even of the better houses, of mud or earth, — the roofs, often crescenticaUy gabled, giving the towns a very characteristic appearance. In the poorer houses in villages, the pigs and fowls made themselves quite at home in the interior, and I have seen a large cesspool only partially separated from the dweUing-room. Pigs, fowls, ducks, geese, and buffaloes, were the only domestic animals, if we except the dogs and cats. The cats were mostly of the Malay breed, with a short broken or twisted tail, and usually tortoise-shell in colour ; the dogs most commonly black, seldom white, of an ugly mongrel appearance, about the size of a pointer ; they barked vigorously as soon as they caught sight of the foreigner, though there was no fear of their biting, provided we possessed a stick, for they were most arrant cowards. Horses and asses were unknown, and humped cattle, of a small size, rare. At length we entered a narrow gorge of rocks, which only left room for two boats to pass one another, and warned us that the aquatic part of our excursion was at an end, and in a few minutes we were in the midst of a number of boats the counterparts of our own, which completely lined a beach about 100 yards long, scarcely leaving space for the painted nose of our own craft to iasinuate itself between them. Here were clustered some houses forming the village of Liang-kha, about three miles from Ke-Iung, where the river we had ascended abruptly terminated on the shoulder of a hill, up which we had risen by a series of rapids, another and a smaller stream branching off from the same spot, and descending the other side towards Ke-lung. Having placed our gear in a chair obtained from Ke-luUg, Ch. v.] KB-LUNG, and its inhabitants. 83 we proceeded on foot through a pass on the hills, meeting on the way numerous coolies transporting goods of various kinds from Ke-lung. Some carried heavy bundles of dressed hemp ; others, barrels of dried flying-fish of a large size. A sudden turn of the road brought us in view of a splendid panorama — the valley, town, and spacious harbour of Ke- lung, forming altogether a fine picture. On the densely wooded knolls in the valley, tree-ferns were conspicuous ; the sandstone hills on the left dipped in long stratified lines to the south-west ; and outside the harbour, in which three square-rigged ships, as well as numerous junks, were lying at anchor, stood like a sentinel an abrupt rock, 600 feet high, known as Ke-lung Island, and bearing some resem- blance to St. Michael's Mount. On the right was the in- teresting coal-region, which renders Ke-lung so important a port, in which good anchorage and plenty of fuel may be always readily obtained. Descending into this valley we passed through the town of Ke-lung, paying our sole visit to it on this occasion. It seemed larger and more open than those we had pre- viously seen, but was inhabited by the same class, who indeed gave us an unfavourable impression, by detaining us at the landing-place until we satisfied their exorbitant de- mands, urged with an unpleasant degree of noise and tiunult. We afterwards learned that they had on more than one occasion threatened the life of one or two Europeans who were resident here, and who by maintaining an independent demeanour, and refusing to succumb to their prejudices, had rendered themselves obnoxious. Like the Chinese generally, however, they re'quire to be dealt with firmly; and the only way to estabHsh oneself in security among them is to show them a bold and determined front — taking G 2 84 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. V. at the same time proper means to avoid public collision or private revenge. The vice-consul, however, a kind and well- intentioned man, possesses but little of this determination, and is unfortunately too ready to humour their prejudices, and show respect to their most outrageous feehngs and wishes, which have more than once bred riot both at Tam- suy and at Ke-lung. At length we got clear of the turbulent crowd, and having placed our materiel in a boat, we found the " Serpent" at anchor near the mouth of the harboiu", and at a consider- able distance from the town, which was the principal reason why we never returned to it, although it is to be regretted that no photograph was taken from the lulls behind, which commanded so unusually fine a prospect. CHAPTER VI. FORMOSA (conJijiMeci)— KE-LUNG. Prevalence of Sandstone — Formation of the Harbour — Caverns — Village Popu- lations — Modes of Fishing — Sandstone Peaks and Images— Eising of the Coast — The Coal Mines ; mode of Working ; value of the Coal ; geo- logical position of the Beds ; burning Properties — Petroleum — Marine Animals of the Shore — Peronia — Aplysia — Nudibranchs— Creseis — Sin- gular shoal of Stephanomias. Finding good anchorage in tlie harbour of Ke-lung we remained there for some weeks, or rather we made this place a starting point for some interesting excursions, returning to it again during the interval, and allowing thus some opportunity for geological and natural history investigations. On this side of the island sandstone prevails, and the whole environs of the town of Ke-lung are of that rock, which extends from Masou peninsula, north of Ke-lung, to Petou promontory on the south and east. The section of the coast between these points exhibits inclined beds of red sandstone with an average dip of 16° or 17° to the south- east, the weatherworn outcrops producing an undulating country. The hills at the back of the town of Ke-lung are also of the same formation, and have a similar dip and strike. The harbour of Ke-lung is a spacious excavation in these sandstone strata, the navigable entrance being narrowed by a low flat sandstone table ten feet above high-water, called Bush Island, on the south side ; between which and the 86 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. VI. mainland is also a larger island, which has evidently been separated from it by the bursting of a narrow passage, and its subsequent gradual wearing away by the sea, which washes through at high-water. This is Palm Island, upon which, however, no palms grow ; but a few Cycads, which have probably been mistaken for them. Ke-lung harbour presents many remarkable and iateresting features. The north side is picturesquely indented, and more or less covered with luxuriant foliage ; but the south side, where the ascending strata are abruptly broken off, presents a beautiful succession of rounded knolls, separated by narrow valleys and steep-sided ravines ; the whole being densely clothed with trees and verdant underwood, in which occurred yeUow Cassidee of various species, and great numbers, of a beautiful fringed land shell (Helix trichotropis). Several caverns exist upon this side of the harbour: The largest and most remarkable of these was reported to be of very con- siderable extent, and mysterious tales were told of the difficulty or impossibility of exploring it ; we therefore de- termined to make the attempt. The entrance was prettily ornamented and overgrown with ferns, lycopods and begonias; it faced the mouth of the harbour, and was lofty and spacious, having a sandstone roof above of 50 or 60 feet in thickness. The main cavern was arched and symmetrical ; but we soon found that this part at least was very limited in depth, for having penetrated about 50 yards we arrived at its extremity. It was rather damp, and the floor was of hard sandstone, presenting no indications of any deposit in which one might look for organic remains with any chance of success. In the left wall, however, we found a narrow fissure, which was the reaUy unknown portion, and being provided with a magnesium lamp, we squeezed our- Ch. YI.] sandstone OAVEEN. 87 selves into this cleft, and crept along it with difficulty for 70 or 80 yards. One stoutish gentleman of our party fairly stuck in the middle, and was only hauled out with difficulty by the combined efforts of a blue-jacket before and behind. This fissure was very damp, and at length terminated in a small irregular chamber, beyond which we could see no passage. Its proportions were well seen by the aid of the magnesium light, which so illuminated the vault, that the gentleman before mentioned, who was wedged in midway, flattered himself that if he could once get out of his difficulty he should find himself in broad daylight. While examining the walls by the aid of this light, I found they were tenanted by some spiders and crickets, of the •latter of which I with some difficulty secured specimens. They proved on examination to possess perfect eyes, although the place is of course totally dark ; and it is therefore to be concluded that they had simply crept in from the exterior, though what could be the inducement, or upon what they subsisted, it is difficult to imagine — for the rocky walls were perfectly bare, and the whole intervening distance was drip- ping with water. Returning to the main cavern, I was curious to see if they also existed there ; and at the extremity of this I also discovered the crickets upon the damp wall. On either side of the harbour are several villages, inha- bited by a poor fishing population. These villages give a lively aspect to the spot. One of them, close to the mouth of the cavern, being near the landing-place, we often visited, and soon became acquainted with the entire population, whom we employed in collecting shells, &c. Had the dis- trict been a rich one in these commodities, we should doubt- less soon have made a good collection, for the younger part of the community, both boys and girls, soon found that they 88 RAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. VI. could raise a little money in this way ; and every time we appeared on shore we were speedily surrounded by an eager crowd of half-naked and tolerably dirty urchins, who pressed upon us the common but pretty cowries, Cyprsea pellis-ser- pentis and C. annulus, &c., and all manner of trash. The boys were forward enough, but the girls were very timid, and for a long time would only hold out their hands at a distance to show they were anxious to trade, but afraid to come too near the Hwan-ha (foreigners). From the miscellaneous, collection thus presented to us, we selected a small number, for which we had a fixed price of a few cash — a most con- venient medium of exchange — ^for inasmuch as 1000 go to a dollar, two cash for a cowry, a helix, or a beetle, while it added considerably to their exchequer, at the same time did not threaten to ruin ours. The inhabitants of these fishing vil- lages were Chinese, and therefore not idle. The girls and younger boys were daily out, as long as the tide permitted, among the rocks gathering shell-fish, and it was not uncom- mon to see them up to their necks in water, collecting what forms to them a very important article of diet. The men were employed in the fishing-boats, or in hauling the seine, which took place chiefly on the sandy beach of the south side ; but although the seine was very extensive, and the operation of pulling it a very laborious one, the result did not seem to be at aU adequate. I went ashore on one or two occasions during the haul, in search of fish, but did not succeed in getting anything but very small sprat-like fishes. Nothing larger appeared to be caught. Every evening, too, at dusk, numerous boats pulled out from the town to the wider part of the harbour, and after dark a number of blazing torches spread a lurid light over the water. Curious to see what they were doing, I one night took a boat and rowed Ch. YI] EFFECTS OF AQUEOTJS ACTION. 89 amongst them. In each boat stood a man at the bow, hold- ing a bundle of small bamboos, which blazed so brightly that I was hardly convinced that they were not dipped in oil, untn an examination proved them to be dry. This flaming torch, with which about three boats out of four were pro- vided, served to attract the fish, and when the boat was thus smTounded with fish, a signal was made to another boat un- provided with a light, which coming up, drew a net around the iUumiaated boat, and thus secured the shoal. This was done with great shouts and noise, which we often heard, lasting far into the night. I boarded one of these boats, and saw them haul the net ; but the produce seemed to be entirely confined to a small white fish hke whitebait. The fishermen were civil enough, although we rowed right in among their operations; but they did not appear at all anxious to dispose of the fish, which were sweet-tasted, and if cooked at Blackwall would probably rival the real, whitebait. The effects of aqueous action upon the sandstone rocks are very conspicuous in some parts of Ke-lung harbour. Near the cave before-mentioned, and immediately upon the verge of high water, is a tall isolated sandstone rock, hating pre- cisely the appearance of an old ruined castle, and appro- priately named Euia Rock, which forms an excellent land- mark by which to anchor a ship. The harder layers of sandstone having defied the effects of weather and the spray which is dashed up during the nofth-east monsoon to which the harbour is exposed, the softer portions have at the same time been more or less excavated, leaving a mimic resemblance of the ruined chambers of a three-storied building. But the most curious and extensive effects of the direct action of the sea are to be found at the entrance 90 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. VI. of the harbour on either side. That on the north side is called Image Point on the chart, but the south side is even more remarkable, and no less deserves this name, while the effects are upoii a larger scale.* Crossing over the narrow sandstone platform connecting Palm Island with the main- land, and which is covered at high water, I found myself in an extraordinary spot, where the soft sandstone has been worn away by the force of the waves into a variety of fan- tastic forms, for the most part resembling gigantic mush- rooms — huge stalks, 10 or 12 feet high, bearing vast balls of harder material upon their summits, like immense nine- pins ; hiUs with excavated flanks, and harder knobs and ridges, over the foremost of which the waves were dashing, sending up the spray 50 or 60 feet high, although the sea was Comparatively calm. Some of the heads of these huge mushrooms had fallen off, and remained as great round blocks with hard ridges, such as are often seen, but whose history could here be distinctly traced, as could also a further step in the disintegration of the beach ; — ^for in many places round, deep holes were bored in the solid rock, which were evidently produced by one of these hard heads resting upon a softer spot, where ^t had been twisted and whirled about by the waves, wearing and boring its bed as though with an auger, sinking deeper and deeper, until at length it was itself worn away and dissipated by the long- continued grinding action, leaving a clean-cut deep hole in the rock from a foot to a yard in diameter, but containing nothing but clear sea water. I have little doubt that the harbour of Ke-lung is slowly rising, though I have not sufficient data to show the rate of elevation. The evidences of this elevation are to be * See Frontispiece. Ch. VI.] EISmG OF THE COAST. 91 found on both sides of the harbour. Blocks of worn and washed coral strew the beach on the north side, and lie about confusedly at high-water mark in the neighbourhood of Ruin Rock. Similar washed coral blocks lie on the beach between tide-marks on the south side, viz. on Palm Island. The sandstone platform between Palm Island and the mainland, which presents every appearance of having been excavated by the sea slowly forcing a passage through, is now very little below high- water mark ; and above the sea level the sandstone rock bears plain indications of having been washed and worn by the waves where vegeta- tion is now growing. Beyond the present limits of the harbour, the level plain at the back of the town shows that the sea once extended farther among the hills; and the inner third of the present harbour is so shallow as to be a mere mud flat at low water. Quite recently the middle third has become too shallow for the anchorage of large ships, such as had previously foxmd sufficient depth ; but this fact may be due to the evil practice of throwing baUast into the harbour to save the trouble of carrying it ashore ; for, although the Chinese are industrious enough to work when necessary, they have but little consQience ; and if en- gaged to unlade a ship in baUast, they will do so, but will drop it overboard at the nearest convenient spot, as I have seen them do, without the slightest consideration for the deterioration of an anchorage, or the shoaling of a sheltered landing-place. This part of Formosa derives commercial importance from the existence of coal-mines, which are possessed and worked by the Chinese authorities. I visited these mines, which are situated about a mile and a half to the eastward of the town of Ke-lung, on the sides of the hills bordering on Quar- 92 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. ' [Ch. VI. se-kau Bay. Being in communication with the owners of coal depots for the purchase of coal for the ship, we were brought into contact with a civil Chinaman, who was acting as compradore for Messrs. Lessler and Hagen of Tam-suy. This man spoke and wrote excellent English, having been educated at the English school in Penang, and when sub- sequently he superintended the delivery of the coals on board ship, the sailors were not a little astonished, and stood around open-mouthed, to see a smart young Chinaman with pig-taU, long silk coat, thick-soled shoes, and about whose nationality there could be no mistake, sitting at a table on deck and writing an elegant, free, commercial hand, while he communicated with the officers in fluent and gram- matical English. This man politely lent us his gig and two rowers to conduct us to the mines. The two men were very good-humoured, particularly the younger one, who laughed immensely at everything we said and did. Having rowed us nearly up to the town, the harbour getting very shallow as we proceeded, so that at length only a narrow channel be- tween two mud-flats approaches the town, we entered a small, muddy creek, with so little water that our boatmen had several times to jump out and puU the boat afcng. The hills were beautifully wooded, and the glen narrowed as we proceeded. At length, quitting the boat, we ascended a slight elevation, passing a range of red sandstone hiUs, which formed a series continuous with those seen at the back of the harbour, and which dip on an average 16° or 17° to the south-east. The weather-worn outcrops of these strata produced the undulating country in which I now found myself, and in the depressions of which the coal appears to have been deposited. We now entered a cul-de- sac in the hills, and, descending from the path into a ditch, I Ch. VI.] COAL MINES AT KE-LUNG. 93 stood at the entrance of the workings, which consisted of two small caverns at right angles to one another, hewn directly into the coal seam, which was 2| feet in thickness at its outcrop. The seam rested upon a thin hed of stiff, whitish clay, and was covered by a bank 40 or 50 feet high com- posed of rubbly clay with stones, on the face of which small bushes were growing. Out of these caverns a dirty stream of water was flowing, ankle deep. The working was nearly level, and the roof so low that one could only get along by bending nearly double. There was nothing remarkable in the interior ; the workmen, all Chinese, were in a state of per- fect nudity, and after a painful and very dirty walk of about a quarter of a mile, we emerged at another part of the hill. These mines appear, therefore, to be worked in a very primitive manner. No shafts are sunk, nor is any machinery employed, but the coolies pick the coal and convey it out of the working in smaU baskets, and in almost infinitesimal quantities at a time. It is placed in boats and conveyed to the harbour, where it is deposited in the coal-stores situated upon the solithern side — mere accumulations of coal pur- chased by English and other merchants, and from which ships are Jhostly supplied. These stores have no covering, nor any protection whatever from the weather, and the coal therefore is apt to deteriorate if kept there long. The mines themselves are exclusively worked under the Chinese autho- rities, and by Chinese coolies, foreign interference or pos- session being jealously guarded against : the consequence is, that their resources are both undeveloped and unknown. It is impossible to judge of their extent beneath the soil, because no shafts have been sunk, and no tentative efforts in the shape of borings appear to have been made. The wonder is rather that so much is produced by the industry 94 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. VI. of the coolies ; its comparative cheapness is owing to the low value of cooHe labour, added to the absence of expensive outlay in the working of the mines. The coal resources of Ke-lung have only recently been made known. In 1857 it was stated that " owing to the prohibition by the -authorities of Formosa against the ex- port of rice, vessels arrived at Amoy loaded almost entirely with coal, at about 1^ dollar (5s. 6d.) a ton ; " and it was further said at that time that arrangements might be made for the formation of a stock for the supply of Her Majesty's vessels on very favourable terms. In 1858 H.M.S. "Inflexible" received coals at Ke-lung at the rate of four dollars (17s. 6d.) per ton. H.M.S. " Serpent," during the year 1866, was coaled at the rate of 16 dollars the hundred piculs, which is somewhat less than three dollars (13s.) the ton ; and for this price we selected our coal from the depots, and it was brought alongside and deposited in the bunkers. When we finally left Ke-lung, there were seven ships in the harbour — Hamburg, Bremen, Prussian, and English, receiving coal either as cargo or for consumption. The position of the coal-bed of Ke-limg proves that it is of comparatively recent formation. It lies apparently quite superficial; and, although it would undoubtedly require a closer and longer study than I was able to devote to it, in order to prove its exact geological relations, especially in the absence of ^ny subterranean workings in the form of shafts or borings, the position of the worked seams is undoubtedly superficial to the sandstone. How far down the coal seams are believed to penetrate I was unable to learn, for they are in the hands of Chinese proprietors, and all the workers are Chinese, with whom I was unable to communicate directly ; Oh. VI.] QUALITY OF KE-LUNG COAL. 95 while the few European merchants who are interested in the produce were not scientifically acquainted with the dis- trict. With regard to the quality of this coal, it has properties which favour the supposition that it is a recently-formed deposit. The first account of it made pubUc was issued from H.M.S. " Inflexible," and the chief engineer of that ship pubHshed an account of his experiments and steaming re- sults with it, in the Nautical Magazine for 1859. This ac- count, however, is strangely at variance with our experience of the coal. In general terms the verdict given by him was that it was " good for domestic purposes and for steamers making short passages ; but it consumes rapidly, and makes much smoke." Although, however, this general statement nearly coincides with what we foimd to be the case, it is not supported by the elaborated and tabulated results published in the Nautical Magazine. The Ke-lung coal is of very light weight ; it burns very rapidly, and it gives out a very great heat — so much so, that it readily sets the funnel on fire. It is extremely dirty, and the combustion is so imperfect, that a vast number of blacks of a soft and soiling character are produced, and fall aU over the ship. The flues also rapidly get very foul, requiring frequent ' attention and cleansing. It leaves no less than 50 per cent, of ash, so that although it appears cheap, it is not reaUy more so than other and better coal, which has more substance and less waste. For it is evident, that if Ke-lung coal were but one-half the price of Welsh, and that Welsh did twice as much work, the latter would be cheaper fuel ; for not only would there be equal horse-power for an equal price, but the superior bulk of the inferior and apparently cheaper coal would entail great additional labour 96 EAMBLES 0¥ A NATUEALIST. [Oh. VI. upon the firemen in removing it from the bunkers and feeding the furnaces, to say nothing of the waste of stow- age.* But the worst feature of the Ke-lung coal is that it forms a large quantity of slag, or clinker, which sticks firmly to the furnace bars, and becomes so heated as to fuse them. Many of the fire-bars in the " Serpent " were fused in this manner before the load was exhausted. I was informed that at no great distance from the coal mines of Ke-lung there are sources of petroleum, which are known to some European merchants residing there, who were in treaty for the ground. The Chinese, however, are very jealous in guarding any land which is supposed to possess mineral riches, having an idea that gold is to be found there. So anxious are the present Chinese occupiers upon this point, that in any title of purchase of land there is an express stipulation, that should gold be discovered upon that land, the precious metal should not be considered as included in the purchase,, but shall revert to the original possessor of the soil. The rocks around Ke-lung harbour did not yield a very great variety of animals, although there were some of con- siderable interest. The sandy beach in some places was entirely formed of minute shells of a great number of species, usually more or less rubbed, but containing a considerable number of tolerably perfect specimens. In the crevices of the coral blocks which strewed the shores, shoals of small and beautiful coral-fish abounded, some of the richest azure blue (Pomacentrus), others striped and banded (Glyphito- * There are some interesting points of resemblance between the coal field of Ke lung and that of Labuan, on the coast of Borneo, of which an account will be found in Chapter X. Oh. VI.] MABINE ANIMALS OF KE-LUNG. 97 don and Therapon), others yellow, green, red, and various bright colours, and of forms equally various; but unfor- tunately neither spirit nor glycerine succeeded in preserving their tints. The rocks, where washed by spray, were blackened by the swarms of Ligiae running nimbly about, exhibiting a bluish metallic tint, which glanced upon their backs in the sunlight. Beautiful purple Echini occu- pied the hollow places in the sandstone ; and great black Holothurise, of the kind used for Trepang, lay scattered about in many places, and these, when touched, threw out a quantity of white tenacious threads, which adhered like glue to the hand. The slug-like Peronia was not imcommon, usually found crawling upon the rocks at high water, being an animal that is satisfied with an occasional moistening of the surface. "When I kept these animals alive they proved very erratic, and would never remain in the vessel, but im- mediately crawled out ; and I found them from time to time in aU parts of my cabin, even some days after I had lost them. I was therefore somewhat surprised, on a subsequent occasion, to find Peronias on' the coast of Borneo, on the under side of stones which were immersed in the water. The Peronia is greenish-brown in colour, without dorsal branchiae, or mantle-tentacles, as in the Nudibranchs, but have two snail-like retractile tentacles on the head, with eyes at their points, and the whole mantle is covered with papUlse, having something of the form of fleurs-de-lis. After the gale which detained us in the harbour, the low cay, called Bush Island, was covered with a fleet of little Velellse and Physalise, which had been stranded by the wind. This island, too, produced a number of beautiful Anemones, botryUiform Tunicata, &c. ; but the most remarkable animals there met with were certain Tectibranchs, as they are termed, ia which the shell 98 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. VI. is more or less undeveloped and concealed in the mantle, the gills forming leaflets also under its protection. These were the sea-hares (Aplysia), of which at least two species lived here — one, the most common, of a uniform brown colour ; the other, of larger size, marked with sparse black blotches. These animals are remarkable for their power, like the cuttle, of pouring out an abundant secretion of a purplish colour from the edge of the mantle, with which, when alarmed, they stain the surrounding water. Another some- what similar animal found here was the rich black Corio- ceUa nigra, its flowing velvet mantle entirely concealing its sheU at pleasure. In Ke-limg harbour, although I sought diligently, my pains were rewarded by only two or three species of Nudi- branchiata. Of these one was a small blue Doris, on Bush Island; the other two were, however, both new species, and interesting from their extreme beauty. One of these was a Doris of a cream-colour, edged with orange, and covered over the back with rich vermiUon marbling. But the last was probably the type of a new genus, its mantle capacious, of a rich variegated rose colour, edged with white, and studded with translucent white spots — the whole body so delicate as to be semi-transparent. Its movements were wonderfully graceful; spreading the broad and transparent mantle out wide on either side, and throwing back its long tentacles, like ears, it swam about with a moderately rapid vermicular but vertical motion, the head and taH being thrown forward till they met above, and then partiaUy thrown back, accompanied by a waving of the mantle from end to end. Lying for some time at anchor in this harbour, some very interesting marine animals came under notice from time to On. VI.] PTEEOPODS AND AOALEPHS. 99 time. At one time the towing-net would bring up trans- parent animals which bore a close resemblance to the Cymbulia ovularis, of Eang, whose broad expansive wings, by which locomotion was effected, were placed in a tuberculated and purse-shaped crystal calyx, from which it was easily separable, the whole animal being ia some lights invisible but for an oblong black spot in the centre. Another of these transparent Pteropods was the Pneumodermia ; but the most abundant and striking was the pretty and delicate little Creseis, with an elegant glassy shell, like an inverted church spire, pointed like a needle at one end, while, from the other, a pair of little delicate wings would keep the calm surface of the water in a constant ripple by their soft flapping to and fro. So abundantly did these little creatures swarm upon some days, that they came up in solid masses, and the towing-net was filled with them in every mesh ; so that it was a long task to clear it of the fragile shells. Beautiful Acalephs, or sea-jellies, too, were among the harbour's inhabitants ; cUiogrades, like elegant pink glass flowers, in constant motion, with prismatic bands of cilia playing along the raised ridges of their body from end to end. But even these were hardly so striking as the wonder- ful influx of Hydrozoa, of the singular genus Stephanomia, that occurred one evening. This happened upon the 18th of June. Although calm, it had been a wet day ; yet, in spite of this, myriads and myriads of Creseis swarmed in the^ harbour. During the day a breeze sprang up, and at times rollers came in ; but as the afternoon advanced, the sea became alive with marine animals, including some of the forms I have already described, but chiefly beautiful organisms which most closely resembled the Stephanomia triangularis of Quoy and Gaimard. They were wonderfully sculptured 100 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. VI. and (sarved masses of soKd jelly, either' perfectly trans- parent, or tinged with pink. They would bear being taken up carefully in a hand-net, and placed in a basin of sea water, but when there, they became absolutely invisible from their delicacy and transparency. When touched they would break asunder into transparent, gelatinous, star-like bodies ; so that I was in despair at getting even a sketch of their complicated forms, for they soon melted away into shapeless masses. I endeavoured to preserve some in various sub- stances, but without success, for they immediately fell to pieces and dissolved. These bodies were solid to the touch, about three inches long, and appeared to be formed by the union of gelatinous bodies (swimming bells) of very complex form, and dissimilar at different parts of their length, so that the diameter of one- third was greater than that of the other two-thirds. I was much disappointed at my unsuccessful attempts to keep some record of them ; but their invisibility, their fragility, and the approach of darkness, rendered all my attempts futile, and although I might have succeeded better if I had had another opportunity, I never saw anything like them on any subse- quent occasion. But the circumstance to be especially remarked is, that during all the time these curious animals were floating by, it was raining pretty hard — a condition which, a priori, might be supposed to have been most unfavourable for them; for the destructive character of fresh water to delicate marine animals is weU known. Whence, too, could they have come in such profusion ? And if the surface of the sea is their natural habitat, why are they not more frequently seen ? CHAPTEK VII. FORMOSA (Oontinue£ for a long while suc- cessfully cultivated this favourite ^ ^sticatory. The gambler plant is a creeping annual, and rises to the height of six or seven feet. In eight months the young plants are fit to be cut ; and the young leaves and shoots are cropped and boiled ; and the extract thus obtained is evaporated to a paste, dried, and cut in smaU blocks an inch square, which are then ready for the market. The workers in these planta- tions are exclusively Chinese ; and the proprietors are also of that nation. The gambler is a plant which very rapidly Ch. XVI.] DECLIKE OF PEPPEE-PLANTINa. 271 exhausts the soil ; and the quantity of wood required for boil- ing the shoots demands the immediate neighbourhood of an inexhaustible supply. In course of time, therefore, the wood has all been cut down close to the plantation ; and the necessity of having to convey it a mile or so is fatal to the successful cultivation of the drug ; consequently, gambier- planting is now fast disappearing in Singapore. It had always been found profitable to combine with gambier-planting the cultivation of pepper ; partly because this could be attended to in the intervals of gambier-cropping, but chiefly because the boiled shoots and leaves of the gambler, after the astringent was extracted, formed an excel- lent ready-made manure for the pepper, free of expense, which no other manure would have paid. As therefore the planting of gambier declines, that of pepper must necessarily decline also, and as the two rose together so they must also fall together. Considerable quantities of pepper are stiU produced in Singapore, but not nearly so much as formerly ; and many of the gambier and pepper clearances have re- verted to the Government. In the peninsula of Johore, however, there are abundance of pepper and gambier plantations. It may be asked, however, if Singapore has failed in realising the expectations of planters in so many instances, and so many different crops have one by one proved ruinous to their proprietors, what will grow remuneratively in the island ? — or will anything do so ? The answer to this has been solved of late years. In the first place it is found that all fruit-trees flourish in the soil of Singapore ; and bread- fruit, jack, dookoo, mangosteen, pineapple, plantain, ram- bootan, custard-apple, mango, guava, and durian, with many others, now occupy the plantations in which nutmegs were 272 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. XVI. formerly grown. The last-named fruit, so great a favourite with some, and so detested by others, is produced in such quantities that 50 doUars are given for the produce of a single tree. But the one tree ia which is now centred the promise and the hope of the Singapore planters is the Cocoa-nut (Cocos nucifera). It does not appear to be indigenous, for none are found in the jungle ; but it was long since introduced by the Malays. It is comparatively of late years, however, that European planters have looked upon it as a source of wealth, and foreseen that it may prove in course of time to be the most important production of Singapore. The original cocoa-nut plantations are yielding golden returns ; and within the last ten years, or less, a great impetus has been given to the propagation of a tree to which the sandy and poor soil of Singapore seems admirably adapted. The trees thrive, and the only drawback is that several years must elapse before they attain such a growth as to yield any recompense for the original expenditure. The uses of the tree are numerous ; but it is to the oil that the planter looks for his reward. With proper machinery for separating this oU, the rapidly- extending cocoa-nut plantations bid fair to place cocoa-nut oil in an important position among the exports from Singa- pore. The cocoa-nuts, however, are not free from their enemies, in the shape of two beetles — one, a large Curcuho (Ehynchophorus Sach), nearly as big as the English stag- beetle, and the other an Oryctes (O. Rhinoceros), so called from its projecting horn. The first of them is called in Singapore the red beetle, from a blood-red mark upon the upper part of the thorax, and it probably attacks the nut ; while the second feeds upon the terminal bud of the palm- stem. When thus attacked, the bud dies, and the crown of Ch. XYI.] SAGO-PLANTINa. 273 leaves falls off, leaving the graceful cocoa-nut tree a mere tall bare pole. Sucli bare poles I have' seen representing all that remaias of the betel-nut palm (Areca catechu), which is subject to the attacks of a similar beetle. In Penang, thousands of cocoa-nuts are destroyed by the ravages of these insects. In the cocoa-nut plantations men ascend the trees and examine narrowly for these insidious enemies, which they find in large numbers. They forthwith pierce them with a sharp stick, and passing a string through them, hang them up in festoons at the entrance of the plantation. Such strings of beetles, some dead and decaying, some still alive and kicking their legs about, I have seen in the planta- tions of the island. At the present moment, however, the cultivation of cocoa-nuts is merely in its infancy ; and the exports are confined to places in the immediate neighbour- hood of Singapore. An enterprising gentleman is cultivating the sago-palm on a large scale, about eight miles from Singapore. The plantation (containing at present 10,000 trees) is still young, and will not begin to yield for about five years ; but this flourishing state of the trees, with the aid of a certain amoimt of manure, gives full promise of a successful result. When the trees are ready to cut, he intends to apply machinery to the preparation of the sago; for, accord- ing to the present primitive modes of the natives, a man (Chinese) and his wife, their adult son and wife and two children, are employed a fortnight in preparing the product of a single tree. Let me add, too, with regard to labour, which I have spoken of as comparatively dear — a Malay or a Chinese commands a price of 3| to 4 dollars a month ; while in Java 3 rupees is considered good wages ; and, besides bemg 274 EAMBLES OP A NATURALIST. [Oh. XYI. doubly expensive in Singapore, the workman always takes two hours in the middle of the day for rest, and stops work the moment the clock strikes six; while the men are so chary of their lahour that it is necessary to have overseers to keep them at it. CHAPTER XVII. JOHORE AND THE STRAITS. Excursion to Tanjong Putri — Chinese Carnival — The Tumonggong — Sing-songs — Chinese Thespians — Gambling Parties — The Game of "Poh" — Gambling in Singapore and Hong Kong — Mountebank Dentistry — Opium Smoking — Statistics of Consumption — Value of Imports — Chinese Opium — Con- siderations—Saw Mills — Horsburgh Lighthouse— Coast of Johore — Habits of the PilljCrab — Ubiquity of Ants. A FAVouEiTE excursion from Singapore is that to the back of the island, where is a commodious bungalow, situated on the border of the Straits, which are here not more than half a mile wide ; and opposite which is the town of Tanjong Putri, at the southernmost extremity of Johore. When I visited this place, it was in an unwonted state of excitement, from the fact that his Highness the Maharajah of Johore was visiting his residence there for the first time since his return from England, where he had been received with very great distinction, having among other honours been installed a Knight of the Star of India. The town was like a fair, and the Chinese espe- cially were busily employed in turning the occasion to advantage. Gambling places and siag-songs were driving a great trade, and the juggler and mountebank were in their glory. The shores on both sides of these Straits, between the Island of Singapore and the Malacca Peninsula, are densely T 2 276 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. XVII. wooded, with here and there a cocoa-nut plantation, having a hut built upon it, and impenetrable mangrove thickets skirting the beach. The water was so shallow that we ran aground, and had to wait for the tide, with only five feet of water under our bows — a mishap which delayed us so much, that it was dark before we arrived ; but the bright lights, fire-works, and noise of tom-tom§ were suflGiciently distinct to serve as landmarks to guide us to an anchorage. The morning light showed that Tanjong Putri was simply a clearance in the jungle at the south point of Johore, with apparently no outlet on the landward side. The noises which we had heard on shore on our arrival still continued, having gone on without intermission all night long — and in- deed they did not cease as long as we were within hearing, for the Chinese were keeping carnival. The occasion was an excellent one for observing Chinese characteristics — for the larger part of the population ap- peared to be formed of Celestials, although of course the real natives are Malays, who appear to be attached to their native ruler, and to be moreover proud of the travels fi-om which he had just returned, and of the attention which he had received from high quarters in England. I had an interview with his Highness, who is styled the Tumonggong of Johore, and had the honour of smoking a cigar and drinking a glass of sherbet with him. He is a good-looking young man of 30 or 31 years of age, rather stout, and taller than the average of the Malays. Unlike his subjects and countrymen, he cultivates a moustache, and, as might be expected under the circumstances, he wore a European costume. His manners were gentlemanly and agreeable, and he treated me with unaffected urbanity and good-will. He speaks excellent English ; and the conversation natu- Ch. XVn.J THE TUMONGGONG. 277 rally turned upon his late visit to this country, which he seemed to have greatly enjoyed ; and doubtless the new and enlarged views which he has imbibed from such a visit, and the attentions which he received while here, cannot fail to have a beneficial influence upon his Eastern rule. The Maharajah has become invested with an importance and interest in the eyes of the Malays which he could hardly have otherwise acquired at home ; and they seemed to vie with one another ia showing their loyalty and service. He is, moreover, indebted for his present position to the policy of the English Government, who transferred the rule from the former Sultan to his admiral, the father of the present prince — an act of Sir Henry Butterworth which has been freely canvassed, but was doubtless justified by State reasons which that Governor could well appreciate. The sounds which had greeted our arrival at Tanjong Putri, I soon discovered arose from a Thespian entertain- ment, under the auspices of the Chinese; and inasmuch as all this class of performances had a very great family likeness wherever I had an opportimity of witnessing them, I may say a few words descriptive of the singular character of this exhibition. There were two of these sing-songs, or open-air Chinese theatres, which were centres of general attraction, placed, however, almost side by side, so that the proceedings of one thrust themselves upon the spectators of the other, and somewhat marred the effect of both. They were good types of Chinese theatricals, and consisted of spacious stages, open in front, and erected above the level of the heads of the spectators, with attap coverings for the benefit of the per- formers, but nothing of the kind for the lookers-on, who either stood sweltering in the sun, or, if they preferred it, 278 RAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XVH. took shelter under the verandahs of the shops on the 'other side of the road. At the back of the stage, in the centre, was placed a table, behind which were the musicians, some hammering upon tom-toms of various sizes, which gave out a more or less resonant sotind, others playing upon the fifes, and producing sounds which might readily be mistaken for bag-pipes. Besides this there were three embroidered mats hanging down behind the stage, and these together constituted the scenery, properties, orchestra, and all equip- ments which their Thespian simplicity required. At the back of the stage a door on either side served as an entrance and exit for the actors, who always came in at the left hand and retired at the right. The play appeared to be a bur- lesque, and the actors used the burlesque movements of the low comedians on our own stage, only more coarse, clownish, and exaggerated. They were men and women in this case, though more commonly the women's parts are performed by men ia female costume. The men were dressed in the highly embroidered robes and painted grotesque masks which are familiar to every one who has turned over rice- paper picture books ; and the women spoke in a high falsetto voice, quite different from the female treble. They came in by the left door in small parties, flourished about, and shouted, passing slowly in front of the stage, and then disappeared on the right side, and were succeeded by another party, the same party again re-appearing after a short inter- val. There seemed to be no termiuation to the story, nor any limits to the endurance of the actors or spectators ; for the latter kept up a constant crowd in front of the stage, behaving, however, with great decorum and even gravity, and showing little inclination to laugh at the antics of the players ; and I could only judge of the actors' endurance, Ch. XVII.] CHINESE THEATEE. 279 from the fact that the accompanying noise of tom-toms and fifes ceased not day or night all the time we were within hearing. There was the usual mixture of barbarism and splendour which characterises all Chinese ceremonials. The sides of the stage were occupied by a number of dirty, half-naked boys and men, — ^regular gamins, — who perched themselves upon the stage itself by some peculiar right, by virtue of which they seemed entitled to reserved seats; and the actors themselves exhibited strange contrasts to their richly em- broidered and really handsome robes, for these were usually open in front, disclosing their brown, bare skin from the neck to below the navel. I found it impossible to gather any hint as to the nature of the story or plot of the play. Among the amusements of the Chinese population at such a time of festivity, gambling holds a very prominent place. The Chinese are passionately addicted to this vice, and spend days and nights over cards and dice, imbibing the passion from their very earliest years. A child who has become the possessor of two cash, and goes to invest it in sweetmeats, will either gamble it away before he arrives at the stall, or will toss the vendor double or quits while he still holds that vast sum in his hands. On the present occasion there was in the town a large covered area entirely occupied by gambling parties. Each party occupied a small square space, upon which a piece of carpet is spread, and around which the players squat upon the ground, three or four being engaged in counting out the small change for stakes, and attending to the business of the bank, while space was afforded for about six more, always Chinamen, in dress and appearance indistinguishable from coolies, who 280 RAMBLES OP A NATURALIST [Ch. XVII. kept up a constant rattle of money and dice. All the avail- able space between the mats was occupied by standing spectators, who not unfrequently joiaed in or filled up the places of those who left. There are several methods of gambliag employed, and it is not easy for a mere bystander to catch the spirit of the game ; but most of them are very simple. Thus, for example, a board is produced with twelve squares, and the stake is made on one of them ; if that square turns up, the lucky depositor receives twelve times his stake. Or there is another board, upon which are painted representa- tions of 36 different animals : on one or more of these a stake is made, a successful hit winning 36 times the stake. A third method is as follows : — the keeper of the bank takes up a handful of coiu, and a board is produced, divided into four squares, marked respectively 1, 2, 3, 4, on either of which a stake is made. The coins are then counted until four, or less than four, are left. If there are just four, the man who has staked on No. 4 square wins ; if two, No. 2 succeeds and gets the handful ; otherwise, the stake is for- feited. But perhaps the most favourite game with the Chinese is that called "Poh." This game is played with a single die, and a small, solid brass box, in the upper part of which is a square hole in which the die fits. Each face of the die is half red and half white, and is inscribed with Chinese letters. The die having been shaken by the banker in a red bag, he takes it out, and, without looking at it, places it at once in the box, and covers it with a brass Hd. Giving the box a spin, the players stake their money upon the colour, placing it on that side of the box on which they expect that colour to be. If one betting on white places the money on Oh. XVn.] CHINESE GAMBLERS. 281 the red side, it is of course lost, but if on the white side, he wins double stakes ; if on the side on which the colours are divided, he loses. They sometimes stake on the corner of the die, in which case, if three white or three red halves of the die on the three visible sides meet at that comer, white or red wins a single stake ; but if the colours are mixed, neither can win. Besides these small gambling-places, in which, for the most part, the lower classes amuse themselves, and in which they were clustered like bees around some fifty banks, there was a regular " hell " near by, at which the more wealthy classes, chiefly from Singapore, played to their hearts' con- tent far into the night at the same games, but for higher stakes. Here one man lost on this day 7000 dollars ; and some Chinamen who had been " cleaned out," expressed their intention of sending to Singapore the following day for large sums, with the avowed intention of breaking the bank. By large sums they meant, say 5000 doUars, and they would play until they lost it all, or fulfilled their thre£|,t. Up to the year 1829 gambling was permitted by the government of Singapore. The gambling-houses were farmed, and from 1820 to 1829 the revenue from this source had increased from 5,725 doUars to 33,864 doUars. It was then abolished, and fines are now collected in the magistrate's court for breaking the law in this respect. It is said that the fines collected during the first four months of 1864 amounted to 6,112 dollars, or £1,370. I was informed that since the prohibition, gambling has been exceptionally permitted for some days at the time of the China new-year, when not only the Chinese population, but many of the leading merchants may have been seen eagerly mixing 282 RAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XVII. with the speculating crowd, and winning or losing with the rest.* One other element of the busy and motley scene may be mentioned — viz., the mountebank dentist. He was a Chinese, and standing in a public place, loudly invited patients to be relieved of their troublesome teeth. Several came forward, and the treatment was not a little singular and puzzling. Clapping a red plaister upon the cheeks, over the spot where the guilty tooth was situated, he, at the same time, put inside the mouth a small quantity of a kind of white paste. Then inserting an instrument which looked something like an ordinary dentist's key, he rapidly whipped the tooth out entire. But the most curious part of the circumstance was that no cry escaped the patients ; and on narrowly watching their features, not the slightest symptom of momentary pain was revealed. But the bleeding fangs of the teeth as held up to view negatived the idea that there was any trickery or delusion. The price of the operation was only 10 cents (5d.) ! Sometimes the feUow pretended to charm the tooth out without any operation — a feat which he accomplished by sticking the plaister on the face, and inserting the white paste within the mouth as before, after which, instead of using any extracting instrument, he stuck against the tooth the pointed end of a piece of folded paper containing a little of a black substance which looked like pitch. Then having kept the patient waiting for three or four minutes with his * Since this has been written gambling Las been legalised among the Chinese population of Hong Kong — a step which while it has naturally given great offence to certain European classes, will be regarded leniently by those best acquainted with Chinese character, and will save the police a vast amount of trouble in hunting up and bringing to justice the numberless cases in which the attempt to restrict this Chinese institution was constantly being evaded by all classes, in whom the habit is too much a second nature to be eradicated by legislation. Oh. XVn.] OPIUM-SMOKING. 283 mouth shut, he would tell him to cough, when out came the tooth with no further difSculty. I know not what jugglery was used, but these effects were presented to the eyes of attentively watching bystanders. Among the phases of Chinese dissipation incident to scenes such as I am describing, of course opium-smoking has its place. This, however, is a subject upon which the opinions of some in this coimtry, who are unacquainted with real facts, are so strong, and their feelings so excited, that it seems desirable to give some trustworthy information which may guide them to a proper appreciation of the true extent of the evil, and may enable them to compare it properly with that vice in this country to which it bears most resemblance — viz., drunkenness. It is a common idea that opium-smoking obtrudes itself upon the notice of every traveller in China, and that the debasing and destructive effects of it meet the eye at every turn. This is, however, a great mistake. Opium is an expensive luxury, and the supply, which is equal to, and regulated by, the demand, is very limited. Like all other luxuries it is doubtless liable to abuse, and no one will attempt to deny that, like spirit drinking, it is sometimes carried to excess ; but the cases of confirmed opium-smoking in China bear no manner of proportion to those of excessive drinking in England. This can be easily proved by a reference to the statistics of the opium-market of Hong Kong, through which aU opium except that of native manu- facture must pass. A person not conversant with the value of the drug is surprised to learn that a chest, which contains 133J lbs., or one picul of opium, is worth about £150. As a general rule a man smokes about 5 mace of opium at a time, or we may say 5 mace per diem for an ordinary 284 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XVII. opium smoker. This amount, multiplied by 365 (days), makes 182"5 kandareens, or 18'25 taels (ounces) per annum. In round numbers, therefore, an ordinary smoker con- sumes 20 ounces per annum. And since a chest of opium contains 133 lbs., it will require 106 persons smoking at this rate to consume one chest in a year. Now the annual consumption of imported opium is 100,000 chests, and it is believed that about the same quantity is also manufactured in China. This will make a total of 200,000 chests demanded annually by opium-smokers of all classes and degrees. The extreme value of imported opium one year with another is 700 dollars per chest, and Chinese opium is very much cheaper. At the steady rate of consumption indicated above, viz., of 106 persons to one chest of opium, it would cost the consumers 6| doUars (about 30s.) per head per annum. Supposing, however, that this consumption and expense were spread over the whole population of 300 millions, it would amount to less than a quarter of a doUar, or about one shilling per head per annum. But this estimate must be stiU further lowered by the fol- lowing considerations — viz., 1st, that Chinese opium is produced at only one-fifth of the price of the Indian drug ; 2nd, that of the Indian opium 6,000 chests are annually diverted to the Straits settlements, Borneo and the neigh- bourhood, while an unknown quantity goes to Australia, California, &c. ; and 3rd, that of the raw opium a consider- able per centage is lost in the preparation of the drug for consumption. Thus of Malwa opium, 30 per cent. ; of Patna, 35; of Benares, 35; of Persian, 20; of Chinese, 20; and of Turkey no less than 42 per cent, is waste, the remainder forming the real extract for the. smoker. Oh. XVII.] CHINESE OPIUM. 285 Again, although the moderate estimate of five mace per diem is correct for the mass of opium-smokers, there are doubtless some who abuse the indulgence, and both spend and consume much more — thus still further reducing. the number of consumers, who must really form a very small proportion of the entire population, viz., about twenty out of the three himdred, millions, or one in fifteen ; that is, 6^ per cent. These are principally the sea-board popula- tion — the inland people being for the most part unacquainted with the drug. The Chinese produce a large quantity of opium, the exact amount of which is hardly known ; but it is not valued by them as Indian opium is. It is strong and pungent, and bites the tongue, producing a maddening effect when taken in excess — and bearing the same relation to Indian and other imported opium that strong brandy does to mild wine. The apologists for opium importation affirm that the Chinese will have the drug, and did they not import it in a mild and comparatively harmless form, the opium-smokers would use all the more of their own inferior and intoxicating sub- stitute. The Chinese Government derives a revenue of 50 doUars per chest on imported opium — or rather, should do so, but this tax is for the most part evaded. That opium-smoking is a vice, and leads to evil, is not for a moment to be denied, but that it is of that extent which is commonly believed by some philanthropists weU- disposed but iU-informed, is evidently a mistake. Undoubt- edly if it could be rooted out of the customs of the Chinese people, it would be a desirable end — and so it would be if drimkenness could be eradicated from the English people — but both ideas, we fear, are equally Utopian and Quixotic. Merchants engaged in the opium trade are loudly con- 286 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. XVII. demned ; but, to be just, those engaged either directly or indirectly in the production of ardent spirits should meet with an equal amount of reprobation. But there can be no manner of doubt that drunkenness is far more produc- tive of misery and crime in this country than is opium- smoking ill China, while we are apt to forget the consi- deration that we are a professedly Christian people, while the opium-smoking Chinese are heathens, with a very imperfect natural appreciation of morality, as understood in the West.* Before leaving Tanjong Putri, I visited the extensive steam saw-mills, in which a variety of circular and perpen- dicular saws were at work upon wood of all sizes, from small planks to enormous trunks of trees. These mills are worked by a company, principally Europeans, but in which the Tumonggong possesses an interest. The ■\^ork- men are all Chinese, who live in a separate village, which is enclosed, and the gate to which is kept locked during working hours. There are similar saw-mUls, but on a much smaller scale, at Singapore. In passing several times up and down the Singapore Straits, the lighthouse on Pedro Branco Island, commonly known as the " Horsburgh Light," is a conspicuous and interesting object. I one day paid it a visit, and rambled over it from top to bottom. It is built on a rock to the east of Singapore, at 28 miles distance, with soundings of 17 to 23 fathoms aU the way. It was a lovely morning, * Confirmed opium smokers, it is well known, suffer severely when deprived of the drug, and the vice sometimes assumes a, form which is analogous to dipsomania. The friends of such persons have occasionally brought them to the European medical men in Canton to be cured, and a cure is not difficult to be effected by proper treatment and supervision ; but it ofcourse depends upon the firmness and principle of the patient to refrain from relapsing into the bad habit. Ch. XTH.] HOESBUEGH lighthouse. 287 and quite calm, so that I was able to land at some steps cut in the almost perpendicular side of the rock upon which the lighthouse is built. Although the rock, however, is naturally very inaccessible, a sort of movable pier is con- structed, by means of which a landing can be effected at almost any ebb tide. The lighthouse, a testimonial to the iavaluable services of the author of the " Directory," is a cylindrical building, with a basement and six. stories, which are ascended by narrow ladders, to the hght-room at the top. This contains nine cata-dioptric lights, arranged in sets of three, movable by clock-work, so that the angle between each set shows dark. The light is visible once iu a minute, and is seen 15 miles. The rock upon which the lighthouse is built, is an irregular, much broken, rounded mass of grey and compact granite, extending out north- ward in a reef, but with only a few roUed stones at the south. It was commenced in 1850 and finished in 1851, and in many respects closely resembles the Bell Rock Lighthouse, 11 miles east of Arbroath. . The chief light- keeper is an Enghshman, who is assisted by Malays. On the rocks a number of Grapsi were running about, and a few Ligise ; but no other marine animals except fishes were visible, although it was nearly low neap tide — the rocks being too smooth and too much exposed to har- bour the more delicate species. The leaping-fish (Perioph- thalmus), of a large size, were pretty numerous, and it was amusing to see them climb up the steep and smooth sides of the rocks by a series of jumps, assisted by a wriggling movement from side to side — so that each time they alighted the tail was strongly curved on either side alternately. Some low black rocks in the neighbourhood looked as if they were covered with snow, but a telescope resolved 288 EAMBLBS OP A NATURALIST. [Oh. XVII. the appearance into dense crowds of thousands of white birds, whose general movement gave the rocks a quivering aspect, as when the rarefied air ascends from a heated surface. The shores of Johore, bordering on the Straits, are every- where thickly wooded, the jungle coming down to the water's edge. The low banks are seldom reheved by a hill, or any- thing which serves to distinguish one part from another, and not a habitation is anywhere visible. I one day landed upon the beach at South Point, and spent some hours in exploring. The coast was rocky, with reefs of porphyritic stone containing large crystals of albite; and a shelving, sandy shore extended so close to the edge of the jungle, that only a yard or two was left dry at high water. In the jungle, Cycads and screw-pines abounded ; and I fancied I could trace the tracks of large animals, which my imagina- tion helped me to believe were tigers, upon the higher parts of the sand. Butterflies of the same type as those I had observed at Labuan were pretty numerous. A curious little Crab is common upon the sandy beaches everywhere on these coasts. I observed it abundantly at Labuan, and at Singapore and Johore, and other places, where, immediately after the tide has gone down, the smooth beach is covered with loose, powdery sand and holes of various sizes, from such as would admit a small pea to those big enough for a large filbert, but usually of the former dimensions. A closer examination showed that little ra- diating paths converged among the litter of sand to each hole, and that the sand itself was in minute balls or concre- tions of a size proportionate to the calibre of the holes. The rapidity with which the shore was covered with myriads of such concretions was very surprising, as at first there ap- Oh. XVn.] THE PILL-MAKING CEAB. 289 peared no living thing to which they might be attributed. I naturally supposed that the little crab inhabiting the hole had ejected the sand in Httle balls in the construction of his habitation ; but an approaching footstep was an immediate signal for the disappearance of the little creatures. By remaining quite quiet, however, on a patch 30 or 40 feet square, which was covered with their holes, I was able to watch their remarkable habits. On the first approach, a peculiar twinkle on the sand was visible, which required a quick eye to recognise as a simultaneous and rapid retreat of all the little crabs into their holes, not a siagle one re- maining visible. Kneeling down and remaining motionless for a few minutes, I noticed a slight evanescent appearance, like a flash or bursting bubble, which the eye could scarcely follow. This was produced by one or more of the little crabs coming to the surface, and instantly darting down again, alarmed at my proximity. It was only by patiently waiting, like a statue, that I could get them to come out and set to work. They were of various sizes, the most common being that of a largish pea. Coming cautiously to the mouth of the hole, the crab waited to reconnoitre, and if satisfied that no enemy was near, it would venture about its own length distant from the mouth of its hole ; then rapidly taking up particles of sand in its claws or chelae, it deposited them in a groove beneath the thorax. As it did so a little ball of sand was rapidly projected as though from its mouth, which it seized with one claw and deposited on one side, proceeding in this manner until the smooth beach was covered with these little pellets, or pills, corresponding in size to its own dimensions and powers. It was evidently its mode of extracting par- ticles of food from the sand. I made many attempts to 290 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. XVII. catch one before I could succeed, so swift were they in their movements. Preparing my right hand, and advancing it cautiously, I darted it out as rapidly as I could to secure the crab ; but it was too quick, and had regained its hole. At length, after repeated attempts, I caught two specimens, which immediately curled themselves up and feigned death. I put one of them on the sand to see what it would do. At first it did not attempt to move ; but after a short time, by a twisting and wriggling movement, it rapidly sunk into the sand and disappeared. I had attempted in vain for a long time to cut off one of the crabs from its hole, so that I might fill it up and observe whether it would go into a neighbour's hole, and with what result. But as I could not succeed in doing this (and it was frightfully hot work stooping over the sand under the direct rays of the tropical sun) I put one of the crabs I ha,d caught into a hole already containing a crab ; but no result followed. I attempted to dig it up again in vain. I dug up many holes ; but though I soon arrived at the soft and wet sand beneath, I never succeeded in procur- ing a pill-making crab by digging it out. Nor, when I filled up several holes, did any result follow, as long as I had patience to wait.* These pill-making crabs are gregarious. Many considerable patches of sand were covered with their holes and pellets, some close together, some more sparsely ; but other very large tracts in the neighbourhood had not a single hole upon them. They rapidly make their appearance immediately after the tide has • Mr. Spenoe Bate writes me as follows : " The PiU-maker is a very curious fellow, and is very remarkable in its structure. I have drawn it, but have not completed my detailed examination of its structure. It is a new genus, which I have named Sphserapoeia (from iT(j>aipa, a piU, and itoiew, to make)." The same gentleman has further attached my name to this species, which he calls Sphserapoeia CoUingwoodii. Ch. XVn.] ANTS. 291 left the sand, and go on making their pellets until the water returns again. The first ripple washes all their pellets away, and turns their holes into little funnel-shaped pits. Of all insects none surely are so numerous or so ubi- quitous as the Ants, of which there are numerous species in tropical regions, from the small red ants only just visible, to the large black ones (Formica gigas) fully three-quarters of an inch, and even an inch, long, which frequent woods, and which I saw at the back of Singapore island. When one gets fatigued with walking (and the naturalist must walk) it is impossible to sit down any where ; for if we sit in the sun we get rapidly baked, and if we sit in the shade we either sit at once in the midst of a com- munity of ants of some species or other ; or even if we first carefully examine the place, and think we have discovered a spot which is clear of them, we shall inevitably find the busy insects walking over us in a few minutes, probably brown ants half an inch long, armed with formidable pincers, which they will freely use without waiting for provoca- tion. Even upon the sandy beach, where we might suppose ourselves free from such persecution, the ants follow, bent on foraging expeditions. Thus, on the shore at Johore, I ob- served large biting ants of a light brown colour swarming about below high water mark; and on the upper parts of the sands, among the drift, I have frequently remarked them. It is a common circumstance to see in Singapore and in Borneo, among the foliage of small trees, a number of the leaves, sometimes green, sometimes brown, gathered together into a huge ball as big as one's head, about which under ordinary circumstances no ants are visible; but a smart blow upon the fabric is immediately followed by the appearance of swarms of brown ants of a large size, which u 2 292 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. XVII. soon cover the nest, and run up and down the branches in busy and terrified streams. These ants are armed with nippers, which inflict a disagreeable and startling pinch ; and it is desirable not to remain long under the tree after they are disturbed. The effect of their bites, however, is perfectly transitory. In houses ants are everywhere great pests. A small reddish species, extremely fond of sugar and other sweets, and a slender black one, both abound, and can only be kept out of the meat-safes and sugar-basins by the stratagem of immersing the legs of the tables supporting them in cups of water. This, however, does not entirely prevent their ap- proach without further care ; for a film of dust settles upon the' surface of the water in the course of a day or two, form- ing a sufficiently stable bridge to enable the little creatures to cross over. To the insect-collector they are a terrible nuisance, for the freshly-killed butterflies, &c., are liable to be attacked and ruined in a very short time, if the ants by any accident obtain access to them. . Thus, on more than one occasion, I have laid my newly-captured specimens upon the protected table, fondly beheving them to be secure, when lo ! after a few hours, I have found every paper swarming, and already the wings alone of some specimens left. The cir- cumstance had arisen from the simple accident of the end of a strap lying upon the table having fallen to the ground, thus forming a convenient means of communication, of which the hungry ants had not scrupled to avail themselves. In such cases they always attack and destroy the last captured and most succulent insects. Camphor, however, is an ef- fectual protection against these marauders, and the remedy is therefore tolerably easy if an ordinary amount of care is used. CHAPTER XVIII. MANILLA. Appearance of the City — Manilla Bay — The Town — Chinese Shops — Aspect of the Mestizas — Dilapidated Condition of City — The Great Earthquake of 1863.— Features of the Shocks— Their Effects— Moral Effect on the People — Gaije-Cocks — The River Pasig — Tobacco Manufacture— Taxes op Commerce — Sea Snakes— Tropical Skies compared with Northern — The Southern Cross — Effects of Clear Atmosphere — Moon-blindness— Case. It was Christmas-day wlien we anchored in Manilla Bay — dull, wet, and dreary; but warm withal, with nothing to remind us of the season.' The city looked forlorn enough, for at the best of times there is nothing very striking in its appearance, which is pretty much that of a dull continental town built in a hollow ; the houses like so many barns, and the few public edifices which rise above the general level of the housetops being constructed of a dark red stone, which gives thiem a sombre air which even a nearer approach does ■not tend to remove. But when, on the bright sunny days which succeeded, the distant mountains of Luzon appeared with their changing lights and shades, forming a beautiful background to the landscape, there was much that was picturesque and attractive in the scene ; while the placid waters of the bay with the distant mountain of Mariveles at its entrance, behind which the sun nightly disappeared, bathing it in rich gold and purple, completed a very charming panorama. Not always, however, is the bay so 294 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. XYHI. calm, for it is so extensive, that though it may be compared to a large lake, its waters are in some seasons swept by such violent winds that ships have foundered and gone down in them, -.and the dilapidated condition of the massive stone pier which forms the right-hand side of the harbour attests the power of the waves ia displacing the huge blocks from their cemented bed. The best built part of the town of Manilla is contained withiu the walls of the citadel, which is duly fortified. Here the streets are narrow and regular and tolerably well paved, the windows universally glazed with the shells of the Chinese window-oyster (Placuna placenta) in default of glass, which is very rarely seen. There are few or no shops ia this part ; but surrounding the citadel are the suburbs, or Pueblos, containing by far the busiest and most lively streets, with numerous good shops. The greater number and the best of these are kept by Chinese, who form a large proportion of the population, and appear to be industrious and tolerably clean. Their streets have a very cheerful appearance — a sun- awning of blue and white running along the tops of the shops, and crowds of respectably-dressed Chinese standing or sitting at doors, smoking their pipes and chatting — while the shops themselves have wares exposed in them of a far superior class to those which one is accustomed to see in Chinese shops elsewhere. One circumstance strikes the visitor as remark- ably strange and anomalous — viz., the profusion of pictures of Eoman Catholic saints, and prints of a religious character which adorn them ; crucifixes, and rosaries, and other para- phernalia of the dominant religion, which Chinese scruples do not prevent their turning to account ; and if one might judge by their abundance and prominence, it may be pre- sumed that the enterprising Chinese tradespien find these Ch. XVIII.] THE MESTIZAS. 205 objects among their most marketable and profitable com- modities.. The inhabitants of ManUla are said to number 300,000 natives, Spanish, and Chinese. The common costume of the men is a pair of trowsers of light material, and a kind ot shirt, thrown on loosely in the manner of a smock-frock. This article of dress is most characteristic, and in it the greatest possible variety of form, colour, and material occurs. It is sometimes of Hnen, — white, clean, and neatly and curiously plaited and folded ; but more usually the material is thin and more or less gauzy, and the colours as numerous and diversified as those of the rainbow — or in other cases black. They appear to take the greatest pride in the get-up of this article of attire, which is always clean and neat. A straw hat of various forms, more or less approaching the European, however, covers the head, and an umbrella is a constant companion, almost as constant as the cheroot. The men are very similar to Malays in aspect ; but the women are very superior in this respect, being usually striking and good-looking; their eyes large and dark, and their long black hair hanging loose behiad, and adding an expression oi'abandon to their luxuriant and voluptuous beauty. Their costume, gay and graceful, consists of a kind of skirt (Saya) of a bright-coloured material, and usually of large pattern, and a jacket (Pina camisa) of similar material, but some- what scanty as to quantity, closed in front, but leaviug the arms and neck bare, and aUowiag an inch or two of dusky skin to be visible between it and the lower garment. On their feet they usually wear high wooden sandals, which raise them two or three inches in stature, and make them appear taller than they really are. Like the men, they seldom appear without a cigarette or a cheroot in their 296 EAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XVIII. mouths. The same dress is worn by young girls, except that their dress is often of so transparent a material that the whole form can be distinctly discerned through it ; and the children of both sexes of the lower orders are often un- encumbered by any clothing whatever. These Mestizas, as they are termed, are the native Indians of the Philippines, whose blood has to a great extent probably been mingled with that of their Spanish rulers. They are a very exclusive people, speaking a language of their own, called Tagalan; and have their own places of amusement and entertaiument, in the form of a theatre, in which the performances are of course aU in Tagalan, and Mestiza balls, to which no one is admitted who does not don the costume of the country as described above. They do not, however, bear a very high character for morality, — in fact, Manilla in this respect is undoubtedly at a very low ebb. Beiag a Spanish town — and a Catholic withal — the in- cessant beatiag of drums, and clanging of trumpets, is fuUy accounted for ; and if proficiency upon these warlike instru- ments makes a great nation, then must the Spaniards be reckoned in the first rank. And if the jangling of beUs makes a people religious, then must Manilla be a saintly spot ; but one would imagine that three more discordant instruments (for the bells never ring a peal) could not have been invented to vex the ears of the inhabitants at all hours of the day and night. Two other features of the place which must strike the visitor may be alluded to — ^viz., the frequency of cassocked priests, not uncommonly to be seen with a cigar in their mouths ; and the convicts, who, chained together in pairs, work thus side by side, and are allowed to go about without immediate supervision. Oh. XVIII.] EARTHQUAKE OF 186.3. 297 A visitor at Manilla cannot fail to be struck with the dilapidated condition of some parts of the city. Houses cracked and partially unroofed, others windowless and deserted, walls broken down, and court-yards grass-grown and uneven, piled-up heaps of hewn stones which have once been part of a building, meet the eye iu every direction, and are all witnesses of the disastrous earthquake which took place here three or four years back, a repetition of the catastrophe of 1645, and which, besides destroying a great part of the city, proved fatal to a large number of the inhabitants. But the neighbourhood of the principal churches, and of the cathedral, most conspicuously testifies to the violence of its effects. These large buildings are almost totally destroyed, and are all in a ruinous condition. The cathedral has a most desolate aspect, and only a small portion remains in a sufficiently stable condition to allow of being patched up, and serving as a temporary church. Another spacious church, close by, was undergoing some attempts at repair, and huge beams of wood were in course of elevation to support a roof; but the whole aspect of affairs is melancholy in the extreme. Few attempts appear to have been made to renovate the city, and as few even to remove^the debris, and with the exception of piling up the stones by the road-side, no efforts have been made to clear away the traces of the catastrophe. The terrible earthquake which brought this destruction upon the city of Manilla took place on July 3rd, 1863, at half-past seven in the evening. Like most of these frightful occurrences, which are at the same time overwhelmingly destructive, the ruin was all completed in less than a single minute. Not, however, that this was the only shock ex- perienced, but the only one which effected serious mischief, 298 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. XVIII. from the unfortunate circumstance that the city was built just upon that patch of earth which experienced the greatest throe. There are two considerable volcanos in the neigh- bourhood of ManUla, those of Tayal and Abbay; and al- though it might be imagined a 'priori that the terrific shock was in some way connected with the closing up of these natural vents, it does not appear that this was the case, for the volcano of Tayal, in the province of Batangan, was re- ported to have been very active at this juncture. No par- ticular warning was given, however, of the fatal moment — it was the rainy season, and there had been at the same time much sultry weather, accompanied by heavy thunderstorms ; and one of them is described as having been an uninterrupted blaze of several hours' duration, such as I have witnessed more than once, but which can hardly be considered a pre- cursor of earthquake. In the evening, just as, it being dark, people were enjoying their cigar and the coolness of the air in the verandah, the earth shook so that they were obliged to support themselves by some object to prevent themselves from falling. Two distinct shocks immediately succeeded one another. The first was an earth-wave from north to south, which, although itself severe, would not have accomplished the destruction of the city had it not been instantly followed by another cross wave from east to west. Then the buildings fell in all directions, burying hundreds beneath the ruins. The cathedral roof is said to have opened wide with the first shock ; but seemed, as the wave . passed by, to subside into its original position and close up again, but the transverse wave immediately brought it aU crashiag to the ground. The other churches also suffered frightfully ; and it most unhappQy happened that it being the hour of vespers, the churches, of all places the most Ch. XVHL] incidents of the EAETHQUAKE. 299 unsafe, were more or less occupied by people. Priests and people aKke were buried in the ruius, many, of course, killed ; others only maimed, but living, and their voices could be heard amidst the stones and beams which covered the floor. Energetic efforts were made to relieve them, and water was conducted through the pipes of the broken organ ; but by degrees the voices ceased, and they were dead. A fine stone bridge across the Pasig was so damaged that it was deemed unsafe to cross it, and it was closed, and still re- mains in a dilapidated condition. Of course innumerable houses fell to the ground, and even now many of them remain in nearly the same state as they were left by the shock — unroofed, cracked, and fissured. In one house which I visited I was assured that so great was the oscillation that the chandelier in the dining-room, hang- ing six feet down from the ceiling, swimg so violently as to knock the ceiling on either side. A very fortunate circum- stance was that at the hour at which the earthquake occurred the European population had just finished dinner, and had for the most part retired from the dining-room to the less dangerous verandah. In many places in the town fissures opened in the ground, which in some cases closed again. In addition to the immense loss of private and public pro- perty, the Government exchequer was seriously threatened by the partial destruction and unroofing of the tobacco stores. In these warehouses no less than 57,000 quintals of tobacco were deposited, representing a value of two millions of dollars ; and inasmuch as the disaster occurred during the rainy season, this vast quantity of tobacco would all have been partially or entirely ruined before precautions could possibly have been taken to protect it, had it not singularly happened that the event was succeeded by a week of unseasonably 300 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. XVHI. fine weather. This providential occurrence was also, of course, of the greatest service ia ionumerable ways to the suffering population, and gave opportunity of maMng pro- vision for immediate shelter and protection. - Those who were on shipboard in the bay thought they saw a phosphoric luminosity over the city at the time of the occurrence, though whether this was not conjured up by their own vivid imagination admits of doubt. More pro- bable is the story that at the moment of the shock they felt as though their ships had struck upon^a rock, a circumstance often recorded ia similar catastrophes^ The city of ManUla itself seems by a curious fatality to have been the very centre of the oscillation, and not only was every pile of buildings therein shaken to its very founda- tions, but people who were in the town were thrown off their feet by the violence of the shock ; while those outside hardly knew that anything unusual had happened. Those driving in the Calzada state that they scarcely felt any movement ; and great was their consternation and astonishment, on arriving at their . homes to find them in ruins, and their friends wounded and dying. It is perhaps less remarkable that persons in closely contiguous spots in the town felt the shock in very various degrees of intensity — some having been sensible of but little movement, while others, perhaps, in their terror magnified the effects which they personally experienced. For some time afterwards slight shocks were felt nearly every week ; but no great and destructive oscilla- tion has taken place since that memorable day. It is melancholy to contemplate the position of a com- munity such as that of Manilla, which has grown to a certain degree prosperous and important, and has raised public edifices of an imposing character at very considerable ex- Ch. XVIII.] MOEAL EFFECTS. 301 pense ; but which in a moment finds itself, by a convulsion of nature, suddenly paralysed and laid prostrate — crowds of its busy inhabitants hurried to sudden destruction, their houses toppling down, and the churches and public build- ings, the pride of their city, reduced to a mere shapeless mass of ruins. StiU more hopeless and distressiag must be the feeling that, repair and renovate howsoever they may, safety and security have departed for ever — they know not the moment when the earth may open and swallow them up in a more wide-spread and general destruction. The time may be near, or it may be far off; but it is so far inevitable that though a false security may lull the inhabitants into forgetfulness of the past, it can never inspire them with energy, or give them confidence in the future. But the people of Manilla seem lighthearted enough, and the streets are thronged and busy. Smart carriages and pairs clatter along in the evening, full of gay occupants bent on enjoying a drive in the Calzada, which extends three miles along the beach, and which is crowded on fine even- ings, particularly on band nights, when they aU alight, and for two or three hours walk upon a weU-lighted, spacious, and elevated promenade, listening to the strains of military music — the ladies with fans and mantillas, after the approved Spanish fashion, and the gentlemen universally smoking the native cheroot. It is very amusing to see the passion which exists among the Manilla people for cock-fighting. I will not say that half the population go about with a game-cock under their arm ■ but it is a most common occurrence to see a man thus burdened, or accompanied. The cocks are very handsome birds often of very pure breed, and seem quite at home, in town or country, tucked under the arm of their masters (who 302 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XVIII. usually also have a string attached to them), from whence they look abroad complacently, and apparently in search of some other cock with which they may be permitted to fight. Occasionally two cocks thus meeting are placed upon the ground and allowed to have a little spar with one another. But restraints are placed upon cock-fighting by the Govern- ment, and it is only under licence that they are allowed to make war to the knife upon one another ; but in the regular cock-fighting estabhshments great excitement and high gambling are often the order of the day. In unlicensed places the indulgence in their favourite sport is punishable ; and were it not so the whole population would, I believe, practise it in every street of the town. The river Pasig flows out of a considerable lake, situated at no great distance from the city, which it divides into two parts, connected by several bridges, the best of which was destroyed by the earthquake. A long mole on either side converts the entrance of this river into a harbour for small vessels — aU ships of a larger burthen being obliged to anchor out in the roads, and those with considerable draught, a long way out. The tide flows in and out of this harbour with great strength and rapidity, and at the ebb always carries out vast quantities of water-cabbage (Pistia stratiotes), which is brought down from the lake. Into some parts of the town the river penetrates and rami- fies into innumerable canals, among which it is easy for a stranger to lose his way — as I did, in searching for the resi- dence of a friend. Large quantities of produce from the interior are brought down the river in barges, which are poled against the stream with an amount of labour I never saw human beings exert before. Placing the rounded end of the pole in the hollow of the clavicle, the men crawl Ch. XVin.] TOBACCO MANHPACTLTEB. 303 from end to end of the barge on all fours, the pole and their body forming an almost continuous line ; and particularly in passing the bridges, where I have watched them perform this painful operation for haK an hour, without making any perceptible progress. The cultivation of the interior is in a great measure rice, which is the main support of the population ; but indigo is also largely cultivated and exported ; and among fruit-trees, the mango (Mangifera indica) is the one which has acquired chief reputation at Manilla, where they are to be had in perfection between November and June, and are preferred by most consumers of that fruit, to those grown elsewhere. But one of the most important objects of cultivation is tobacco, the manufacture of which is taken in hand by the Government. In the factory at which the Manilla cigars are manufactured, it is said that no less than 7000 girls are employed, and the number of cigars turned out must be enormous. There is also another factory at Cavite, on the south side of the bay. But the world at large does not benefit in proportion ; and so enamoured are the people of Manilla with this much-abused weed, that not more than one-seventh part leaves the island for exportation, the remainder being consumed by the population. And this can be beheved, when the universality of the custom of smoking is observed in Manilla ; — for not only is a cheroot the never-failing companion of the men of aU ranks, but the ladies indulge equally in the reprehensible practice, and little girls even may be seen with cigars in their mouths — not .of the " Queen's," or lady's pattern, but such as a professed smoker in this coimtry would by no means despise. The proverbial jealousy and intolerance of the Spanish 304 RAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XYIII. nation are well illustrated at Manilla in many ways. No Protestant church exists, or is allowed to exist there, and many English residents came on Sunday to our ship for the purpose of hearing Divine Service performed by the Bishop of Labuan, who happened to be with us. The re- sources of the country are cramped by the short-sighted- ness of the Government ; and foreign trade is virtually driven away from the place by the severe exactions and vexatious imposts which are levied upon shipping. All merchant ships are mulcted in heavy port-dues, which are demanded according to tonnage ; and not content with this, they add 25 per cent, to English measurement, thus mate- rially increasing the otherwise large expenses. An English ship, driven in by stress of weather, in a partially disabled condition, just before our arrival, on completion of her repairs was not allowed to leave port until a sum of between three and four hundred doUars had been paid ; while all transactions are carried on with such unpleasantness, that it is a wonder that any ships go there at all. Lying in Manilla Bay, it was not unusual to see water- snakes (Hydridse), swimming on the surface of the water. This family of sea-serpents is for the most part distributed in the Indian seas, though some are found about Australia and the American coast, and rarely in the Pacific. I noticed them here, and in crossing the China Sea, as well as about the coasts of Borneo and Johore. The usual appearance of these snakes is more or less variegated or striped with trans- verse black and yellow bars — though some are of a more uniform dark colour ; and they are generally about two feet, or two feet six inches long. In calm weather, they may often be seen lying lazily upon the water apparently asleep, and basking in the sun; and they will remain undisturbed while Ch. XVm.] SEA-SNAKES. 305 the whole ship's length passes within a fathom of them ; but sometimes, taking alarm, they will flounder about for a moment, and then dive down out of sight. When thus surprised, it is not difficult to take them ia a net, for they turn over before diving — it is supposed, to expel the air, without which operation they cannot siuk. But if taken, they must be handled with caution, for they are nearly aU venomous, and are often much dreaded — and not without cause — siuce they have an unpleasant habit of crawling up the chains and through the hawse-holes, and thus getting on board ship, where they are anything but welcome visitors. They will creep about the deck — and, although I do not know an instance of any one having been bitten by them — I have known them cause considerable alarm, by getting down into the cabin, and there making their presence first known by twining round the leg of its occupant. The sea- snakes, in nearly all species, have flattened compressed tails, which enable them to swim with great facility — the compression often including a considerable portion of the body. Their eyes are usually small, and the nostrils oper- culated or valvular. Among other Hydridee taken in Manilla Bay, I obtained some specimens of Chersydrus granulatus — a non- venomous species, which indeed differs from others of this family in being an inhabitant of rivers, from which they are occasionally drifted out to sea. Sharks also are not uncommon in the bay ; and either sharks or venomous serpents were alone sufficient to deter us from taking a delightful bath, which otherwise we should much have enjoj^ed in this warm place. For although Christmas time, the weather, after the day of our arrival, was truly dehghtful, but little agreeing with our preconceived ideas of the season. The days were of 306 EAMBLE8 OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XVIII. that charming character which in England we should caU perfect summer weather, but which is very rare even in the height of summer in our climate. The thermometer stood at 82° Fahr. in the shade, and of course the sun was in- tensely hot ; but at night there was usually an off-shore breeze which kept the air pleasantly cool. And when the sun sank in purple and gold behind Mariveles, and the stars shone down in all the brilliancy of a tropical night, the scene was often indescribably beautiful. The aspect of the sky was, of course, quite different from that seen in our latitude — ^the Great Bear and the Pole-star having given place to the Southern Cross and the Magellanic Clouds, the wonderful Nebula in Argo, and their accompanying clusters. Much has been said about this Southern Cross, and most travellers have spoken rapturously of the glories of that constellation. That it is an interesting and beau- tiful one is undeniable — ^but one always feels how much more beautiful it would be were it a perfect -cross, instead of the one-sided affair it reaUy represents — and if 8 Crucis were a star of equal magnitude with the other three. The beauty of the Southern Cross is really derived from its association with other constellations, and maialy to those two magnificent stars of the Centaur, which seem to point up to it. The Milky-Way is here, too, of remarkable bril- liancy, heightened rather than impaired by the two myste- rious black starless patches which show out blacker and darker the more briUiant the night. But in reality the Northern sky is nothing inferior to the Southern, so far as regards richness in constellations. Our Ursa Major has no match in the Southern hemisphere ; and aided by Arcturus and Capella, Vega and Altair, the North is well able to compete with anything the South has to show ; — while the Ch. XVni.] TEOPICAL SKIES. 307 incomparable Sirius, and its ally, Orion, are common to both latitudes. It is not so much, however, the southern sky as the tropical sky which is so striking to one coming from northern latitudes. In any high latitude, the density and irregularity of the atmospheric strata produce those rapid changes in refraction which cause the twinkling so con- spicuous among the stars of our own sky — a phenomenon not without its own character of beauty, owiug to the brUliant and changing colours which accompany each suc- cessive change of refraction. But as we approach the tropics, the stillness and clearness of the air produce this result in a less and less degree, so that under favourable conditions the uniformity and purity of the atmosphere transmit the light of the stars with little sensible disturb- ance, and hence this beautiful diamond-like scintillation is more or less lost, and gives place to a placid and calm star- light, in which each orb seems to shine with the steady light of a planet, and another element of beauty is substituted for that which has been lost. But when the full moon comes upon the scene and extinguishes, the lesser stars in its effulgent rays, the tropical night is a sight to be remembered ; and especially at sea, when the long track from the ship to the horizon is bathed in bright, dancing light — ^not dazzling, like the sun — but white and sUvery, and such as mortal eyes can look upon without blinking. The close oppressive air between the decks on such nights often encourages the sailor to carry his mattress into the open air, and sleep under the canopy of the sky — a proceed- ing not altogether without danger if no awning be spread, inasmuch as heavy dews often fall, and rheumatic affections X 2 308 EAMBLE8 OF A NATUEAIIST. [Oh. XVIII. are liable to ensue. If the moon be shining with its accus- tomed brilliancy in a cloudless sky, another danger is encountered, concerning which, however, there is a certain diflference of opinion. The ill effects of the direct rays of the moon upon sleeping persons are very generally recog- nised among nautical men, although of course very consi- derable allowance must be made for prejudice as well as for superstition, and no story should be received without care- ful examination, and the most searching investigation, in order to exclude all sources of error. There can be no doubt whatever that thousands of persons do sleep in the moonlight without experiencing "any ill effects, but though that fact may be admitted, it does not foUow that everyone is therefore exempt. Whatever the real cause may be, it appears that young people, under 18 or 20, are most liable to suffer; and naturally, as it is impossible to estimate the predisposing influence which various shades of constitution may imply, so also it is equally difficult to ascertain what external circumstances may be most provocative of the evil believed to result. All the cases, however, that I have been able to coUect have been those of lads about the age men- tioned above — and when a great many such lads are on board, cases are proportionately frequent, though most generally the inconvenience experienced is but temporary and slight, and is usually best combated by the adminis- tration of tonics. The most remarkable instance which I have been able to meet with occurred in a ship with whose personnel I was well acquainted; and my enquiries, made directly of those who were personally cognizant of the occurrence, elicited the following particulars, which are not without interest ; and unless I was intentionally deceived, which I Ch. XVIII.] moon-blindness. 309 have not the slightest reason to suspect, they go far to prove the reality of moon-blindness. In this case the lad was 18 years of age, of fair com- plexion, full face, and large, light, greyish-blue eyes, which attracted attention from their remarkable appearance. His hair and eyelashes were darker however than the colour of his eyes would lead one to expect. In February, 1864, on a certain night about the time of full-moon, this lad was sleeping on the forecastle with his face turned upward, fully exposed to the direct rays of the moon. The circumstance was remarked by his messmates, who remonstrated with him, and assured him that he would feel bad effects from it ; but in spite of these remonstrances he persisted in keeping his place. Nothing ocaurred that night, but on the follow- ing night he was one of a deep-sea sounding party, and was beating the line, when the moon rose, and as it did so he suddenly exclaimed that he could not see, and would have fallen overboard if he had not been stopped as he was deli- berately walking into the sea. For ten nights after this occurrence, as soon as the moon rose above the horizon, he complained that a cloud seemed to develop itself before his eyes, and he forthwith became temporarily blind, so that it became necessary to lead him about the deck ; but this only happened during moonlight. On two occasions he narrowly escaped serious accidents from falling down a hatchway, and it became necessary to place him upon the sick-list. The surgeon, a gentleman of superior attainments, with whom I am acquainted, examined his eyes minutely, but could de- tect nothing abnormal in them. When the man was between decks, and out of the moonlight, he had no difficulty in distiaguishiag objects; nor was his vision affected during daylight, nor after dark before the moon rose. Ultimately 310 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XVin. when the next moon came round he had recovered from this singular nyctalopic aifection, which did not return again. In this curious instance, the particulars were corroborated by the evidence of all the oificers and men, and the only source of fallacy is the possibility of the man having malingered. But such an idea had no apparent justification, and was unsupported by any circumstapces. He was a well- conducted lad, and the fact that he was placed in serious jeopardy on two or three occasions, owing to his blindness, seems strongly to negative such a supposition. Many other instances have been related to me by persons, sometimes medical officers, under whose direct notice they fell; and although some old surg^ns doggedly refuse to give credence to any of them, and condemn them wholesale as malingering cheats, I think such a course, to say the least, unphilosophic in the extreme. CHAPTER XIX. HONG KONG.— CHINESE NEW YEAE, ETC. Chinese Pyroteohny — Salutations by Crackers — Religious Ceremonies — Holiday-making — Family Groups — Children — Visits of Ceremony — Boats — Toy-makers — Mandarin Processions in Canton — Irruption of Beggars — Chinese Tame Birds — Shantung Lark — Tumblers — Canaries — Mina — Street Robbery in Hong Kong — Insecurity of the Person — Police Regula- tions— Contrast with Canton— Character of the Chinese — Facility of Escape to Canton. The 5th February (1867) was the Chinese new year, a festival held in particular honour among this people. Pre- parations for the day had been visible for some time before, and its advent was the common topic of conversation. It was Ushered in by a great noise of crackers, which made night hideous, and rendered it very difi&cult to sleep, a bad prepa- ration for the enjoyment of a festivity. The Chinese have somehow gained the reputation of being great pyrotechnists ; but the display of this occasion gave me but a poor impres- sion of their powers in this direction, which seemed to have been entirely concentrated in one channel, namely, ia the construction of- crackers. In this department they have certainly arrived at great perfection. These crackers are usually of small size ; but great numbers are fastened toge- ther upon a string in such a manner that, when ignited, the whole series, of many hundreds, explode in regular succes- sion with a sharp noise, like the fire of an irregular volley 312 EAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Cs. XIX. of musketry, which lasts ten minutes or a quarteu* of an hour. The bundle of crackers is suspended from a pole out of a window, and burns from below upwards ; and as soon as one string shows signs of dying out another is loaded, so that the rattle goes on for an hour, or longer if caprice desire it. Another mode, of which they are very fond, is that of packing the crackers in a paper parcel, which is lighted at one corner and thrown into the street, when they explode like the firework kno-wn as jack-in-the-box. I have seen dozens of these packets thrown one after another by an invisible hand into a back yard, where they sputtered and smoked otherwise unseen, noise being all that is desired. It is the Chinese mode of expressing joy ; and it is also an expression of congratulation when a wedding takes place, or a birthday ; and it is the common custom in Hong Kong to burn crackers when a European is leaving the colony, either temporarily or permanently, in which case the mem- bers of the household make a demonstration in front of the house as the traveller quits it. So, also, whenever a ship leaves the harbour homeward bound, the bumboat alongside chin-chins with abundance of crackers and smoke, thus ex- pressing their acknowledgment for past favours, and their good wishes for a prosperous voyage. The Chinese new year is a universal holiday. Not only are all the shops and places of business entirely closed that day, but for a week or ten days, or even a fortnight, business is more or less suspended, each one taking as long a holiday as his means wUl allow ; and during this time they super- stitiously refuse to do any business, even on advantageous terms. Every house was decorated with little rectangular pieces of perforated gilt paper over the door, and a little niche in the entrance was similarly adorned and lighted Ch. XIX.] CHINESE NEW YEAE. 313 ■with small tapers, thus fulfilling its purpose of a little shrine. The temples, or joss-houses, were crowded with devotees, who eagerly tried their fortune at the lucky stones, which are considered to he more than usually significant upon this occasion ; and the smoke of joss-sticks and little tapers, which rivalled the atmosphere of a catholic village church on a saiat's day, rendered it at first somewhat difiicult to see what was going on. Men there were, and women, maldng the ko-tou, or oheisance, hefore the gilded idol, investing minute sums of money in paper dollars and joss-papers, which latter — squares of thin paper with a daub of gilt upon them — they took iu large numbers, and having set fire to them, held them till they were in a somewhat -dangerous blaze, and then deposited them in braziers to consume to ashes. Out of doors the scene was pecuhar, and exhibited the characteristics of the Chinese enjoying themselves in their own way. From an early hour the streets (the shops being all closed) were crowded with people walking in an orderly manner, seeing and to be seen — all well-dressed, and either exhibiting themselves or gazing at the passers-by — each one looking for an acquaintance to whom he might wish the com- pliments of the season, which they interchange with alacrity ; the words " koong-haye, koong-haye " being heard on all sides, accompanied with folding of the hands and pohte bows of various degrees of depth, according to the relative ranks of the individuals. Most of these parties were bound on visits of ceremony to their acquaintance, who remained in their decorated apartments and received visitors. In this case those who remained at home, as some evidently must do, performed their visits by proxy ; and in all directions might be seen weU-dressed servants or clerks running about 314 EAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XIX. with packets of red-paper cards in their hands, which they left at the houses of their masters' acquaintance with a com- plimentary message. Every one makes a point of being dressed in his best on this day; and the man must be poor indeed who cannot raise, for this occasion only, a passable costume — usually a long coat, reaching down to the heels — even if he leaves it in pawn for the rest of the year. The barbers are in great request immediately previous to the festival, for every one to-day is clean shaven. The "great majority of the people in the streets are family groups ; and the greatest pride ap- pears to be taken in decking out the children, more par- ticularly the little girls, in the most gay and often the most grotesque manner. The children of both sexes are rigged out in the brightest colours, the little caps of the boys being miracles of kaleidoscopic brilliancy ; while the girls' elaborate dresses, ornamented and embroidered in scarlet, yellow, and other striking colours, attract general attention. These little dolls are usually perched upon " golden lilies," encased in pretty little embroidered shoes ; and their head-dresses were most carefully attended to, the hair well oiled, and brushed from the middle into tightly plaited knots on either side of the head, in which are twined gaily coloured flowers. Not unfrequently a fillet was tied round the temples, from which descended a deep fringe hanging half over the face. The child's features also had not escaped decoration — the eye- brows pencilled, and the cheeks rouged as highly as though the unfortunate was suffering from a severe attack of scarlet fever. Sometimes the rouge was nicely tinted on all over the cheeks, and had a roguish, coquettish look ; but not \m- frequently want of sldll, or of care, had been fain to rest satisfied with a mere shapeless red daub on either side, Ch. XIX.] CONGEATULATOEY VISIT. 315 which by no means added anything desirable to the other- wise pretty features of the child. In company with a gentleman long engaged in business in Hong Kong, I went on a round of visits to the better class of the Chinese community, his correspondents. At every place we found a little room fitted up in a tasteful manner with pictures, flowers, and ornaments ; around the walls settees were arranged with tea-poys between ; a little extempore slirine, with its joss-stick taper and gilt paper ; and on a little table before it, a dish, divided into several compartments, and containing a variety of assorted fruits and sweetmeats. The inevitable tea-equipage was of course everywhere ; and we were invited to partake of this slight complimentary repast at each house. Every visitor who entered, folding his hands and bowing, repeated the saluta- tion, at the same time presenting his red-paper card. If he were of equal or superior rank to the host, he was invited to be seated and take a cup of tea ; but if of iuferior rank, or a younger person, his visit was usually brief, and sittiag down was dispensed with. Our visit was in most cases, either through Chinese politeness, or real appreciation, received with great empressement, and the best of tea and of sweet- meats were pressed upon us with apparent cordiality. In one house our host placed before us tea which he avowed was sold at the rate of 45 dollars, or about 10 guineas, the pound ; one of those fancy articles for which the rich gave nominal and extravagant prices. He took it from a small sample canister, and it was made in the usual way — that is, by pouring boiling water upon the leaves in a covered cup, from which the infusion was drunk without milk or sugar. Not being a professional tea-taster, however, I was unable to detect the immense superiority of this tea over the more 316 RAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XIX. homely, but more moderately priced article to which I had been accustomed. During the days following the new year I was at Whampoa, and also at Canton. In aU places the same observances were visible ; the boats were aU decorated vdth pieces of gilt-paper hanging over the stern, while inside were small pictures of idols ; and there was none that had not its little shrine fitted up, with a taper burning, and sweetmeats placed before it. Everywhere the shops were closed, and the people were parading in their best dresses ; everywhere crackers exploded at intervals, and pleasure superseded business. At Canton for several days large house-boats, gay with flags, and freighted with be-rouged ladies and long- nailed gentlemen, floated into town along the " Pearl " river, mid beating of gongs and firing of guns, on their return from a holiday excursion in honour of the New- Year. Inside the city but few shops were opened until a week after new- year's day, but the narrow streets were alive with people in holiday costume. In some parts' the toy-makers were doing a thriving trade, for, as with us, the hearts of the juvenile population are at this time made glad with presents of sur- prising playthings, often assuming the form of a lantern ; but which a stranger would never suspect of being intended for that purpose. It might be a large globular fish with gay colours and expansive fins, or a gigantic frog, or a crab with moveable claws and goggle eyes, or some other nondescript animal, which is carried aloft at the end of a long stick, or suspended with a candle burning inside. Every possible variety of dolls, and of ingenious toys of the gaudiest and cheapest description, in some places almost blocked up the narrow pathway allotted to passengers. Boys paraded the streets with a flexible paper dragon, borne upon poles, the Oh. XIX.] MANUAEIN PEOCESSIONS. 317 head truculent and frightful, and a serpentine movement was given to the beast by each boy waving from side to side the pole which he carried. From time to time the beating of a gong warns the passengers to stand aside as well as they can, to make room for a mandarin who is going out on a ceremonial visit. And a shabby procession it is ; for no mandarin is seen abroad without his retinue, though they appear to be in no wise particular as to the character or appearance of its elements. Some dirty and scantily-clothed boys, carrying a gaudy flag or two, follow the man who heads the procession beating a gong to clear the way ; then comes a man bearing a gigantic fan, followed by one or two spotted or piebald horses, with an attendant at the bridle, and after them is the great man himself, his sedan borne on the shoulders of four or six men according to his rank, from out of which, with his hands folded upon his portly person, he looks impassively and sleepily through his great round spectacles, a momentary glance of something like interest falling upon the western foreigner who is standing aside (perforce) to make way for him. The peacock's feather, and button in his cap, and the embroidered bird on his breast, are the marks of his nobihty, and precious to him as the means whereby he squeezes out of his dependents an income at least quadruple that allowed him by the law. One or two more horsemen form his rear-guard, and the procession is closed by a couple of men carrjdng an old portmanteau or bandbox on a bamboo across their shoulders ; but whether this contained a change of costume, or presents, I know not, but only that it always forms an integral portion of the mandarin's train. Another feature of the New Year in Canton is the irruption of beggars. Being a time of year when everyone is 318 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. XIX. anxious to raise the wind, the beggars seize the opportunity of the general good-humour and festivity to endeavour to do the same by appealing to the compassion, or if that fails, to the risibility of their countrymen. A ragged beggar here is a sight, for there can be no doubt about his rags ; but one feels a difficulty in accounting for the manner in which such a heterogeneous mass of tatters is held together. Their filth, too, is extreme, and they swarm with vermin. Some have their faces painted like a clown in a pantomime, and make grimaces and attempts at jokes, which I, for one, could not appreciate ; others were dressed in women's clothes, and smirked and taUted falsetto to the amusement of the passers by ; some carried a monkey, like an Italian organ-grinder, and sung a Chinese ditty ; while others abso- lutely howled and writhed about as if they were suffering agonies ; but as the dodge was well known and understood, no very Hvely sympathy was exhibited, though they pro- bably earned their proportion of cash. But the most common method of exciting compassion was to go from door to door with hair unkempt, and dirty rags hanging from a dirtier person ; while streams of clotted blood trickled down the face as though from a gash in the forehead. But I looked at several such objects narrowly, and became con- vinced that no such gash existed; but that the butcher's shop had afforded the gore, which was innocent of ever having flowed in any other veius than those of a pig or a sheep. Such are some of the scene^ which inaugurate the Chinese new year, in which much more character is seen than during the hum-drum round of every-day life. They have many other festivals, and are fond of holidays ; and each festival has its special characteristics, but this one I Ch. XIX.] THE SHANTUNG LAEK. 319 had the best opportunity of observing in the streets of the great southern capital. The Chinese are very fond of keeping tame birds ; and it is a common sight to see a Chinaman leisurely vralking the streets with his bird-cage, usually round and arched, upon the open palm of his hand, the wrist being bent back and the palm upward. He loves thus to give his bird an airing, as well as to exhibit his treasure, which is not unfrequently of considerable value. The bird thus favoured is, in nine cases out of ten, the Shantung lark (Acridotherescristatellus), which is not however a true lark, but a starhng — a pretty bird, nearly as large as a thrush, of a mottled-brown colour, with a light streak over the eyes, and an irregular black ring round the neck. The eyes are small, black, and have a remarkably pleasant look, and the cheeks swell out below the eyes in a pecuhar manner. The natural habits of this bird are characterised bj' familiarity ; and they have received the name of Pako, or the eight brothers, from the Chinese, because they are usually seen in small parties together. The bird is hvely, good-natured, and easily tamed ; but it is none of these qualities which specially endear it to the Chinese, though they all add to its attractions. It is its powers of mimicry which render the Shantung lark so popu- lar. They have, it is said, a good natural song, not unlike that of a skylark, which I should doubt ; but they easily learn to imitate all manner of out-of-the-way sounds. They will bark like a dog, mew like a cat, crow like a cock, or cough and sneeze like a human being. Nor are powers of speech denied to them, for" they learn to talk with as much facility as a parrot. It is no wonder, therefore, that well- educated birds command a good price. I have known one in a bumboat for which 25 dollars {61.) have been offered 320 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. XIX. and refused ; and I am credibly informed that good birds fetch 50 or even 100 dollars, the plumage being considered by good judges as one of their important points. Although this bird is the universal favourite in China, there are in the bird-shops many other interesting species. Among these may be particularised the fork-tailed Parus (Leiothrix luteus. Scop.), a bird which, if it could be intro- duced to Enghsh bird-keepers, would undoubtedly jsrove very popular. It is a remarkably pretty bird, in form and habit strongly reminding one of the English robin, which it also equals in size, but has a stouter build. The beak is bright red, throat orange-yellow, back olive-green, tail black and forked, legs yellow, and wing primaries edged with bright yellow and deep red. The eyes are black and brilliant, and the gestures and habit of the bird lively and interesting. As only a dollar was demanded for one of these birds, including a good cage and abundance of seed, it is not wonderful that several were purchased in the hope of bringing them safely through the homeward voyage to England. Being an in- sectivorous bird, however, I always had strong misgivings of the result, and eventually they aU died before reaching the Cape, except one which survived a few days later, and this, notwithstanding that they were fed with some half-dozen living flies nearly every day.* But the most remarkable feature in the Leiothrix was a curious habit they had of turning somersaults on their perch. * It is worthy of remark that during a passage of five or six weeks from Java-head to the Cape, there were always plenty of common flies in the ward- room. "We were at no time plagued with their nunihers, but several birds were daily placed upon the table, and it was always an easy matter to catch upon the walls and rafters sufficient for their delectation. The birds took the flies readily from the hand, in numbers varying from three or four to six or leight for each bird daily. Ch. XIX.] OANAEIBS. MINA BIED. 321 Throwing the head far back they would turn over, touching momentarily the bars of the cage in passing, and alight on their feet, either on the floor of the cage or on the perch, repeating the operation rapidly and constantly, and not un- frequently turning over in httle more than their own length. When I first noticed this freak in a bird-shop I set it down as a matter of education : but I have since found that every individual has the same habit, although some tumble better than others. The Tumblers, by which name they came to be generally known, had a short, loud, and somewhat monotonous song, not unlike that of a missel-thrush, and often when placed in different parts of the ship I have heard two singing alternately in reply to one another for an hour together. Canaries are also in plenty in the bird-shops ; but Japan seems to be the paradise of the canary-bird. The " ScyUa," homeward boimd, was like an aviary. On a sunny afternoon I have counted 50 or 60 cages on deck, few containing less than two, and some as many as seven or eight birds, all singing in chorus. The attraction was that in Japan good singing canaries could be purchased at the rate of an itzeboo, or about one s hillin g and sixpence each; and the sailors, therefore, had made tkeir hay where they found the sun shining. The Grackle (Gracula religiosa), called in these parts the Mina, is a favourite bird, much admired in Singapore and Borneo. It* is as large as a jac^-daw, black, with long feet, and two yellow wattles on each side of the head. Like the Acridotheres above described, the mina is also a member of the Stuminee, or family of starlings. The powers of imita- tion of the human voice possessed by this bird are truly remarkable. The Governor of Labuan possessed one which 322 EAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XIX. was a good specimen of its class. At my first visit to Government House, just, as I reached the door, I heard a loud and perfectly distinct voice shout out, " Orderly, call the boy;" and then, "What do you want him for?" very clearly enunciated ; and this was immediately succeeded by a loud laugh and a sonorous whistle. I looked in vain for the source of this unseemly exhibition ; and when, presently, the same sounds proceeding from the verandah, I went out to see what they meant, the innocent-looking black bird hopping about demurely in a wicker cage would never have been suspected, had he not burst into a hoarse laugh the moment my back was turned. They will imitate a child crying in a most painfuUy natural manner ; and their mimicry of the*human voice is far superior to that of a parrot, being perfectly free from segophony, and loud, distinct, and clear in enunciation and utterance. Before I arrived at Hong Kong I had been told stories of persons having been attacked in broad daylight, knocked down and robbed by Chinese roughs and thieves ; but while on the one hand such stories were rife, on the other I met with persons who had long resided in China, and who as- sured me that there was no danger of any such attack. So that I was the more ready to give credence to the latter than to the former, and the tales of highway-robbery and violence which I had heard made no impression upon my mind. I was destined, however, to be undeceived in my own person ; and less than a week after I had set my foot in'China I was myself the victim of one of those atrocious outrages which are but too common in Hong Kong, and are a disgrace to the Government of the colony. Feeling no sense of inse- curity while surrounded by busy crowds of people, I natu- rally, as a newly-arrived stranger in so interesting a country, Ce. XIX.] ASSAULT AND EOBBEEY. 323 r went into the streets for the purpose of making myself ac- quainted with the Chinese people at home, pursuing their avocations within doors and without — ^buying and seUing, eating and drinking — all of which, and much more, may be seen as one passes through the thoroughfares, and would naturally attract the attention of an observant new-comer. I had walked down Queen's Eoad, the main street of the town, and, iatending to make a slight detour, turned into a street leading up the hiU. In China there is not that differ- ence in streets that one sees in England, and it is not so easy to perceive at first, either by the dress of the people or other signs, that one street is greatly inferior to another. It was just mid-day, and the streets through which I was walking were thronged with people, either passing to and fro, or standing at the doors of their houses, or looking from their windows ; but they were all, without exception, Chinese. Having gone a short distance up the street in question, I crossed into a parallel street, intending to descend into the Queen's Road again, and was so descending when I found myself suddenly in the midst of a knot of some eight or ten Chinamen. There was nothing in their dress or appearance which directed my attention to the probability that their object was robbery or outrage ; and I was just passing on, when they made a simultaneous rush upon me and pushed me down, one of them striking me in the face, but so suddenly and unex- pectedly that I had not a moment's opportunity for defence. While several pinioned me on the ground one unbuttoned my coat and detached my gold watch and chain, upon which they all made off, leaving me to gather myself up as I best could. Seizing my hat, which had, of course, been knocked off in the scuffle, I started instantly in pursuit, being but a few yards behind the scoundrels; but they knew their T 2 324 EAMBLES OF A NATUEAi:iST. [Oh. XIX. ^ ground, and I soon saw the folly of pursuing, alone and totally unarmed, a band of Chinese thieves into their fastnesses ; and seeing them all turn into a narrow slum, I retraced my steps with the intention of at once informing the police. Not fifty yards from where the robbery took place I met a Malay constable, whom I took with me to the station and saw the superintendent of police, to whom I stated my case, and gave a description of the stolen property. An inspector and a Chinese interpreter, &c., were at once despatched with me to the spot ; but it was impossible for me to do more than poiat out the place where the affair had occurred. As for re- cognising any one who was standing by, every one who knows the Chinese knows also the impossibility of distinguishing one Chinaman from another, unless he is personally acquainted with one or both of them ; and I was therefore unfortunately * entirely unable to identify any of the numerous rogues who stood cooUy looking on while the attack was being perpe- trated. A number of men loitering about the spot were arrested as suspicious characters, and their tails being tied together they were carried off to the police-station ; but nothing could be proved against them, except that some of them were " old offenders." Now here surely is a circumstance calling for the gravest attention, and most vigorous correction. An Englishman walking at mid-day in the crowded streets of an English colony, having a governor, magistrates, and establishment of police, may be knocked down with impunity, and robbed in the presence of a hundred people, who coolly look on and smoke their pipes during the performance, as if it were the most ordinary and common-place occurrence. Nor is this the worst — it is a common occurrence for an English- man (usually a stranger) to be so robbed, irrespective of Ch. XIX.] INSEOUEITY OP HONG KONG. 325 time and place ; but unfortunately it is equally common for the unhappy victim to receive a fatal stab from a knife, or a cowardly crushing blow upon the back of the head with a stone or heavy bamboo, which, rendering him insensible during the robbery, also further endangers his life.* From this complication I can never be sufficiently thankful that I escaped, perhaps because of my perfectly defenceless condition, which rendered me an easy prey to so many assailants. There is no denying the fact, therefore, that robberies with violence are by no means uncommon in the streets and neighbourhood of Hong Kong. It is unsafe to walk in many of the streets even at noonday — it is unsafe to walk alone in the suburbs — it is unsafe to go almost anywhere after dark, without taking due precautions. A certain im- provement, it must be confessed, has taken place recently. No Chinaman is permitted to perambulate the streets after dark without a proper pass, which is a partial preventive ; and again, every boatman taking a passenger off to a ship at night is obhged to show his number to a policeman, who also takes a note of the ship to which he is goiag — a regula- tion which ensures a certain amount of protection in what was a few years since a hazardous proceeding — for it was * As a good, but not uncommon example, I subjoin the following, cut from the "China Mail" of February 28th, 1867.— "As the captain of one of the vessels in the harbour was passing the Peninsular and Oriental Office, about 6 P.M. yesterday, he was suddenly struck on the head by a Chinaman with a large stone and thrown to the ground insensible. He remained in this state for some little time, being picked up by two Europeans passing at the time and carried into a Chinese shop close at hand. For some hours he was un- able to do anything, considerable bleeding from the internal part of the ear continuing for a long time, and a fresh hemorrhage took place this morning. The only thing stolen from him was his umbrella, the thief being probably diiiturbed by the approach of the Europeans above referred to. The scoundrel has not yet been identified,"— nor ever wUl be. 326 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. XIX. formerly highly dangerous to entrust oneself to the tender mercies of the boatmen after dark; and even now from time to time sailors taking a boat without this precaution are robbed and thrown overboard by the miscreants into whose power they thus faU. I have known of an instance of a lady being torn from her sedan by a gang of scoundrels while passing through a quiet street, and of children stopped on their way to school; barbarous murders from time to time take place; and of late, gang-robberies with brutal violence have once more become rife. It must not be supposed, however, that all parts of China are equally insecure as Hong Kong ; for the most remark- able circumstance is that the reverse is the case, and that in almost any part of China life and property are more safe than they are ija the English colony. In Canton, one may go about in perfect safety, and a lady who had resided there for many years assured me that she would have no hesita- tion in walking alone in any part of Canton, or at any hour. Under the Imperial government the laws protecting life and property f*om violence and robbery are well calculated to be effective, being enacted by those who understand the people with whom they have to deal ; but in Hong Kong the legislation which is directed against the offences of Europeans, utterly fails when applied to those of a people of so entirely different a spirit as the Chinese. The Chinese are Easterns and Pagans, and they have all the faults and vices which characterise Easterns and Pagans. They have no regard for truth, but are proverbially and systematically a nation of liars, who do not know the value of truth — ^have no inherent love of it, and think it no harm to cheat and deceive. It is therefore the most difficult thing in the world to know how much of a Chinaman's Oh. XIX.] FAULTS OF LEGISLATION. 327 statement may be beKeved. They are pagans of the lowest type, superstitious to a degree, and place the lowest possible estimate upon the value of human life. They have no fear of death themselves, and will sell their own lives for a small sum of money ; so that it is not to be wondered at that they hold the lives of others cheaply, and would commit murder for a dollar, if there was a tolerably good chance of their escapiag detection. The ordinary punishments, therefore, which fail to deter from crime in our own country, are stUl more ineffective when directed against such a people ; and the leniency with which the offenders are treated is not only utterly unappreciated by them, but is mistaken for fear, or inability to act more vigorously. A Chinaman in his own country does not meet with much consideration, and per- haps the system of administering justice is not so perfect as with ourselves ; but though possibly in China there is no particular dread of punishing innocent people, at the same time the measures taken are undoubtedly much more deterrent from crime than our own. Our own administration of justice might be no less im- partial than it is, while yet a difference might be made between the punishments appropriate to European Chris- tians, and those suitable to Eastern pagans. Our prisons at Hong Kong are comfortable, and the food plentiful and good, and a sojourn in them is not feared by a Chinaman, who knows perfectly well that he is safe from personal injury when in the hands of the Westerns.. Trial by jury with Western forms and ceremonies, hedged in by oaths and adjurations, is a farce when Chinese rowdies are the defendants ; and however harsh this may sound to English philanthropists, it will be confirmed by the large majority of residents in Chma. The only deterrent used by the 328 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XIX. Hong Kong court is the whipping-post — a means but little employed, but which has greater effect with the Chinese than fear of death itself; and were it employed more fre- quently — were it more inevitable than it is, crimes such as those I have described would be greatly diminished. But ihe Colonial government, however inclined to protect themselves in this respect, must bow to public opinion in England — the opinion of people who must judge upon abstract principles without any reference to the necessities of the case. Another reason which has a powerful influence in regard to the statistics of crime in the colony, is due to the fact of the proximity of Canton, and the frequent and free commu- nication which takes place between the two places. A steamer of the American type runs daily between Hong Kong and Canton, which, while it charges six dollars for European passengers, takes any Chinaman for one dollar; while the whole lower deck is devoted to the lower class of Chinese, who pay a quarter of a dollar (or Is.) only for their passage. Of this class the steamer daily takes a crowd, who go freely to and fro with no police supervision, and thus every day a mob of rowdies comes down from Canton, where there is little exercise for their abilities, to practise upon their natural prey — the Western barbarians in Hong Kong ; and having committed a robbery or a murder may return in the morning, and become lost in the world of Canton — out of the reach, and beyond the authority of the English police. It is true that if such a murder or robbery is discovered before the steamer leaves at eight in the morning, the police examine the departing passengers ; but if the offender can pass muster, or can defer his departure, he still can get away ; and once gone, is infinitely safer than Ch. XIX.] STEONG MEASUEES EEaUIEED. 329 a forger who has decamped from England to America. Latterly the police have so far overcome prejudice as to brand notorious characters upon the left ear, and see them safely off to Canton, with the understanding that their being found in Hong Kong again will be sufBcient for their condemnation. Ketuming for a moment to the attack upon myself, the Governor, the Admiral, and many other leading people in Hong Kong, were well acquainted with it, and I had con- versation with them all upon the subject; but nothing was done which could have the sUghtest influence in abating the evil. Of the two Hong Kong papers, while one — ^the "Hong Kong Daily Press " — gave a proper and authentic statement of the circumstances, the other spoke of the matter in the most flippant style, as though it were a good joke. A dis- tinguished naval officer, who had been several years in Hong Kong, and who told me that he had himself been several times attacked, expressed to me a strong opinion that the proper course would have been to lay an embargo upon the street in which the outrage took place, in order that the people might be taught that connivance at robbing impli- cated them in the crime, and that if they chose to look on unconcernedly while a person was being attacked and robbed, they must take the consequences. It is well known that .this is the Chinese law ; and that at Canton, for example, if a robbery took place in the street, the assailant would at once be seized by the bystanders, who are well aware that if they did not do so, but allowed the robber to escape, they would themselves be held accountable, and ptmished ac- cordingly, — a wholesome law, which is much wanted in Hong Kong. CHAPTER XX. CANTOK Strangeness of Canton — Bogue Forts— "WTiampoa — Pagodas — Approacli to City — Boat Population — Pic-nic Boats — Streets of Canton — Chops — Puntinqua's Garden — Fa-tee Gardens— Gold-Fish — Deformities — Diet of Chinese — Dog-eating— Salt Monopoly — Unity of Chinese People — Its Causes — Insurrectionary Movements — Influence of Western Civilization- Benefits of Western Trade — Pekin Memorial on Western Education — Proposed Introduction of Railways — Language the Great Barrier — Prospects of Christianity. Of all the cities of China, it appears to be agreed by travellers that none is more worthy of a visit than Canton. Doubtless there are peculiar features in Pekin, which ren- der it specially interesting. Pekin is the royal city, and the great capital of the North, and situated so far apart, and in so different a climate from that of Canton, that it must necessarily differ greatly in character and points of interest from the latter. But Canton is the great city of the South, as its name implies, — and for strangeness, for wonders, for novelty, it is really unique. All the numberless contra- dictions of the Celestial Empire may be found here in small compass — aU one's ideas of Chinese customs, architecture, and modes of life, imbibed from earhest infancy, here find at once their embodiment and their correction ; and while, on the one hand, everything is strange and outre, on the other one feels a familiarity with the details of the scene Ch. XX.] CANTON EITBE. 331 which insensibly imparts an air of reality to what would otherwise appear more like a chapter in the history of Aladdin. I cannot, under these circumstances, therefore, ignore two visits I paid to this great city of the far East, although I must necessarily confine myself to the salient points which appear most iateresting to the traveller, and bear as much as possible upon the main object of the present work. The river passage between Hong Kong and Canton is not particularly interesting nor picturesque. The most note- worthy spots are the Bogue Forts, and Tiger Island, whose association with the operations of the allied armies at Can- ton render them historical. The whole coast, where visible from the channel, partakes of the general sterility of the Chinese shores ; but it is not until we reach Whampoa that the river narrows so as to be river-like. The shores are here flat, and rather uninteresting ; but the monotony of the view is broken by two nine-storeyed pagodas, built as usual upon knolls which rise somewhat above the level of the country. At Whampoa a few European ships lie in the river or in the docks, but the trade with this port is now small compared with what it formerly was. There is no- thing to detain us at this dirty Chinese town, especially as we are on the way to a city of such importance as Canton. The daily steamer from Hong Kong (built on the American river-model) calls here, and in the short distance which remains, the Chinese characteristics exhibit themselves at every turn. The alluvial soil on either side is highly culti- vated, and much produce is constantly diverted from the market-gardens on these banks both to Hong Kong and to Canton. Banana plantations and rice fields abound, as far as the eye can reach — the stacks of rice hanging over the 332 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XX. water's edge, for the better facility of loading boats. Large salt-junks cluster in the neighbourhood of the salt-excise house, which is about half-way between Whampoa and Canton ; and every now and then gaily-painted war -junks, with highly-decorated flags, and a great pan* of eyes painted on the bows, drop down the river, their sides bristling with awkward-looking guns. The approach to the city of Canton is not architectu- rally striking. The pagoda in the Consul's grounds, and the celebrated five-storeyed pagoda upon the heights, are the only salient features — if we except the great unsightly windowless structures which are used as pawnbrokers' ware- houses. The river, poetically called the " Pearl," here takes a bend to the left, leaving the White Cloud HUls behind, and presenting a flat country in front, upon which the city stands. Crowds of boats, and tiers of great junks brilliantly painted, and usually ornamented with an elabo- rate eagle upon the broad stern, form the most remarkable features, and constitute a moving panorama of great singu- larity and novelty. But the houses themselves, as far as regards those lining the river, are not very unlike those which we see on the banks of the Thames, and viewing those alone, the traveller might almost fancy himself at Wapping, in the neighbourhood of the Thames Tunnel. Nevertheless, there are few more extraordinary places than the Canton River, supporting as it does a vast popula- tion, which inhabits the numberless boats of all forms and ■ all sizes. These boats, however, are nearly all moored, and arranged in such a manner as least to interfere with the navigation. They consequently form streets, in some parts, of a novel and striking character, fuU of stirring life and bustle. Outside these streets the sampan or junk plies its Ch. XX.] BOAT-LIFE. 333 way unimpeded, and the boat-wall presented in this direc- tion is comparatively dull and inactive, like the back of a row of houses ; but direct your boat through the avenue, and aU is bustle and activity. The tide is very strong, and it requires all the energies of the clever boatmen and women to make way either with or against it, through the crowded thoroughfare between the rows — a highway by no means silent, but constantly resounding with the cries and objurga- tions of the busy Chinese, who are now rowing, now pushing with a boat-hook, now threading their way 'through the craft which are moving in both directions, now bumping against the stationary boats, and thus making slow progress up the street. Every such boat has its family dwelling in it, and each presents its little scene of domestic life before the passing eye. Besides the sampans, or common 'covered boats, there are many palatial craft, with elaborately-carved and gilded fronts, which in the evening show a blaze of light, and busy waiters moving about among the feasting Celestials and painted Chinese women mixing with the crowd ; not unfrequently gambling-houses, or places of licentiousness and debauch. It is, altogether, a scene not to be forgotten ; and, as night advances, the streets of boats are extended by the crowds of sampans which have been plying during the day, but which at sunset take up their stations side by side in the canals, within which they are secured by a boom, just as the gates of the city are kept closed during the night. As evening comes on, also, nume- rous large house-boats, two storeys high, richly decorated and ornamented, return from their various pic-nic excur- sions — a number of half-naked Chinamen poling them slowly and laboriously along ; meantime, groups of the better class stand at the door enjoying the scene ; and 334 RAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch- XX. others may be seen, through the windows, seated in the saloon, drinking tea and smoking, while the upper win- dows disclose many fair ladies in their boudoirs adorning themselves for the delectation of their lords. Trading- junks and passage-boats crowded with all classes of Chinese swell the scene; and as they arrive abreast of the town, a man standing on the high stem of each, beats vigorously upon a gong, an exercise of a religious character, which makes a din of a most unmusical and barbaric character, but which, repeated every eveniag, soon falls unheeded upon the ear. The great feature of the streets of Canton, next to their narrowness and the badness of the pavement, is the wonder- ful variety of chops which hang suspended from the various parts of 'the houses. These chops are usually boards of all sizes, and most variously coloured, and all of them bearing Chinese inscriptions in letters of every degree of magnitude and of the brightest hues. Sometimes the letters are green on a black ground, or gold on black, or red on gold, or white on red or brown, or vice versa, and the gaiety given by them to the scene is indescribable. In some cases these chops extend across the street, or along the front of the shop ; but in most instances hang suspended and facing the passenger. They contain not only the name and business of the shopkeeper to whom they belong, but are often in- scribed with some philosophical or pious sentence from the classics. The shops themselves are all open to the street, without any fronts beyond a kind of counter, upon which the wares are exposed ; and the passer-by may witness in them almost every feature of Chinese industry, fan painting, ivory carving, silk weaving, toy making, idol painting, &c. But I must leave to others the task of describing in detail Ch. XX.] FA-TEE NUESEEIES. 335 the lions of Canton, which have been the subject of many papers and sketches, and will provide matter for yet many more. There are no public parks or places devoted to recreation in Canton ; but certain private gardens are much frequented, especially those known as Puntinqua's, belonging to a wealthy Chinaman of that name. These gardens are ex- tensive, and costly ia the character of their decoration, con- taining numerous summer-houses, terraces, marble walks, fish-ponds, &c. ; but all in a very dilapidated condition, as, in fact, are nearly all places in China. They seem to have no idea of keeping buildings in a state of neat repair, and the result is a very great drawback to the effect of works upon which large sums of money have been expended. More interesting, however, in a botanical point of view, are the Fa-tee gardens on the Honam side, which are, in fact, nurseries, in which are cultivated vast numbers of plants for the supply of the private gardens of the Chinese. Here may be seen also numerous specimens of horticultural in- genuity, and dwarf plants, miniature trees and shrubs curled and bent in every imaginable form, and traiued, besides, iuto the forms of animals and other objects — frogs, pagodas, baskets, elephants and castles, fans, stags among trees, human beings, fish, sampans, cats, scrolls, vases, &c., &c. These grotesque plants are usually dwarfed and trained over a wire framework, made of the form intended to be repre- sented. They are kept carefully chpped, and suggestions are added to keep up the illusion, in the shape of egg-shells with a black spot to represent eyes, painted faces, feet, &c. ; so that it is by no means difficult to recognise the intended shape. The dwarfing is effected ia the usual way, by con- fining the roots in small pots ; but I saw none of those won- 336 EAMBLBS 0¥ A NATURALIST. [Oh. XX. derfully minute specimens, in which the Japanese so greatly excel. It is amusing to see the Chinese gardener water his choice plants. Taking as much water as his mouth will hold, he squirts it out all over the plant in a fine rain, as eifectually as if he had performed the feat with the aid of Eimmel's patent vaporizer. I have seen them water linen in the same way in the process of washing. In some vases containing gold-fish I observed a most singular variety, which if seen depicted would have been almost regarded as a work of imagination. Not only had they a double caudal fin, which is not an uncommon variety, but the expanse of their tails was so great that it might al- most have been said to have a triple tail ; while the eyes projected so far from the head as to have the effect of being seated upon veritable footstalls, and bearing a resemblance to those of the telescopic carp (Cyprinus buphthalmus). This curious variety I have seen figured in rice paper drawings, and representing so outre an aspect that it has condemned the whole book as one of fabulous animals^ most unjustly, however, for it was a faithful representation of a not uncommon fish ; and the same may be said of other rice-paper drawings, for although often highly coloured, owing to the brilliancy of their pigments and the remarkable facility for taking colour which characterises rice-paper, there is, on the whole, a considerable amount of fidelity in most cases to the objects they profess to represent. I also met with this fish in papier-mache in the toy-shops, in form correct enough, but coloured d discretion. In China, owing to the scantiness of clothing, any de- formity of course becomes very apparent ; nevertheless, very few arrest the attention even when directed to the subject. Neither in Hong Kong, Canton, nor Shanghai, did I observe Ch. XX.] CHINESE SUEGEET. 337 a hump-backed Chinaman ; but in Singapore I noticed four or five, and one hump-backed Kling. Effects of bad surgery and neglect are not unfrequently seen in the form of horrid ulcers, foul wounds, and carious bones ; and at Shanghai I saw an unfortunate little boy sitting at the door-step with both his feet cut off, and the bones protruding upwards of an inch through the discoloured and ulcerated skin, which was covered with flies ; but such a case as this was probably a monument of the atrocities of the Tae-ping rebels, as the Chiaese do not amputate surgically, and secondary amputa- tion would much have ameliorated the poor boy's condition. On another occasion I spoke with a Chinaman whose right arm dangled uselessly at his side, wasted to mere skin and bone, and looking as though it did not belong to him. His shoulder had long since been dislocated into the axilla, and the dislocation never having been reduced, the maimed limb had wasted away for want of use, and a false joint had ulti- mately been established. It can easily be imagined, in fact, that in a country where surgery is at so low an ebb as in China, the unhappy victims of accident or surgical disease are either by degrees totally unfitted for active life, or pine away and die for want of the necessary relief; and this may be the explanation of their rare occurrence as pubHc spectacles. It is frightful to contemplate the amount of suffering entailed upon such un- fortunates, whose cases, through ignorance of the correct mode of treatment, are neglected, until Nature slowly and painfully performs an imperfect cure, or the unhappy victim succTunbs. The Chinese, however, have a very proper respect for barbarian surgery; and at Canton, the hospitaland dispen- sary, established by the American medical mission, are daily 338 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XX. crowded with patients, who exhibit every phase of medical as well as surgical lesion, and are in large numbers skilfully treated by Dr. Kerr. Much has been said about the diet of the Chinese, and the strange articles which occasionally enter into it. Kice is undoubtedly the staple of their food, although they often indulge in some small quantity of animal food in addition, if they can afford it. It is a very common thing to see a Chinaman carrying home his dinner or his supper in the shape of a little fish — perhaps two if they are very small ; or a minute pork chop dangling at the end of a piece of grass ; in either case the morsel beiog such that an English labourer would swallow it at a single mouthful. Pork is undoubtedly their favourite meat, and pigs are kept in great numbers, and always form an integral portion of the popula- tion of a Chinese village. They are great, ugly, hollow- backed, black animals, their bellies sweeping the ground as they wander about in search of food, as to the quality or natui'e of which they are not at all particular. In fact they are literally omnivorous, and no one who has watched their habits could eat them xmless he were either a Chinaman, or were starving. These domestic pigs are believed to Jbe derived from the stock of the Sus leucostymax (Temm.) of Japan. In country places the Chinese are by no means nice, eating everything that is eatable, and when by the sea-side, living, as I have elsewhere observed, on shell-fish of aU kinds with little or no distinction. Like the French too they eat frogs, and in Formosa I partook of that deli- cacy " as in France " — the species eaten in this being Eana tigrina. I also had offered me there a freshwater turtle (Trionyx sinensis) for the larder. But in a large place like Canton, other articles are included in the bill of fare, to Ch. XX.] DOG-EATING. 339 meet aE conditions of purse where a man cannot forage for himself. Dried provisions are here very much esteemed ; the small ducks which are sent out to feed in the duck- hoats are usually cut open and made perfectly flat and then dried; and a man will hawk about near a hundred such dried ducks strung on a pole across his shoulder. "What particular delicacy there can be in ducks' -bUls I did not make trial of, but they are common articles hanging suspended in the provision shops. So also are di-ied rats, similarly spHt open and hung up in front of the shops for sale — their rodent teeth betraying them in their otherwise disguised condition. But dogs are never seen in this respectable situation; nevertheless dogs are eaten in Canton, and that largely. The dog consumed by the Chinese is of a small size and usually of a light brown colour, covered with a coat of soft, short hair, so thick as to look almost hke wool. But the CMnese housewife refuses to cook dogs in the family pot, or in the domestic kitchen, and they are driven to the alternative of being boiled in the streets. On any morning, in certain open spaces at street comers, the execu- tion of a certain number of unfortunate chow-chow dogs may be witnessed; after which, having been skinned, they are forthwith placed in a suspended cauldron, and the disjecta membra are there to be seen simmering, and inviting the passer-by to stop and dine, which they do there and then. But whatever be the nature of his diet the Chinaman consumes a large amount of salt ; and salt is a commodity for which the paternal government makes him pay an exorbitant price. Salt is in China a government monopoly, upon which a large duty is payable, and no foreign salt is allowed to be imported. It may easily be calculated that two millions of tons of salt are annually consumed by the z 2 340 RAMBLES OP A NATURALIST. [Ch. XX. Chinese, who pay from lOZ. to 20Z. per ton for it in various parts of the country, although its cost of production is somewhere about Bl. or 4Z. per ton. Indeed English salt could be sold ia China for Bl. per ton, were its importation allowed ; and did the Chinese sell it at half the present rate, it might yield a revenue much greater than it does at pre- sent. But unfortunately their political economists have not learned the important principle that the reduction of a ne- cessary article from a high price would greatly increase the demand, and that low taxes produce a revenue equal to that of high duties, by promoting consumption. It is difficult to persuade a people who run so evenly in the same groove, that a radical change in the collection of so certain a source of revenue as salt can possibly be beneficial ; and the time has not yet come when foreign salt can obtain a footing in China — though indeed an approach to that desirable end may be perhaps foreseen in the recent recognition of private salt-factories in the Chusan islands. No visitor to Canton can fail to be struck with the unity of the Chinese people, and their remarkable consolidation as a nation. The curious method of dressing the hair gives them all an extraordinary general similarity of appearance, so that it would be more easy to distinguish a Chinaman in a crowd than a man of any other nationality whatever ; and the stereotyped form of their costume assists in establishing this aspect of unity. And when reference is had to the un- doubted age of the Chinese Empire, and to its immense extent, no less than to its wonderful isolation, it is a moral and political phenomenon which has not its equal upon the whole globe. For no one can live long in China without becoming aware that the defects in its government are of the most frightful and glaring kind, such as not for a single Ch. XX.] LITEEAEY EXAIMINATIONS. 341 year could be tolerated in the West. Extortion on the part of officials, peculation in every grade of official hfe, the grossest inhumanity, contempt of hfe, a venal justice, inse- curity of property among the middle classes, and of position among the higher Mandarins, who are liable at any time to be disgraced, even though well-intentioned, by the occur- rence of a mere accident — all these blots deface the Chinese system. How comes it then that the Empire has been so long and so firmly established? The iuculcation of filial piety, and the habit induced by strict education through a series of generations, of giving honour not only to living parents but also to their progenitors who have long since ceased to live, except iu the shrines of their surviving pos- terity, are doubtless most salutary, and have had something to do with the remarkable phenomenon. But this patriarchal government alone is not sufficient to account for it. The real secret Hes in the system of literary examinations, and their fruits. Every man in China is aware that his talents, if duly improved, will lead him to office and power ; and it is open to every one of them — ^not as in America to be President — ^but to rise to important and lucrative posts in the Empire, if they distinguish themselves in the examinations, to which all classes of Chinese periodically crowd. These examina- tions are conducted with such a rigid regard to impartiality, that although perhaps the only part of their system which is not rotten at the core, none but the best men carry off the highest prizes — and these are the men of talent, who are not lost sight of in the distribution of posts. None but these are advanced to important offices, or governmental departments — they are looked upon as the wise men of the land — they are the talented, to other than whom it would be foUy to intrust the offices of state. This principle is 342 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. XX. so thoroughly established in the Chinese mind, and so taken ia with their mother's milk, that those who do not possess the requisite amount of genius or industry look upon their more fortunate brethren without repining, being fully con- vinced that the principle is acted upon with impartiality — so that on the one hand aU the public business is in the hands of that class of men who are most capable of perform- ing it in a satisfactory manner, and on the other the most able men are all officially employed and weU paid, and therefore the least inclined to disturb the status quo, while the reformer and demagogue must be drawn from the ranks of those who have either failed at the public examinations, or have not had sufficient talent or ambition to induce them to make an effort to succeed — negative qualities which are no less against their succeeding as agitators. Hence they are at a great disadvantage ; and however much right and justice they have upon their side they cannot fail to be in a minority. But although the Chinese Empire has lasted in its in- tegrity for it may be so many thousand years, that is no reason why it should be an exception to the careers of other nations, and should last for ever. And indeed in the present generation it has sustained some severe shocks. Notwithstanding the terrible lessons they have had in the Tae-ping rebellion, the Chinese administration, as soon as they are clear of one difficulty, relapse into torpor, inactivity, and, what is stiU worse, oppression. Instead of keeping up a force which shall be sufficient to meet the spirit of discon- tent, they disband their troops as soon as the immediate necessity for them has disappeared, often without giving them their stipulated pay, and thus themselves sow the seeds of new rebellion and mutiny before they have well got Oh. XX.] DISCONTENT IN CHINA. 843 clear of the old. As long, too, as they are threatened on every side with insurrection, as long as they feel themselves weak, they will fawn upon, and grant privileges to, foreigners, which they will withdraw and turn into insolence and pride the moment they become free and untrammelled. Diu-iag the year 1866 there was scarcely any part of the empire of China which was not in some way the theatre of insurgent movement ; and it has required very vigorous measures on the part of the departmental mandarins to sup- press the outbreaks, for the Emperor deputes the task of putting down an insurrection in a distant province to the governor of a neighbouring province, and thus one governor is set to keep another in order. But the chief reason why these numerous insurrections do not succeed in their object appears to be the want of some leader who is capable at once of moving the multitudes to mutiny, and conducting them to victory — a want which probably arises out of the nature of things as above described. Otherwise the dis- content, everywhere apparent among the people, would overcome the weakness of their rulers, and thus oppression would be punished by disaffection, rebeUion, and a just and severe retribution whenever it became successful. The Emperor is a mere puppet in the hands of his nominal servants, and retains his position on the throne only by virtue of their forbearance, which again arises from their own selfishness and hope of aggrandisement ; and the posi- tion of the Empire at the present moment, if we may be allowed to judge by the history of other great and ancient Oriental nations, is that of one tottering to its fall, or at least to its dismemberment. Human endurance can not be pressed beyond a certain point ; and the corruption, oppres- sion, maladministration, and tyranny of the Chinese govern- 344 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XX. ment have reached a climax which cannot long delay its doom. There can be no doubt that apathetic as the Chinese people are, and little as they appear to appreciate the civilisation of the West, iatercourse with Europeans is exer- cising an important and silent influence upon them, which win one day make itself felt. The entire absence of inter- course with foreigners, which has characterised the Chinese nation for such a long series of years, has naturally imbued their minds with a degree of self-esteem and vanity which cannot be eradicated in a year, or even in a generation ; but it is not in the nature of things that this should endure for ever. Their apathy has but one source, and that is igno- rance. The foreign ministers of China, or rather its rulers in general, have hitherto had no interest in making them- selves acquainted with foreign institutions or the status of foreign countries, and they therefore naturally remained in profound ignorance of these things ; and, in the absence of information, it is no wonder that they believed themselves to be in all respects superior. With few exceptions, they have the most ridiculously erroneous ideas concerning us ; and their notions of their own superiority are not put on to make an impression upon barbarians, but are the bona fide articles of their own candid belief. But this state of things is insensibly changing, and since the treaty of 1858 it is not improbable that the Chinese have been the greater gaiaers of the two. For they have everything to learn from us ; and although, of course, they may learn some evil, they must besides imbibe a vast amount of sound knowledge, useful and good. But we, on the other hand, only derive commercial advantages from the Chinese, in which they also largely share. No one can deny that Ch. XX.] EFFECT OF TBADE "WITH CHINA. 345 Lord Elgin's treaty was drawn up in a way which reflects the profoundest credit upon his qualities as a statesman and a philosopher. No treaty could have been more difficult to frame than that one which was forced upon an obstinate and half-civilised nation like the Chinese by a power which they regarded in the light of a hostile race of inferior, but tem- porarily victorious, barbarians, whom it was necessary to treat with cunning forbearance, but against whom they felt the most inveterate hatred. But Lord Elgin succeeded to ad- miration ; and his treaty, drawn up with such care and skill that scarcely any ambiguity has ever been detected in it to cause a difficulty, has at the same time worked smoothly and harmoniously till the present time. But while the ad- vantages to this country have been great in the interchange of commerce and the employment of capital, the results to those employed in direct commercial transactions have been by no means so satisfactory. Before the treaty of 1858 the trade of China was in the hands of a few great and wealthy houses, which, holding a monopoly of Chinese trade, regu- lated the markets and made immense profits upon the mer- chandise which they foimd at the ports where they were allowed to trade, and beyond which they knew little and cared less about the country. Their vast transactions, and the golden returns which they exhibited, invited numer- ous eager aspirants to break the monopoly, and to share in the commerce which made the few merchants truly princes as regarded wealth. The treaty did amply what these re- quired, and China was thrown open to all, without restric- tion ; but the results have not verified the dreams of prosperity which floated before the imaginations of those who were anxious to share in the benefits of free-trade. Com- petition, doubtless good in the main, has entailed much 346 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XX. evil, the division of profits having failed greatly to benefit them ; while the old stream of commerce, which enriched the few, has been nearly dried up, and decay and ruin have in too many instances been the only harvest that has been reaped. But that "Western influence is slowly but surely making itself felt is fully proved by the action taken by the Pekin College within a year of the present date. It was represented in a memorial to the Emperor, from the department of Foreign Affairs, that it was desirable that officials should be invited to pass an examination in astronomy and mathe- matics " with a view to the acquisition of a thorough under- standing of foreign appliances." The memorial went on to state that whenever the usual path for the admission of can- didates to the public service had been widened, talent had been called forth, and scholars of ability had eagerly pre- sented themselves ; and it called attention to the fact that in 1862 a school of languages had been established in the same department, in which English, French, and Russian teachers were assigned to every class; and explains that since the appliances of foreigners — ^their machinery and fire- arms, their vessels and carriages — are one and aU. derived from a knowledge of astronomy and mathematics, it is de- sirable that they should be learned, not superficially, but from the very foundation. The memorial then specifies the class of Uterate graduates who shall be competent to offer themselves as candidates for this new study, who are not to be under 20 years of age; and states that foreign instructors were to be engaged under the direction of Mr. Hart, Inspector- General of Chinese Customs, in virtue of his high official position; and they characteristically add, " The Chinese are not inferior in ingenuity, or cleverness and Ch. XX.] THE PEKEN MEMOEIAL. 347 intelligence, to the men of the West, and if students (in the sciences of astronomy, mathematics, natural history, manu- factures, mechanical appliances, and the prediction of the future) will so earnestly apply themselves as to hecome possessed of all secrets, China will then be strong in her own strength." This is indeed a new era in Chinese history, and this is one of the most interesting and important documents which has ever been spontaneously issued by Chinese officials, since foreign intercourse has become an object of political importance. No pressure has been applied from without, but the influence of the Western representatives at the court of PeMn has ia a great measure brought about this consummation, which its promoters defend argumentatively; and the fact that the memorialists risk unpopularity by taking such a step proves that they are convinced of the importance of Western civilisation, and are not entirely dead to progress and regeneration. There is but one para- graph in the memorial which can be otherwise than pleasing and satisfactory, and that perhaps is but of slight conse- quence — ^it states that "the germ of the Western sciences is originally borrowed from the Heaven-sent elements of Chinese knowledge. The eyes of Western philosophers having been turned towards the East, and the genius of these men being minutely painstaking and apt for diligent thought, they have succeeded in pursuing study to new results. For in reality the methods of their philosophy are Chinese methods — China has originated the method, which Europeans have received as an inheritance." This vain- glorious boast will correct itself as Western science becomes instilled into the minds of the more intelligent Chinese ; but the main fact to be remembered is that henceforth no 348 EAMBLES 01? A NATUEALI8T. [Ch, XX. man of learning in China will be able to proclaim his con- tempt, and boast of his ignorance, of Western learning — for that very learning wUl become his best passport to office, and a distinctive qualification which will raise him above his fellows. This memorial has received the imperial sanction, and the thin end of the wedge has been fairly driven into Chinese prejudice and exclusiveness. And when it is remembered that it was only nine years after Lord Elgin's forced treaty, and only seven since a British conquering army entered Pekin, it speaks weU for China, which up to that time believed itself the only country in the world worthy of imitation ; and that everything appertaining to it — its language, laws, literature — were the sole fountains from which all the other benighted nations could derive benefit or instruction. Those who have heard that it has lately been a moot point whether railways should or should not be forthwith introduced into China, wiU have a strong feeling of the rapidity with which innovation is gaining ground. But although for the present the Chinese Government has de- cided against the introduction of a railway system, it is no less remarkable that such a novelty should have been ever canvassed in high quarters, and the subject really argued, and not thrown aside as unworthy of consideration. It was proposed to make an experimental line, but Prince Kung met the idea by a sophism, in which he admitted the ad- mirable character of the invention, and the benefits con- ferred by railways, and therefore argued that there was no necessity for constructing an experimental line to prove such well-known facts. But the real truth is, that aU the objections which fifty years ago were urged against railways Ch. XX. OPPOSITION TO EAILWATS. 349 in this country, are now brought forward afresh by the fears of the Chinese. The abolition of old and time-honoured methods of travel — the destruction of the means of liviag of a large section of the population, — are urged against them. At the same time there are serious difficulties arising from the peculiar spirit. and laws of the nation. Ground would of course be required, and so much is taken up with ancestral tombs, that to avoid them would be difficult, while to touch them would be to do violence to the strongest feelings of the people. Again, the Chinese could neither construct nor manage a railway by themselves, and there- fore foreign aid and an English company must be called in to effect it for them. But in that case the occupation of a horde of peculating officials would be gone, and the whole constitution of society changed; the illegal perquisites of numberless small tyrants would be stopped, and they would be forced to starve upon their legal incomes. These are serious difficulties doubtless, especially when it is remem- bered that those who will thus suffer are those who are called upon to decide in favour of the introduction of rail- ways. Another important point is, the universal system of barrier-taxation, which would be annihilated. Vehicles of aU kinds, on river or on land, are squeezed at these barriers ; but how can a goods train be stopped and examined in the same way ? These prejudices have such show of reason in them, that it is no wonder that at the present time, and on the first proposal to introduce railways, very considerable opposition has been brought to bear, and with temporary success. But the great barrier to a better understanding between the Chinese and the EngHsh is language, — not only the impracticability of Chinese to an Englishman, but the 350 EAMBLES OP A NATURALIST. [Oh. XX. difficulty of English to the Chinese. Of course the com- paratively few' Chinese who are brought up as children in our schools learn our language with facility ; but, although a barbarous corruption of the Queen's English is current in Hong Kong, it only serves as a very imperfect medium of business-communication, — a lame substitute for the genuine grammatical tongue. Nor is it more easy to teach a Chinaman good EngKsh, than for an English iaan of business to learn Chinese ; the former can, on no account, be induced to learn beyond a certain point, just suf&cient for mutual comprehension on very limited subjects, and there they inevitably stop. So also the Englishman, as a rule, would laugh to scorn the idea of understanding Chi- nese. Not that it is an impossibility, as some suppose; for while we all know the proficiency which a Morrison or a Legge has attained in the written character, so also I have heard an American gentleman address a native au- dience in Canton with perfect fluency after a few years' residence. But the difficulties are doubtless enormous. Few or none have ever mastered both the written and spoken language ; but although the written character is neces- sary for the student, the colloquial (and more easy portion) is the available means of intercommunication. It is im- possible for a Chiaese to afford information on points of political economy, government, or hterature, in pidgin English ; and as it is equally impossible for more than one or two English to converse in Chinese, the two peoples are like two deaf persons conversing with one another, who may make a few mutual inquiries, but can never become ac- quainted with one another. The Chinese have given us a lesson in this respect, by establishing the school of languages at Pekin, with English, French, and Russian teachers ; and Ch. XX.] OPPOSITION TO EAXLWATS. 351 it is really time that we should do our part and pay some attention to Chinese. The ignorance of the language is a frequent source of litigation and inconvenience in Hong Kong, where English merchants, perforce, engage Chinese assistants, whom they secure, the agreement heiag drawn up in English and Chinese, and the Chinese edition heing often different from the English, neither party fully under- standing the foreign version. A Chinese college is required to effect this great reform — this step in the regeneration of the great Eastern nation by the West ; and such a college has been publicly proposed in San Francisco, where Chinese abound, and which carries on frequent and direct communi- cation with Chinese ports. As for the Christianising of China, that process must progress with very slow steps under the present regime. Ignorance of the language implies a most imperfect know- ledge of their theories of religion, and imless we know them, how can we combat them, or ask them to substitute for them our own, which they can only most imperfectly com- prehend ? An isolated • case of conversion may occur now and then, but the whole spirit of the two nations is so different, that nothing but a free interchange of thought can possibly tend to amalgamate them, by affording an insight into the great points on which they differ, or those on which perhaps they unknowingly agree. And without some such amalgamation of feeling, no great advance can be made in redeeming the Chinese race from the thraldom of a sense- less paganism, such as must inevitably keep the national mind degraded and contracted, and the national morality at the lowest ebb. CHAPTER XXI. THE SURFACE POPULATIOK OP THE OCEAN. Floating Animals — Capricionsness of their Appearance— Calms — The Towing Net — Medusae — Nocturnal Animals — Formosa Channel — Hydrozoa-^ Yellow Fly — Blue Animals in Deep Sea — Abundance of Animals in Bad "Weather — Lucernarian Jelly-fishes — ^Their Vast Numbers — Peculiarities — Portuguese Man-of-"War — Stinging Powers — Fish Sheltering in their Threads — Sargasso Sea — Its Inhabitants — Atlantic Calms — Compound Salpse — Three Forms — Chains of Salpae. DuEiNG a long voyage, when the attention has been daily directed to the animate objects floating upon the surface of the sea, it must necessarily happen that much ■will be observed, and many interesting animals be met with. And when, moreover, that daily observation has been car- ried on for more than a year, and in seas of different latitudes, one can hardly fail to have noticed the greater number of the Pelagic creatures which habitually inhabit the surface of the ocean, as well as most of the phases of their appearance. The numbers and variety of such floating creatures are very great, and by no means confined to one 'class of marine animals. There are certain fishes which habitually reside in the upper stratum of water, and are constantly taken by skimming the surface. Among these are glass- eels (Leptocephalus), Malthe, &c. Cephalopods (cuttles) of Ch. XXI.] NATURE OF PLOATING ANIMALS. 353 some species, as Spirula, not unfrequently occm- also ; and mollusks are common. These for the most part belong to that division termed Pteropods, from the wing-like aspect of their locomotive apparatus — and are either possessed of a shell or not, but when so possessed it is usually of most delicate structure and beautiful form. But there are other oceanic shells (as Cariuaria and Janthina), of which men- tion may be made ; and, moreover, some shell-less Nudi- branchiata (as Glaucus and Scyileea) occur in the same situation, as well as Tunicates, of which the lumiaous Pyrosoma is a good example. Floating Crustacea are not uncommon — either crabs of considerable size, as Neptunus and Lupea, or the numberless forms of Stomapods, Amphi- pods, Isopods, &c., which, with miuute Entomostraca, constitute, perhaps, the bulk of the surface population of the ocean. Certain worms, also, are occasionally met with, and of Hydrozoa, the pelagic species are numerous and interesting, and wUl receive their share of notice. On one occasion, on the coast of China, a small Anemone attached to a piece of straw which floated it, came in among the produce of the net — a curious instance of the migratory power of a fixed animal ; and it was no uncommon circum- stance to find fixed Polyzoa and Foraminifera (Orbitolites) attached to floating, leaves of Zostera or Sea-wrack. There being such a vast number of animals whose nor- mal dwelling-place appears to be at, or near, the surface, it would be readily imagiued that scarcely at any time — at all events in calm weather — would the sea appear to be alto- gether without inhabitants. And probably there is, strictly speaking, no time when some living animals might not be found, if proper means are used to detect them; but it is no less true, that there are times when nothing is visible to 334 BAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXI. the eye, although apparently aU the conditions for their appearance are fulfilled. Indeed, the influences which cause marine animals of the Mnds enumerated above to rise to the surface and float upon the sea, would seem to be very obscure and capri- cious. For although it is a rare circumstance that the towing-net fails in securing some animals which would otherwise have escaped observation, it is nevertheless com- paratively seldom that they are m such numbers, or so conspicuous, as to attract attention from the mere fact of their floating ; and when they do so, it is not unfrequently under conditions which would at first sight strike the observer as anything but felicitous. Thus, when it is considered how delicate is the texture, and how fragile the structure of the majority of floating animals, it would at once appear that fine weather and a calm surface would be a combination of conditions most favourable to them. The ripples and waves of a disturbed sea would be, to all appearance, sufficient to mutUate or even to destroy such tender animals. And yet calms are by no means the only occasions on which they come to the surface ; indeed, they exhibit a singular caprice in this respect. Thus, on one occasion, in lat. 12° N. and long. 58° E., when the sea was without a ripple, Porpitse, and various other Acalephs (jelly- fishes) floated in considerable numbers, with occasional Carinariee, and the water was moreover alive with myriads of small Crustacea, which congregated in dense patches of a reddish colour. The sunshine lighted them up — like thousands of Httle sparks — as they rapidly darted about just below the surface. But, on the other hand, when in lat. 5° N. and long. 86° E., we experienced one of the most perfect calms it has ever been my good fortune to witness, Ch. XXI.] THE TOWING-NET. 355 in which every possible condition favoiirable to floating and delicate animals seemed to be fulfilled ; yet not a visible speck broke the mirror-like smoothness of the blue sea from morning till night, excepting only the shoals of flying-fish, which from time to time reheved the somewhat monotonous scene with the life of motion. Floating animals, then, are of such a character as to be either visible or invisible from the point of observation. The iavisible ones are so miuute, or so transparent, that they can only be recognized when taken in the towing-net — a bag of muslin or bunting with wide mouth, and which being let over the side of the vessel, skims the surface of the sea. The contents, indeed, are not unfrequently so delicate, that even when thus captured, and placed in a vessel of sea-water, they can only be perceived when held in a favourable light, or followed by means of some speck of colour which distinguishes them as they move along. The small Gymnophthalmatous Medusidse (naked-eyed Me- dusae) are of this kind, and may be very abundant, but would otherwise pass unnoticed ; and it is seldom that the net is put down without securing various beautiful forms of such transparent Medusae, as weU as Beroes, &c., and small gelatinous masses, usually more or less torn by con- tact with the net. Many minute bodies doubtless pass through even the finest meshes ; and it is evident that the net can only be used to advantage when the weather is fine, the sea tolerably calm, and the ship not sailing too fast. I have never found the net entirely empty, excepting on one or two occasions, in the Singapore Straits ; for although the nature and variety of its contents varied much, it most usually contained a great deal that was interesting and A A 2 356 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XXI. curious. There was not unfrequently a well-marked differ- ence in the character of its contents by day, as compared with its captures during the night. Thus, for example, after being down for an hour or two one evening, I drew it up with a solid mass of minute Zoese ; but although anchored at the same spot, in the produce of the succeeding night there was not a single Zoea, but in their place transparent Crustacea (*Leucifers), Entomostraca, &c. The glass-crabs also (Phyllosoma) always made their appearance in the night net. These curious little Zoess, now known to be the young condition of some species of crab, had enormous eyes, and grotesque helmets spiked before and behind. On the occasion referred to they appeared to be all of the same species, and nowhere else were they in. such profusion, although sporadically met with, especially on the coast of Borneo. I have elsewhere stated that the east coast of Formosa yielded perhaps the greatest variety of miaute and incon- spicuous, but at the same time highly interesting and curious, animals to the towing-net. Off Kackaou a single haul has produced a crowd of Entomostraca (minute Crus- tacea with a jerking locomotipn), little Medusae and AnneKds ; the Pteropod, Creseis ; the tube-worm, Cerapus ; blue Porpitee ; minute Globigerinae ; and numbers of little fat crab-like Megalopas, now known to be an advanced stage of Zoea in the development of Crustacea. Sometimes rarer and more remarkable animals occurred, as the shelled Ptero- pods, Spirialis, Cleodora, and Hyalsea; transparent Firolse, arrow-shaped Sagittse, inert glass-crabs (Phyllosoina), ele- gant hyaline Crustacea (Alima and SquiUerichthus, &c.), active shrimps of various degrees of transparency and minuteness, the oceanic nudibranch Glaucus, the spider-Hke Ch. XXI.] ' PELAGIC HTDEOZOA. K57 marine insect Halobatis, the anomalous Pterosoma, with every now and then little greyish-yellow swimming crabs (Lupea pelagica), either side of whose carapace was deve- loped into a long spine ; and several minute fish, among them young flying-fish and Hemiramphi. Besides this assemblage of animals, Hydrozoa (jelly-fishes) often abounded, more particularly pelagic species of the orders Physophoridaq, of which the Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia) is an example, and Lucemaridse or umbrella- form Acalephs, like those thrown up on our own shores ; of the former, perhaps, Velella, Physalia, and Porpita occur more frequently than any others, and usually ia company with one another — the first two especially seldom seen one without the other. The Physaliae and Velellse look like large bubbles as they drift by at a little distance, but their per- sistence attracts attention, and their rich colours cannot fail to strike the most unobservant, especially when of large size. Exposing considerable surface to the wind, they sail along with the faintest breeze, and in a gale are huddled together in fleets, and, stranded in great numbers upon the nearest shore. I saw thousands of both at the mouth of Kelung harbour, Formosa, after bad weather. The Porpitse are less common, but usually occur in considerable numbers when seen at all — looking like beautiful and sharply-cut gun-wads, witli delicate radiating markings, and surrotmded with a fringe of deep-blue tentacles. The number of these three forms of Hydrozoa must be enormous, and their range very remarkable. I have found them extending over 55° of latitude, and have no reason to believe this to be the limit. In lat. 12° N., near Socotra, and again in 5° N., near Ceylon, I was not a little surprised to observe in great num- bers a small fly of a yeUowish-brown coloiu-, hovering over 35S EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XXI. the calm sea, flying in gyrations near the surface, and occa- sionally settling upon the water and flying, off again. I watched this insect, as I presume it to have been, with much interest, and was greatly, disappointed at my unsuccessful attempts to secure a specimen, owing to the rapidity — 10-12 knots — at which we were proceeding; but I saw them so often, and watched them so long, that I could not be mistaken in the fact. This little yellow fly I subsequently saw in the North Atlantic, between 30° and 35° N. latitude. While under steam in the calms, being occupied in the attempt to fish up some of the floating Acalephs and Ascidians, I repeatedly observed it settle upon the water, then rise and take a short erratic flight over the surface — but in vain did I essay to capture a specimen. A notable circumstance occurred in the Indian Ocean in lat. 25° S., just south of the Mauritius. For several days in succession the net produced Halobatis,* glass-crabs, Velellee, and the beautiful oceanic shell Janthina, of a rich, deep violet colour. But what struck me as very remarkable was that with the sole exception perhaps of the dark Halo- batis, everything which the net contained was either trans- parent and colourless, or tiuged more or less deeply with the rich violet of Janthina, which indeed nearly approached the sapphire-blue of the deep sea. There were small violet * The occurrence of this singular hemipterous insect at sea is at least very remarkable. There appear to be several species, of which I met with two, one on the coast of China and the other some 500 miles from land in the South Indian Ocean. That they are veritable marine insects I think cannot admit of a doubt, though how they exist in the open ocean is a mystery. They are of a deep bluish-black, with six legs, the two hindermost furnished with a delicate brush on the inner side of the tarsus. The abdomen is remarkably undeveloped. Although taken occasionally in the towing net, I did not find them common, and never observed any movement after capture, owing to their delicate soft bodies being injured by the passage of water and other things through the net. Cn. XXI.] INFLUX OF STEPHANOMIAS. 359 shrimps, little violet crabs, Physaliee with violet blue threads, beautiful crystaUine Crustacea, almost transparent, but tinged with violet. Small as these objects were, they would have escaped observation except for the towiag net ; but had they been larger, their colour so assimilated with that of the sea, that they would have been equally invisible from the ship. In the Indian Ocean from Anjer to Natal, in April and May, although constantly on the watch I never saw a single floating object. This certainly appears strange, but, as before observed, the combiuation of apparently favorable conditions by no means always results in great numbers of floating animals. The reverse of this was curiously illus- trated on one occasion when lying in the spacious harbour of Kelung in North Formosa, and although I have detailed the circumstance already, I must allude to it again here. The weather on this occasion was wet and boisterous, but nevertheless myriads of Creseis swarmed in the harbour, filling every mesh of the towing net, and giving the water a rippling movement and twinkling aspect, from the millions of little pairs of fins in constant motion. As the rollers came in from the north-east, great quantities of curiously- carved gelatinous Stephanomiadse floated by, and as the afternoon advanced, and the rain increased, so also did these singular organisms augment in numbers, spite of the adverse circumstances which accompanied them. It was one of the very few days on which the sea might be said to be alive with curious animals ; notwithstanding that there existed at the same time a combination of circumstances under which one would least expect to see such a phenomenon. It becomes a curious question, whither go all these pelagic animals, whose home is the wide ocean, when they are not 350 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. XXI. observed upon the surface ? Why are they not more fre- quently seen ? and why are the occasions so rare in which they are observed in such profusion ? There must be cir- cumstances connected either with their physical constitution or their modes of obtaining food, with which we are entirely unacquainted, but which must materially influence their movements. Doubtless they are sunk below the surface a short distance when not seen,- for we cannot suppose that, short-lived as they may often be, they are suddenly produced like a crop of mushrooms in damp weather. They must exist somewhere, and a common influence probably regulates, their movements, which perhaps need be but slight to bring them into view, or to carry them once more out of sight. I never obtained the Pyrosoma in the towing-net, nor did I ever see them floating upon the surface. Yet these oceanic animals doubtless abound, and if I am right in attributing certain luminous appearances to them, they must most commonly float at a distance of two or three fathoms below the surface, though I have on one or two occasions seen the luminous body whirled to the surface in the eddy of the ship's wake. With regard to the Hydrozoa of the order Lucemaridse (the covered-eyed Medusae of Forbes), on the comparatively few occasions when they appeared upon the surface, they were usually in great abundance, and not in great variety. Thus in the upper part of the Eed Sea, on the 10th of March, a species of Aurelia appeared in great numbers ; and two days after, we passed through a shoal of Ehizostomas. Four days later, in the Gulf of Aden, we again encountered shoals of Aurelia, apparently identical with those of the Eed Sea, the two shoals being separated by about 1400 mUes. Again, in October, we passed, on the west coast of Borneo, off Ch. XXI.] SHO-AIiS OF JELLY-FISHES. 3C1 Cape Santubon, through a ntiinber of magnificent Puhno- grades. The upper part of the umbrella was pilose, or hairy, with long papillae ; the circumference was fiinged with slender tentacles, and the pedicels gave rise to magnifi- cent grape-like masses, the whole being of a delicate white colour, and ftdly 18 inches in diameter. In the following month, in the strait which separates the island of Singapore from the Malay peninsula, I observed a great number of the same beautiful Pelagian, and accompanying it some speci- mens of a small and elegant, brown, torquoise-studded species, similar to one I had already obtained in Victoria Harbour, Labuan, and in which it may be here mentioned I found a small crab within the umbrella, beneath which it appeared to reside. To show, however, the vast numbers of these animals which swim freely in the ocean, I will mention that, in the Atlantic, in lat. 3|° S. and long. 17° W., we encountered a shoal of Acalephs, all of the same species, the individuals of which were among the most beautiful in form and colour- ing that I have ever met with. They were of a delicate ame- thystine tint, speckled all over with a deeper colour ; the umbrella was semitransparent, and the whole form wonder- fully graceful. Just before sunset we passed through them for a space of two hours, during which time we had tra- versed ten miles. Supposing that this shoal were at least as broad as long, it was easy to calculate roughly that there could not be less than thirty millions of individuals con- stituting it, an estimate probably far below the truth. Well might Spenser exclaim ia the " Faery Queen," — " So fertile te the floods in generation ! " It occasionally happened that the observation of a shoal 362 EAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XXI. of Hydrozoa pointed out some curious facts from which interesting deductions might be made. Thus, while passing through the Indian Ocean, in lat. 13° N., during an entire day (March 17), we passed through shoals of Aureha, meeting from time to time patches in which they were too numerous to be counted, and in each of which there were many hundreds. A noticeable fact I remarked with regard to them, was that, without any exception that I could discover, these Aurelise were, during the whole day, swimming in the same direction, or with the wind. We were steaming nearly due east, and a breeze was blowing a little south of east, and the umbrellas were all inclined one way, and pointing in the direction towards which the wind was blowing. On another occasion, in a dead calm, on a beautiful day, off the river Min, I observed great numbers of a large white species. The edges of the umbrella were frilled, and nu- merous long and delicate threads stretched out straight and parallel'; but what struck me as singular was, that these threads did not aU iloat in the same direction, as though drifted from the animal by wind or tide ; but although they were several feet long, they formed three or four distinct bundles, which stretched out straight, but in different and often opposite directions from the body of the animal, from which it appeared that they were propelled by a voluntary effort. In passing through Banka Strait, owing to the number of rivers (the Palembang and others) which flow out of the island of Sumatra, the water was found to possess only seven-tenths of the saltness of the ocean; but notwith- standing this comparative freshness, I observed a number of large white Ehizostomas floating just below the surface, and apparently unaffected by this peculiar condition. Ch. XXI.] VABIOUS FOEMS OF ACALEPHS. 363 The only exception I met with to the rule I have men- tioned (namely, that when Hydrozoa floated, they appeared in considerable shoals of one species only) occurred in the great calms which we encountered in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the first fortnight of July, and which extended more or less over upwards of a thousand miles, during which, on two or three occasions, I saw several species of Hydrozoa mingled with vast numbers of compound Asci- dians. Some of them were new and strange forms of Be- rooids, with lateral expansive lobes upon which iridescent bands of ciHa were placed, and approaching in appearance the genus Eucharis of Escholtz. One of these is figured at the head of Chapter XXIV. Some were abundant, others but few in number, only appearing occasionally, and therefore very difficult to capture from a moving ship. One of these I did succeed in taking; but there were at least three or four species besides the Velellse and Physaliae. The most magnificent specimens of the last-named richly coloured animals (Physalise) occurred in the Atlantic Ocean, near the Equator. On the 19th of June, in lat. 13° S. and long. 22° W., wind S.S.E., therm. 77°, bar. 30°-10, the sea was moderately cahn, and from time to time during the day splendid individuals of Physalia pelagica sailed by, attracting attention, even when far off, by their large size and brilliant colours. They had the appearanc* of beautiful prismatic shells standing upright upon rich blue cushions, the shell being radiated fi-om the base or cushion to the circum- ference, which was fringed with a rich and bright rose- colour. They were not in great ahundance, but one would float by every five minutes or so. The largest Physalia which I ex:amined measured as follows : — 364 EAMBLES OP A NATURALIST. [Oh. XXI. Extreme length of bladder . 8 inches. Greatest vertical circumference 10 J ,, Height of bladder above water 2f ,, But this was considerably reduced from the natural height ; for the rose-coloured crest had coUapsed, which would have added at least f inch to it, making a total of 3| inches in height above the water. I had judged them to be about 8 inches long, before I captured one, by the expedient of throwing into the water a piece of wood of ascertained length, which I carefully compared with the animal as it floated near it. No one on board the ship had ever seen such magnificent Physalise, although they had been at sea many years. Some thought at first that they had seen them as large in the West Indies, but they were fain to confess at last that the large one I measured exceeded the largest they had ever seen. I saw these large Physaliae subsequently on more than one occasion, the last being in lat. 26° N., though higher than this somewhat smaller specimens occurred. The stinging propensities of these Hydrozoa were not generally known, but were destined to make themselves evident at the expense of one unfortunate man. A boat happened to be lowered early in the day, and one of the crew, seeing a large Physalia float within reach, took it up with his naked hand. The threads clung to his hand and arm, penetrating to the axilla and down the side, causing the man to yell with agony. He was quickly brought on board, and as soon as he reached the deck, ran about like a frantic maniac, so that it took several men to catch him, and when secured and the proper remedies applied, he rolled about for a considerable time, groaning with pain. His arm Ch. XXI.] POETUGUESE MAN-OF-WAE. 365 was red, inflamed, and swollen, and remained so for some hours after the occurrence. One circumstance in relation to these large Physaliae . struck me as being very remarkable. Each one as it floated by had beneath it what at first I took to be its mass of ten- tacles and polypites ; but, on more close observation, I found that the appearance was due to a shoal of small fishes accompanying the hydrozoon under protection of its appendages. The fishes were of various sizes, from 2 to 6 inches long, transversely banded, and looking in the water precisely like the pilot-fish (Naucrates ductor). There were perhaps a dozen of these accompanying fishes clustered to- gether beneath the bladder of each Physalia. Every Physalia had its cluster ; but this peculiarity was observable, viz. that under small Physalise the fishes were small, while under large specimens they were correspondingly large, being in fact, always proportioned to the size of the man-of-war which they accompanied. Unfortunately I did not discover this curious fact till late in the day ; and when the boat was down in the morning I was unaware of it, or I should have made a point of attempting to secure a specimen of so inte- resting a fish. What the relation is which exists between the fish and the hydrozoon I cannot say; but this correspondence between the sizes of the two animals seems to indicate that the fishes do not capriciously select their protecting Physalia. It is known that certain fishes harbour in the threads of the larger Lucemaridse, or umbrella-form Acalephs ; but I be- lieve they have not before been noticed to accompany the Portuguese man-of-war. The presence of these fishes also accounted for a remark- able circumstance I had observed earlier in the day. A large B66 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. XXI. Albicore swimming near made a sudden dash apparently at a Physalia, but did not take it ; returning, however, presently to the charge, it made a clean sweep, no trace of the Phy- saUa being left. Doubtless it was the small fishes which accompanied it, rather than the Physalia itself, which stimu- lated the Albicore's attack. In lat. 24° N. and long. 36J° W., we encountered the Sargasso sea, and with it that crowd of animals which feed upon those floating pastin-es. The Sargasso weed made its appearance in large patches, usually upon the surface, but sometimes, apparently sunk to some distance below it. It varied considerably in appearance — was sometimes dark- coloured, dense, and compact, and covered with berries — at others pale and lanky, and with few berries. The masses were round and shapely, and usually scattered somewhat in- discriminately over the surface, but occasionally a long streak of collected bunches extended as far as the eye could reach, in the direction of the wind. By hooking up masses of this weed many curious animals were obtained, of which per- haps the most abundant were small crabs (Planes linseana), many specimens being found upon each tuft of Sargasso ; next to them in abundance was Scylleea pelagica, an oceanic nudibranch of very peculiar form, of which usually there were several on each tuft of weed. Its general colour is a lightish brown, and its long narrow foot is well adapted for crawling along the stems of the Sargasso ; and from its back rise two pairs of broad, somewhat rectangular pro- cesses, while a pair of large rounded ones spring from the head. When these animals were placed in a glass of sea water they immediately turned over by the weight of these processes, and sank to the bottom, having a most grotesque appearance — ^the two pairs of body processes looking like Ch. XXI.] SAEGASSO SEA. 3GT two pairs of hairy legs, and those of the head like a pair of long drooping ears, and the whole animal singularly like a long-haired Scotch terrier. The spawn of Scyllsea I often found twined in a narrow cylindrical coil in a very intricate manner around the leaves of the Sargasso, and enveloped in a gelatinous substance. Here and there a curious little fish (Chironectes), of various shades of a rich brown colour, lived on the weed — the pectoral fins bent in a singular manner, and looking precisely like hands, by which it grasped firmly on to the Sargasso. It was most curious to watch one of these fishes iu a globe of water, where it lived a consider- able time, and readily came to be fed with little scraps of meat. But here again a remarkable circumstance was to be noted — viz., that aU the inhabitants of the gulf-weed were more or less of the same colour as the weed itself. The little crabs here were aU brown of various shades — the fishes were brown — the Scyllseas were aU brown — so that a uniform tint pervaded the whole, and it was difficult to perceive the animals in the weed, unless they were in motion. The Polyzoa and minute Zoophytes (Cam- panularia), as well as minute Annelids, which grew upon the weed, also afforded interesting occupation for the microscope. I had been told of a large crab having been seen to swim past the ship ; and I one day captured such an one in the towing-net, a species of Neptunus (N. pelagicus), which must be a terrific scourge to these populous communities. With considerable swimming powers, and pincers of a peculiarly trenchant character, such as usually accompany the flattened, paddle-form of posterior legs, this monster appears to wander from patch to patch of Sargasso, depopulating one of these floating pastures, and then making for another, which it 368 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXI. clears in like manner — a very tiger of the seas. It was of a clouded reddish-brown colour. On the 4th July, ia lat. 30^° N., and long. 36° W,, we first encountered an immense shoal of compound Salpse (Salpa pinnata), which were no less remarkable from their interest- ing and most singular forms and structures, than from their abundance and the vast area over which they spread. In the water they were perfectly transparent, but for two pink linear bodies, and a yellowish brown canal, which seemed to gain brilliancy of tint from being seen through some depth of blue sea. These Salpse were united in. sets of various numbers by a rectangular gelatinous pedicle, which sprung from the inner side of the body, and met a similar pedicle in another individual. There was sometimes a single Salpa floating, sometimes two, three, four, and so on up to 11 or 12, which were united together in such a manner as to pre- sent the appearance of the carpels of an orange ; and not unfrequently a second series of individuals was added out- side the circumference of the original spheroidal mass. This outer series was never so numerous as the inner one ; but consisted of from four to six individuals, united to the com- mon centre by pedicles of a correspondingly increased length. They floated by in immense numbers, usually in an obhque position, but without any great apparent locomotive powers — certainly not so great as those possessed by umbrella-form Acalephs. Upon withdrawing one of these clusters from the water, I found that the individuals were united by a knife-like edge at the extremity of each pedicle, which readily separated, so that the compound animal very easily became detached and independent. This accounted for Ihe very various niun- bers in the groups which I had observed. Each individual Oh. XXI.] COMPOUND SALP^, 309 was in every respect precisely like the other, and each con- sisted of a tough bag of transparent jelly, open at each end, through which the water freely flowed. The apertures were large and gaping, and opened alternately, admittiug and ex- pelling the water — the opening at the upper end of the animal, which admitted the water, being of a distinctly valvular character. In nearly every one of these animals I found a small crustacean (Hyperia), which swam freely about in the cavity of their body, and seemed perfectly at home there — ^not probably taken as a prey, but a voluntary tenant, which could swim in and out of the Salpa at pleasure. Few Salpee were without one of these, which was distinctly visible through the transparent walls of the bodj' — so trans- parent that when placed in a white dish the whole animal became invisible, but for the three coloured structures which they aU contained. Besides the single Salpae I have mentioned, and which were evidently fragments of a compound animal, there was also a kind differing considerably from them, yet having a family likeness, and which Vogt considers the simple form of Salpa pinnata. It was very rare compared with the compound form, of a fish-like aspect, transparent, open at both ends, with apertures similar in form to the other, but with no process for joining on to other individuals. On each side of the body was a row of beautiful crimson linear bodies, occupjdng rather more than the middle third of the margin ; and its anatomical details, readily observed through its glass-like waUs, were very beautiful. I only managed to secure one of them, though the others were floating by in myriads. Associated with the compound Salpse were others of a smaller size, but in every other respect closely resembling 370 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XXI. them. These were of the size of a very small orange, and differed from the large forms above described chiefly in the fact that they were invariably perfect in their association, and of a perfectly spheroidal form ; never floating in twos and threes, but always associated in numbers of eight or nine to twelve or thirteen — also never having an outer series, as in the larger kind ; nor did I observe in any of them the little crustacean so common in the first-men- tioned. But in form the smaller were mere miniatures of the larger ; and in their anatomy I could detect no differ- ence. I imagined that they were a young condition of those first described ; but this supposition was considerably shaken by the fact, that of the myriads I noticed I never could see an intermediate form between the two. Their union by long pedicles, meeting also by a knife-edge in the centre, was more distinctly visible than in the first form, and the effect produced was a stellate arrangement of perfect symmetry and great beauty. This form is also considered by Vogt to be of the same species as the larger one, and thus we have the curious phenomenon of these compound animals — ^whose union of several individuals to constitute a compound mass is in itself one of the most remarkable circumstances met with by the naturalist — assuming two distinct forms in their united condition, as well as having a simple or celibate form, which never connects itself in compound masses, but alwaj'^s remains single, and retains its own proper individuality. The number of these animals associated in one globose mass varied. In one I counted nine, in another ten, in an- other thirteen. The mouths of all did not, as far as I could make out, open simultaneously, and the upper mouth had precisely the same construction as that of the first- Oh. XXI.] CHAINED SALP^. 371 mentioned, viz., with a fish-like profile, the opening being produced, not by the movement of both lips, but by a moveable flap of the lower or inner enclosed Hp, which alone acted. They moved slowly by a rotatory motion, but ap- peared also capable of projecting themselves along. All these gelatinous animals, although themselves transparent, when seen from above had a delicate green tint, and when deep down, this green tiat became so intensified that they appeared absolutely luminous. But they were none of them luminous in the dark, as I satisfied myself. For eleven days we passed through shoals of these com- pound Salpse, during the greater part of which time it was perfectly cahn weather. I did, however, see them beneath the waves, when a stiff breeze had raised a considerable amount of commotion in the sea. During these eleven days we had passed from lat. 30 J° N. to lat. 41 1°, that is over eleven degrees of latitude, or nearly 800 mUes, during the greater part of which they were thickly abundant. Nor were they alone, but were associated with numerous oceanic Hydrozoa of several species, some of Avhich I have already alluded to as of new and strange fonns, but which unfortmiately could not always be captured from a moving vessel. While watching these animals, I one day saw two mag- nificent objects, which I took to be clusters of chained Salpse, and which were truly wonders of the deep. One of these consisted of five or six large Salpa-like bodies, forming an oblique line, each one of a bright and delicate green coloui', and with a large rich ruby spot which shone in the water Hlce carbuncles. The other was a long convoluted and delicate chain, which might be compared to a necklace of diamonds set with brilliant rubies, the whole waving gracefully in the cm-rents of the water, just as though Venus B B 2 372 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XXI. had dropped her girdle as she rose from the sea. But how- ever it deserved the name, it was not the rare Cestum Veneris, but undoubtedly a chain of Salpse.* They were near one another, and seen nearly at the same time ; and as it was impossible to get them, I immediately made a sketch of them from observation. Singularly enough, on a subse- quent day, in a dead calm, I once more saw both these objects in close proximity, and was able to verify and correct my sketch. We were at the moment getting up steam ; and although a boat was lowered for another object, by which an interesting discovery was indeed made, these beautiful creatures had drifted out of sight, and scarcely was the ob- ject of its being lowered attained when the boat was recalled, and we were going through the shoals of marine wonders, propelled by the screw at six or seven knots an hour. How I longed to be in a sailing ship, with no steam at com- mand to hurrj' one on just as the most interesting moments arrived ! * For these two objects the reader is referred to the engraving on the opposite page. To face Page 372. CHAPTER XXII. OBSERVATIONS AT SEA. Flying-fish. — Their Eange — Object of their Flight —Always away from the Ship — Mode of Flight — Absence of Vibration of Wings — Nature of Impulse — A Flying-fish Hunt — Albicores — Abundance of Flying-fish — Trichodesmium, or Sea Dust — Red Sea Conferva^Abundance of Con- ferva in the China Sea — Its Range — Cases of Red Discoloration — Microscopic Characters of Sea Dust — OsciUatoria — Observations of Former Voyagers — Horizontal Rainbow — Development and Peculiarities — Changing Aspect of the Sea — Natural Colour of the Deep Sea — Changes in Shallow Water— By Rough Weather — Father Seochi's Spectroscopic Observations. Although few animals have been more often referred to than the flying-fish, and their habits described by many ob- servers, the accounts concerning them are so conflicting that I was anxious to arrive at an unbiassed conclusion upon certain points respecting these interesting creatures, and I lost no opportunity of watching their movements with that end in view. I did not notice any flying-fishes on approach- ing the Equator, until reaching lat. 19^° N. in the Red Sea ; but we afterwards found them as high as 26° N. in the Western Pacific in summer. In the Southern Hemisphere we lost them in 20|° S. in the Indian Ocean, and did not meet with them again tiU 14° S. in the Atlantic, (perhaps because it was winter in that part of the world), and finally parted with them in about 26° N. The statements made regarding their mode of flight by 374 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. XXII. various obserTers differ so much that I wished to clear up, at all events in my own mind, any doubt or confusion which might exist on this point. The common impression ap- pears to be that they emerge from the water either to escape from their enemies below, or out of mere wantonness ; and that they disport themselves in the air for a certain time, which lasts as long as their wings remain moist, beyond which time they cannot maintain themselves above the water. But the difficulties of observation are quite sufficient to render it easy for a casual or iaaccurate observer to be mis- led, and it is only after close and continued attention that I have convinced myself of one or two circumstances about which I was long uncertain. In the first place, I became convinced that flyiug-fish never leave the water for their aerial journey without some real or imagined cause of alarm ; that they never fly in the air to indulge their sportive humour, or to give vent to their exuberant spirits, but solely to escape from some peril which threatens them in the sea beneath. Their flight, there- fore, is not that of a cheerful and happy animal indulging in a merry sport, as when unwieldy porpoises roll about on the sm*- face on a summer's day ; but it is the despairing and frantic attempt of a terrified creature to escape an imminent danger, which, though it may not always be successful, is more likely to be so in the case of such as are well provided with service- able wings, than of such individuals as are not so well fur- nished. My reasons for this opinion are, that they always rise from the ship's cutwater or bow, and fly directly away from it ; nor do they ever fly towards the ship unless palpa- bly pursued by some voracious fish. A shoal will rise simul- taneously from the ship's bows, and fly away in a series of straight but radiating lines, dropping irregularly into the Oh. XXn.] PLYING-FISH. 375 water again, only to rise immediately once more, as simul- taneously as if seized with a common panic ; and thus they rise and fall two or three times, taking a course inclined about 45° to that of the ship, until ultimately a few only of the shoal may be seen emerging here and there at some distance on the ship's quarter. The only two instances in which I ever observed them fly against the ship's bows happened when they were pursued by Bonitos, or Albicores, a short distance off, when they became so terrified that they flew in all directions, blindly endeavouring to avoid their agile ene- mies ; and I have been informed that under these circum- stances they have sometimes flown in their terror so high above the water that they have fallen upon the deck of a ship. So also on two occasions I have known them fly into a cabin through the open port, attracted by a light burning within ; but whether from the same kind of fascination which attracts the moth to the candle, or whether in consequence of the pursuit of Albicores, I am, of course, unable to say. Again, I may mention the fact that in situations in which we know flying-fish to abound, the day may pass without any being seen ; nor, although the weather may have been fine and calm and inviting to the fish, did they emerge from the sea upon spontaneous excursions. Nor have'I ever seen them flying at a distance from the ship, imless at a time when I could also see that they were pursued by Albicores, &c. Next, with regard to their mode of flight. A shoal of a hundred or so will rise simultaneously, — some proceeding a considerable distance, say from one hundred to one hundred and fifty yards, without falling into the water, while indivi- duals wUl drop after proceeding a few feet ; and it is quite impossible in such a shoal to single out one for satisfactory 376 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXH. observation. I found it best to watch for a single one, or two or three, and endeavour to follow their course ; but the suddenness of their emergence from" the water, and the rapidity of their flight, always away from the eye, made it difficult for a long time to detect the method of their loco- motion. In general terms it may be said that they leave the water at a very acute angle, and, as a rule, not more than two or three feet above the surface, risiag as the crests of the waves rise, and falling with their troughs, often touchiag the water, and, ia many cases, dashing right through the tops of the waves without impediag their flight, lessening their speed, or materially altering their course. Moreover, no difierence was visible iu their speed and length of flight, whether they flew ia the direction of the wiud or immediately agaiast it ; so that the idea of their being borne along by the wind was out of the question. It was very evident, therefore, that the impulse of their flight was not aU acquired before they left the water, for if so they would rise and fall at the same angle, and their course in the a,ir would be in the form of an arc. Nor could they, under these circumstances, possibly fly a hundred yards without falKng into the water. Indeed, whatever the primary impulse might be, it is evident that it could not carry them along over the surface of the water for any considerable dis- tance, still less could it hurl them against the crests of the waves, and that in the very teeth of a strong breeze, without impeding their progress. At the distance at which the flying-fish were from the eye before observation could fairly be brought to bear upon them, it was extremely difficult to detect anything Hlce vibration of the wings, nor could it be said that it absolutely did not exist. But as some propelling power, while in the air, was Oh. XXTT.] flight OF FLYING-FISH. 377 absolutely necessary to account for all the phenomena of their flight, I was disposed to believe that a rapid vibration existed, similar in character to that of the wings of a fly ; and I sometimes thought I could detect something of this kind ia the change of prismatic colours which played upon their wings ia the sun-light. But on one of the occasions above referred to, on which a flying-fish escaping from a Bonito flew towards the ship, I watched its approach, and saw it ultimately fall into, the water immediately beneath me ; and I was absolutely certaia that the wings were in a state of perfect rest. The opportunity of watching the evolutions of a somewhat larger species in the Atlantic, however, at last, I believe, supplied me with the clue which I sought. I then became conviuced that every flying-fish, as it leaves the water, has its wiags ia a state of rapid vibration, — not so rapid as that the eye cannot follow them however, — and thus it gains an impulse in a horizontal direction. As soon as it is thus fairly launched, the wings assume a state of rest, somewhat in the position of those of a pigeon in the act of alighting, and thus they continue until the fish at length drops into the water. But when it meets, and is struck by, the crest of a wave, if it emerges from it immediately, as frequently happens, it does so with a similar vibration of the wings to that with which it first left the water; and each time it strikes a wave a new vibration succeeds, as though the contact of the water produced an automatic vibration of the wings which kept them above the surface. Each contact with the water, then, is followed by a vibration of the wings, producing a fresh impetus ; and in their lengthened flights over smooth water, I early remarked that they occasionally touched the water in their progress, the touch being probably provocative of a 378 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXII. new vibration which would carry them forward, although too far off to be observed. But when the fish meets with a succession of wave-crests, it takes a more or less zigzag course, changing its direction each time it emerges from the water, and at the same time waving from side to side after the manner of the sailing flight of a large sea-bird. Crossing the Equator on June 19th in long. 22° W., I was witness to a remarkable scene, in wliich the poor flying- fishes played a conspicuous part. The whole day long the path of the ship was beset with a number of large fishes (Albicores), which played sad havoc among them. The Albicores were about 5 feet long, extremely active and bold, dartiag to and fro imder the cutwater, and raising the flying- fishes in terrified shoals. Every now and then they would leap in a graceful curve 8 or 10 feet oul of the water, and on several occasions one would make a succession of such leaps among the shoals of flying-fish, and, singling out one, catch it in the air, the victim being distinctly seen between the jaws of the monster as he fell into the water. It was an exciting and iateresting scene to witness the leaping and splashing of the great Albicores, which pm'sued their prey with the rapidity of an arrow, and the frantic efforts of the flying-fishes to escape, which were often ineffectual. Leaving the water as usual in simultaneous shoals, they fled before their enemies usually at right angles to the ship's course, the wind being abaft; but I remarked, as an un- usual circumstance, that after flying a little way they always veered round before the wind, so that their flight was almost universally bent in the form of a boomerang. Accompanying the Albicores were two smaller red fishes, which did not leaye the water, but which were evidently in pursuit of small flying-fishes. I several times saw rise before them a little Ch. XXn.] ALBICOEES AND PLTING-FISH. 379 flying-fish, not more than 2 inches long, such as I had never seen hefore, and which only seemed capable of propelling itself a yard or two through the air. At ten o'clock in the morning we hove-to, for the pur- pose of practising with shot and shell at a target ; and for an hour the boom of 68-pounders, and the crash of 110- pounder Armstrongs, added to the splash of the shot and shell, might have been imagined to be sufficient to frighten the Albicores, &c., away. But although I did not notice them as long as we were lying-to, no sooner did we continue our course than the scene was resumed ^vith renewed activity. One of the Albicores seized a hook baited with a rag, which was hung over the bowsprit, but the Hne was not strong enough for his violent plunges, and he carried it all away. They did not leave the ship aU day ; and ia the afternoon I noticed two of them swimming close beside the bridge. They accompanied us at least two hours, always in the same spot, keepLag pace with the ship — every now and then diverging after a passing flying-fish, but returning again to their station beside the bridge. How long they had been in that position before they were noticed I cannot say. Flying-fish must be extremely abundant. On some days the shoals seen on the wing must have amounted to many thousands ; and even when none were seen, proofs some- times existed of their great plenty. Thus, when lying for several days on the edge of the Pratas Reef, in the China Sea, not a single flying-fish was observed on the wing, yet when I went among the gannets' nests upon the island, I found that every bird sitting upon the nest had four or five large fresh flying-fishes in its stomach, which it disgorged before taking wing. These were probably taken in the water by the birds. At Kelung, in North Formosa, I saw 380 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXII. great quantities of flying-fish of a large size (about 18 inches long), which had been dried and packed in barrels, and were probably intended for exportation to Amoy. I have hitherto purposely avoided speaking of a floating object which naturally attracted considerable attention on various occasions — not on account of its novelty, for it has been written about over and over again, and referred to by many travellers — ^but on account of- its abundance and fre- quency in the seas in which my voyages were chiefly made. This substance is what is known to mariners under the various names of spawn, whales'-food, sea-sawdust, and other terms which are equally incorrect, for the substance is reaUy a confervoid growth, to which the generic name of Trichodesmium has been applied by Ehrenberg. It has long been believed that the Red Sea derived its name, which signifies the same both in Latin, Greek, and also in modern Arabic, from an occasional red discoloration of its waters — a discoloration which was first observed by Ehrenberg in 1823, when spending some time on the coast of the upper part, and carefully examined by him, as well as by Montague, by means of specimens suppHed to him by an observant traveller. Both these savans agree that the substance dis- coloring the waters of the Red Sea is of a vegetable natmre, being in fact a filamentous Alga, which has received the name of Trichodesmium erythrseum — of a blood-red colour — which often covers large areas, and appeal's and disap- pears somewhat capriciously. Observers in other parts of the world have met with a copious deposit from time to time which appears to be of the same nature ; and although it does not appear that this deposit is always of a red colour, it has been referred by competent botanists to the same species, which has since been renamed T. Ehrenbergii Oh. XXII.] CHINA SEA CONFEEVA. 331 -^because a second blood-red species, T. Hindsii, had been found off the west coast of S. America. It is somewhat singular that both these species should have the charac- teristic red tint — a tint which I have never seen assumed by any of the vast quantities of Trichodesmium which have passed under my notice. I saw none of this red appearance in my passage down the Eed Sea, nor any indication whatever of the existence of Trichodesmium therein; but first observed it in the Indian Ocean in lat. 5° N., and long. 70° E., when I entered the remark in my journal that the sea had a dusty appear- ance, as though mjTiads of minute bodies were floating in it — an appearance rendered very distinct when the sun shone upon it. I fancied these motes might be minute animals, which perhaps produced the luminous sparks so often visible at night ; but having succeeded in getting some of the water, I found that the objects in question were little bodies, which under a lens presented the appear- ance of sheaves of minute fibres, constricted m the middle, but loose at the ends, like sheaves of corn in miniature. It was not, however, tOl we were east of Singapore, and fairly in the China Sea, that this peculiar phenomenon be- came visible in aU its remarkable features. Nearly everj^ day, while traversing this sea, more or less of Trichodes- mium was to be seen, and not unfrequently the sea was covered with a thick scum like that which settles upon a stagnant pond, only of a yellowish brown colour. In very calm weather this scum formed a regular, smooth peUicle in the water, thrown up here and there into folds and rugo- sities. Such a scum would sometimes cover the sea more or less for nearly the whole day with little interruption. If, however, a moderate breeze was blowing, and the sea raised. 382 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXII. instead of a uniform pellicle, the dust would be arranged in long irregular parallel lines, or bands, extending un- broken as far as the eye could reach, and taking the direction of the wind. On one occasion we crossed a single band of this character, the only one seen on that day. The frequency of this appearance in the Cliina Sea may be judged of by the fact that out of four times that I crossed that sea, I observed the sea-dust to be more or less abim- dant during three of them, and assuming one or other of the appearances described. The fourth time was in winter (December), and during the height of the monsoon, the wind being very' boisterous and the sea very rough, so that this substance was doubtless so thoroughly washed and dis- persed by the waves as to be indistinguishable amid the turmoil and foam. The most northerly point at which I observed the accumulation of Trichodesmium forming a pellicle upon the surface, was at the north entrance of Formosa Channel, in lat. 25^° ; and it is somewhat remark- able that I should have seen none south of the Equator in the Indian Ocean, Ehio Strait being the most southern locality. On one occasion indeed, in lat. 28j° S., it mani- fested its presence by the same indications by which I first noticed it, namely a scintillating of the scattered sheaves below the surface — a fact which I proved by examining the water; and in the Atlantic, in lat. 80° S., the same appear- ance was closely followed by two or three bands or streaks, in which it was quite dense, discoloring the water. But it is worthy of notice that on all these occasions the colour of the Trichodesmium was the same, viz. a yellowish brown, and never at any time red, or approaching it — much less the rouge de sang of the French botanists. On only Ch. XXII.] MIOEOSOOPIC APPBAEANOE. 383 two occasions did I ever observe the sea discoloured by red matter — once by myriads of minute red Crustacea, in the Indian Ocean, and again by a dense mass of red gelatinous worms in Formosa Channel — but never by Trichodesmium. The characters presented under the microscope by the specimens I first obtained in the Indian Ocean have been already alluded to ; and although the ultimate elements of the various specimens were the same, I met with two dis- tinct forms of Trichodesmium, one on either side of the Malacca peninsula. That on the west side was in the form of a miniature sheaf of corn, while that of the China Sea was a cylindrical bundle of fibres, more or less pointed at one end, but obliquely truncated at the other. This was also the form it assumed on the other occasions on which I examined it. Both these, however, consisted of bundles of cellular fibres of the same character. The bundles were cream-coloured and opaque, and a lens showed that the ends were fimbriated, owing to the component fibres being loose at their extremities. With slight compression these fibres were seen to be cylindrical filaments of unequal length, combined together and interlacing one another, forming an intricate net-work, which resembled unfinished basket-work with the long ends of the osiers sticking straight out. Each filament was long, symmetrical, and unbranched, with a rounded extremity, and even, hair-like outline — divided by transverse septa into rectangular cells haK as long as broad ; and each cell contained some grains of chlorophyll in the centre, which rendered it opaque. Continued pressm-e, how- ever, discharged part of this substance, rendering the ceU- waUs distinct, and ultimately the filament broke up into its component cells, which presented various facets to the eye — some round and some rectangular, proving its confervoid 384 EAMBLES OP A NATURALIST. [Ch. XXn. character — being in fact composed of a linear series of tubular cells. No movement took place in any of these cells ; but mingled occasionally mth this was another microscopic vegetable, spherical in form, and bristling with minute rays like a miniature Echinus — and about as large as a pin's head. This proved under the microscope to be entirely different in character from the confervoid just described, and was indeed an Oscillatoria. It possessed also a gelatinous envelope, which I never could find in the Trichodesmium, but was in much smaller quantities than the latter. The naturalists of Captain Cook's third voyage observed the substance I have described about New Guinea, and the sailors called it sea saivdust. Peron saw it extending for 20 leagues from east to west, of a greyish colour. Darwin noticed it near the Abrolhos islets, and says he met with an allied, but smaller, species off Cape Leeuwin, Australia; but none of the observers appear to have looked upon it as an every-day phenomenon, as it certainly appeared to be in the China Sea. Moreover, although it has been settled that the conferva observed by these travellers in different parts of the ocean is of the same species as that which discolours the Eed Sea, I am myself very strongly of opinion that this is an error, and that it wiH be found that several species of this remarkable little Alga exist in different parts of the world. The two forms I have described are both of them in many respects different from Trichodesmium Ehrenbergii — nor have they much in common with the second recog- nised species, T. Hindsii.* * For a more complote account of this substance, the reader is referred to a paper recently road at the Eoyal Microscopical Society, and which will he found in the " Microscopical Journal" for April 1868. Oh. XXn.] HORIZONTAL EAINBOW. 385 I have alluded in some parts of this volume to remarkable atmospheric effects occasionally met with in the open ocean ; but none were more singular than the horizontal rainbow which I witnessed on May 5th, in lat. 25° 19' S., and longi- tude 54° 13' E. The weather was very fine and bright, and we were sailing gently along with a light breeze, when I ob- served signs of a squall blowing up from the S.S.E. I was sitting reading on deck at the time, and immediately went over to the port gangway to watch its approach. It was about half-past one p.m., and the sun was therefore in the N.N.W., exactly opposite the approaching squall, upon which was already developed a rainbow of low altitude (12° to 15°). While gazing at it my attention was arrested by a yellowish- brown haze upon the horizon immediately under the centre of the arc, which, although very faint, appeared from its position to have some connection with the squall or with the rainbow ; and 1 was thus induced to watch it attentively. At first it was a mere indefinite tinge of colour on the distant horizon, and for two or three minutes it seemed to undergo no change ; but at length by slow degrees it increased in intensity, and then appeared to spread over the water, look- ing as though a cloud of reddish dust was hanging over the sea. For some minutes I was quite at a loss how to account for it, but carefully watched to see what would be the up- shot. It now rapidly intensified in brightness, and presently became prismatic ; then slowly spreading forward across the sea towards us, it at length presented the appearance of a brilliant horizontal bow lying upon the sea, its apex just capping the horizon, and its limbs seeming to fade away upon the water halfway between the eye and the horizon. As the horizontal bow increased in intensity the vertical one gradually faded away, and quite vanished immediately after 386 EAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXII. the former had reached its greatest brilliancy, which was most marked about the centre or apex. In the horizontal bow the red colour was upon the outer or convex side, while iu the vertical bow the red was on the inner or concave side. The horizontal bow was therefore the primary bow, and the vertical bow the secondary or reflected one. Hence we had the remarkable spectacle of a secondary bow appearing before the primary bow was at all developed, and fading in proportion as the latter reached its greatest intensity. The vertical bow, however, was always much less bright than the horizontal bow ultimately became. This latter, when once the prismatic colours became fully de- veloped, seemed rapidly to approach us from the horizon, the limbs appearing to shoot forward, becoming broad, and spreading a wide coloured space upon the blue water on either side ; and the bow, when complete, had somewhat of a horseshoe-shape, as though foreshortened. When it had reached its greatest intensity, being then of amazing bril- liancy, it suddenly faded and disappeared, and the vertical bow, which had been growing very faint, disappeared at the same time. Throughout the whole duration of the pheno- menon the apex of the horizontal bow maintained precisely its original position upon the horizon, namely, where I had first been struck by the appearance of the luminous haze ; and from the time I first observed this appearance tiU the moment when the whole vanished was about ten miuutes. During this time a small drizzling rain fell, which was scarcely sufficient to wet the deck, and the squally effect passed away to the south-west. But while it might happen that no peculiar phenomena attracted attention in the sky, nor any living animals were visible in the water, it was always interesting to observe the Ch. XXII.] ASPECTS OF TKE SEA. 387 ever-changing colour of the sea. The surface of the ocean is not the monotonous plain which some would make it out to he ; it is ever varying with a succession of aspects hoth of form and colour. Now it is smooth and glassy, now break- ing into dimpled smiles, the avr]pi,dfj.ov yeX-acriia of the dramatist, now capped with foam and breaking all around into white horses, and now rolling in majestic billows, which I for one never tire of watching, as they bound along from afar off as though they meant to engulf the ship, and then raising her gently up to their highest crest, poise her above the boiling plain, and as gently lower her again into a smooth hoUow valley, the emerald sides of which are streaked with foam. The sudden and rapid changes, and the ever varying prospect, form as near an approach to the wavy, skimming flight of a sea-bird as can well be imagined. Nor is the colour of the sea more monotonous than its other aspects. Now a pale sapphire blue, it deepens into ultramarine, and then again into intense indigo, or blue-black. Again it may assume a pale yellow-green colour, and become bright emerald ; and when the setting sun bathes the clouds with gold, the sea partakes of their glory, and dazzles the eye with a flood of light, which fades away like the dying hues of the dolphin through shades of purple and rose, until it once more assumes its twilight tint of deep indigo-blue. The natural colour of the deep sea when perfectly at rest, in fine weather, is a rich violet blue, of an intensity and in- describable briUiancy which no pigment ever equalled. Nor is this colour in any degree dependent upon the blueness of the sky in the way of reflection, which not only does not cause, but in no way assists in intensifying the blue of the sea. For not only is this coloiu- of the sea to be observed when the sky is cloudless, but also when, although bright, c c 2 388 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XXII. scarcely any blue sky is visible, the whole vault being fiUed with rolling white cumuli. But anything which intercepts the Hght of the sun changes at once this rich violet-blue into some other colour. If it is a passing cloud, or the, shadow of the ship, while aU around is bright, the sea becomes under its influence indigo-blue ; whereas if direct light is altogether excluded, as on a dull cloudy day, the sea becomes of a deep blue-black, or even leaden hue. Thus I have seen it lead- colour and of a bright blue, .within a space of two hours, when the weather has changed from duU to fine. The same effect is also produced when the sun gets low, although it may be clear. Near the shore, or in soundings, as it is expressed, the sea is never of this rich violet-blue, probably because the depth of water is not sufficient for the light to have its full and true effect. Moreover, the sea being beautifully clear and transparent, at a moderate depth the nature of the bot- tom has a perceptible effect upon the colour of the water. Usually under such circumstances the colour of the sea is olive-green, a colour which I have observed extending for 70 or 80 miles from land off the south coast of Africa ; and nearer than this, when the water is shallow, it often has a variegated .appearance, directly due to the various growths of weed and the irregularities of the sea-bed. But even in deep-sea the water is not alwaj^s violet-blue or. indigo ; but under the same conditions of light, the smoothness or roughness of the surface is accompanied by gradations of colour between blue and yeUow. Thus on a fine day, such as, if also smooth, would have produced the characteristic violet-blue, the surface being ruffled, a fine, light-hlne tint was • everywhere visible, but more usually a shade of green ; a circumstance which was particularly Cn. XXn.] COLOUE OF TKE SEA. 389 marked when, after squally weather, we were in a latitude in which the soundings marked in the chart were 2350 fathoms, but the sea was of a Hght-green colour ; and the remark I have entered in my journal was that for some two or three days past, during windy weather, the sea has lost its blue colour, and to-day seems washed out. This peculiar phenomenon I attribute to the commotion which the sea has undergone, haviag entangled air with the water ; and although no masses of foam are anywhere visible, myriads of minute air bubbles, mingled with the water, modify the usual absorption, of light, and reflect more or less of the' yellow rays. , That this is the proper explanation is con- firmed by a fact I have more than oface noticed, viz. that when, in fine weather, the sea has been of the ordinary dark-blue colour, the wake of the ship has been marked by a path of light-green water for a long distance behind. That blue is the natural colour of the water is moreover proved by the fact, that whatever the colour of the sea under the changing influences of light and shade, whether dull and leaden, or bluish-green, the water in the screw-weU, — upon which we look directly down, and which is liable to no lateral reflection or disturbing influences such as the open sea must of necessity be subject to from the angle at which our eyes regard it, — ^is always blue, sometimes pale, some- times dark ; but under the most favourable circumstances, of an intensity which frequently attracts the admiration of those to whom it is an every-day occurrence. I think it was Sir Humphry Davy who attributed this blueness of the sea to. the presence of iodine ; but I cannot help thinkirfg that it is an inherent property in the water, just as some shade of the same colour appears to be an inherent property in the air of the atmosphere, that is to say, that sea-water. 390 EAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XXII. as such, in sufficient quantities, absorbs the red and yellow with their compounds, rejecting the blue and violet for the benefit of our eyes. Father Secchi of Eome, in examining the water of the sea, found that the spectrum of its colour lost its red. rays first, and at a slight depth ; after which, as the depth increased, the yellow and green rays successively disappeared to a great extent, and the water assumed its violet-blue tint. And in some researches which he has lately been making upon the colour of light transmitted through masses of ice, he finds that the red rays are very faiat, being mostly ab- sorbed, while the richest blue was transmitted, so that in a grotto of ice the fleSh-tints of the human face assumed that ghastly appearance which is seen when a homogeneous blue light is burniug ; and he comes to the conclusion that the true colour of water is blue, mixed with violet. CHAPTEE XXIII. THE LUMINOSITY OF THE SEA. Nature of the Phenomenon — Phosphorescence a Misnomer — Classification of Luminous Phenomena — Sparks always visible — Their Cause — Luminous Sheath to Ship— Singapore Harbour — Simon's Bay — NoctilucEe— Scene on the Chinese Coast — Moon-shaped Patches of Light — Not caused by Medusae — Often spontaneous — Probably Pyrosomas — Recurrent Flashes — Colour and Appearance spontaneous — Depth of the Animals — Examples of Recurrence — Milky Sea ; its Rarity — Conditions of Luminosity — Non- luminous Animals — Rationale of Luminosity — A Correlative of some other Force — Contractility — Luminous Envelopes — Range of Luminosity among Animals. There are few subjects of study more interesting than tlie luminous appearances presented by the sea under various circumstances, and the least observant person cannot fail to be struck with the remarkable phenomena which in the course of a long voyage he must perforce sometimes witness. That the sea, the great extinguisher of fire, should be turned into flame — that the darkness of night should be illuminated by the luminous glow which bathes every ripple, and breaks over every wave — that globes of light should traverse the ocean, or that lightning flashes should coruscate no less in the billows of the sea than in the clouds of the air — are all facts which seize upon the imagination, and enforce attention and consideration. Nor is the interest lessened by the knowledge that all these phenomena are produced by ani- mals, whose home is in the great waters — that not only do the fiery bodies of large animals give out steady patches of light, but that of the myriad animalcules with which the sea 392 EAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXIH. teems, like motes in a sun-beam, each contributes its tinyscin- , tOlation, the aggregate forming a soft and lovely radiance. The luminosity of the sea, its appearance, and its nu- merous forms — ^the various conditions under which it became manifest— and, as far as practicable, the causes which pro- duced it, were subjects to which I was anxious to pay espe- cial attention. For, although some of these points had already engaged the attention of competent observers, who have elicited much curious and valuable information, few of them have had the opportunity of watching the phenomena for a long-continued period, or over a wide extent of ocean. Much therefore undoubtedly yet remains to be learned regarding them ; and I shall m this chapter collect together the various scattered observations which I carried on at every available opportunity during the space of a year and a half. Not a night passed while I was at sea without my looking out for luminous appearances, jotting down any- thing novel or unusual, and, whenever practicable, making an examination for the determination of the cause and modus operandi of the luminous manifestation. And although the bright moonlight nights were often very beautiful, I not unfrequently bewailed the invisibility of the luminous ani- mals whose light was temporarily extinguished by the superior effulgence of the lunar rays ; and I longed for a return of the dark, but no less beautiful star-light nights, the brilliancy of which compensated for the absence of the moon, without putting a stop to my observations upon the luminosity of the sea. Before detailing the remarkable phenomena which pre- sented themselves to my notice from time to time, let me say that I purposely avoid using the word phosphorescence when speaking of these appearances — a term very gene- Ch. XXIII.] CATEG0EIE8 OF LUMINOSITY. 393 rally, and at the same time very loosely applied by most observers, but which has no right to any place in the de- scriptions of luminous phenomena as exhibited by the sea. Phosphorescence is here a misnomer, and an even greater misuse of terms is it to speak of phosphorescent matter. There is no phosphorus in the case, nor any- thing allied to it, except ia the abstract meaning of the word; neither is there any combustion; but the Hght is, sui generis, the product of causes of an entirely different category from those which have to do with the light-pro- ducing properties of phosphorus. Nor is the light of a material character, such as could be spread upon the end of a match, like phosphorus; and although in some few cases the luminosity has appeared to cleave to extraneous substances, there can be little doubt that in such cases the light had a different origin, and was of a different character from the ordinary forms of animal luminosity exhibited in living organized bodies. But we will first state the facts, and draw some conclu- sions afterwards. And it will make the subject clearer if we follow a methodical arrangement, and group the facts in an orderly manner. I would therefore classify all the cases of luminosity which have come under my observation, under the following five heads : — 1. Sparks, or points of light. 2. A soft liquid, general and wide-spread effulgence. 3. Moon-shaped patches of steady Hght. 4. Instantaneous recurrent flashes. 5. Milky sea. The first of these, or the appearance of points or sparks of Hght, is by far the most common, and in different degrees may be said to be all but universal. Whether the other •"94 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. XXin. forms of luminosity are exhibited or not, sparks of light in greater or less abundance are scarcely ever absent. The sea, more particularly when agitated, sparkles with brilliant poiuts of light, varying in size from that of a pia's head to that of a pea, and of greater or lesser permanency — some being almost instantly extinguished, while others retained their light for an appreciable length of time. I do not think I ever looked at the sea on a dark night without seeing some few sparks, even though I might have entered a remark that the sea was "not luminous to-night." But usually these sparks are abundant, and on occasions they present a wonderfully brilliant appearance. On one occa- sion, when this phenomenon was unusually striking, on the coast of China in lat. 26° N., on drawing up bottles fuU of water, and pouring it out in the dark, the water sparkled brightly as the luniinous points ran over ; but a close inspection revealed nothing in the water but a few minute Entomostraca. On another occasion, when some water which had been left in a basin exhibited luminosity at night, I got a very brilliant spark upon my finger, and taking it to the light, it proved to be a minute crustacean of the same division. I do not mean to say, however, that these sparks, when thus appearing as distinct and segregated scintilla- tions, are always due to Entomostraca. There are many other minute creatures which exhibit luminosity ; but I wish to draw a distinction between this form and that next to be described, which appears to be mainly due to one organism, which, owing to its occasional great abundance, produces phenomena conveniently distinguishable from this common and almost universal one. ' The second form of luminosity then to be noticed occurs comparatively rarely. It consists of a soft, usually greenish Oh. XXIII.] SCENE IN SINGAPOEE HAEBOITE. 395 light, which only makes its appearance when smooth water is disturbed, and is only seen in calm weather. This indeed appears identical with what we see nearer home, as on the shores of Ostend and in the estuary of the Mersey. This form of luminosity I have observed on only three occasions, but each time under similar circumstances; and I have reason to believe that the cause is the same on all occasions, whether in the eastern seas or in the Mersey. On the 6th of July, being on the coast of China, in lat. 27°, the weather in the afternoon became dead calm, and after sunset I remarked that the sea was beautifully luminous, but alto- gether without conspicuous sparks or points of hght. Wherever the ripples caused by the advancing ship rolled away, they were crested with bright green light, and the ship's hull appeared to be enveloped in a luminous sheath. On this occasion the effect did not last long, and I did not examine the water microscopically. The next time I noticed this form of luminosity was in Singapore Harbour, on November the 6th. The wind was east, thermometer 76°, weather fine. The water was like glass, smooth and beautiful, and exhibited no light except when disturbed ; but every oar-stroke of the boat in which I was rowed produced eddying circles of brilliant hght, and a lovely soft green glow crowned every ripple from the bows. The scene was perfectly fairy-like. As we pulled among the shipping, under a brilliant tropical star-ht sky, we left a fiery wake which widened behind us. Every splash in the water was like a shower of diamonds, and a myriad of minute sparks leaped up when I took water in my hands and poured it back into the sea, and the aggregate of these multitudinous and briUiant scintillations made up this dehcate luminosity, which I never saw so beautifully exhibited as upon this 396 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XXIH. night. The following night the same effect was visible, but scarcely so iatense as before (wind N.E., temp. 76°), and on the third night: (the wind being E., and temp. 75°) I again observed it. After this I was ■ absent from Singapore two nights, -and on my. retui-n I no longer, noticed the luminous effect. On each of, these three nights, I cai-efuUy examined the water. As I filled a bottle, bright sparks of Kght adhered to my hands, or on briiiging it to the lamp I found -that it contained a number of small globular greenish bodies, which floated upon the surface for the most part, but appeared to have the power of freely moving in the water. On closer examination these bodies proved to be Noctilucae ; and during the night I observed that the contents of. the bottle fe'e- quently flashed with bright and rapid coruscations. I had no difficulty therefore in coming to the conclusion that the peculiar luminosity in the harbour was due to the presence of innumerable Noctilucae. On the 24th of May, lying in Simon's Bay, Cape of Good Hope, the water was again luminous, in a manner similar to the occasion just alluded to. The weather was fine, wind W.N.W., light; bar. 30-04, therm. 60°. On examining the water closely, I found that, as before, the luminous effect, though soft, subdued, and apparently uniform, was reaUy due to innumerable small sparks ; and on bringing the water to the light, I found numerous Noctilucse in it precisely similar to those observed at Singapore. They were not, however, in sufficient numbers to have produced aU the light, for in a wine-glassful of water there were on an average not more than a dozen Noctilucse. But besides these bodies there were a great number of motes in the water, many of which appeared, by their rapid jerking loco- Ch. XXIII.] NOOTILUCiB. 397 motion, to be minute Entomostracous Crustacea. They "were so minute that, by the imperfect light on board ship, I long tried in vain to secm-e one to place imder the micro- scope. Besides these were also some larger species of Entomostraca. The Noctilucee maybe described from these specimens: — ■ they measured from ,-sy5 to xrs- oi an inch in diameter ; they. were somewhat kidney-shaped, and of a pale greenish colour when seen with the naked eye, closely resembling Volvox in appearance, but with a much less active move- ment. They had, however, powers of locomotion, though the means were not apparent under the microscope. They had a dark nucleus, usually irregular, but in some cases spherical and well defined. The circumferential outline seemed very faiut (on account of their globular form), and their general aspect was very variable. A kind of sHt ap- peared, to extend through two-thirds of the body, from which faint lines radiated, usually having a double outline, and not reaching the circumference of the sphere, but often termidating in large, round,' granular bodies of various sizes. The whole body was studded with minute spherical inter- spaces (vacuoles) of various sizes, which strongly refracted the light, like oil globules; but slight movements, which appeared to be taking place in an almost imperceptible manner, soon changed the whole aspect of any individual Noctiluca while under observation, so that the description or drawing of one minute did not answer for the next. Each Noctiluca had a large curved cUium projecting beyond the body, by means of which they are believed to move, ap- parently taking its rise from the nucleus. The form of luminosity due to Noctilucas, although very striking, yet, owing to its softness, appears to be completely , 398 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. XXIH. extinguished by moonlight, even when the moon is young. It was exhibited, only less marked, on the two following eveniags, and on the third we left False Bay, a locality which has been remarked as very frequently exhibiting this beautiful phenomenon. On the 7th of July, in lat. 28°, on the coast of China, only two days after the occurrence of this form of lumiuo- sity as first described, a heavy sweU. coming in from the south-west was met by a north-east wind, and the ship . rolled tremendously. The sea was beautifully luminous, every wave breaking with a pale light, which was visible at a considerable distance, so that the whole sea was streaked with light ; and again that peculiar phenomenon, of the ship sailing in a luminous sheath, was visible (see page 142). I mention this case, because it was one of the most striking instances of general luminosity which had come under my notice : it appeared to be compounded of the. two forms I have already described. The third form of limainosity to be described, consists of moon-shaped patches of steady white light, which I have found to be a very common phenomenon under certain cir- cumstances. Next to the occurrence of sparks, and always accompanied by them, this form of luminosity is most fre- quently seen, and does not appear to be confined to any particular locality. I first observed it in the Mediterranean, on the first night on which the absence of the moon allowed it to be visible ; and I have since found it to be no less frequent in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, the China Sea, and the Atlantic north and south of the Equator. It is most commonly visible in the wake of the ship, and consists of numerous round patches of light, closely resembling the appearance of white-hot shot, of various sizes, beneath the Ch. XXIII.], CAUSE OP MOON-SHAPED PATCHES. 399 water at different depths. Sometimes, when deep down, they were pale, and of a whitish colour, with indistinct out- line, and of large size ; but when nearer the surface, they , w^e smaller and more distinct, and assumed a pale greenish tinge. They usually remained visible for eight or ten se- conds, but sometimes less. As these appearances were just such as might be presented by the umbrellas of large Me- dusae, were such present and luminous, I was strongly in- clined, at first, to attribute them to this cause ; and the fact that on one occasion (about a week after I left Eng- , land), I saw these moonlight patches in the Red Sea on the evening of a day on which the ship had passed through a shoal of Aurelise, led me to attribute them to their pre- sence. I supposed that the Aureliae, struck by the screw, gave out their light under the excitation of the blow, and floated away luminous and dying. But I was forced to abandon this theory afterwards ; for I have since many times watched for floating- Medusae before the light failed, aiid have not seen one for days and weeks together, and yet the moon-shaped patches have been as bright and as abundant as before. And again, when we have passed through a thick shoal of Medusae towards evening, the luminous appearances have not been more marked than usual, but even less so. Moreover, having secured specimens of these Acalephs, they have not exhibited any luminosity whatever during the night. Although, however, I ceased to regard the Acalephse as the source of the luminous patches in question, there can be no doubt that the gi-eat nimibers which are always visible immediately under the stem, are due to the fact of the eddies of the ship exciting the emis- sion of light in certain animals capable of exhibiting lumi- nosity. Not, however, that similar appearances are never 400 EAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XXIII. seen in other situations where they are unmolested, though I must say that in my experience this is rare. Thus, in the Indian Ocean, in lat. 12|° N. and long. 55° E. (bar. 30°, therm. 82°), among other appearances I noticed now apd^ then a large luminous patch, with a roundish, irregular outline, pass by, emitting a pale and steady light, although out of the path of the ship ; and on August 17th, being in a small boat on the coast of Borneo, in a strong breeze, after dark, I observed deep beneath the surface, and entirely , apart from any influence of the oars, the appearance of large globes of white light, shining persistently and spontaneously in considerable numbers. Although I long and constantly watched for, the bodies which produced this remarkable and frequent luminous effect, I did so for a considerable time ia vain. In vain I attempted to penetrate below the surface in search of any animals which could possibly originate the light. Although I could dis- tinctly see the bottom of the ship's rudder, 19 feet deep, I could never detect a trace of any living thing within that depth by day ; but no sooner did darkness supervene than they were often in the greatest abundance. It was on Jime 2nd, in lat. 28J° S., and long. 9° E., that I was at length witness of a circumstance which seemed to elucidate the question. Looking as usual over the stern, there were plenty of moon-shaped patches, accompanied by sparks un- usually large and bright. The patches were remarkably persistent, and could be traced for nearly half a minute after the ship had passed. They were evidently at a considerable but varying distance below the surface of the water. When far down they appeared large and faint, and ill defined ; but when nearer the surface they were smaller, brighter, and better defined. As I watched, one of the bright bodies Cii. XXni.] FLASHES OF LIGHT. 401 whirled about by the eddy of the rudder, came absolutely to the sui-face, and exhibited a nearly rectangular form of great brilliancy, of a pale green colour, and, as far as I could judge, about six inches long by two broad. It instantly occurred to me that it was a Pyrosoma, and that this Ascidian was the usual cause of the phenomenon, the circular form of the patches beiog only an illusion produced by the diffusion of the light through a certain depth of water. I continued watching for a long time in the hope of seeing another ; but although so good an opportunity did not occur again, many seemed to come near the surface, diminishing in size, but increasing in briUiancy as they did so — one in particular, very low down, suddenly gave out a dazzling brilliancy, which produced a momentary effulgence in the water all around. I may mention that on a moonlight night, when the moon has been dimmed by fleecy clouds, I have been able dis- tinctly to recognise these moonlight patches ; but when the moon has shone out clearly they were no longer visible. I have now to describe the fourth form of limiinosity ex- hibited by marine animals, viz., momentary recurrent flashes of Hght. This form is nearly as commonly seen as the moon- shaped patches already described, which it very frequently, although perhaps not always, accompanies. If, however, the latter are well marked, the flashes are almost sure to be visible. I first observed them in the Indian Ocean, north of the line, and, since then, in the China seas and Atlantic. This appearance is very striking, but can only be seen under favourable circumstances, i.e., when the night is dark and the sea smooth. An indistinct transitory patch of light appears in the water as evanescent as a flash of lightning, — so rapidly does it come and go that it is difficult to fix the exact spot where it occurred. The brightness of the flash 402 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST-. [Oh. XXIII. varies probably according to the depth of the animal pro- ducing it below the surface, — sometimes it is of considerable brilliancy, and sometimes so pale that it would not have been noticed but for its suddenness. The colour is always whitish, and the form of the flash round, brightest in the middle, and becoming indistinct at the circumference. I have on some occasions seen these flashes occur in such numbers and with such rapidity that it would have been impossible to count them; though, more commonly, they were comparatively few and far between. But that which interested me most in these flashes of light was the fact that they always occurred at a distance from the path of the ship. Although I have seen them accompanyiag the moonshaped patches of light in the ship's wake, the places from which I could best observe the flashes were the forecastle or the gangways, when they could be seen in the smooth water several yards distant from the ship's side, and entirely uninterfered with by the ship's motion. This fact proved to me that there were spontaneous emissions of light by some animals deep below the surface, which voluntarily, and at intervals, gave out a bright corusca- tion. Moreover, although rarely, on following with the eye the spot where the flash appeared, it could be sometimes seen to re-appear further astern, as though the emission was recurrent at definite intervals, as has already been described in the case of the luminous beetles called fireflies at Singa- pore. I have also noticed on one occasion that the flash, instead of instantly disappearing, was followed by a faint glow, which vanished gradually; but whether this was an optical illusion of the retina or not I cannot be sure, though I believe not. Whatever may be the animals which produce these lumin- Ch. XXriI.] SPONTANEOUS EMISSION OF LIGHT. 403 ous appearances, they must habitually swim at a considerable depth. I never was able to make out any definite outline of the light, which always appeared more or less spherical with faint edges, and sometimes the size and faintness of the flashes seemed to prove that the light must have been dif- fused by its passage through a great depth of water, which would also accoimt for the whitish appearance of what is probably really greenish light. But I am strongly of opiuion that the sources of the flashes and of the moon-shaped patches are identical — in the one case emitting their light spontaneously, and in the other under the excitation of the eddies produced by the ship, and especially by the screw- propeller when at work. Before quitting the subject of these flashes I must not omit to mention that while at Singapore, having taken some small Medusae in a towing-net in the straits, I placed them in a glass which stood by my bedside. In the night I ob- served them flashiug brightly with instantaneous flashes, of the same character as those above referred to, although not the slightest shaking was applied to the bottle or irritation to the animals. So also the Noctilucae of Singapore har- bour, which I kept similarly in a bottle, flashed frequently with rapid and bright coruscations ; and I am strongly dis- posed to believe that luminous marine animals, in health, and acting spontaneously without external irritation, always exhibit their luminosity in this manner ; and that it is only when strong excitation is applied that they give out a steady but temporary glow. There remains but one form of luminosity to be noticed, which, although I have never been so fortimate as to witness it myself, has been observed by others who have been longer at sea than I was. This is what has been caUed milky sea, an D D 2 404 RAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXin. extraordinary phenomenon of rare occurrence. It has been described to me by one who has seen it, as a general lumi- nous glow, not confined to the crests of ripples or to dis- turbed water, but occurring in perfectly calm weather, and looking as though the whole sea was composed of a whitish fluid, like milk, with no conspicuous bright spots or sparks. Such an appearance reflecting a faint light upwards, illumi- nates the ship, rendering every part of the rigging plainly visible ; and inasmuch as it can only be seen in the absence of the moon, the contrast of the white glowing sea with the black sky produces an effect calculated to strike the observer with a kind of awe. Although I have met with persons who tell me they have not mifrequently seen this pheno- menon, I am disposed to believe that it is extremely rare. One who has not reaUy witnessed it at all might erroneously suppose that such an appearance as I have already alluded to as havmg twice occurred to me on the coast of China (when the ship seemed to be sailing in a luminous sheath), corresponded to the description of a milky sea ; and in a small way perhaps it did so ; and I considered it at the time as the, nearest approach to that phenomenon I had ever observed. But the milky sea must be something sui generis ; and I imagine it to be owing rather to a condition of the water under certain peculiar atmospheric or climatic influences, than to any extraordinary number of luminous animals in it. A circumstance which once occurred to me, seemed to thi'ow some light upon the subject, and confirmed me in this opinion. Having put down the towing-net in the Formosa Channel, it collected a number of small Ento- mostraca, Megalopas, minute Medusae, small Porpitse, Ptero- pods, Annelids, Globigerinee, &c., which I placed in a basin of sea- water ; and not having finished my examination of Ch. XXIII.] CONDITIONS OF LUMINOSITY. 405 them, they remained upon the table during the night. On stirring the water in the dark, the whole became faintly luminous, giving out a general glow, as if every particle were phosphorescent ; the minute Crustacea, &c. appearing as bright spots in the luminous fluid. If the shmy sub- stance in which, in some marine animals at least, a lumi- nous property appears to reside, become diffused through the water, as it is probable it may be under certain com- binations of conditions and circumstances, a general lumi- nosity of the water may result, similar to that observed in milky sea, while the small sparks, doubtless in great abun- dance, would remain unnoticed in the universal glow, but would at the same time greatly enhance the general luminous effect. There is a common idea that a southerly wind is pecu- liarly productive of liuninosity in the sea ; but according to my observations, this is an error. The winds most pre- valent when luminosity has been well marked have been westerly, north-westerly, or even easterly — south being per- haps the least frequent ; but probably the direction of the wind has no special influence in the matter. What the favourable conditions really are, it is as difficult to say as it is in the case of floating animals generally. I have seen remarkable exhibitions on one night followed by nearly absolute darkness on the . next,, the conditions of wind, weather, barometer, and thermometer, being inappreciably altered. Probably temperature is as important as any in- fluence — the luminosity in the Mersey only occurs in sum- mer. And in rounding the Cape of Good Hope during the winter season, scarcely any luminosity was exhibited during the month in which we were passing through the higher degrees of south latitude. 406 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. XXIII. The animals which I have observed to possess luminous properties are not numerous. Many of the more minute animals taken in the towing-net appear to exliibit them, more particularly the small Crustacea (Entomostraca), and smaJl Medusae (Medusidse). I have no reason to believe that the larger Medusae (Lucernaridse) as Aurelia, Pelagia, Ehizostoma, &c., exhibit any luminous powers, having kept specimens which have invariably failed to do so. Nor have I any experience of the Physophoridae becoming lu- minous. I have never seen a luminous Porpita or Velella, and although on one occasion when magnificent specimens of Portuguese men-of-war had been floating by all day, my attention was directed to shining spots at night, under the supposition that they were lyminous Physahae, I merely replied by pointing to a bucket containing one of these animals, but which was perfectly dark. I have seen a large prawn give out Ught after death, and a fresh squid was illuminated at night with an irregular glow of whitish light, which remained unaltered as I passed my finger over the surface. Nor db I believe many of the stories of luminous fish, inasmuch as a fish rapidly swimming in a fiuid abounding in minute luminous points, as the sea sometimes does, would present an efiect which an unin- formed or inaccurate observer would readily mistake as proceeding from the fish, itself, instead of from luminous points which it disturbed in its passage. Few luminous marine animals have received greater at- tention than the Noctilucae, and from them we may perhaps gather some indications of the seat and nature of this won- derful appearanee. M. De Quatrefages concludes, as the re- sult of his experiments with these Protozoa, that they retain their luminosity so long as they continue to possess organic Ch. XXin.] PEOBAELE SOUECE OF LUMINOSITT. 407 contractility. So also in hi mi nous Annelids, — or perhaps, as better expressed, because the subjects were larger and more highly organised, " in the great majority of cases the light manifests itself in scintillations along the course of the muscles alone, and only during their contraction." The light is entirely unaccompanied by heat, nor is there any- thing analogous to a combustion, either active or slow, of a chemical nature. So also Kolliker, in his examination of the luminous property of the glow-worm (Lampyris), came to the conclusion that there was neither combustion nor phosphorus in the case ; but that it was the product of a nervous apparatus, and dependent upon the will of the animal. Ever since, many years ago, I became acquainted with Mr. Grove's researches upon the Correlation of Physical Forces, I have looked upon that ingenious theory as the rational explanation of animal luminosity. Light, heat, electricity, magnetism, motion, and chemical force, are all interchangeable, and each may manifest itself in the form of the other; but although these are called the physical forces, who can say that they are not organic forces also ? One of them, which long since would have been regarded as eminently inorganic, is now fully recognised as an organic force, produced by vital organs, and regulated by the will of the animal exhibiting it. I allude, of course, to electri- city, an agent which is possessed by several fishes, and we know not by what other animals, — a force which is produced directly through the agency of nervous power, for the re- gulation of which a special cerebral lobe is recognised. If this nerve force or vitality can display itself in the form of electricity, why should it not do so also in the form of light? In the more highly organised luminous animals, as in Lam- 408 RAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXIII. pyris (the glow-worm), in which nervous centres exist, there is a special organ for the development of light, doubtless regulated by some part of the nervous system. In others, the contractility of muscular tissue or of sarcode substance, which contractility is itself a vital act, seems sufficient to produce the phenomenon in question. In animals which have no definite nervous system, we can scarcely predicate the existence of a wiU ; and, therefore, while the glow-worm and many of the higher marine luminous animals probably exercise a control over the functions of their light- giving organs, — ia the Noctilucse, and such lowly organisms, any external excitement which produces a temporary contrac- tion, is at the same time sufficient to exhibit its correlative accompaniment, light. There does certainly appear to be a phase of luminous- ness which is scarcely of this character, and which takes place both on land and in water. I refer to a luminous coat external to the animal, as in the case of the trail of light left by the little Scolopendra electrica on the ground, and the luminous mucus which exists in certain Medusae, and, it is said, Pholads, or boring Mollusks, and which re- tains its properties apart from the animals. But whatever may be the explanation of these phenomena, there can be no doubt that they are no more due to combustion or to phosphorus than the appearances exhibited by the spe- cialised organs of the glow-worm, but may more probably belong to another group of facts, that, namely, which in- cludes the luminous appearances presented by certain plants, in which we cannot caU to our assistance either nerve force or vital contractility. Organic lumiaousness exhibits itseK with a wonderful range over the animal kingdom ; and if we were called Ch. XXni.] EANGE OF LUMINOSITY. 409 upon to specify in what classes of animals it has been ob- served, we should prefer to make a converse statement, to the effect that, with the sole exception of birds, every class of animals, under certain circumstances and conditions, has been proved to be capable of giving out Hght. Berooid Ciliograde, from tlie Atlantic. CHAPTEE XXIV. THE YOYAGE HOME. Storm at Hong Kong — Loss of the "Osprey" — Sea-birds at the Cape — Simon's Bay — Cormorants — Botany of the Cape — Physical Features of TaWe Bay — Cape Town — Marine Animals of Simon's Bay — Coast of St. Helena — James' Town— Napoleon's Tomb— Ascension — General Features — Crater — Yegetation — Insects — ""Wide-awake Fair" — Boldness of the Birds — Turtle Ponds — Varieties of Turtle — Western Isles— Pico — Fayal — Villa de Horta — Character of Yegetation — Spithead — Conclusion. On the 24th March I embarked on board H.M.S. " Scylla," 21 guns, for the long voyage from Hong Kong to England, a distance of 13,000 miles. The time of year promised favourable weather and fair winds, and the promise was, on the whole, performed. We began by escaping a violent storm at Hong Kong, for scarcely had we passed Green Island when the sky became extraordinarily dark and gloomy. Oh. XXIV.] STOEM AT HONG KONG. 411 and one of the most tremendous squalls wldch I have ever witnessed raged behind us. The blackness which closed in round three sides of us made it so dark as to give rise to the general remark that it was like an ecKpse. The uniform and unbroken mass of cloud near the horizon assumed a ghastly green tint, which was equally unusual and extra- ordinary ; and the heavy black clouds rolled towards us, curling over and over, and hanging down in murky festoons which threatened to form into great waterspouts. For a long time I watched these effects, untouched by a drop of rain ; but at length it fell, though not heavily ; and with it came the wind, which lashed the sea into foam, while the most terrific lightning flashed through the green-black sky. But we had fair weather ahead, and only the skirts of the storm reached us, while the full force of its violence was felt at Canton and Hong Kong. At Canton tremendous hail- stones, as large as pigeons' eggs, fell and did considerable mischief, as well as injury to the population ; while at Hong Kong the storm raged all day with unusual severity. After a delightful passage we reached Singapore on April 3rd, and once more continued our journey on the 11th. As H.M.S. " Osprey " was to leave Singapore a few days after us, and would probably reach the Cape before we left, it was arranged she should bring us our next mails ; and we had, moreover, exchanged some officers with that ship. But the " Osprey " was destined never to reach Simon's Bay : she was wrecked and lost off Cape Agulhas, the first intimation of which reached us after we had weighed anchor and were standing out from St. Helena, when the Cape mail arrived, and we were all set speculating by a signal from the station ship, which we were just within distance to read — " Osprey" lost ; all hands saved. 412 RAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXIV. The voyage across the Indian Ocean, from Java Head to the South African coast, was long and uneventful. As we approached the coast large numbers of sea birds almost con- stantly accompanied the ship, of which perhaps the most common was the fork-tailed petrel (Thalassidroma Leachii). The first time I observed them was 1300 miles west of Java Head, where the only intervening land was the Keeling Islands. They flew about the ship's wake, skimming over the crests of the waves, and evidently quite at ease ; every now and then putting out their legs as though touching the surface, or running along the water. Night and day they followed the ship for weeks together, never appearing to rest. But whence they come, where they live, how they sleep or rest, is a mystery. If on the water, why are they not snapped up by predaceous fish ? That some of these birds are of nocturnal habits is proved by the fact that I have seen, when 24 hours' sail from Ascension, a bird hovering over the ship in the moonlight, sailing to and fro across the moon's disc, for some hours, and that when no birds had been observed about the ship for some days. Tropic birds (Phaethon) also made their appearance in long. 62° E., and lat. 23J° S., when we were 17 or 18 days distant from land in either direction. But when near the South African coast the fork-tailed petrels were accompanied by the sooty petrel, or Cape hens (Puffinus major). Cape pigeons (Daption capense), moUy- mawks (Diomedea chlororhynchus), whale-birds, and even gaimet (Sula capensis), which last I observed at least 70 miles from land. When, however, we were blown oif the coast by a north-wester, the fork-tailed petrels, and moUy- mawks, or yellow-billed albatross, were the only birds which seemed at home in the gale. The latter are siugularly graceful in their flight. They swim well and rapidly ; and Ch. XXIV.] SEA-BIEDS. 413 when leaving the water assist themselves to rise by their feet, running quickly for some distance along the surface until they are fairly above the water. How they propel them- selves in the air is difficult to understand ; for they scarcely ever flap their wings, but sail gracefully along, swaying from side to side, sometimes skimming the water so closely that the point of one wing dips into it, then rising up like a boomerang into the air, — then descending again, and flying with the wind, or against it, apparently with equal facility. Now and then, but seldom, they give two rapid flaps with their wings, but to see this they must be watched. After having been twice repulsed, we entered False Bay on May 23rd, and anchored off Simon's Tovm, where we were consoled for not having touched at the Mauritius, by the news that that island was scourged by a terrible plague which had been brought, it was said, by some Chinese coolies, and had spread with frightful rapidity, decimating the inhabitants, more especially however the native popula- tion, and driving numbers away to seek for safety in more healthy places. Had we called there we could have held no communication with the shore, and should have gone out of our way for no purpose. Simon's Bay is a sheltered comer of False Bay, one of the largest and deepest of the South African bays, which has the narrow range constituting the Cape of Good Hope be- tween it and the Atlantic. Ships passing round from the East have occasionally entered it, believing that they have rounded the Cape, and hence its name. This bay is, of course, greatly exposed to southern gales, the rollers from which run fairly into it ; but as the north-west comer is hollowed out, it forms a well protected harbour, around which a naval establishment and. small town have arisen. 414 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXIV. Here all Her Majesty's vessels touch in rounding the Cape, Table Bay being too exposed a situation, mth no shelter from west and north-westerly gales, though in this latter place all merchant ships anchor. Simon's Town, as it is called, is a cluster of white houses at the base of the lofty and barren lulls which connect the Cape of Good Hope with Cape Town. The shores are piled with boulders of granite, and more than one laVge tabular mass appears above the water, affording resting-places to thousands of cormorants, which during the day make periodical excursions to the sandy beaches at the head of False Bay, streaming in long black lines along the surface of the water, and at midday leaving without a single occupant those rocks which at morn- ings and evenings are blackened with their numbers. They were of the common species — (Phalacrocorax carbo). It was curious to watch these birds feeding here and there upon the shore upon substances thrown up by the tide. Standing in the water just where the waves broke, they would have been tumbled over by every advancing billow, but, watching the critical moment, they would rapidly dive under the wave and thus avoid it, and then proceed with their search tUl the next came, when they would repeat the process. Such numbers of fish-eating birds (and besides these there were plenty of gannets and terns) argue large quantities of fish, and Simon's Bay has the reputation of abounding with them. I myself saw, when looking over the bay from a slight elevation, at least half a dozen large shoals at the same time, splashing about and disturbing the water like so many cat's- paws upon the surface. One of these shoals, which I ob- served close under the ship, consisted of myriads of fishes, averaging from two to eight inches long. The first thing which strikes the botanist on landing at Ch. XXIV.] FALSE BAY. 415 Simon's Town is the number of Opuntias (Cacti) which grow upon the rocks, a circumstance at least remarkable when it is remembered that the Cactacese are an American order, un- known in Africa. I believe, however, that having been im- ported from America, they have found a suitable habitat upon rocks of the Cape, and have readily become naturalized there, and spread throughout the colony. The representative orders, Crassulaceee and Euphorbiacese, however, abound everywhere. Great aloes, also, with fruiting stems 20 feet high — trees of Oleander and Casuarina, and other remark- able vegetable forms, strike the eye as novel and interesting : and among the abundant verdure at the foot of the hills elegant herbaceous Amaryllids and Cape heaths (Ericaceae) meet the eye in every direction. False Bay, seen from the Cape road which runs south- ward from Simon's Bay, has the appearance of a vast lake, closed in on the opposite side by a long line of craggy peaks, which are misty and indistinct from distance, and which bound the eastern side of the bay.- Instead, however, of closing round the north side, they continue to run on in- land with a northerly course as far as the eye can reach, while the precipitous and rugged mountains on the western side, which arise directly from the sea at the Cape of Good Hope, also run northward and terminate in Table Mountain, which slopes immediately upon Table Bay. Between these the waters of False Bay wash upon a sloping sandy beach, and a tolerably level plaia extends between the two ranges for a considerable distance, as though it were at one time deeper and of considerably greater extent than it is at present. An indifferent road skirts the bases of the hills on the western side towards Cape Town, which is, in many places, diverted on to the sea-beach, and at high-tide the 416 RAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XXIV. wheels of the conveyance are washed up to the axles by the advancing waves. Where, however, a legitimate road exists, it runs through numerous fishing stations, and beside cot- tages and gardens betokening a well-populated country. One suggestive circumstance I remarked in passing the head of the bay, viz. the frequency with which the fences were formed of, or replaced by, the ribs and other bones of whales, proving how commonly these animals .were washed up on the beach by the southerly winds. Farther on, the numerous villas, with plantations and gardens, indicate the proximity to Cape Town, the higher classes of which almost universally live at a distance from town, the convenience of a railway from Cape Town to Wynberg favouring this practice. This, in fact, may be regarded as the principal suburb of the capital, although situated at a distance of seven or eight miles from it. It seems a pity that the railway is not further extended to Simon's Town ; but there appears to be no chance of such an extension, for the colony is unfortunately not at present in so flourishing a condition as to be able to lay out so large a sum of money. Indeed, owing to the much superior anchorage of Simon's Bay, it may be anticipated that many ships now anchoring in Table Bay would prefer the former, if cargo could be readily transported across to Cape Town, so that the construction of a railway would possibly tend to injure the latter place. Cape Town is handsomely built : the streets wide and the shops good. Perhaps the finest public building is the South African Museum, superintended by Mr. E. L. Layard. I did not observe much in it of special interest, except some flint implements, . which Mr. Layard pointed out to me as having been recently found in the colony, and which have Ch. XXIV.] BOOKS AT SIMON'S BAY. 417 the unmistakeable impress of relationship to those found in Europe, certainly a very remarkable fact, and wonderfully extending the geographical area of those early inhabitants of the earth whose first traces have been so ably followed up in Great Britain, France, Switzerland, and Denmark. Attached to the Museum is an admirable library and reading-room, which includes the munificent gift of Sir George Grey, the late Governor, and which was rich in valuable MSS. and early editions of works dear to the bibliophile. Mr. M'Gibbon, the curator of the Botanic Gardens, kindly accompanied me over that establishment, which adjoins the Museum. I hoped to have found a collection of Cape plants in it, but was disappointed, and but few plants had names attached to them. The Colonial Govern- ment grants the sum of £250 per anmmi for its support, which, it must be allowed, is small enough, and for which the respectable condition of the garden was ample return. The sea-shore at Simon's Bay is strewed with boulders of grey granite, much exposed, but affording some sheltered crannies, in which were beautiful natural aquaria, contain- ing a number of Actiniae of a crimson colour, closely re- sembling our A. mesembryanthemum, as well as others of a white and buff colour. The dominant mollusk was cer- tainly Patella (Limpet) ; not only did numerous forms of Patellae strew the sand, but large and handsome ones ad- hered to the rocks, overgrown with seaweed, and looking like little moving pastures. In one of these large limpets (Patella oculus) which I removed, I found a very pretty mottled Planaria ensconced under the mantle. Next to Limpets, Trochi were most common. Two Eehinoderms, both probably new, rewarded my search. One of them was 418 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. XXIV. an Asterina, most beautifully variegated with bright red, white, and blue, but extremely variable in pattern, so that no two of them were alike. The arrangement of the colour was in spots or papillse, precisely resembling the effect of Berlin- wool work, each papilla being of some definite colour, and adjacent papillae being often strongly contrasted. It was in considerable profusion on the rocks leading to the Cape of Good Hope. The other Echinoderm was a small Echinus, also extremely variable ili colouring. There were three distinct varieties, — the spines of one of a rich scarlet, with an undergrowth of small olive-green spines, and tentacles of metallic blue ; the second variety had deep violet spines and brown tentacles ; and the third, pale reddish or buff, the most common form. We left Simon's Bay on 28th May, and on the 8th of June cast anchor at James Town, St. Helena. The ap- proach to this remarkable island is very interesting; and two pointed peaks ia the east and west end of it re- spectively, having steep escarpments towards the sea, and smooth, gentle descents on the landward side, bear witness to its volcanic origin, and have every appearance of being remains of two sides of a great crater, whose other sides had been washed away or demolished by the inroads of the sea through long continued ages. Very bold outlines and peaks, with rich contrasts of light and shade, were developed on a nearer approach; and when quite close, the points of interest in the rugged coast greatly multiplied. . Sharp, serrated peaks, — rows of basaltic crags, with the character- istic sloping talus oi dihris at their bases, — gigantic faces of rock, with thin dykes traversing them irregularly from top to bottom, at right angles to their cleavage, — all formed a fine study, and but too rapidly passed before the eye. Ch. XXIV.] VEGETATION ABOUT JAMES TOWN. 419 One magnificent cliff of black basalt was particujarly strik- ing as we rounded the eastern comer of the island, having numerous overhangiag ledges and ridges of various lengths running along its face. In two or three spots forts had been built, connected by covered ways, while at the base of the rock large caverns were excavated, into which the waves dashed, casting the spray into their arched depths. James Town is situated in a narrow gorge which winds between two lofty barren hills, and extends fully a mile in- land, where the gorge terminates in a cul-de-sac, at the bottom of which is situated " The Briars," a pretty cluster of buildings, where Napoleon took up Ms residence upon his first arrival in the island. In the valley are gardens with cocoa nuts and bananas, which form a pleasant relief to the great barren wall of rock everywhere overhangiag it. Pur- suing the path which winds up the left side of the valley, the rocks are seen to be covered with the prickly pear (Opuntia), which I had remarked as a naturalized plant at the Cape, and is here in great abundance, having the reputation of being an importation firom the West Indies. Mingled with it were great numbers of scarlet geraniums (Pelargonium), now in full bloom. White Daturse (May-apple) and other plants grew by the road-side, and at the top of the ridge were pretty and shady woods of wiUows, with bushes of Buddlea, the open spots being covered with real English gorse (Ulex europsea) full of yellow blossoms, and growing in a good rich soil. From this hill could be seen those points which render the island historically interesting in connection with Na- poleon Bonaparte. Looking across a most desolate valley, the bottom of which was deep and dark, the cluster of bmld- iags constituting Longwood might be seen peeping out of a- E E 2 420 , EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XXIV, few trees which crowned the crest of the opposite ridge ; and down in the valley where it narrowed on the right, and be- came more pleasing and somewhat verdant, was the spot where the great Emperor found his last small but sufficient empire. His bones are no longer there ; but the spot is still venerated by those who hold dear the traditions of the empire, and who reverence the name of the man whose rest- less ambition desolated thousands of homes, and covered France with glory. A massive square slab of stone, sin:- rounded by an iron railing, within which are planted scarlet geraniums, and over which hangs a stunted weeping willow, is the true description of this "last scene of all of his event- ful history." The enclosure is small, hilly on three sides, and planted around with trees, among which the sombre tints of the funereal cypress are conspicuous. The island of St. Helena appears to abound with beauti- ful views and varied scenery, and I very much regretted having to leave it without a fuller exploration ; but we weighed anchor next day, and, with a fair wind, stood away for Ascension, and once more cast anchor off George Town on the 13th of June. The volcanic island of Ascension, as approached from the sea, has not so striking an appearance as St. Helena; but owing to its peculiar and predominant rufous colour, and desolate aspect, it is not a little remarkable. Sloping rocks of the roughest lava, broken here and there by sandy bays, stretch along the shore, and the island consists of an irregular series of conical hills of various heights, above which towers Green Mountain, 2800 feet high, whose summit is crowned with trees and green fields, and offers a strong contrast to the other hiUs, which are reddish or brown, according to the colour of the ashes and cinders of which they are composed. Ch. XXIV.] ASCENSION. 421 The settlement of George Town is entirely naval in its cha- racter, being formed of a number of departmental officers, and of marines, who are all borne on the books of H.M.S. " Flora," 40 guns, which lies off this place, and whose cap- tain is styled the " Captain of the Island." Everything is conducted with the strictest reference to naval discipline, and the island is nothing more nor less than a ship ashore. The landing-place is very indifferent, mere steps cut in the rock, and therefore entirely inaccessible in bad weather. It is well known that the great waves of the Atlantic often set in upon the rock in the form of rollers, even in fine weather, and it can never be predicted when they may make their ap- pearance ; but whenever they do so all communication be- tween the ships and the shore is cut off, except by signal. It is one of the duties of the master of the " Flora " to di- rect a flag to be hoisted on the signal-hill when this state of things occurs, and that is pretty frequently. As our stay was to be limited to one day I was thankful that the weather was calm and the sea permitted us to land ; and having done so, I bent my steps in the direction of South- West Bay, with the intention of visiting " Wide-awake Fair," and at the same time exploring some of the geological features of this remarkable island. The whole of Ascension is an erupted mass, the antiquity of which can only be judged of by the worn condition of its surface ; but it is entirely the product of a once active, but long since extinct, volcano. Green Mountain, the culminating point, is probably the parent cone, around which a great number of secondary cones and craters are clustered, the rough trachytic lavas of which run sloping to the beach round the greater part of the island. One or two tolerable roads have been formed, which greatly 422 BAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. XXIV.. save the labour of walking in a country where the surface of the ground is heaped with rough and sharp-pointed cinders, which look like the product of a myriad furnaces, and to which the " black country " of Staffordshire is a trifle. From these arise conical hills of a reddish colour, covered with fine ashes, which crackle under the feet, and from out of which peep the rounded overhanging ledges formed by molten lava. Down these hills streams of water have poured during the brief and uncertaiu wet seasons, forming water-courses which run between the rounded knolls, which look like roches moutonnees at the base, and intersect the lava-fields down to the beach. For rain falls occasionally on the island, though unfrequently ; and on the day of our arrival it was wet : it rained all night, and next morning Green Mountain was enveloped in cloud. Other hills are hollow and crateriform, the sides formed of loose masses of slag or clinker of various sizes. Up one of these I clambered, and found the interior deep and cup-shaped, but incomplete on one side, the bottom beiug a small level deposit of mud and sand, produced by the washings of the cinders in wet weather ; among these cinders I found several fragments of exploded volcanic bombs, such as are described and figured by Mr. Darwin in his notice of the island. From this elevation the view was most striking : a deep and broad rocky vaUey in the fore ground, covered with screaming sea-fowl, beyond which arose an irregular series of naked and desolate conical hUls piled one above another in chaotic confusion, but surmounted by the verdant and fertile heights of Green Mountain, upon which may be de- scried trees, meadows and pastures, like the Delectable Moun- tains seen afar off by the pilgrims. It must not be supposed, however, that the surface of the Ch. XXTV.] insects of ascension. 423 ♦ island is absolutely without yegetation. The cinders in many places are incrusted with white and gray lichens (Par- melia and Eoscella). Some are overgrown with more luxu- riant species, as Physcia csesia, and I also observed a deep- green incrustiag lichen on the sea-shore. Many spots, also, in the water-courses, are quite cheerful with patches of bright green, and several flowers spring up here and there which have. escaped from the gardens on Green Mountain. I was informed that some person had been in the habit of scatter- ing seeds over various parts of the island. I noticed two species of grasses, a Sonchus, an Aster with scented leaves, &c. The most common plants, however, were the castor-oil (Eicinus), a very handsome yellow poppy with prickly white- veined leaves, and a large-flowered plant (Vinca rosea) which is known on the island as the Madagascar Rose, and is re- ported to have been imported from thence. Among this vegetation a few insects occur : large red- winged locusts fly about among the rocks, and a fat black cricket is common — I also saw a pale brown one, but could not catch it. A Httle moth, very prettily marked, is com- mon wherever a certain succulent plant occurred, and flew 'about among the rocks, settling for a moment and then taking wing again, unless it happened to get in the shelter of a crevice in the honeycomb of a cinder, where it seemed to consider itself safe.* A somewhat larger pale brown moth I also noticed from time to time ; but it flew rapidly and was aided by a strong breeze which was blowing, and appears usually to be blowing, over the island. Besides * My friend, Mr. Stainton, informs me that this little moth is Hymenia reourvalis, of Fabricius, and that the British Museum possesses specimens of it from, Jamaica, Sierra Leone, Ceylon, Bagdad, India, China, Australia, and New Zealand. To these localities must now he added Ascension, so that this little feehle insect is literally cosmopolitan. 424 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXIV these insects I saw carrion flies upon the rocks, a hunting spider, and numerous small carrion beetles (Dermestes) in situations to be presently mentioned. The lava and cinders in the neighbourhood of South-West Bay are whitened here and there by the dung of sea-birds ; but the extraordinary scene of the breeding-place of the terns, or wide-awakes, and called " Wide-awake Fair," is a long valley situated about half a mile from the sea in the south-eastern part of the island. The approach to this valley is indicated by an overpowering odour arising from their deposits, which, however, do not accumulate as in some guano islands. Seen from the hill above, this vaUey looks as though a light fall of snow had partially whitened it ; but in no place was there any appreciable depth of deposit. The birds themselves are in immense numbers, hovering over the valley, screaming and making various discordant noises, which, heard at a distance, sound like the murmur of a vast crowd. They are elegant and graceful birds, glossy black above and snowy white beneath, with white foreheads, straight compressed beaks and long forked tails : they measured 2 ft. 6 in. from tip to tip of the wings, which are long and pointed. As soon as a visitor makes his appearance among the nests, numberless birds arise screaming in the air, and form a com- plete canopy over his head ; some, bolder than the rest, fly so close that it is the easiest thing in the world to knock them down with a stick, and it is even necessary to strike at them occasionally and give them a slight tap to admonish them not to use their biUs against one's face. Meantime crowds of little ones, of aU ages and sizes, some covered with a grey down and others almost fully fledged, run hither and thither, tumbling over the stones in their hurry to esc'ape from the intruder. Here a chick has but just broken the Ch, XXIV.] " WIDE-AWAKE FAIR." 423 egg, and ■ the, parent bird is nestling over it, and does not leave it until you arrive so close that you could stretch out your arm and take it up. Eggs lay scattered aU over the place, deposited in little hoUows in the sand, about as large as the palm of the hand, which is aU the nest that the "wide-awake" considers necessary; and in several of the rocky crevices in which these eggs were deposited the skele- ton or half-decayed body of an adult bird, but more fre- quently a young one, upon which a number of carrion beetles were busy, showed where it had died and rotted beside the nest. At the particular season at which I visited this singular spot, the birds were in every stage of growth, from the newly- hatched chick to the bird with first year's plumage, flying with the rest. Eggs also were abundant, but never more than one in the same nest ; and although the parent bird was in some cases sitting upon fresh or half-hatched ones, in a great many instances the eggs were cracked, and either rot- ten or dried up. Many that I picked up felt light and empty, although scarcely injured, and others which I broke contained carrion beetles or their grubs. The eggs were very variously marked, and had not a little variety of form : the common appearance of them was round at one end and pointed at the other, about the size of a plover's egg, and in colour a whitish ground, blotched with faint purplish and distinct rich brown blotches, which often formed a ring round the larger end ; but some which I noticed were long and pointed at both ends, and without blotches, but speckled with small purplish and brown spots. There was no other kind of bird, however, visible in the whole valley. It would be easy for any person to fill a sack with adult birds, although he possessed no other weapon than a stick ; 426 EAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XXIV. and too many of the visitors are not content without maim- ing a number in mere wantonness ; so that the poor birds can hardly be said to dwell unmolested ; nevertheless, as long at least as they have nests and eggs to look after, they evince what I should characterize as boldness rather than tameness. I should consider the Solan geese on the Bass Eock as tamer than the " wide-awakes " of Ascension. Before leaving the island I visited the turtle-ponds, where these animals are kept in store ; for Ascension, barren and desolate as it is, has yet one product in which it is not exceeded by any part of the world, viz., turtle. The sandy bays of the island are visited by great numbers of these un- wieldy and valuable reptUes, which, entirely marine and oceanic in their habits, visit the shore solely for the deposi- tion of their eggs, and are secured on these occasions by being cut off from their retreat to the sea and turned over on their backs, and then conveyed at leisure to the reservoirs provided for their reception. The sandy shore adjoining George Town, I was informed, is no longer so rich and profitable a beach as it once was, the reason probably being that turtle, like birds of passage, return again and again to the same spot to deposit their eggs ; and on this beach, as being most accessible, the greatest number of turtle have been turned, so that but few visit it at present. No one but the government authorities is allowed to interfere with this source of emolument, and the turtle form a staple article of food upon the island, being served out twice a week ; but the animals are sent to persons in authority in England, and are supplied to merchant ships at the rate of iG2 10s. each. The season was just over when I visited Ascension, and the turtle-ponds contained eighty-two animals. These ponds, two in number, were on the sea-beach, each 50 or 60 feet Ch. XXIV.] TURTLE. 427 square, and three or four feet deep, and the sea is allowed to wash into them through two grated channels. All the turtle, however, were in one of these enclosures, and could be seen swimming about, ever and anon raising their stupid-lookiug heads above the surface and snorting out a jet of water. They seemed to crowd together in one comer, where each wave as it broke sent a rush of fresh sea-water into the pond. Numerous small fishes and crabs swam about them unmolested ; but on inquiry I learned that they are never fed, although they are not unfrequently kept in the reser- voirs for a year or more after capture. They were very variously marked, some with large black spots, others with indistinct radiating streaks upon the plates, and several had a large white patch in the middle of the carapace. One in particular was conspicuous from its very peculiar form. In- stead of being gently rounded as usual, the carapace was high and terminated in a ridge, which, as it swam about, was elevated fully six inches above the water — a conforma- tion which it appears occasionally, although rarely, occurs. "While I was watching them, preparations were made for getting one out of the pond. A negro walked into the midst of them, and having selected one, he tied a cord round one of the anterior fins, by which it was pulled by several other negroes out of the pond by main force, and laid upon its back on a small four-wheeled carriage prepared for it, in which helpless position it was dragged away without a struggle. On the lava rock adjacent, where the waves break with great violence, numbers of beautifully coloured crabs (Grapsi, n. s.) ran actively about; the pools abounded with large purple-spined Echini, ensconced in round hollows, and beautiful azure and banded rock fish ; but the only seaweed I observed was the cosmopolitan peacock's-tail (Padina 428 EAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XXIV. pavonia). My exploration, however, was necessarily brief, as I was obliged forthwith to rejoin the ship. A long succession of cahns, with occasional light winds from the north-east, carried us so far west, and consumed so much coal, that it was determined to make for the Azores, and put into the port of Horta, in the island of Fayal, for fresh suppKes. Accordingly, just as we had left the Sargasso Sea behind, we came in sight of the islands on July 11th. The first sight of the western isles from the south is very re- markable ; the island immediately east of Fayal, called Pico, towers up to the height of 7600 feet, and the pointed apex appeared just above a belt of cloud, and seemed to reach the very skies, its apparent height being greatly magnified by this circumstance. All the morning, as we neared it, the clouds varied but little, and the black top seemed almost to overhang the ship. Nor was the island of Fayal less in- teresting, although in a different way. The whole southern side, gently sloping from a long ridge towards the shore, was most beautifully cultivated, and mapped out into yellow fields, interspersed with green patches high up the hill side ; while numerous white cottages were dotted over the landscape. Many parallel ravines running down the slope afforded sheltered spots, in which white houses were clustered ; and the whole formed a delightful picture of fertility and repose, which gradually opened up new points of beauty as we came nearer. ■ Standing on the forecastle admiring this picture, I could turn to the calm sea in which clusters of Salpse were swim- ming, accompanied by various species of jelly-fish, while flocks of sea birds sat here and there upon the water, and porpoises rolled about merrily. Presently the trenchant fin of a shark appeared right ahead ; and leaning over the bows, Ch. XXIV.] AZOEES. 429 I watched him swimming hither and thither, tmtil he was nearly under the cut-water, when, to my delight, I observed it to be a large shark of the hammer-headed species (Zygaena malleus), twelve or fourteen feet long. "While he was fuUy in view he suddenly darted off out of danger ; but his fin could be seen for some time after on the quarter. As we rounded the east side of Fayal to enter Horta Bay we passed two great shapeless rocks, one of a dark brown and the other red, which showed the volcanic structure of the island ; for all this fertiUty and verdure cover an extract volcano, and even yet shocks of earthquake are not un- frequent. It was Hke the cloven hoof peeping out from under a gorgeous robe ; but even one of these rocks was terraced with viues on the landward side. The Villa de Horta is a charmiagly situated place, and looks extremely pretty from any poiat, set as it is against a background of highly cultivated fields and hills ; while the majestic mountain of Pico, on the other side of the bay, forms a fine object from the landward. When disencumbered of clouds, however, it did not appear nearly so lofty as when we first saw it. Small craters may be seen upon its sloping sides, as well as some cultivation and a few white houses ; but it is said that the great cone occasionally smokes. Only a week or two before my visit a small island was thrown up in the sea near St. Michael by volcanic agency.* * During the past year the Azores have been the theatre of unusual volcanic excitement, extending from December 1866 to August 1867. On May 25th last, between half-past two and midnight, there were experienced no less than fifty-seven distinct shocks of earthquake. Five days later the ground was in constant motion — and on the 1st of June there was a violent earthquake and volcanic eruption, the day after which the sea was covered with a layer of sulphur — the water appeared to boil, and jets were thrown up. On the 4th of June sulphuretted hydrogen fumes were given out ; there was an earthquake 430 EAMBLteS OP A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XXIV. The streets of Horta were quiet and very hot, and the people of all classes (Portuguese) extremely polite. Here we pur- chased fresh beef at fourpence halfpenny per pound, and small fowls at four shilliags the dozen. Priests and nuns, the latter with enormous heavy black hoods, which gave them an extra- ordinary appearance, abound ; and, if report spoke correctly, the people stand in some awe of the former. The Free- masons, particularly, were forced to hold their meetiugs by stealth, owing to the anxiety shown by the priests to become acquainted with the masonic mysteries. Outside the town the walks are not so pleasant as appeared from the sea ; for the roads are all sunk between lofty rough stone walls, and there is no shelter whatever from the rays of the sun. The chief crop seemed to be rye, which was ripening for the harvest. I was much struck in my walk in Fayal with the great re- semblance which its natural productions bore to those of this country. The road-side vegetation, which was all I could observe, seemed quite familiar to me, and I gathered the following common British flowers as I went along, viz.. Geranium molle, Lapsana communis. Sisymbrium officiuale. Verbena officinalis. Cotyledon umbilicus, Veronica officinalis, Trifolium album, Malva rotundifolia, and Hordeum sylvati- cum. The common white butterfly (Pontia) crossed my path from time to time ; and I saw, and heard sing, the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) for the first time since I left England. As we quitted Fayal the island of St. George had the aspect of a long rugged rock, with steep sides, cut into numerous ravines, all having an uniform neutral tint, dashed here and there with green. Terceira lay ia the distance among the clouds of the eastern horizon ; and Gloriosa we on the 27th, and a slight oscillation, on the 17th of August, since which it appears that the volcanic forces have teen more or less at rest. Ch. XXrV.] EETEOSPECT. 431 passed near enough to see that it was ciiltivated and mapped into fields, and had a large town on the west side, near which rose a sacro monte of considerable size, whose white chapels glistened in the sun. A favourable breeze brought us in a few more days into the Channel, and on the 21st July we dropped anchor at Spithead. In conclusion, and by way of retrospect, I may safely say that any one who will imdertake such a voyage as that whose incidents I have recounted in the foregoing pages, will find himself amply repaid by the stores of information which he will insensibly but surely acquire by the constant observa- tion of the phenomena around him ; and he cannot fail at once to enrich his own mind, and to benefit science,, if he will only faithfiilly use the opportunities which fall to his lot. These opportunities of course will vaiy with circum- stances, and are imfortunately, under the most favourable conditions, not all that could be desired or wished ; never- theless they will sometimes occur, even in the most adverse cases, and so much is to be learned of marine animal life within the tropics, that the most striking and novel facts come to light when least expected or looked for. Whenever the dredge can be used, a rich harvest is almost sure to result — ^propoi-tionate to the rarity of the opportunity, which in my experience was very great. But much may always be done by a diligent investigator upon the shore, or by wading in shallow places. And even when at sea, one need never be idle, for there is abundant occupation for the microscope and the pencil in the contents of the towing-net, or in the numerous organisms which may be observed in occasional calms. The great drawback in a ship of war is the necessity 432 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. XXIV. for using steam when no longer propelled by the wind, and the difficulty of procuring a boat to be lowered when any- thing unusual or novel is seen floating, and which might by this means be easUy procured. On my way home I often devoutly wished I was in a sailing vessel, that I might have revelled in the wonderful richness and variety of animal forms which nearly a thousand miles of calms afforded ; and doubtless greater opportunities would be enjoyed in a cruise with an intelligent merchant captain, than in a man-of-war — especially if in the latter case one is hampered by the crotchets and caprices of an unsympathetic commander. The chief drawback to travelling ia merchant vessels would be of course their more limited range, and their avoidance of intermediate ports — circumstances which, however, might or might not be hostile to researches of this nature. They would, however, naturally avoid reefs as they would poison ; and interesting land journeys would seldom be possible to those using them. I cannot help feeling great regret that the wonderful advantages which fall to the lot of many of our naval officers are so totally lost. They have their duties on board ship to perform, it is true, but that some of them should not have learned to relieve the dull and unendurable monotony of sea life by such studies is to me unaccountable. The medical officers especially, whose education would most fit them for these pursuits, and who have by far the most leisure at their disposal, might be expected to follow them with no less of advantage to themselves than of benefit to science ; but it is only one in a thousand who troubles him- self to observe what passes around him, or makes any exertion to share in the reputation acquired by a few of their fellow-surgeons, such as an Adams, or a Macdonald. Cn. XXIV.] CONCLUSION. 433 Indeed there seems to me to be more hope of valuable materials being accumulated by the better class of merchant- skippers than by any branch of the naval service ; and I am acquainted with several merchant-captains who bring home at the conclusion of every voyage industriously-formed collections and inteUigently-written observations, which are of much interest, and are j'early becoming of more import- ance. I have been at some pains to bring about this end, and have to some extent succeeded, though time alone can evolve a more complete and general practical result. The Admiralty has long since issued a useful scientific manual for the use of its officers, which affords them every information as to what, and how, they should set about observing ; but, as far as I had an opportunity of seeing, it meets with general neglect from those for whom it was written. "Whether the time will come when the fleet of Her Majesty's vessels which visit every sea, and which are stationed for months or years together upon interesting coasts otherwise little known, shall be looked upon as sources of scientific material which shall bear any propor- tion to the opportunities enjoyed and the treasures spent upon them, is a question which cannot now be s/)lved ; we can only hope that a very desirable change in this respect may by degrees be brought about, which cannot fail to be greatly to the advantage of naval officers as a class. APPENDIX. Vocabulary of words used by the natiyes of Sau-o Bay, East Coast of Formosa (see Chapter VII.). I. Numerals. One . Two. Three Four Five etah (or issah). Six . . . lu-sah. Seven . . too-roo. Eight . . s6o-pah. Nine . . le-mah (or e-mah). Ten . . . m-um. pe-tou. ah-roo (or ah-loo). se-wah. ste-rei. Ten is also represented by w6n-ei, thus- Eleven , Twelve . wdn-ei is-sah. won-ei lu-sah. Thirteen Nineteen won-ei too-roo. won-ei se-wah. But twenty requires the other word for ten, as ; Twenty Twenty-one . Twenty-two . Twenty-nine Thirty . Forty . and so on to ninely. lu-sah ste-rei. lu-sah ste-rei is-sah. lu-sah ste-rei lu-sah. lu-sah ste-rei se-wah. too-roo ste-rei. soo-pah ste-rei ; Hundred One hundred (100) Two hundred (200) Three hundred (300) One thousand (1000) 1866 . see-voo. is-sah see-voo. lu-sah see-voo. too-roo see-voo. is-sah Ja-ra-Ian. issah ra-fa-ran ah-loo see-voo in-um stS-fei in-'um. SAU-0 VOCABULARY. 435 2. Parts of the Body. Head Hand Eye . Nose Teeth Hair Whiskers (also beard) hoo-roo. Calf of the leg . rah-pan. roo-kahp. Buttock . poo-noon. mah-tah. Breast . ta-roo-nah. hoo-n6oiig. Arm . ree-mah. bim-ga-rdw. Knee . too-sol. woo-koose. Thigh . pa-na-ni-yan moo-moose. Foot . ree-kan. 3. Personal. Man (male) ma-roo-nah-nee. "Woman (female) ta-roo-ang. (The' first includes hoys, the second girls. ) Children (boys or girls) soo-niss. Old man na-ka-lan. Old woman vai-vadam. Mother te-na. Themselves {i.e. the tame aborigines) . . Ka-ba-lan. The wild aborigines of the hills .... Ma-too-mal. The Chinese Bo-soos.- 4. Articles of Dress and Furniture. Coat .... hoo-loose. "Wood . broo-oor. Stick baa-ram. Silk . . see-reet. Belt (either that a- Fishing-net . tchu-e. round waist, orfiUet Eoof of house . rah-poo. around the head) . bar-oon. Linen . see-u. Hat (native bamboo) ro-co. Pearl button . 'tow-ear. European hat . koo-boo. Merino . nee. Jacket hoo-loose. Eed tape . . trang-e-tang Trowsers . kwun. Knife . sa-rick. Shoes la-po. "Worsted . . ong-lee-pee. Petticoat . lap - pi - yan, Cotton . see-rah. or ma-san. Thread (of i aative Bag or pocket . roo-boose. manufacture . tim-re-an. Cigar rai-poot. Native cloth . ha-bah. Beads e-toose. Shirt . rap-pou. Bottle bfas-co. • F ¥ 2 436 APPENDIX. 5. Names of Animals. Dog . . . Pig . . . Goat . Padi bird (Heron) Cock . Hen . wah-soo. ma-wo-nee. koo-loo boo-lan. ah-larm. drach-hook (gut- tural), tee-na-na. Fish . Fishing Butterfly Crab . Echimis soo-soo-se-na. vow-hoot. ta-pong-i-tchue. boo-row. wah-Jang. karna-sow. 6. Articles of Food. Sugar (loaf) Eice Boiled rice wan-mg. brass. 7. The Elements, &c. Kaiu . oo-rahu. Fire . ra-mah. "Wind . . vaf-lee. Brass . pa-oo. Sun . . . . ner-luu. Iron . bah-liss Surf (on beach) . naf-een. Silver (coin) . . pe-lah. Reed-pipe . . wah-koo-par-in. Copper cash . ka-ri-sew "Wood-pipe . . kwa-ko. Rice-straw (thatch) rra-mi. Broom . . kai-sing. Lily . . . soo-a-yee Matchlock . . rah-pil-sa. Grass (or dried lily Tree . . ba?-in. straw) bfUB. Slate . . va-vow. Yes . ai-e. Hills . . ta-kefr. No . . . mo. Junk . . wa-pi. Sai-ah-nee. Mah-now. 9. Names of Mm. Too-bah. Pah-keek. E-pai-ee. Kin-lee-yan. Moo-hoot. 10. Nam^s of Women. Sing-ow. Ar-pee (a young girl). Sow-bahn. DIALECT OF KB-LUNG. 437 Note. — All the above words are to be pronounced just as they are written, with English pronunciation. An accent has been placed upon some syllables, just to show the prominent part of the word ; and the circumflex over the r's shows that they should be trilled or rolled. The r's and I's were in many cases used indifferently by the same person, and appear to be interchange- able. One thing is especially worthy of remark as differentiating these people irom the Chinese, viz. the number and strong pronunciation of the r's in their language, while it is well known that the Chinese cannot sound that letter at all — thus, for rice, all Chinese say lice. I may perhaps add to this a few words of the dialect used by the Chinese inhabitants of Ke-lung ; as follows — One . Two . Three . Four . Five . Six . Seven . Eight . Head Breasts Nipple Eye . Ear . Nose . Mouth Numerals. tehee. Nine . nung. Ten . sah. Eleven see. Twelve gaw. Thirteen lak. Fourteen tcheet. Thirty pooie. Forty . Parts I if Body. kow-moon. Hair sa-woie. Teeth knee. Chin mat-chew. Tongue e-yah. Neck pee. Buttocks tchu-e. Hand chew, chap, eet. eet-gee. eet-sah. eet-see, &c. sah -chap, see-chap. tow-en. tchu-e-kee. tsui-tu. tgee. am-koon. kart-chung. tching-towa, 438 APPENDIX. Miscellaneous Words. Shell . . soo-ma. Rain . . haw. Button . du-wu. Dog . ■ gow. Hat . . bo. Chicken . koo-ey. Bamtoo Lat . looi. Boy (or girl) . ginna. Leaf . . tcheung. Boy . . tchapoiginna. To write . seow-pah. Girl . . sawo-ginna. Stick . . kwoi-a. Man . . tchapoi-tworang. Pencil . peeat. Woman . sawo-tworang. INDEX. Aborigines (tame) of Formosa, 104 costume of, 106 characteristics of, 108 (wild) searoli for, 107 Acridotheres oristateUus, 319 Actinia, new genus of, 1 98, 259 floating, 353 gigantic fish-slieltering, 150 Aden, 8 marine animals at, 9 Admiral, visit of Chinese, 116 Advantages enjoyed by naval officers, 432 Agincourt island, 123 Agriculture of the Dyaks, 214 Agri-Horticultural gardens, 253 Albatross (yeUow-bUled), 412 Albicores, 366, 378 Alexandria, 4 Alima hyalina, 56 Alligator, 193 bird, 230 Alpheus (habits of), 136 Amphibious habits of Malay chil- dren, 245 Ants, 232, 291 Apes-hill, Ta/-kau, 39 Aplysia, 98 Ascension, 420 vegetation and insects of, 423 Asterias, 191 Asterina, 197, 418 Atlanta Peronii, 55 Atmospheric phenomena, 146 Attaps, 214 AureUa, 360 not luminous, 399, 40G Azores, 428 volcanic disturbance at, 429 Bamboo, 63, 214 Banca Straits, 213 Barking lizard, 169 Batangs, 236 Bear rock, 3 Be'ooari, Signer, 216 Beetles of Formosa, 71 Labuan, 177 Beggars at Canton, all Bells at Manilla, 296 Berlidah, 235 BerSoids in the Atlantic, 363, 410 Birds of the Delta, 6 between Fratas and Formosa, 28 of Ta-kau, 44 of Makung, 50 of North Formosa, 79 of Labuan, 167 at sea, 412 Bird-keeping in China, 319 Birds' nests, edible, 230 Black islet, Haitan Straits, 131 Boat life in Canton river, 833 songs of Malays, 233 women in China, 18 their infemts, 19 Bogue forts, 331 Bombok, 239 BomeUa digitata, 9 Botanic garden. Cape Town, 417 Boulder clay at Tam-suy, 61 Boys of Formosa, 45, 79 Makung, 47 British character of Azores flora, 430 Brooke, Sir James, 163, 206 Charles Johnson, 206 Bugis, 250 prahus and imports, 250 Butterflies of Labuan, 181 Daat, 185 at sea, 143 Cairo, 6 Calamaris annulata, 160 440 INDEX. Calamary, 49 Calm at sea, 10 Calzada at Manilla, 301 ■ Camphor tree, 156 trade in Formosa, 66 laurel, 157 Canaries, 321 Candle-flies, 255 Canton, strangeness of, 330 and Hong Kong, intercourse between, 328 Cape Town, 416 vegetation, 414 Caricature plant, 15 Carpenter bee, 190 Case of moon-blindness, 309 Catamarans, 38 Cayem at Kelung, 86 Sarawak, 233 Centipedes, 174 Centralisation of Cbinese, 250 Cerapus tubularis, 56 Ceylon, 10 Chains of Salpse, 371 Chama, 147, 149 Chameleons, 171 Chersydrus granulatus, 305 Chiok-chack, 168 reputed luminosity of, 169 Chinese new year, 311 character of the, 326 at Singapore, 249 Chironectes, 367 Christianity, prospects of, in China, 351 Chock-e-day, Formosa, 101 Chops in Canton-Streets, 334 Chromodoris, 125, 149 Chuy-teng-cha, 78 Cicadas, 175 Cinnamon, 267 Citadel of Manilla, 294 Climate of Singapore, 258, 260 Labuan, 198 Cloth (native) of Formosa, 106 Coal-mines at Kelung, 91 quality of, 95 Labuan, 157 company, 159 Cobra, 171 Coccinella in the desert, 7 Cock-fighting at Manilla, 301 Cocoa-nut trees, 188 planting in Singapore, 272 beetles, 272 Coenobitse, 186 Coffee-planting, 207 Coleoptera of North Formosa, 71 Labuan, 177 Colour of oceanic animals, 358, 367 the sea, 387 Comatula, 137, 194, 258 Compound Salpae, 368 second form, 369 Contractility produces light, 408 Coral fish, 96, 147 reef, 146 Corals, living, 147 Cormorants, 414 Correlation of forces, 407 Cotton cultivation, 266 Council of diamond-waahers, 227 Coutts, Miss, 209 Craig island, 118 geology of, 121 Crackers in China, 311 Cranes in Mediterranean, 3 Creseis, 99, 359 Cricket in Keltmg cave, 87 Cycloolypeus, 126 Cymbulia, 99 Daat island, 185, 188, 196 D'Almeida, Mr. Jos^, 264 Dammar trees, 157 resin in coal, 160 Datu of Sarawak, 224 Defects of Chinese government, 340 Deformities of Chinese, 337 Delta of the Nile, 5 Dendractinia, 198 Density of population in Formosa, 81 Dentist, mountebank, 282 Desecration of graves in Labuan, 178 Desert of Suez, 7 Diamonds, 224 washing, 225 bird, 230 Diet of the Chinese, 338 Difficulties at sea, 152 Discontent of Chinese people, 343 Dogs at Makung, 48 Dyak, 217 eating in China, 339 Domestic animals of Formosa, 82 Doria, Marquis, 216 Doridopsis rubra, 259 Doris Bamardii, 51 mantle cutting, 196 exanthemata, 218 Draco volans, 212 Dragon flies, 188, 231 Dredge in Pacific, 125 INDEX. 441 Dredge lost, 127 Drongo, blabk, 79 Duck boats, 76 Dorian, 271 Dutch occupation of Formosa, 36 end of, 58 fort at Makung, 47 Dyaks, 206 first view of, 226 girls, 226, 230, 238, 240 Earthquake at Manilla, 297 Echinus, variable species of, 418 Eclipse of the moon, 221 Electric snakes, 173, note Elephants in Borneo, 216 Elevation of beach at Kelung, 90 Enoe, 198 Entomostraca, red, 130 luminous, 394, 405 Eucharis, 363 Eulima on star-fishes, 191 European influence in China, 344 False Bay, 413 luminosi'fy of, 396 fish numerous in, 414 Fa-tee nurseries. Canton, 335 Fayal, 428 Felis macrocelis, 217 Fiery Cross Reef, 146 Fire-flies, 235 intermittent light of, 254 making, 228 Firola, 55 Fishes living within Actinias, 151, 197 among threads of Physalia, 365 Fishing operations at Kelung, 88 Flies at sea, 142, 31!0, note Flint implements at the Cape, 416 Flora of Middle island, Haitan, 132 Flowers of Sarawak, 215 Fly on the ocean, 357 Flying-fish, 3, 11,31,83 range of, 373 vibration of wings of, 377 abundance of, 879 Flying lizard, 212 squirrel, 210 foxes, 212 " Formby," the, 133 Formosa, character of aborigines of, 35 treaty ports in, 37 mountains of, 37 Fort Zeelandia, 56 Fowls, dyed pink, 217 Frigate bird, 29 Frogs eaten in China, 338 Fungus, luminous, 199 Galeopithecus, 210 Gambler at Sarawak, 210 Singapore, 254, 270 Gambling in China, 279 licensed, 282 floating houses at Canton, 333 Gamboge, 269 Gannets, 13, 29 of Pratas island, 30 Gelasimi, 40 Glaucus, 55 Glow-worm, luminosity of, 407 Gold in Formosa, 96 at Sarawak, 225 fish at Canton, 336 Golden lilies, 314 Gorgonia, stinging, 197 Grackle, 321 Grammatophylliun, 256 Grapsi, 122 Grass-cloaks, 19 Green Mountain, Ascension, 420 Gutta-percha, 268 Hadji, chief of Sarawak, 224 Haitan island, 129 Halobates, 358, note Hantus of the Dyaks, 207 Head-hunting, 179 house, Serambo, 237 Bombok, 240 Helix Brookei, 197 Hemiptera of Labuan, 177 Hermit crabs, 186 Hirundo esculenta, 229 Hoar-pin-san, 124 Holothuriae, 149, 192, 197 Hong Kong, 16 beauty of scenery, 17 highway robbery in, 322 HombiUs, 231 drumming of, 239 Horsburgh lighthouse, 287 Horses in Formosa, 67 Hyaleea tridentata, 56 Hymenia reourvaJis, 423, note Hymenoptera of Labuan, 190 Iguana, 170 Image Point, Ke-lung,90 442 INDEX. Insects of Ascension, 423 Insecurity of Labuau, 180 Hong Kong, 325 Insurrectionary movements in China, 34a Intolerance of Manilla ffovemment, 304 James Town, 419 Java sparrow, 15 Johore, shores of, 288 Joss house at Pratas island, 20 Jungle of Labuan, 155 Junks, 16 masts, 139 KabaJan village of Sau-o, 103 Kaleewan river, 102 Kalong, 212 Ke-lung, arrival at, 82 island, 83, 118 people of, 83 Keramidia, 259 Klings, 245 women, 246 dhobies, 247 religious ceremonies, 248 bird-catchers, 257 Kok-si-kon, 58 Kok-singa, 58 " Koong-haye," 313 Ko-tou, 313 Kubong, 210 Kwang-yin hills, 65 Labuan coal mines, 157 quality of, 168 settlement of, 163 Ladies of Formosa, 45 Lake habitations, 14, 244 Land crabs, 40, 42 Dyaks, 207 Language of China, a barrier, 349 Lanterns (Chinese), 310 Leaping fish, 41, 287 Leiothrix luteus, 320 Lichens of Ascension, 423 Light correlative with nerve force, 407 Lightning in the tropics, 12 Ligia, 51 Literary examinations in China, 341 Lougwood, 419 Love grass, 155 LucemaridsB, 360 Lucky stones, 313 Luminosity of the sea, 391 categories of, 393 Luminosity of Singapore harbour, 395 spontaneous, 402 not dependent on wind, 404 Luminous sheath to ship, 395, 398, 404 patches, 398 flashes, 401 fish, 406 mucus, 408 what classes of animals are, 409 Mandarin of Makung, 51 Mbang-ka, 07 visits ship, 68 of Tam-suy, 09 processions at Canton, 317 " Mandarin's leg," 138 Makung, 47 absence of trees at, 50 Malays of Singapore, 242 women, 243 villages, 243 Manilla, 293 Marattia, 232 Mariveles, 293, 306 Martin, Mr., Sarawak, 209 Marundum reef, 218 Mbang-ka, Formosa, 66 " Meerschaum," 148 Megapode, 168 MeEa, new species, 150 Memorial on Western Education, 346 Mestizas of Manilla, 295 Middle island, Haitan, 130 Milky sea, 403 Milvus govinda, 40 Mimosa, 259 Min, river, 138 Mina bird, 321 Modulus eaten at Makung, 49 Mollusoa of Labuan, 193 Monkeys in Formosa, 40 Labuan, 165 Moon blindness, 308 shaped patches of light, 398 explanation of, 400 Mosque of the Klings, 248 Napoleon Bonaparte, 419 Nepenthes, 155 Neptunus pelagicus, 367 Nibong palm, 202, 214 Nipa pahn, 259 Noctilucse, 259 at Singapore, 395 INDEX. 443 NoctilucsB at False Bay, 396 description of, 397 flasiiing of, 403 contractility of, 406 iN'octumal marine animals, 356 Kotoneotse, 59 Nudibranohs, 9, 51, 98, 125, 135, 149, 195, 259 Nutmeg, 261 tree, 262 disease, 263 causes of, 264 recovery of trees, 265 Ocypoda, 25 Oliva erythrostoma, 50 black variety of, 193 Ophiocoma, 219 Opium smoking, 283 value and imports of, 284 Chinese, 285 Opuntias, 419 Orang or Mias, 166 OrbitoHtes, 20, 126 Oryctes of cocoa-nut, 272 OsciUatoria, oceanic, 384 Osprey (H.M.S.) lost, 411 OstrEea canadensis, 78 Padi bird, 44 fields at Ta^kau, 42 Padina, 51, 198, 427 Pagoda, 140 anchorage, 139 Pako, 319 Pabn island, 90 Paludinse, 42 Pappan island, 185, 196 Parang (Dyak), 226 Pasig river, 302 Patella oculus, 417 Pawnbrokers' warehouses. Canton, 335 " Peail " river, 316, 382 Pekin memorial, 346 school of languages, 346 j^ Pelagia, projection of threads tM^, 362 Pelagic animals, 351 Penang, 14, 261 Peuinjau, Mount, 235 view from summit, 238 Pepper, 271 Peronia, 97 Pescadores islands, 46 Petrels, fork-tailed, 412 Petroleum in Formosa, 96 Labuan, 160 Phasma, 161 Phosphorescence, 392 Photography, 52 Phyllidia, new species of, 219 PhyUosoma, 56 Physalia, 357—363 stinging powers of, 364 fishes in threads of, 365 not luminous, 406 Pico, Azores, 428 Pidgin English, 21, 350 Pigs in China, 43, 217, 338 Labuan, 165 Pi-hi-kun, Formosa, 44 Pill-making crab, 288 Pinnacle island, 118 Pipe gamboge, 270 Piracy on Chinese coast, 132 in Borneo, 205 Pistia stratiotes, 302 Planaria, 218 . Pneumodermia, 99 " Poh," game of, 280 Ponghou harbour, 46 Population of Manilla, 295 Porpita, 357 Prahus of Sarawak river, 221 Pratas reef, 22 island, 23 flora, 24 insects, 24 sheUs, 25 birds, 28 seaweeds, 25 Proboscis monkey, 166 Provisions, cheapness of, at Makung, 49 Pterosoma, 54 Pulo Brani, 244 Puntinqua's garden, 335 Pyiosoma, 401 Python, 172 Queen's birthday, 69 Eafflesia, 216 Railways in China, 348 Rain in Labuan, 198 Sarawak, 215 Arabia, Ascension, 422 Rainbow, horizontal, 385 Raleigh rock, 117 Rapi& on Tam-suy river, 80 Sarawak river, 226, 232 Rats eaten in China, 339 Recruit island. 128 Red beetle of cocoa-nut, 272 444 INDEX. Red discoloration of sea, 129, 354 Sea, 7 worms, 129 Retrospect, 431 Ehizostoma, 360, 362 Rice embargo, 64 paper plant, 62 " Ruby," case of the, 133 Ruin-rock, 89 Rumbling fish, 134 Saiety of Canton streets, 326, 329 Sagartia, new species, 131 Sagitta, 55 Sago planting, 273 Salpa pinnata, 368 Salt monopoly, 339 Samarang rooks, 203 Sampans at Hong Kong, 18 Sandstone of If. Formosa, 85, 92 Sanitarium, Rajah Brooke's, 238 Sarawak, 201 river, 202 flag, 202 exports, 215 Sargasso sea, 366 Sarong, 203, 243 Sau-o bay, 101 Saw-milis of Johore, 286 School at Makung, 48 Scissor-grinder, 176 Scorpions, 27, 173 "ScyUa"(H.M.S.),410 ScyUaea pelagica, 366 Sea, varying aspects of, 386 colour of, 387 sawdust, 380 Seaweeds at Pratas, 25 Secchi's observations, 390 Sedans in Formosa, 66 Sensitive plant, 256 Sepia, 9 Serambo, visit to, 236 " Serpent," joined H.M.S., 22 Shanghai, 144 Shantung lark, 319 Sharks, 259 Shoals of Aoalephs, 361 Shwingan passage, 141 Sik-kow, 78 Simon's Bay, 413 rock at, 417 Simple Salpse, 369 Singapore, 14, 242 scenes in, 252 Sing-songs, 277 Slut island, Haitan, 135 Small feet of Chinese ladies, 21, 45 Snakes of Labuan, 172 Soap-stone rock, 139 Soil of Singapore, 26] Somali, 8 Southern Cross, 306 Sparks of Ught in the sea, 393 Sphasrapoeia Collingwoodii, 290 Sphex, ceU-building, 190 Spiders of Pratas, 24 Daat, 189 Stars, 6, 146 Star-fish, 191 Steep island, 102 Stephanomia, 99, 359 St. Helena, 418 Stinging hemiptera, 178 Storm at Sarawak, 235 Hong Kong, 410 Streets of Canton, 334 Strombus eaten in China, 26 Sugar-cane, 268 Sulphur springs, 70 geology of, 72 present condition, 73 trade in, 75 Sultan of Borneo, 162 Sumpitan, 257 Surgery in China, 337 Tablet island, 46 Tagalan, 296 Tar-kau, 38 Tam-suy, 60 people of, 64 river, journey on, 75 night on, 77, 79 Tanjong Kubong, 211 Putri, 275 Tamuh-puti, 203, 209 Theatricals in China, 279 Tiar-usu, 124 Tidal line of R. Min, 138 Tigers in Singapore, 253 Timidity of women and children, 48 Tobacco manufacture, Manilla, 303 Tcgpbs at Tam-suy, 64 T#^ing-net, 355 Traveller's tree, 14 Treaty of 1858, 345 Trepang, 150 Trial by ju:^ at Hong Kong, 327 Triohodesmium, 380 abundance of in China Sea, 382 microscopic exami- nation of, 383 Tropic birds, 13,412 Tropical nights, 306 INDEX. 443 Tryxalis, 40 Tuau Muda of Sarawak, 206 Tumblers, 320 Tumonggong of Johore, 275, 277 Turtle ponds, 42(j Typhoon, 33 Unity of tlie Chinese nation, 340 Valonia (seaweed), 136 VeleUa, 357 Victoria peak, 16 ViUa de Horta, 428 Visits of ceremony in China, 315 Vocabulary of Formosa dialect, 113 (Appendix) Volcanoes near Manilla, 298 Wages of Chinese and Malays, 273 Wariness of crabs, 187 Water buffaloes, 43 Water beetles, 187 snakes, 304 Waterspout, 153 Weather at Manilla, 305 Western trade with China, 345 Whales' bones at False Bay, 416 Whampoa, 316, 331 Whampoa's garden, 251 Wideawakes of Craig island, 119 Ascension, 424 Wild night, 142 Window-oyster, 294 Women of ManiUa, 295 Wosung river, 143 Wou-wou, 235 Wrecking at Makung, 52 Yang-tze-Kiang, 143 Zoea, 32 Zostera, 25 THE END. 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