different points
in our trip. I have met persons who share my belief, their opinion
being based on an acquaintance with the educated class.

* * * * *

MACAO, _March 28th_: We again took the steamer _Kian Tang_ for an
eighty-mile run to Macao. The scene is quite as varied and pleasing as
the passage from Hong-Kong to Canton. There were numerous islands, and,
on the mainland, villages were seen with occasional forts which told the
story of past invasions. Rice fields and great groves of mulberry trees
indicated some of the chief industries of China. Macao is situated on
the western shores of the estuary of the great Pearl River, sometimes
called Canton River. It was founded early in the sixteenth century by
the Portuguese, who were the first nation to invade the Eastern seas in
the interest of commerce, having aided the Chinese during the invasion
of pirates. As a reward, in the year 1557, the rocky peninsula was given
to them, the Portuguese having previously made use of it as a
trading-station and a naval depot.

[Illustration: _The bund at Macao, called Praia Grande_]

Macao is beautifully located high above the sea, and the approach is
fine; the first impression is of a Mediterranean port, but on landing,
the style of the buildings and the arrangement of the streets reminded
me of Spain, while the blended coloring on the parapet and walls (which
only time can give) was like Ponta Delgada of the Azores. Our hotel
stood on an eminence overlooking the sea, indeed so near the sea that
the moan and swish of the waves were always with us. The view from my
balcony brought to mind the outlook from the old monastery at Amalfi,
Italy. The whole atmosphere of the place was peaceful, and this was its
chief attraction. We were there over Sunday, and the impression was
deepened. Our arrival being early in the morning, we at once commenced
our tour of observation, our guide seeming quite intelligent. We knew
that the population of Macao was about eighty thousand, and, with the
exception of a few Portuguese officials, entirely Chinese, so we were
prepared for Chinese scenes, and it seemed quite consistent that we
should first visit a large opium factory, this drug being one of the
large exports of Macao. Here was explained the entire process of
manufacture, from the poppy leaf to the final shipment; and for a
further object lesson, we were taken into a room arranged for smoking
opium, where sat th