, and the ladies with their tiny feet, when in the
middle of the night the wind shifted, and on the 7th of July we had
been carried back 115 miles. In addition to this, the glass fell so
low, that we dreaded a Tai-foon, which is a very dangerous kind of
storm, or rather hurricane, that is very frequent in the Chinese sea
during the months of July, August, and September. It is generally
first announced by a black cloud on the horizon, with one edge dark
red, and the other half-white; and this is accompanied by the most
awful torrents of rain, by thunder, lightning, and the violent
winds, which arise simultaneously on all sides, and lash the waters
up mountains high. We took every precaution in anticipation of our
dangerous enemy, but for once they were not needed: either the
hurricane did not break out at all, or else it broke out at a great
distance from us; for we were only visited by a trifling storm of no
long duration.

On the 8th of July we again reached the vicinity of Macao, and
entered the Straits of Lema. Our course now lay between bays and
reefs, diversified by groups of the most beautiful islands, offering
a series of most magnificent and varied views.

On the 9th of July we anchored in Macao Roads. The town, which
belongs to the Portuguese, and has a population of 20,000
inhabitants, is beautifully situated on the sea-side, and surrounded
by pleasing hills and mountains. The most remarkable objects are
the palace of the Portuguese governor, the Catholic monastery of
Guia, the fortifications, and a few fine houses which lie scattered
about the hills in picturesque disorder.

Besides a few European ships, there were anchored in the roads
several large Chinese junks, while a great number of small boats,
manned by Chinese, were rocking to and fro around us.

CHAPTER VIII. CHINA.

MACAO--HONG-KONG--VICTORIA--VOYAGE ON BOARD A CHINESE JUNK--THE SI-
KIANG, CALLED ALSO THE TIGRIS--WHAMPOA--CANTON, OR KUANGTSCHEU-FU--
MODE OF LIFE PURSUED BY EUROPEANS--THE CHINESE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS--
CRIMINALS AND PIRATES--MURDER OF VAUCHEE--PROMENADES AND EXCURSIONS.

A year before my arrival in China, it would have seemed hardly
credible to me that I should ever succeed in taking my place among
the small number of Europeans who are acquainted with that
remarkable country, not from books alone, but from actual
observation; I never believed that I should really behold the
Chinese, with their shaven heads, lo