re tints alternately, until the east almost
rivaled the west in the gorgeousness of its robes. In the mean time the
sea, now wonderfully calm, expanding into infinite space, reproduced
upon its shimmering surface, as in a mirror, this magic array of color
permeated by the amber twilight. Gradually the curtain of night dropped
over the scene, but there still lingered a long crimson line on the
distant horizon where the sun had sunk into the sea. The most careless
eye on board the ship watched the constantly changing effects with bated
breath. Nature revels in beauty, and does her work with a lavish hand in
the far East. It has been our lot to see the sun set in many lands and
on many seas, but never before in such gorgeous splendor.

Just at night, December 4th, we arrived below Hong Kong, dropping anchor
in Typhoon Bay, where, among the dark shadows of the cliff-like shore,
we watched the stars overhead and the long bright wake cast by the
light-house, counted the small dancing lights in the native settlements
on the shore, and wondered what Hong Kong was like.

With the early morning light we steamed up to the magnificent harbor,
surrounded by a range of lofty hills, rendering it a shelter and
affording depth of water sufficient for any known tonnage. Its extensive
area was well covered with ships of war and merchantmen, bearing the
flags of all nations, among which the Stars and Stripes gladdened our
eyes. Hong Kong signifies "good harbor" in Chinese, and the name is well
applied. This is the most easterly possession of Great Britain, which
she has taken care to render very strong in a military point of view,
and where a large number of troops are constantly kept. The scarlet
uniforms of the garrison form a striking feature of the busy streets, at
all hours of the day. The houses in the European section of the city
are large and handsome structures, mostly of stone, rising tier upon
tier from the main street to a height of some hundreds of feet on the
face of the hill immediately back of the town. On and about the lofty
Victoria Peak are many charming bungalows, with attractive surroundings,
and a noble prospect of the harbor and country. The streets appropriated
to the occupancy of the Europeans are spacious and clean, but the
Chinese portion of Hong Kong is quite characteristic of the race,--very
crowded and very dirty, seeming to invite all sorts of epidemic
diseases; and consequently the mortality is very great an