the strain. It is curious that in this narrow pass, where fifty ships
went through and returned in 1842, this rock should exist and never
have been discovered. _Six P.M._--The sun has just set among a crowd
of mountains which bound the horizon ahead of us, and in such a blaze
of fiery light that earth and sky in his neighbourhood have been all
too glorious to look upon. Standing out in advance on the edge of this
sea of molten gold, is a solitary rock, about a quarter of the size of
the Bass, which goes by the name of Golden Island, and serves as the
pedestal of a tall pagoda. I never saw a more beautiful scene, or a
more magnificent sunset; but alas! we see it under rather melancholy
circumstances, for after six hours of trying in all sorts of ways to
get off, we are as fast aground as ever. We are now lightening the
ship. Silver Island is a kind of sacred island like Potou, but very
much smaller.[2] I went ashore, and walked over it with a bonze, who
conversed with Lay. He told us that the people in the neighbourhood
are very poor, and will be glad that foreigners should come and trade
with them. The bonzes here are much like their brethren of Potou, the
most wretched-looking of human beings. Our friend told us that they
have no books or occupation of any kind. Four times a day they go
through their prayers. He had twelve bald spots on his head, which,
were the record of so many vows he had taken to abstain from so many
vices, which he enumerated. I gave them five dollars when I left the
island, which seemed to astonish them greatly. I asked him what would
happen if he broke his vows. He said that he would be beaten and sent
away. If he kept them he hoped to become in time a Buddha.

_November 17th.--Six P.M._--After taking 150 tons out of the ship,
we have just made an attempt to get her off--in vain. The glorious sun
has again set, holding out to us the same attractions in the west as
yesterday, in vain! Here we remain, as motionless as the rock on which
we are perched. I have not been quite idle, however. I landed about
noon on the shore opposite Silver Island, and walked about three miles
to the town of Chin-kiang. It was taken by us in the last war, and
sadly maltreated, but since then it has been captured by the Rebels
and re-captured by the Imperialists. I could hardly have imagi