lue, and forming a strong contrast to that of the Typa, and
the waters around Macao, which are discolored by the debouchment of the
Canton river.

It is very wide, and commodious, and completely locked by islands,
making, I should think, a safe anchorage in the Tyfoong season.

Hong-Kong is also an island, and was ceded to the British by treaty with
the Chinese. The settlement on it was called Victoria, but is generally
known by the name of Hong-Kong; in fact, I believe you would puzzle some
persons if you should call it by the former name. It extends over much
ground, and a towering mountain in its rear, upon the base of which a
portion of the town is built, has quite a romantic appearance.

Found in harbor Her British Majesty's line-of-battle ship Hastings,
bearing the flag of Admiral Austen, and a number of merchantmen of all
nations. One, which lay near us, with the Peruvian flag at her gaff, had
painted upon her stern, "Iowa, of San Francisco," and I overheard a
conversation between two of the men, on the subject of the apparent
anomaly. A forecastleman, addressing a petty officer, inquired how she
could hail from San Francisco, then belonging to the United States, and
fly the Peruvian flag. "Why, look ye, you nincompoop," was the reply,
"can't there be more'n one Jack Jones on the purser's books, and
wherefore shouldn't there be more than one San Francisco in the chart of
the world? Doesn't it stand to reason, seeing it's a saint's name, and
they're all Catholics along that coast, that they should have a Saint
Francisco in Peru?"

This reasoning appeared conclusive, as the subject was dropped. But
afterwards I learned that she had been purchased in California, and in a
few days her nation was made known, by the word Callao filling the
place of that of the Golden City on her stern: although her owner
appeared to regret that he had been forced to change her flag, as, I
understood, he thought he could have done better in an American bottom.

Upon the afternoon of the day of our arrival, H. B. M. ship Herald came
in from the North Seas, on her return, having been six years out from
England. No news of Sir John Franklin. Found her officers a fine,
gentlemanly set, in excellent health and spirits, and apparently glad of
a chance of thawing out.

On Monday saluted the Governor, twenty-one guns, which was returned from
the "Murray Battery," a field work on shore, gun for gun. Afterwards
gave the Admiral a salute of