5^ NOTES DURING THE PASSAGE OF H.M.S. ''FURIOUS*' [Nov. 22, 1868. 



quickly adapted themselves to circumstances, and undertaken to 

 convey not only luxuries, but actually food to the northern pro- 

 vinces, in the same description of vessels with which I perfectly 

 remember seeing them navigate the smooth waters of the Yang-ze- 

 kiang in former days. With such a people I maintain it is folly to 

 say that they will " break before they will bend." They are only 

 Asiatics ; make them do a thing — compel them to advance — and they 

 will do it as well as any of us ; but consult their prejudices, or their 

 ease, and good bye to any change or advancement. They are to us 

 what the child is to the man : bear that in mind — treat them as 

 children ; make them do what we know is for their benefit, as well 

 as our own, and all difficulties with China are at an end. 



Between the Amherst Kocks at the northern entrance of the 

 Yang-ze and Shantung Point, we steamed and sailed in, generally 

 speaking, smooth water, although sharp breezes of short duration 

 sprang up alternately from north-north-east and south ; the latter 

 bringing with it a low white mist, through which the quaint hulls and 

 quainter cut sails of many Chinese junks were constantly seen. The 

 majority of these vessels were recognised by their peculiar form to 

 be from Shanghai, or the Yang-ze-kiang, whilst here and there 

 those of Fu-chow-fu, Amoy, and Canton were distinguished by 

 certain forms of hull, cut of sail, or eccentricity in their paint ; 

 for it is as easy to recognise the junks belonging to the different 

 provinces of the sea-board of China — indeed to distinguish the 

 fishing boats of one portion of the coast from those of another — as it 

 is when running up the English Channel to know a Cawsand-Bay 

 smack from an Isle of Wight wherry, or Brighton cobble. Be it 

 remembered, however, that it is only in the external form and paint of 

 his junk, or cut of his sails, that the Chinaman of the South differs 

 from him of the North. In all the internal fittings and nautical gear 

 there is not the slightest difference. In all sea-going junks the 

 rudder lifts or lowers at pleasure, the tiller is equally long, the sails 

 are similarly fitted, and the wooden anchor and coir-cable work 

 upon immutable principles, which would delight such ancient 

 mariners of Europe as weep over the departed days of hemp cables 

 and shingle ballast. This unconsei'vative departure from certain 

 fixed laws which the Chinaman allows himself in junk-building is, 

 however, of this much use to the European, that in thick weather 

 our opium-clippers and packets, running up and down the coast, 

 often know they are off a certain port or district b}'" the appearance 

 of the fishing boats working about in the offing. 



The uniformity of the soundings, as well as nature of the bottom, 

 the i^wnbws sailed over in the 360 miles of sea intervening between 



