40 8 Voyage of the Novara. 



all sorts, each apparently striving to make us forget the 

 unfavourable circumstances under which we visited the 

 Empire of China. 



The steamer Hong -hong ^ early on the morning of 18th 

 July, towed us out through the narrow Eastern Straits, the 

 Ly-e-num Pass, and the Ta-thong-wun Channel, into the open 

 sea. As we passed along-side the English frigate Nankm^ 

 carrying the broad pendant of the amiable and excellent 

 Commodore Stewart, our band played '' God save the Queen," 

 while the English ensign was dipped, by way of parting 

 salute. A little further on the Chinese Comprador, who had 

 supplied the Novara with provisions daily during her stay, 

 had stationed himself in his boat to give us a parting fare- 

 well with a roar of gong-gong, while innumerable rockets 

 whizzed and exploded in the air. 



We found a tolerably high sea outside, but a fine fresh 

 S.W. breeze, under which we rapidly increased our distance 

 from the shore. In like manner as when we entered, we had 

 now in getting out to thread our way among thousands of 

 fishing-boats sailing about in couples, which cruise about to 

 a distance of even 50 and 60 miles to sea. The steamer 

 which towed us through the narrow Eastern Channel, and 

 had us just four hours and twenty minutes in tow, charged 

 the amount of 300 dollars (£63), so that each minute of tow- 

 ing cost rather over one dollar. After making a tack towards 

 Lemma Island, in order to avoid the dangerous Nine- pin 

 rock, the wind sprung up from E.S.E., so that we were 



