m SEARCH OF NEW PLANTS. 211 



exposed for sale. Many beautiful species, almost all natives of 

 the south of China, are met with in these gardens, which, however, 

 possess little that is really new or unknown in England. I be- 

 lieve the only plants of any value which I was able to introduce 

 to tliis country from the gardens of Canton and Macao were the 

 Fingered Citron^ the true Mandarin Orange, and the striking 

 and beautiful Camellia hexangularis. 



I now determined to proceed immediately to the nortliern 

 provinces as soon as I could find a vessel in which I could en- 

 gage a passage. I sailed on the 23rd of August, and after 

 visiting tlie island of Namoa, and some others of less note on the 

 way up, I reached Amoy on the 3rd of September. To my dis- 

 appointment, this part of China was even more steril and barren 

 than that in the province of Canton. The island of Koolungsoo, 

 then in the hands of the British, is divided' from Amoy by a 

 narrow arm of the sea. From the number of pretty houses and 

 gardens which were found upon it when taken by our troops, 

 there can be no doubt that it was here where the rich and gay 

 amongst the Amoy merchants had their country and family resi- 

 dences. The gardens, however, pretty as they were, contained 

 few plants of value, or different from what I had already met 

 with at Hong Kong and Canton. Some roses which I sent to the 

 Horticultural Society from that place are said to be very distinct 

 and fine, but I have never yet had an opportunity of seeing them 

 in bloom. 



Having travelled all over the country adjacent to Amoy and 

 completed my researches, I sailed again towards the Formosa 

 Channel, on my way to our most northern stations of Chusan, 

 Ningpo, and Shanghae. The monsoon, however, had now 

 changed from south-west to north-east, and we experienced very 

 stormy weather and strong northerly currents, which, of course, 

 were directly against us. The vessel was at last obliged to put 

 into the Bay of Chinchew from stress of weather, and having 

 sprung her bowsprit in the gale, it was impossible for her to 

 proceed. In a day or two her cargo was got out and put into 

 another vessel, in which I also embarked, and we again pro- 

 ceeded on our voyage. This attempt was even more disastrous 

 than the last, for after being out for several days, and nearly 

 through the Formosa Channel, we met one of those dreadful 

 gales so well known to the navigators of these seas ; our newest 

 and strongest sails were split to pieces, the bulwarks washed 

 away, and in spite of every exertion we wei'e driven back far 

 below the bay from which we started about a week before. Two 

 plant cases which I had with me at the time were dashed to 

 pieces, and their contents, of course, completely destroyed. The 

 Horticulturists and Gardeners of this country, who are so critical 



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