82 BOCCA TIGRIS. 



noon passed, with a light, but favourable breeze, 

 the Bocca Tigris, and entered the river. This 

 entrance to a very magnificent and extensive 

 stream, is capable of being very strongly fortified. 

 The Chinese have forts, mounting a great num- 

 ber of cannon, erected on each side of the pas- 

 sage : they excited some degree of interest in 

 our minds, as being those silenced by the broad- 

 side of his Majesty's ship Alceste, some years 

 since ; a triumph of British firmness over Chinese 

 impudence. 



The country about Chuen, pee had a picturesque 

 appearance ; but although we hear so much re- 

 lated about the Chinese cultivating every spot of 

 land, not leaving even the most barren spots 

 unoccupied, in few countries have I seen more 

 land left waste, much of which has an appear- 

 ance of fertility : the valleys certainly were 

 cultivated, and had an animated and pleasing 

 feature in the landscape from the vivid green of 

 the numerous plantations of what seemed to be 

 sugar-cane scattered about. But with this ex- 

 ception, and the neat cottages nearly buried in 

 the foliage of the trees surrounding them, there 

 was no interesting view : the elevated land 

 was, principally bare, barren, and uncultivated. 

 On entering the river, the scenery was very 

 pleasing ; the banks were low, and, for the most 



