280 TOWN OF HONG-KONG. 



the port filled with shipping from a huge mail steamer 

 to a small junk. T landed at an early hour, and soon 

 found myself settling down to a delicious breakfast at 

 the "Hong-Kong" Hotel, delighted to find myself on 

 terra jirina after so disagreeable a passage. There was 

 a great turmoil in the street, which made me think I 

 had dropped upon another Chinese festival, l^ut I was 

 told such was the normal condition of this small colony, 

 which is entirely supported by trade. The native 

 element is strongly represented and very turbulent, for 

 every malefactor from the mainland tries to make his 

 escape to Hong-Kong as a harbour of refuge, hence the 

 enormous amount of crime committed on the island. 

 Everybody remembers the atrocious attempt of a baker, 

 years ago, to poison the entire colony, and many other 

 acts of violence. During my visit an Englishman was 

 waylaid one day by some native ruffian whilst ascending 

 the Peak, robbed of his purse and gold watch, and 

 thrown down the precipice, where he was found dead 

 on the following day. There are some 120,000 Chinese 

 25,000 Malays, and about 2,000 European resi- 

 dents. 



Walking being considered derogatory in eastern 

 countries, a number of very comfortable bamboo chairs 

 on long poles take the place of cabs in the principal 

 streets, carried by two, and sometimes by four. Celestials 



