78 GUN, KOD, AND SADDLE. 



excellent, for from appearance and flavor they can 

 favorably compare with those of Colchester. For 

 some years the resident merchants of Hong Kong 

 have been aware of the fact, and like Shanghai 

 mutton and game, the representatives of head- 

 quarters at the port of Amoy annually send pro- 

 pitiatory offerings of their delicate shell-fish to their 

 superiors. Some time since I was informed that 

 a considerable shipment of oysters was about to 

 take place, with the intention of making an effort 

 to furnish Australia and New Zealand with this 

 luxury. Now instead of taking them from here, if 

 the coast of China was selected, the probabilities of 

 success in my opinion would be much* greater, for 

 the transportation distance can scarcely be over 

 one-fourth of the voyage to Europe, and moreover, 

 in favorable seasons any thing but a stormy passage 

 might be anticipated, a circumstance not without 

 considerable importance, for it is well known that 

 the oyster can support itself a long time out of 

 water on its own juice. If this hint should be 

 adopted, then I have neither wasted the ink and 

 paper with which this is indited, nor my time in 

 giving my readers the information that oysters are 

 to be obtained in the Celestial Empire. 



