134 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. IX. 



doors of the mismanagement and indolence of the Court of 

 Pekin. It is their interest as much as ours that piracy 

 should cease; nor are we alone among European powers 

 in suffering inconvenience from the outrages of piratical 

 ships. Of course the Chinese are wilHng enough to be 

 freed from embarrassment by our kind offices ; and the 

 French, Germans, and Americans, whose ships also throng 

 those seas, would no less benefit by its suppression. But it 

 has been suggested, with show of reason, that it would be 

 suicidal to our own interests if we unconditionally render 

 aid to the Chinese Government, and thus take away their 

 only motive for actidn, while, at the same time, the expense 

 of fitting out aggressive gun-boats ought to fall, not only 

 upon us, but also in fair proportion upon those who will reap 

 some proportion of the advantage. 



When lying at the north entrance of Haitan Straits, I 

 heard one evening a singular sound, which was attributed to 

 a fish — whether rightly or wrongly I had not the means of 

 ascertaining. It was a loud rumbling noise, which at one 

 time might have been taken for the distant roar of the sea, 

 at another, for the singing of a kettle. "When once atten- 

 tion was called to it, it appeared very distinct and loud, but 

 it was of that monotonous nature that it might have re- 

 mained unnoticed for a considerable ■ time. It was most 

 observable on the starboard side of the ship, and- in the 

 cabin. The scuttles were closed, however, and on deck I 

 failed to hear it. I Kstened long to it, hoping to find 

 some explanation ] but could only suppose it might 

 have been produced by some fish, or other animal, 

 under, or against the side of the ship. The sound became 

 louder and fainter at intervals, and finally it ceased by 

 imperceptible degrees. 



