Ch. XIX.] INSEOUEITY OP HONG KONG. 325 



time and place ; but unfortunately it is equally common for 

 the unhappy victim to receive a fatal stab from a knife, or a 

 cowardly crushing blow upon the back of the head with a 

 stone or heavy bamboo, which, rendering him insensible 

 during the robbery, also further endangers his life.* From 

 this complication I can never be sufficiently thankful that 

 I escaped, perhaps because of my perfectly defenceless 

 condition, which rendered me an easy prey to so many 

 assailants. 



There is no denying the fact, therefore, that robberies with 

 violence are by no means uncommon in the streets and 

 neighbourhood of Hong Kong. It is unsafe to walk in 

 many of the streets even at noonday — it is unsafe to walk 

 alone in the suburbs — it is unsafe to go almost anywhere 

 after dark, without taking due precautions. A certain im- 

 provement, it must be confessed, has taken place recently. 

 No Chinaman is permitted to perambulate the streets after 

 dark without a proper pass, which is a partial preventive ; 

 and again, every boatman taking a passenger off to a ship at 

 night is obhged to show his number to a policeman, who 

 also takes a note of the ship to which he is goiag — a regula- 

 tion which ensures a certain amount of protection in what 

 was a few years since a hazardous proceeding — for it was 



* As a good, but not uncommon example, I subjoin the following, cut from 

 the "China Mail" of February 28th, 1867.— "As the captain of one of the 

 vessels in the harbour was passing the Peninsular and Oriental Office, about 

 6 P.M. yesterday, he was suddenly struck on the head by a Chinaman with a 

 large stone and thrown to the ground insensible. He remained in this state 

 for some little time, being picked up by two Europeans passing at the time 

 and carried into a Chinese shop close at hand. For some hours he was un- 

 able to do anything, considerable bleeding from the internal part of the ear 

 continuing for a long time, and a fresh hemorrhage took place this morning. 

 The only thing stolen from him was his umbrella, the thief being probably 

 diiiturbed by the approach of the Europeans above referred to. The scoundrel 

 has not yet been identified,"— nor ever wUl be. 



