644 GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES IN MALAYSIA AND ASIA, 



ceased, and then diagonal and zig-zag I'oadways, witli scattered 

 \-illas rapidly ascended into the clouds. A piercing cold Siberian 

 wind was blowing keenly upon the animated scene of great rafts 

 of steamers loading and unloading, a goodly fleet of men-of-war, 

 and, as we neared the wharf, excited,,surging, shouting crowds at 

 the water-side. Hong Kong has often been described, but its 

 wonderful population must be seen to be understood. Enormous 

 crowds of boat-women, junk sailors, and coolies, which make a 

 living stream on the quay, have no parallel in Europe or Asia. 



Certainly Hong Kong is not a Chinese town, but a town for 

 Chinese, but yet not of European architecture, nor like the Straits 

 Settlements. Its crowded by-streets and lanes, the absence of 

 horse-carriages, the presence of chairs and jinrickshas make it 

 very peculiar. There are plenty of soldiers in red coats and 

 plenty of sailoi's in naval uniform, and all sorts of picturesque 

 Chinese costumes, a few Hindoos and INIalays, besides Parsees of 

 portly presence and European dress surmounted with a hat like a 

 stove-pipe. 



I am not going to describe any more of Hong Kong. I believe 

 it is the most hospitable town in the East, almost surpassing the 

 Straits Settlements and Shanghai. The merchant princes live in 

 real splendour, extravagant if you will, but really comfortable. In 

 winter sporting, hunting and other such amusements are out of 

 the question; but for cricket, lawn-tennis, foot-ball and such like, 

 and for balls, parties, private theatricals, tire, it is the gaye.st of 

 gay cities. Yet I am told that the officers of the army and navy 

 do not care much about being quartered at Hong Kong. Even 

 gaiety becomes monotonous on an island scarcely nine miles long, 

 so rocky that you cannot ride, and where pirates and squalls keep 

 people from boating or fishing. 



The island formerly constituted a part of the district Sun-on. 

 It is scarcely a mile from Kiu Lung or Kow Loon on the main 

 land, which is also British property. It is mainly granitic, but 

 with a varied geology, so as to make it a most interesting 

 place of study. Thei'e are some volcanic dykes in places, and 

 traces of minerals, especially lead and molybdenum, of which tine 



