4 
Cuap. III.] OPIUM STATION AT NAMOA. 31 
valent in our new settlement at this time. I 
lay in a very precarious state for several days, 
without the means of procuring medical aid; but 
the sea air probably did more for me than any thing 
else, and, under Providence, was the means of 
saving my life. After encountering a strong gale of 
wind, which we rode out in a deep bay for three days, 
we at last reached the opium station at Namoa. 
Namoa is the name of a small island about half 
way between Hong-kong and Amoy, and is well 
known as one of the stations where the con- 
traband trade in opium is carried on between fo- 
reign vessels and the Chinese smugglers. At this 
time I was fresh from England, and full of all the 
notions which we form there of the sacredness of 
the Chinese empire. I then thought that, although 
I might perhaps get a view of the celestial country, 
no barbarian feet would be allowed to pollute the 
sacred soil. Great was my surprise and pleasure 
when I found the captains of vessels wandering 
about all over the island unmolested. They had 
made roads to a considerable extent, and had built 
a cottage as a sort of smoking lodge when they | 
landed in the evenings for recreation. They had 
also erected stables, and had small Chinese ponies 
for riding all over the island; in fact, they seemed 
quite the lords of the soil, and were not subjected 
to the least annoyance from the natives. 
Hundreds of Chinamen gather round this spot, 
where they have erected huts and a bazaar, or 
market, for supplying the shipping, and, what ap- 
