CiiAP. II. STRANGE ROCKS. 25 
peaceful, happy liome, and soon be unnecessary in 
every part of the world. According to all accounts, 
the less respectable part of the natives had done more 
to make the houses of this island have a ruinous 
appearance than our troops during the war, by pulling 
down everything that they could possibly carry away 
and dispose of 
Some immense blocks of stone (granite) are here sup- 
ported naturally on the tops of the hills in the strangest 
manner, and are objects of great interest to the traveller. 
One, in particular, appears as if some giant arm had 
raised it to its present position, and left it there solely 
to astonish the beholder in after-ages, and leave him to 
wonder not only how it came there, but how it could 
remain in its present position ; and, most assuredly, a 
very small quantity of gunpowder exploded below it 
would hurl it from the hill to the plain beneath. 
Another huge rock stands near the entrance of the 
harbour ; this, however, seems to have been on the 
point of giving way, for it is now supported by a mass 
of stone-work on one side. The natives have a tradition /: j , 
concerning this rock, and say that as long as it stands / j 
the town of Amoy will never fall before a foreign enemy. . ' 
Unfortunately for the prophecy, Amoy, like the rest of 
the places attacked by the English, was taken, although 
the rock still stands as before. 
The island, particularly on the north-eastern and 
eastern sides, is very unhealthy ; fever and cholera pre- 
vail to a great extent during the south-west moonsoon, 
and are most fatal. Our troops suffered far more from 
the climate, when they had possession of the place, than 
VOL. I. C 
