4 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. I. 
than six miles; but it is very irregular, some parts being 
only three miles in breadth, and the land jutting out 
here and there, forming a succession of headlands and 
bays. Imagine, then, an island considerably longer than 
it is broad, perfectly mountainous, and sloping in a 
rugged manner to the water's edge, having here and 
there deep ravines almost at equal distances along the 
coast, which extend from the tops of the mountains down 
to the sea, deepening and widening in their course. 
There are immense blocks of granite in these ravines, 
which have either been bared by the rapid currents of 
water in its descent during the rains, or which have 
tumbled into them from the sides of the mountains at 
some former period of time. The water in these ravines 
is abundant and excellent ; and hence the poetical 
name which the Chinese have given our island — Hong- 
hong, or more properly Heang-keang, the Island of 
fragrant streams." During the wet season — for it 
rains in torrents then — these little streams swell with 
the augmentation of fresh water, and rush down from 
the mountains with a velocity which sweeps everything 
before them. In May, 1845, one of these storms of 
thunder and rain visited Victoria ; and the effects pro- 
duced by it were perfectly astonishing; houses were 
undermined, roads made at a great expense only a few 
months before were swept away ; drains were burst 
open ; and many of the bridges and other public works 
rendered perfectly useless. ' The Hong-kong Register ' 
thus notices the storm to Avhich I allude : — The 
damage was very great, both to the recently- formed 
roads and to many buildings in the course of erection ; 
