60 
HONG-KONG. 
The inhabitants of the Lemma Islands who came off to us in 
their boats were of a light copper colour, and very athletic : tliev 
managed their well constructed bamboo vessels with great dexterity. 
In the evening the squadron weighed and stood for Hong-kong, one 
of the Ladrone Islands, distant from the Great Lemma sixteen 
miles in a N. E. direction, off which it anchored at ten o’clock in the 
evening. 
Looking from the deck of the Alceste early on the following 
morning, I found that we were in a sound formed by some small 
islands, by which it was land-locked in every direction, and of which 
Hong-kong is the principal. As seen from the ship, this island was 
chiefly remarkable for its high conical mountains, rising in the centre, 
and for a beautiful cascade which rolled over a fine blue rock into the 
sea. I took advantage of the first watering boat to visit the shore, 
and made one of these mountains and the waterfall the principal 
objects of my visit. 
This mountain, the highest on the island, is, according to Capt. 
Ross, who has measured it, about one thousand five hundred feet 
above the level of the sea, and is composed of trap approaching to 
basalt in the compactness of its structure. In ascending it, I followed 
the course of a delightful stream which rises near its summit, and 
found by its side a number of interesting plants ; amongst them the 
Beckia chinensis, Myrtus tomenlosus , in abundance, and in full flower, 
Melastoma quinquenei'via, two other species of the same genus, several 
orchideous plants, of which I could only determine the Limodorum 
striatum ; the Rubus moluccus of Rumphius, moluccanus of Wildenow ; 
a variety of ferns, but not a single moss of any description. The 
general surface of the mountain, and indeed of every part of the island 
of Hong-kong that I was able to visit, is remarkably barren, although 
in the distance it appears fertile, from a fern which I believe to be 
the Polypodium trichotomum of Ksempfer *, which supplies the place 
* leones Kaempferi. Banks. 
