400 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
are also used, among others, compact varieties of talc or soap¬ 
stone and of pyropliyllite. But works executed in these minerals 
do not fetch a price at all comparable to that of nephrite. In 
the same shop in which I purchased pieces of nephrite carefully 
placed in separate boxes, I found at the bottom of a dusty chest, 
along with pieces of quartz and old refuse of various kinds, large 
crystals, some of which were exceedingly well formed, of trans¬ 
lucent topaz. They were sold as quartz for a trifle. I bought 
besides two pieces of carved topaz, one of which was a large and 
very fine natural crystal, with a Chinese inscription engraved on 
its terminal surface, which when translated runs thus : “ Literary 
studies confer honour and distinction and render a man suitable 
for the court.” The other was a somewhat bluish inch-long 
crystal, at one end of which a human figure, perhaps some 
Buddhist saint, was sculptured. The polishing of stones is 
carried on as a home industry, principally in a special part of 
the town. The workshop is commonly at the side of a small 
sale counter, in a room on the ground-floor, open to the street. 
The cutting and polishing of the stones is done, as at home, 
with metal discs and emery or comminuted corundum, which 
is said to be found in large quantities in the neighbourhood 
of Canton. 
Large, commodious, well fitted up, but in their exterior very 
unwieldy river steamers, built after American designs, now run 
between Hong Kong and Canton. They are commanded by 
Europeans. The dietary on board is European, and exceedingly 
good. There are separate saloons for Europeans and Chinese. 
All over the poop and the after-saloon weapons are hung up so 
as to be at hand, in case the vessel should be’ attacked by 
pirates, or, as happened some years ago, a number of them 
should mix themselves up with the Chinese passengers with 
the intention of plundering the vessel. 
Hong Kong was ceded to England in consequence of the war 
of 1842. The then inconsiderable fishing village is now one of 
