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ern side of the city, which supply the only good water to be had. They gush up, strong and abundant, from the bottom of the dell, which was crowded with water-carriers, going to and from the gates. The hill is crowned with a fort which completely commands the city It was taken without difficulty by Lord Gough, during the English war, and every preparation was made to open a bombardment, when the ransom of $5,000,000, tendered by the Chinese merchants, was offered and accepted. There is now a small garrison within it, but the sentinel who stood at the entrance, hastily retreated within the walls as we approached, and did not make his appearance again until after we had left.

The view from the fort is very fine, taking in all of Canton, the course of the Pearl River from Whampoa to the mountainous region in the west, the White Cloud Hills, and the rich delta of the river, stretching away to the Bocca Tigris. The mountains which surround this wide landscape are bleak and barren, and contrast strongly with the garden-like beauty of the plain. The broad arms of the river, dotted with boats and junks; the many villages, half-hidden among groves of fruit trees; the lofty pagodas that rise here and there from the banks; and the crowded city itself directly under the eyethe central point which unites the interest of all these scattered objects-combine to form a panorama unique but thoroughly Chinese in its character, and affording as good a type of Chinese scenery as is readily accessible to foreigners. The northern part of Canton rests upon the side of a hill, whose summit is crowned by a great square red temple four stories in height. A slender pagoda, towards the river, is the only other prominent architectural object. About one third of the space with the

walls is taken up with gardens. We did not remain long upon

repute, on account of the robberies

the hill, which is in bad committed in its vicinity. After descending to a little village, and passing several wet fields of lotus and the taro plant, we came again to the filth and crowds of the outer city, and finally reached our starting-point, after an absence of three hours.

The Feast of Lanterns (as it is called, though incorrectly by foreigners) was celebrated during my visit, but with much less splendor than usual, on account of the disturbed state of society. The flower-boats on the river were all ablaze with lamps, and the shops in the principal streets were gaily illumi nated. There were also "sing-songs" (theatrical performan ces), discordant instruments of noise, and other sources of Chi nese pleasure, but the whole display was irregular, barbaric, and utterly devoid of grand effect. When I called to mind the fiery mosques of Constantinople, and the cannon thunders of the Night of Predestination, the Feast of Lanterns seemed a farce in comparison.

I was much interested in a visit to Dr. Parker's Chinese Hospital. Some idea of the good accomplished by this institution may be gathered from the fact, that since its establishment more than forty-nine thousand persons have been admitted. Dr. Parker himself is a very accomplished surgeon; his gallery of portraits exhibiting the tumors which he has removed, and the collection of stones which illustrates his skill in lithotomy, would be treasures to the Museum of a Medical College. His operations in lithotomy, especially, have been remarkably successful, as he has lost but four out of, I believe, thirty-two patients.

While in Canton I enjoyed the hospitality of Mr. Gideon

Nye, Jr., one of the prominent American merchants, who is well known at home through his taste for Art. My stay was very pleasant and interesting, and I could have agreeably prolonged it; but I was not sorry when my last night on Chinese soil arrived. The reader may have rightly conjectured that I am not partial to China, but this much I must admit it is the very best country in the world-to leave.

Farewell to China-Whampoa-A Musical Good-Bye-The Bogue Forts-The Last Link-The China Sea-Life on the Sea Serpent-The Straits of Mindoro-lieturesque Islands-Calm Sailing-Moonlight in the Tropics-"Summer Isles of Eden" -The Sooloo Sea-The Cagayanes Islands-Straits of Basilan-Mindanao-A Native Proa-The Sea of Celebes-Entering the Straits of Macassar-Crossing the Equator-Off Celebes-Lazy Life-The Java Sea-Passing the Thousand IslandsApproach to the Straits of Sunda.

Ox the morning of the 9th of September we left Canton in the Macao steamer, which had been chartered to tow the Sea Serpent out to sea. We went swiftly down the crowded stream, passing the Factories, the temple of Ho-nan, and the floating houses of the aquatic Cantonese, and soon reached the long stretch of green paddy-fields extending to Whampoa. The day was shady, but with a soft, cool, clear atmosphere, which mellowed and deepened the rich colors of the landscape. The White Cloud Hills rose high over the undulating region between, which, with its groves, villages and tall pagodas, refreshed the eye, but took not the least hold on the heart. I found myself admiring its beauty with a cold, passionless appreciation, unconnected with the slightest regret at leaving it, or the least

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wish to behold it again. There may be scenes in China fair to look upon, but they are ennobled by no lofty human interest, lighted by no gleam of poetry or art.

Near the mouth of Lob Creek we passed a tall pagoda, and another within a mile or two of Whampoa, crowning the top of a verdant knoll. The latter was built of dark-red stone, and with the ivy and wild shrubs waving from the horned roofs of its nine stories, was really a picturesque object. The shipping of Whampoa was now visible, and in less than half an hour we lay alongside of the good clipper which was thenceforth to be our ocean home. Whampoa is a long, scattering Chinese town, on the southern bank of the river. The foreign vessels anchored in the reach, for a distance of more than a mile, give the place a lively air, and the low, conical hills which rise from the shore, crowned here and there with Chinese buildings, relieve the tameness of the swampy soil on which the town is built. We were obliged to wait for the flood-tide, which detained us two hours.

The anchor was cheerily lifted at last, and we got under way for New York. In going down the river we had a fair view of all the vessels of war anchored in Blenheim Reach, which was only half a mile distant, on our right. The Mississippi lay nearest to us, and as we drew near the opening of the reach one of her boats appeared, with the band on board, floating side by side with us, while they played our stirring national airs. It was a parting compliment from Capt. Lee to Lieut. Contee. The Sea Serpent's crew gathered on the forecastle, gave three hearty cheers, which the Mississippi's men answered with a will, standing up in the boat. This was our last glimpse of naval 'if, and a fitting farewell to the service. I looked in