[Sidenote: 1849. Hong Kong, April to May.] Nothing unusual took place during our stay here. Various acts of piracy, attended by cruel murders, occurred between Hong Kong and the entrance to the Canton River; but this could not be called unusual. Some of the rogues were taken by the _Inflexible_, and six of them hanged at West Point; but so little effect had this example that a fresh act of piracy was committed within sight of the suspended sinners and the sentry’s musket. The Admiral returned in the _Fury_ on the 20th May, much benefited by his trip to the northern ports. He sailed again on the 26th, leaving us to await the arrival of the _Amazon_, 26, from England. She came in the following day, and we prepared to return to our old station in the Eastern Archipelago; but before our departure an event occurred which gave an unanticipated notoriety to our short sojourn. Were I to pass it unnoticed, my motive might be mistaken; but as the narrative must unavoidably be egotistical, those of my readers who have no inclination to discuss a point of international law, nor to see how it was decided, on this occasion at least, by a British boat’s crew and a party of marines, may pass to the next chapter. Just before the arrival of the _Amazon_, I received an invitation, through my young friend, Mr. Robert Ellice (Honorary Secretary on the occasion), to act as joint umpire with Commodore Geisinger, United States Navy, at a regatta which had been got up, chiefly by Mr. Bush, the American Consul at Hong Kong--he kindly giving a cup to be sailed for. [Sidenote: June.] The event was to come off, weather permitting, on the 8th June. To this proposal I cheerfully acceded. As the _Medea_, Commander Lockyer, was cruising outside for the suppression of piracy, and the _Columbine_, Commander John Dalrymple Hay, was coming down from Whampoa about that time for provisions, I wrote to each of these officers, inviting them to meet me; and as I had to give up the charge of the station to Captain Troubridge of the _Amazon_ (which could be done as well at Macao), we agreed to meet there on the 7th. [Sidenote: Macao, June 7.] The American squadron, consisting of the _Plymouth_, the _Peebles_, and the _Dolphin_, added to our own, made a gay show in the roads; the Hong Kong steamers were also called into requisition, and brought nearly all those who had not found their way in the men-of-war. Having fired the usual salute on arrival, I proceeded with Captain Troubridge on the following morning to pay our respects to the Governor, Don Joao Maria Farriera do Amaral. I may here mention he was a captain in the Portuguese Navy--a gallant and distinguished officer. He lost his right arm by a cannon shot, when eighteen years of age, leading a storming party at Itaparica in Brazil. He had served also in the fleet of Don Pedro under Sir Charles Napier, and spoke and understood English as well as we did.