One afternoon, partly walking and partly being carried in chairs, we went over the island by the gap to Dent’s house at Pokofolum, which must be a delightful residence in the S.W. monsoon: it has both a vegetable and flower garden. Some Formosa fallow-deer were thriving in a secured place. Being pressed for time, we returned in our chairs, Overbeck on foot, and reached the town-house in forty-seven minutes! Six miles. I had to dine at Government House, a large party. Commodore Jones entertains lavishly. He gave me an excellent dinner the other day. His quarters on board the _Princess Charlotte_ are roomy, airy, and most comfortable. Dined also a large party, with Mr. Whittal, Jardine and Matheson’s representative. They have a very nice house prettily situated on a hill. The table, furniture, etc., were as good as money could procure. Around the rooms were some superb race cups, such as I fancied were only to be seen on the front of the stand at Goodwood. [Sidenote: Whampoa, May 14.] Harry Stephenson and I started by packet steamer for Whampoa. Fine boats, American build, leave Hong-Kong and Canton every morning, meeting somewhere about the Bogue Forts. They now belong to a company, and fly the English flag. They perform the journey generally within eight hours, carrying cargo, many Chinese passengers and a few Europeans, seldom more than ten. We got out at Whampoa to see the _Pearl_ and _Salamis_ in dock. _Pearl_ but little damaged, a small portion of her fore-foot and false keel. More serious the _Salamis_: four-and-twenty of her timbers fractured, and damage to keel; necessary to take out two foremost boilers, both of which required repair. Advantage of this opportunity was taken to have accommodation on deck improved. All the work well superintended and conducted by Mr. Gillies, a most useful servant to the Dock Company. Went on in the _Banterer_, commanded by my old shipmate Pringle, to Canton, but even this small vessel could not keep off the bottom while I was on board--passing the second barrier she bumped heavily, and, as I found afterwards, rubbed copper off. [Sidenote: Canton, May 15.] We anchored off, what I recollect as a densely populated floating street of flower boats. All that portion of the river has since been walled and filled in, forming an island on which were the foreign consulates and residences. The island retains the name of Shaimen. On landing I was received by the Consul-General, Robertson, and, after looking over the buildings, we, Stephenson and self, got into chairs, and proceeded into the city of Canton, the Consul’s residence being within the Tartar quarter and interior wall, inside this great walled city, closed for so many centuries against all foreigners.