Accompanying the captain round the decks and among the various groups of Chinamen, some gambling, others opium-smoking, we came to the women’s department, old and young, with children of various ages--some at the breast. In the fore part of all I observed three old hags of repulsive aspect; some had three or four infants slung around them, varying in age from two months to a year. These, I found, were for sale, a ready market being found among the less poor Chinawomen of Hong-Kong; the price asked me for the finest was four dollars, but that was an exorbitant demand. How the old hags came by the children is all conjecture. [Sidenote: Hong-Kong, May 18.] Returned to Hong-Kong. In the afternoon accompanied the Governor to visit Stone Cutter’s Island, on which his predecessor had built a magnificent prison, but which, owing to the energetic measures lately adopted for ridding the island of bad characters and marking the worst in the face and publicly scourging those that return, crime has so much diminished that the prison in Hong-Kong is found sufficient to accommodate those that require such lodgings. His Excellency’s visit on this occasion was to ascertain the opinion of the Commodore and myself as to the feasibility of transferring the naval establishment to the island. The position would have been good had it been selected at first, but as £200,000 has been laid out on the one in Victoria the Board of Admiralty would not be likely to sanction the extra expense. There is no doubt that the naval and military establishments in Victoria are considerable obstructions to the improvement of the city, and prevent the continuation of a sea or harbour frontage and sea wall, with a road, or praya, which is intersected for more than 3000 feet at the part occupied by us and the military. [Sidenote: May 23.] _Pearl_ being ready for sea the flag was shifted from the _Princess Charlotte_ to her. [Sidenote: May 24.] Being Her Majesty’s Birthday the ships were dressed with masthead flags, and at noon a general royal salute was fired, batteries and ourselves, the reports sounding with great effect under the high land. Soirée at Government House, everybody attending. [Sidenote: Flag in _Pearl_, May 27.] Embarked on board _Pearl_, when I was received with manned yards, to visit different parts of the station. _Salamis_ still under repair. At 2 P.M. returned the Commodore’s salute and steamed out of Hong-Kong by the Cap Sing Moon passage, having been a month most kindly and hospitably entertained by John Dent and his cheery and good partner Oberbeck. [Sidenote: Swatow, May 28.]