_July 1st_.--Another month begun. Last night, at dinner, we were startled by hearing that we seemed to be running on a rock or shoal, where no rock or shoal was known to exist. We backed our screw, and finally went over the alarming spot, and on sounding found no bottom. The sea was discoloured, but whether it was by the spawn of fish or sea-weed we could not discover. Peel took up water in a bucket, but could discover nothing. If we had not been a screw, and had had nothing but sails to rely on, we should have kept clear of this apparent danger, and the result would have been that a shoal would have been marked on the charts, where, in point of fact, no shoal exists. Captain Keppel's adventure makes captains cautious. [Sidenote: Arrival at Hongkong.] _Hong-Kong.--July 3rd_.--I am headachy and fagged, for I have had some hours of the most fatiguing of all things--a succession of interviews, beginning with the Admiral, General, &c,... I found the Admiral strong on the point that Canton is the only place where we ought to fight.... However, I hope we may get off to the North in about ten days,--as soon as we have sent off these letters, and got (as we ought) two mails from home. _July 9th_.--An interval ... during which I have been doing a good many things, my greatest enjoyment and pleasure being the receipt at last of two sets of letters from home.... I have a great heap of despatches, some of which seem rather likely to perplex me. I daresay, however, that I shall see my way through the mist in a day or two.... I had a levee last evening, which was largely attended. The course which I am about to follow does not square with the views of the merchants, but I gave an answer to their address, which gave them for the moment wonderful satisfaction.... A document, taken in one of the Chinese junks lately captured, states that 'Devils' heads are fallen in price,'--an announcement not strictly complimentary, but reassuring to you as regards our safety. [Sidenote: Change of plans.]