The next day I left Canton for the ship in one of the barges, which came up for the purpose of carrying down specie for the use of the squadron. They were all well armed; though the river-pirates are always, by some fraternal telegraph, posted of the movements of treasure to Whampoa, they will scarcely dare attack a man-of-war’s boats, yet if not watched, they are willing to attempt, the apparently accidental, running down of a boat with treasure, that they may subsequently fish it up, knowing as they do every spot. The 25th of December—a drizzly, disagreeable Sunday, that was not “Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusion of our childish days, and transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fireside and his quiet home,”—saw us passing the fortifications of the Bogue, which stupidly neglect crown-batteries with admirable physical formation for them, by which the rigging, tops, and spars of an enemy’s ship might be sorely troubled, bound down through the Cap-sing-moon passage, back of Lantow island, to Hong Kong. The next day the Lexington arrived. The news of the death of Vice-President King we had seen, but the official intelligence we did not get for some time. On the 29th of December, in honor of the deceased, each American man-of-war in the harbor, fired minute guns at daybreak, mid-day, and sundown. In this they were very courteously joined by the English flag-ship Winchester, commanded by Admiral Sir Fleetwood Pellew, son of Lord Exmouth of naval renown. The beginning of 1854 found us in the harbor of Hong Kong, preparing for departure for Japan, and awaiting the arrival of the next oriental mail-steamer. The intervening time was occupied in coaling the storeships, and in an occasional dramatic performance on one of the steamers; a thing not at all calculated to improve discipline; whose burnt-cork and dramatic performances make “Rome howl” much oftener than good sailors; besides, the lights employed not contributing to the safety of a man-of-war from fire. At such times the quarter-deck awnings are usually elevated, and draped with the numerous flags; underneath, chandeliers of windsail-hoops and lashed bayonets and suspended overhead, the guns rolled out of the way, the mainmast decked with palm-branches; and when the music arises in the floating ball-room, the guests flit in the mazes of the dance, and nothing interrupts the twinkling feet of the _en-bon-point_ English women save an occasional ring-bolt in the deck. Tables were spread in the different messes. At such times, “H. E., Sir Samuel, K. C. B., governor and commander-in-chief, and vice-admiral,” and the “major-general, K. H., of the forces,” and the officers of the “59th,” and foreign naval officers, were aboard. CHAPTER XI.