On the 1st of October I visited Macao. This ancient colony of the Portuguese, in China, has a very picturesque and romantic aspect on approaching it from the sea: it is situated upon a peninsula, and, from bearing some resemblance to a mallet, has received the name Macao, which in the Portuguese language signifies that instrument. The white houses, rising one above the other; the high mountains in the back-ground, and about it; the castle, and monasteries, perched on the elevated summits of some of the hills; the numerous sacred edifices, elevating themselves above the neighbouring houses, the most conspicuous objects in all Roman Catholic countries,—all contribute to the beauty of this little city: it seemed, both from the roadstead and on landing, a Portuguese town, to which the taste and wealth of our native land had been added, not the least cause of its neatness or beauty: it contains also very agreeable society, both for residents and strangers. The streets of Macao are very narrow: this, however, affords shelter to the pedestrian from the fervent rays of the sun; they are likewise ill-paved and very steep, the houses rising from the _Praya Grande_ on one side, and the inner harbour on the other, terrace upon terrace, and are constructed upon a very solid foundation of rock: the pavement consists of smooth and rough stones, without any attention having been given to their relative sizes; so that a person taking a short walk, may often expect to return with a strained ancle. The private residences of the Europeans are very convenient, spacious, and more delightful for their interior accommodation, than for any exterior beauty. Many vessels have been sent to the east coast of China, by enterprising merchants of Canton, to endeavour, if possible, to open a trade with some of the Chinese ports on that coast. A highly-talented gentleman, the Rev. C. Gutzlaff, with whom I had the gratification of forming an acquaintance, has often accompanied the vessels; but the result has been a very limited degree of success; the imbecility of the Chinese government has been fully ascertained; and during the last voyage, edicts were stuck about the village off which the vessel had anchored, stating that the foreign vessel had been driven away, while she still remained at anchor within sight of these very papers, endeavouring to carry on some traffic with the inhabitants; but, from the fear of the mandarins, it was effected but to a very limited extent. It is stated that the embassy of Lord Amherst is still mentioned by the Chinese, who say that it was fully expected, from the force he had with him, he would not have suffered himself to be driven away, but would have obliged the Chinese government to accede to any terms he chose to propose.