The name of a “spurious sandal-wood” is a source of alarm to those who, engaged in purchasing sandal-wood, are not able to judge of the difference, or have only known the “spurious kind” by name. An instance of this occurred under my own observation. A vessel arrived from the New Hebrides group at the Bay of Islands, (New Zealand,) in July, 1829, having on board some sandal-wood. This was purchased by the commander of a ship lying at that place; he had heard of the existence of a spurious kind when at the Sandwich Islands, but never having seen it, was unable to judge of the difference. When the sandal-wood came on board, it was found to consist of the white, yellow, and red varieties, having been procured from trees of different ages; that which was of a whitish colour, and had less fragrance than the other wood, was considered immediately to be what he had heard of as spurious wood, and was rejected, much to the annoyance of the owner, who declared it was all sandal-wood. This supposed spurious kind was laid aside, and was finally delivered to the cook for fire-wood; and, when burning, it diffused a delightful fragrance over the ship. Some of it was landed amongst the fire-wood from the same ship, at the Sandwich Islands, much to the surprise of some of the merchants, who thought that sandal-wood must be very common on board when it was used as fire-wood. The Naiho (_Myóporum tenuifòlium_) attains the height of fifteen to twenty feet, and a circumference of three or four feet: the scented wood differs, according to the age of the tree, from a light-yellow to a reddish colour; the tree is branchy. CHAPTER VI. Visit to the Temple of Honan—Colossal figures—The priesthood—Votive offerings—Mummery—Holy pigs—Their corpulency—The hall of the factory—Duck-boats—Alabaster—Chinese snake—Leave Canton and return to Macao—Visit the Lappa Island—Hill-pines—Mass of granite rocks—Their sonorous qualities—Tanka-boats—Chinese burial-grounds—Cassilhas Bay—Manufacture of ropes—Portuguese ladies at Macao—Origin of that name—Another temple near Macao. I visited one evening the Temple of Honan, situated a short distance on the opposite side of the river to that on which the factories are built. Having crossed, with my companions, in a boat, we proceeded a little way down the river, and landed at a dirty causeway near some timber-yards, in which a quantity of fir-timber, of China, of various dimensions, was piled with an extreme degree of regularity. The entrance to the temple or temples, and extensive grounds about them, was close to the landing place; and passing some miserable fruit and eating stalls adjoining, we noticed a large, clean, open space, planted with trees, and having in the centre a broad pavement of granite, kept very clean. The quietness that reigned within formed a pleasing retreat from the noise and bustle without.