that the drilling of their embryo sailors might continue, as it had begun, in an imaginary ship on shore, a very comfortable plan for us, in a domestic point of view, though not at all satisfactory in a professional one. I am, therefore, not allowed to regret the establishment of the ship!

The present plan is that he should sail about the beginning of October, after the Typhoon season is over, and cruise down to Hong-Kong, spending some weeks en route. I have a slight hope that if he remains there long, I may go by steamer and join him; but nothing is yet fixed. Meantime we are making what H. calls my cage, and its outer court (viz., the house and garden) as pretty as we can, and the house is a very cheerful one, which is a point in my favour, during the long solitary days that are before me.

I wish you could see the Anchorage as it is at present. On Sunday when we went to the top of the hill above the church, with our backs to all the ugly buildings and chimneys of the Arsenal, the view of the harbour with about seventy fine ships lying at anchor, and the beautiful broad river and hills beyond was magnificent.

The hill you speak of in the views you have of China, must be "Kushan" which is a principal feature in the view from this, and is several feet

E

higher than Ben Lomond. There is a Buddhist Monastery half-way to the top, to which people often go for change of air during the hot season, as it is many degrees cooler than in the plain below. I have not yet been there, as H. is much too busy for such expeditions.

We have met with a serious loss in the departure of our very nice "Boy." The same mania prevails among butlers in China, for shop-keeping as exists in our own country, whenever they have collected a little money, and ends very generally with the same result, viz., losing it all. Our servant has left us to join his brother in keeping a shop at Hong-Kong, and in his place, we have one who understands neither his business nor a word I say. A glaring instance of the latter fact occurred two days ago, when instead of scolloped crab, there appeared at dinner a dish of hot boiled crabs, and this incident has furnished my husband with a handle for derision against the distinctness of the orders given by his new housekeeper, not soon to be forgotten! How could I possibly know that in order to make the stupid old creature understand what was wanted, I should have told him to "catchee that crab, takee all that inside out, makee cut small, all proper, and putee inside that crab's back!" I am sure any sympathetic housewife will feel for me.

LETTER XVI.

12th August 187–.

A steamer has come in from Hong-Kong bringing no English letters, so the mail must have been late. There is, however, a telegram with the news that Prussia and France have declared war. It seems very sudden, and we fear, may distract France from punishing the Chinese as they ought to do, for the outrages of Tien-tsin.

I am happy to say most of the hot weather is now over, as we may expect September to be decidedly cooler. To-day it is quite charming, the thermometer only 85°, and a fresh breeze. What makes the heat here very trying while it lasts, is, that the nights are so little cooler than the days. Many times the thermometer has stood at 87° during the night in my bed-room with all the doors and windows open. There is generally an hour or two of comparative comfort just before sunrise, so that I have some sympathy for one of the cadets, who, when told what a good time the early morning was for work, remarked readily enough "Yes, sir, but it is a very good time also for sleep."

I have no reason personally to complain of the heat, not having suffered either from it or the want

of exercise. I have always been dressed by 7.30 A.M., and been able to occupy myself within doors very much as I should do at home: but H.'s work exposes him very much to the sun, so that by the evening he is generally quite knocked up. I am therefore thankful on his account for the approach of the cool season.

Last week we again emerged from our quiet life into the gayer world of Foo-chow, on the occasion of a party being given at the Consulate to which the musical talent of the Arsenal was invited to lend its aid. The party was a most successful one; but it proved a very fatiguing expedition, as contrary to the wishes of our hospitable host and hostess, who had rooms prepared for us, we foolishly insisted on coming back at night. The return voyage was very tedious, as we started between twelve and one, and did not get home till six in the morning. Our polite Director had a house-boat towed by the Arsenal steamer, in order that I might sleep all the way; but the heat and mosquitos combined to frustrate all his considerate arrangements for my comfort.

August 15th.-I was up early this morning and went with H. to see the cadets at their gunnery drill in the imaginary ship, and was much amused by that part of the performance when some of

them acted being killed and wounded in order that their companions might learn to carry off the bodies properly, and place the wounded in safety. This exercise is expected to give much satisfaction to the Imperial Commissioner, who always likes some little novelty when he comes to see the drill, as he intends to do in a few days.

LETTER XVII.

24th August 187-.

Since I wrote last we have had an excitement

of a most disagreeable nature.

One evening about a week ago, on going into my room, I observed something lying on the floor, and stooping to pick it up, found that it was a bag, out of which rolled a number of small coins, and which I knew had been locked up in a drawer where money was kept. That we had been visited by a thief was the thought which at once flashed across our mind, and which proved, alas! to be the case. H.'s watch, several valuable articles of mine-valuable in themselves, and still more so for the sake of the donors, money to a considerable amount-all had been carried off while we were down stairs at dinner. There was no doubt the robbery had been committed by some