102 China March 1834 I spent the day ashore, walking about, see- ing the people, visiting the ships etc. -- in fact Deriving my first impressions of China. At low water a took a stroll along the beach and rocks, finding a few small unvalve shells, but little of value. Macao seems to be a very poor place for collecting, but is a much more healthy locality than its Neighbor Hong Kong. 19th Fine clear weather; temperature 65° F We started Today for the city of Victoria, on the island of Hong Kong which lies about 60 miles in an N.E. direction from Ma- cao. We beat up for some distance among the islands and anchored for the night. 20th Fine and clear. Temp. 64° F. Today we ar- rived in Hong Kong Harbor, finding it crowded with ships among which was one of our Squadron, the brig "Porpoise" Thanks to the courtesy of Dr Stewart and others of her of- ficers we got our letters which afforded abundant employment for the rest of the day. 21st 22nd & 23rd & 24th Weather very hot. They are having a general overhauling of Rigging & Sails -- ship almost uninhabitable in consequence. 103 Hong Kong China March 1834 25th Taking a fast European-built row-boat with four coolies, at the moderate price of a dollar for the day I made a visit, in company with Mr Wright, to the mainland opposite Hong-Kong, at the peninsula of Kowloon. The shore here are irregular, consisting of little sandy bays separated by low rocky points, which were granitic. These rocks were not very prolific, but afforded various cinipodes of Pollicipes etc., a Neolius or Monodonta, a Purpura, a Littorina and several Crabs. Amphipods were rare, but a large Lygia secured under the stars. The sandy bays were however extremely well populated, especially with bivalves; the coarser sands affording a Dermia and a Maactia in great abundance, and the more muddy places abounding in Veneres of several species, two or three Tellina a Cardium, and than species of Merita a little species of which at most covered the slime in some places. At the bottom of one of the bays a causeway had been built, retaining several square muddy ponds of brackish water, probably for agricultural purposes