122 Hong Kong, China. May, 1854 There were 60 or 70 species catalogued and among my collections I found a dozen or more additional ones. The devolopment of the family at this point is astonishingly quick. 30th Sunday Having to attend muster, which u- sually takes place during church time (11-14-12-) I cannot attend the latter. May 1st Having had in my mind for some time the idea of making an excursion to the outer islands along this coast, I today proposed it to the Commodore, who agreed with me in its expediency and kindly offered me every facility to giving me the necessary orders to proceed at once, in company with. Mr Wright who was to accompany us. Some hesitation at first. I engaged a boat with eight men, including "John", the boatman I have always hired in my Bay excursions. The boat was shaped like an ordinary "pass-boat" but much larger, and having a trough cabin. Pelkey and Small to accompany us 123 May 1854 Hong Kong, China 2nd Today I made the necessary arrangement for our expedition, setting dredges, trawls, nets, lines etc in order - also a chest of copper kettles, with plenty of alcohol, bottles etc. In subsistence we took live chickens eags, bananas etc in abundance; also the mens rations of beef, pork, and hard tack. with tea, coffee & other small necessaries. As we have strange accounts of pirates infesting the coast, we also got ready my wife and fowling piece, with two carbines from the Armory, our revolvers etc, and plenty of ammunition. The boat is also, provided with a 3 pounder. 3rd We started in the morning, between four and five o'clock, and at breakfast time were some ways below Liancoen Passage Here Mr Wright landed, on May King Island, while I stood on towards the Great Five Islands, and at about 10 o'clock let go my dredge, but took little or nothing; on account of the lightness two wind, we could not get headway on the boat. While thus anchored by the dredge we tried for fish with our deep- sea-lines, at the bottom, but caught no- things although one bait was rapidly taken