132 May, 1854. Hong Kong, China loved it. We wanted very much to send two butterflies away then, but the rocks were inac- cessible, and even if we had shot one we could not have secured our prize. So we continued on, hoping to see more of them in a place where we could get at them. We anchored in a little indentation of the shore, where a mountain stream of beautifully clear water emptied itself into the sea. Here we fetched a supply of fresh-water, and bought some wood of a man who made his appearance soon after our arrival. While at breakfast I saw a baboon creeping on a rocky ridge not far off, and immediately sent Felkey and Small ashore with carbines to cut off his retreat- while I went in a boat, with my fowling piece loaded with slugs, to the foot of the rock, upon which the baboon now sat in a tranquil state. I had covered the fel- low, who was quite near, and was on the point of firing, when Felkey and Small, appeared coming out from behind the rock not five feet from the animal, which ducked and disappeared under a ledge in a moment. Had I fired it is probable that 133 May, 1854. Hong Kong, China P. and S. would have received a good share of the scattering load I had in the gun. Thus was lost the only chance we had of securing a specimen during the day. The sun having now risen and shining brightly, we looked down into the clear water under our boat, and saw among the various seaweed (Sargassum) a great variety of the most beautiful fishes, thus affording me a sight that I had never before seen. Several kinds appeared in great abundance but to my great mortification no kind of bait that we could offer them seemed to tempt them in the least, so that we could catch but one kind, and that by far the least beautiful of the collection. I then had the trawl net stretched on bamboo, and haul- ed through the weeds, but we soon found that the ground would not allow of the use of nets. The colors of these fishes were so bright and varied that I took notes of them (which may be found in my note-book) notwithstanding I failed to secure a specimen. None of these fishes occur at Hong Kong, they being peculiar to clear water and a rocky bottom; they probably feed more or less on the sea weeds.