May 1854 Hong Kong China Umbrellas I observed in the possession of contemporary pedestrians. A couple of stout Chinamen transported one of the boxes for me, but handled between them from a stout bamboo. On the way I observed a small drove of cattle (zebu?) Small, rather finely limbed, of a brownish mouse-color, rather dark:—hump not well marked in all cases but sufficiently obvious in some. At the Naval Store-house I packed today "Box No 4, Birds" The room in which my dried specimens are now all deposited ready to be sent home, is a low, damp place, and if specimens could be kept there two months without being destroyed it would be indeed dreadful. But the arrangement of their matters is not now under my control. Our ship is very clean, and the crew healthy. We have now 14 on the sick-list out of a crew of 190. The British frigate here has 80 sick out of 550. May 24th This afternoon the Repealer "Hancock" Capt. Rogers, arrived, and in the evening some of her officers came on board to see us. She had been four months surveying in the passages between Borneo and Sumatra, and had done a great deal of work as might have been expected from the well-known energy and efficient character of Capt. Rogers. Much of their surveying had been done in boats and they had landed at a great number of islands, had had ample opportunities of searching among the reefs and shoals, and of examining all the interesting phenomena connected with such localities. They had collected many shells, sea-weeds and plants: Dr Alexander having shown especial zeal in those pursuits. In fact he one day had his clothing torn from his legs by a shark, while trading for shells. The Commodore has ordered me to discharge the boatman whom I have employed in my dredging operations lately; and I must therefore now to a great extent give up my researches in this interesting locality. May 25th Star Ship Kennedy arrived today. I saw Capt. Collins, who told me he had brought some interesting animals from Java, which he has now on board, alive,—as Pythons,