April 1855 China Sea On the 6th we weighed and sailed out of Hong Kong Harbor by way of Ly-ce-moon passage, but finding the wind outside very light, we anchored for the night within the Nine-pins. The U.S. Sloop Macedonian which had followed us out, did the same. 7th N. lat. 22°13' E. lon. 114°53' Wind N.E. Moderate. Fair Weather. Temp. 70° Beating up the Coast with the Macedonian, which ship at last beats us and at sunset is far to windward 8th Sunday Mid ENG. Fine. Temp. 70° Very pleasant weather. Many vessels in sight among which is a clipper ship. 9th N. lat. 22°31' E. lon. 114°51' Wind & Weather as yesterday. Pedro Blanco Rock in sight. On our in-shore tack we approach quite close to land. 10th N. lat. 22°26' E. lon. 115°46' Wind & Weather as yesterday. Still beating up the Coast. Many ships and junk's in sight. A black Albatross (D. fuliginosa?) was seen. My time lately employed in working up notes and finishing drawings. 11th N. lat. 22°43' E. lon. 116°20' Wind and Weather as yesterday. The Chinese coast still in sight. In the afternoon the wind died away, and I had opportunity of dredging a little in 15-20 fathoms, grey sand. 12th N. lat. 22°35' E. lon. 116°53' Nearly calm. Fine. Temp. 73° Having had one of my largest Dredge-frames rigged with a canvas bag and net bottom, I tried dredging on a large scale this afternoon, from the ship, in 27 fathoms sandy bottom. The first two hauls were rather successful, a moderate quantity of sand being taken which proved to be rich in annelides and mollusks;—among the former a rare Eunice, whose slightly curved, white, translucent, horny tube resembled a crow-quill very much. At the third haul however the dredge took so large a quantity of sand that it could be with difficulty recovered, which was however at last effected, though with considerable damage to the frame. In this haul nothing of consequence was found with the exception of a large Leidia 13th N. lat. 22°56' E. lon. 117°39' Wind light E. Fair. Temp. 76° Dredging was kept up with the small instrument, the larger one undergoing repairs. The calm weather gives me a fine opportunity. The bottom gradually changes from sand to shelly sand and gravel, depth remaining about the same (between 20 & 30 fathoms). I obtain here a variety of small invertebrates which have not yet occurred to me on this Coast; among which are—a small Anotostyine Eolis, several Actinians, two Starfishes allied to Astropecten, a Camatula