antities.

A thick mist of driven spray covered the surface of the lake, and the
boat rolled wildly in the waves, which although not very high were
short and heavy and hissed as if in a rapid.

We should have been swamped over the stern again and again had it not
been for the hood, which more by good fortune than by design I had
left standing. The tiller happily was a long one, and by exerting all
my strength we kept a fairly straight course, eventually dashing
through clouds of driven foam into the creek, though in a half-swamped
condition. We had got off scot-free, but it had been touch and go. If
the hood and tarpaulins had failed to keep out the seas we should have
been pooped, and if the jib-sheets had carried away or the rudder
become unshipped we should have broached to, when immediate
destruction would have been our lot.

The remainder of the journey was simple enough, and in a few hours we
were safely back in port.

Both at Hongkong and Shanghai, where the European population numbers
several thousands, there is a yacht club, each containing several
up-to-date classes, ranging from half-raters to fifteen-tonners, and
regattas under various conditions are of frequent occurrence. These
clubs, as well as the yachts, being practically identical with those
in this country, it is unnecessary to enter into details.

At Hongkong the sailing is on a bright, blue sea, whether in the
magnificent harbour or amongst the numerous lovely islands, while at
Shanghai it is on the muddy waters of the Whangpoo, which, except for
the fact that it is the harbour of this thriving settlement, where
scores of vessels of all sizes and nationalities ride at anchor or are
berthed alongside wharves, is a small and uninteresting river flowing
into the estuary of the Yangtse.

From the ancient Portuguese colony of Macao, distant forty miles from
Hongkong and celebrated as the home of the poet Camoens, come fleets
of fishing-boats, which, in pursuit of their calling, cruise amongst
the islands in the delta of the West River.

These "Macao junks" are about the best sea-boats and the fastest
sailers of all Chinese vessels.

Built on graceful lines, and of light material, they possess the
buoyancy of a duck, rarely shipping water even in the heaviest sea,
while with two masts carrying well-shaped sails of matting, immense
perforated, balanced rudders, and being of light draught, they handle
so well that they can turn a complete circle i