n their own length.
While unable to sail as close to the wind as a yacht, their chief
point is in running, when with huge sails set on either side they
will tear along at a pace perfectly astounding for craft of their
unpretentious build and rig.

During a pleasant two years' sojourn in this colony I sailed a smart
little cutter of about one and a half tons, so that I was able to
thoroughly test the merits of these junks, and while rather more than
holding my own on all points in a light breeze, I could only make a
good show in strong winds and rough water when sailing full and by,
and was considerably outpaced in running free.

Although these waters are infested with pirates and smugglers, as
evidenced by such names as "Dead Man's Grave," "Robbers' Point,"
"Grave Island," "Pirates' Creek" and the like, Europeans are but
seldom molested, and although generally taking my Winchester as a
precautionary measure when going any distance from port, I have spent
many delightful days in standing out to sea, sailing through the
numerous creeks with which the hinterland is intersected, or in
cruising amongst the islands, on which sometimes I would land, and
creeping round the rocky shores with my gun would frequently surprise
wildfowl feeding amongst the shallow bays and pools.

At other times, in company with a convivial friend, I would get under
way in the cool of the evening, and after running out to sea for an
hour or so to enjoy the night breezes setting in from the Pacific,
and perhaps laying to for a swim, we would return to the lovely bay,
and dropping anchor off the Praia Grande dine by moonlight to the
strains of the Portuguese military band, which played two or three
times weekly either at the Governor's Palace or in the public gardens,
both of which overlooked the sea.

When on a trip up the Sikiang or West River from Canton to Wuchow, I
observed many junks fitted with what may be described as an adjustable
cut-water or bow-board.

These vessels, having great beam and perfectly flat bottoms, would
only draw a few inches, and as their provenance was evidently from
shallow waters, where neither keels, centre-boards nor lee-boards
could be employed, recourse was had to enormous rudders and these
cut-waters as a means of hauling a wind, the device apparently
answering fairly well.

As far as I could see, a deep groove was cut along the stem, and the
bow-board, perhaps three feet in width, was slipped into it and ma