&c. His is the ungracious task to reform
abuses; perhaps, like Hamlet, he thinks "the times are out of joint,"
and he "was born to set them right." Or it may be that he is influenced
by the same motive as the Irishman, who, upon the eve of a presidential
election in the United States, was asked to cast his vote for the party
which aspired to place their candidate upon the chair, after ousting the
incumbent. Pat's first inquiry was, if it was _aginst_ the government
they wanted him to vote; and being told it was, assented, upon the
principle that he always went against the government.

In addition to these there are several advertising sheets, which are
distributed _gratis_, and exhibit the extensive trade carried on by the
merchants of the colony and Canton. Even these are interesting, proving,
as they do, the indomitable perseverance of the race, and bringing up
pleasant remembrances by their familiar diction.

The island of Hong-Kong, the original word in the Chinese is
Hoong-Keang, which means "Red Harbor," is in about lat. 22 deg. 17' 00''
North, long. 114 deg. East, and is one of the Ladrones, a group of rocky
islands which dot this part of Canton Bay. In length it is about eight
miles, its greatest breadth not more than four, and it is separated
from the mainland by an arm of the sea, called the Lyemoon Passage, in
which are several smaller islands, which vary its width, and make
admirable hiding places for the pirates, whose existence has given to
this Archipelago its distinctive title of Ladrone. In fact the Strait is
named after a celebrated pirate who once commanded there.

Upon the northern side of this island of Hong-Kong, is the settlement
called Victoria, which, as I have before stated, is generally known by
the name of the island, and a reference to it is made in a former page.

This island is mountainous, but contains many extensive valleys--none
very remarkable for fertility.

The mountains are formed of a species of granite, the greater part of
which is of a crumbling nature, and through them runs a stratum of a red
sandy formation, which, I suppose, geologists would call "poecilitic."
There are occasionally to be found solid boulders of this material,
which has been used for building. But it is to be remarked that the
granite found in that state is generally detached from the larger
masses, which appear to be in a state of decomposition, the particles
from which, washed down by the heavy summer r