ent, should abandon its use,--a thing
almost impossible to a people once brought under its influence.

It has been urged by Chinese of much shrewdness, that its importation as
a drug should be allowed under a heavy duty, and that the government
thus secure a profit from the evil; but a former Emperor declared he
could never receive a revenue from the misery of his people, and the
present government still perseveringly opposes its use.

CHAPTER XV.

Trip to Macao--Disappointed in getting ashore--Mail arrived--
Get no Letters--Expression of Sentiments--Causes and Effects
--Overland Mail--Idea of a Route--Happy Valley--Chase of
Pirates--_A Poisson d'Avril_--Into the Typa again--Arrival of
Consort--Late Dates--Catholic Fete--Depart for Shanghae--The
Yang-tse-Kiang--Improvement in the appearance of the Country
--Better race of Men--Banks of the Woo-sung.

Took a trip over to Macao, for a supply of provisions, our depot being
there, and having these on board, back again to Hong-Kong. Did not get
ashore at Macao, which was somewhat of a disappointment, as I had some
kind friends there whom I wished much to see, and from whom the cruise
to Manilla had made the separation longer than usual.

Upon the eighteenth of March the Mail Steamer came into Hong-Kong, with
the overland mail. I had been anxiously expecting its arrival, with
letters for myself, but was disappointed, and gave expression to my
feelings in this wise:

No news from home! My weary heart
Beats sadly in its prison cage,
And 'gainst its bars, with bound and start,
A wearing, useless war doth wage.
Alone, alone! Its feeble song
Finds no responsive, answering tone;
And it hath sung in silence long,
And long, alas! may sing alone.
Oh, for a sound across the main,
A note affection knows so well;
That it might dream of heaven again,
That peace again with it might dwell;
And joy delayed, at last may come,
In cheerful, happy news from home.

After this felt somewhat relieved; for the mind is like the body, and
mental, as well as physical suffering, must have vent. A twinge of a
tooth brings forth a groan; a twitch of the heart-strings produces
poetry in me: have only to hope the poetry may not have the effect of
the toothache upon the reader.

The overland mail is brought across the desert by the Isthmus of Suez,
and reaches Hong-Kong in about forty-five days from Engla