a strong Tyfoong in 142 deg. east, which carried away all her topmasts, and
jib-boom, narrowly escaping going down. Both these vessels were caught
unexpectedly, neither expecting to find Ty-foongs in the latitudes in
which they were at that season of the year.

CHAPTER XX.

Ty-foong passed--Pleasant Season--Theatrical Exhibition--The
Macaense--Philharmonic Society--Italian Opera--Awaiting Orders
for Home--Thoughts of Home and Friends--Idea suggested by the
Setting Sun--Poetry--Maladie de Pays--Its effects upon the
Swiss--A Remedy--My own Experience--And manner of Cure.

The symptoms of the Ty-foong having passed over, and all fears of its
recurrence at an end, time went pleasantly by at Macao. The temperature
was most delightful, this season being certainly the most agreeable in
this part of China, a number of foreign residents from Canton and
Hong-Kong adding to its gayety.

The Portuguese officers, aided by the citizens, got up for our
amusement a theatrical exhibition, at the old rooms formerly occupied
by the Philharmonic Society. The representations were very good, and
the accommodations for the audience excellent. Saw the _elite_ of Macao
at these performances, and must say the Macaense are not without a
goodly share of female beauty, although it is not apparent upon all
occasions, for the decline of the place has affected the finances of
the families, and their pride will not allow them to exhibit their
poverty upon common occasions, not that there was any evidence of it
here, for the ladies were all richly as well as tastily dressed.

It is perhaps not generally known that opera once flourished in Macao.
An Italian company, who had carried their "sweet voices" around the
world, once made these walls vocal with the music of Donnizetti,
Bellini, and others of their great maestros, and "Lucia di Lammermoor"
lamented her lost love, and the amiable Amina sobbed forth her
somnambulic sorrows for her false lover, upon these very boards.

The performance given upon this occasion was not in opera, but dramatic,
something about the troubles of a Jew--not _le Juif Errant_--although
this member of his tribe was off and on sufficiently to have given him a
claim to this title.

An interval, filled up by promenading to some pretty good music, was
succeeded by a funny farce, which sent the audience laughing to their
beds.

We awaited here the arrival of the Commodore, whom we had heard was to
bring