The passage from Canton to Hong-Kong was accomplished without any circumstance worthy of notice, save the time it took, in consequence of the prevalence of contrary winds the whole way.  We were, it is true, woke up the first night by the report of guns; but I expect they were not fired at us, as we were not molested.  My travelling companions, the Chinese, also behaved themselves on this occasion with the greatest politeness and decorum; and, had I been enabled to look into the future, I would willingly have given up the English steamer and pursued my journey as far as Singapore on board a junk.  But as this was impossible, I availed myself of the English steamer, “Pekin,” of 450 horse-power, Captain Fronson commander, which leaves for Calcutta every month.

As the fares are most exorbitant, {116} I was advised to take a third-class ticket, and hire a cabin from one of the engineers or petty officers; I was greatly pleased with the notion, and hastened to carry it out.  My astonishment, however, may be imagined when, on paying my fare, I was told that the third-class passengers were not respectable, that they were obliged to sleep upon deck, and that the moon was exceedingly dangerous, etc.  It was in vain that I replied I was the best judge of my own actions; I was obliged, unless I chose to remain behind, to pay for one of the second places.  This certainly gave me a very curious idea of English liberty.

On the 25th of August, at 1 o’clock, P.M., I went on board.  On reaching the vessel I found no servant in the second places, and was obliged to ask a sailor to take my luggage into the cabin.  This latter was certainly anything but comfortable.  The furniture was of the most common description, the table was covered with stains and dirt, and the whole place was one scene of confusion.  I inquired for the sleeping cabin, and found there was but one for both sexes.  I was told to apply to one of the officials, who would no doubt allow me to sleep somewhere else.  I did so, and obtained a neat little cabin in consequence, and the steward was kind enough to propose that I should take my meals with his wife.  I did not, however, choose to accept the offer; I paid dearly enough, Heaven knows, and did not choose to accept everything as a favour.  Besides, this was the first English steamer I had ever been on board, and I was curious to learn how second-class passengers were treated.

The company at our table consisted not only of the passengers, of whom there were three besides myself, but of the cooks and waiters of the first-class places, as well as of the butcher; or, in a word, of every one of the attendants who chose to take “pot-luck” with us.  As for any etiquette in the article of costume, that was entirely out of the question.  Sometimes one of the company would appear without either coat or jacket; the butcher was generally oblivious of his shoes and stockings; and it was really necessary to be endowed with a ravenous appetite to be enabled to eat anything with such a set.