Diary

The supper was extremely well arranged in the theatre and the tables placed around the gallery & in the circle. Champagne was most plentiful and every luxury they could procure Game [?] & all the little detail had been well [studied?] China men in blue smocks waited. Haggis was served and it truly was St Andrews feast. a couple of the [students?] came up to us but stopped & looked after us so well. The ball begins the season and for a couple months before at private houses they dance the Scotch reels. To day it was quite a pretty sight at one - we got home. Milly enjoyed her self Mr Rose Jr did his best & Mr Rankin was very nice. Ronald went off with Mr Barrett before we left for the Ball they went to the theatre. Mr Hartshorne improve our acquantance.

Dec 1 We find in day light that the rooms did not look very clean so we may go to the other hotel

We went to town & to see if by chance our letters might have come on by the Japan. The CPR Mr Brown does not impress one very much. I fancy they get a lot of people recommended to their care. But as we need nothing we will not suffer. Vietnam seems a smaller place than I had imagined. Only 3000 Europeans & 2 hundred thousand Chinese and they live in such small quarters that it is impossible to count them. The coolies look rougher than those at Shanghai but the chair is in general like here and 2 coolies or even 4 or 6 men may go. The charge is very moderate 15 ? an hour for each Man. The motion is a rocking one & and at first it fatiques. The jenrickshaw are not quite like those in Japan; theirs seem safer – with a spoke at the back that would prevent it falling over. the men run faster & do not go up hills. For here the hills are very steep

Dec 2. In fact Hong Kong is rock from the sand to the top of the peak. Men carry great stones down the hill side and all say a sort sing sing like a grunt. Every where you hear this sound. Today we saw a great box with 16 men at each end being moved along the street. A large garrison of British troops the defences are almost impregnable. Upon the streets at any time may be seen a cosmopolitan assembly speaking a score of languages & clamoring to sell their wares. In 2 hours time one may go to Macao, a 3 century old Portuguese on the ? Pand?. Owing to the numerous gambling establishments which are patronized by the Orientals, Macao is called the Monte Carlo of the far East. This ? gambling Place is supported by the ? Doree of Hong Kong. The street are all colonnades. The ? start at 5 pm - in the European quarter. In the afternoon we went up to the Peak in the cable train, the view is fine

The day was not quite clear. Mr & Mrs Chill the Hartshorns found us up there but I was not feeling well so we only had a ride of about 4 miles and returned by the train. Ronald walked down the hill and does not seem to savor being with us. But in spite of all I am more than glad he came. 3. In the morning went with Ronald to order some clothes. when we got there he could not decide what he was to have so I found a lady tailor & got myself fitted for a dress & blouse. From Miss ? I got a gray alpaca ? dress. The [silver?] shops are most effective and things seem to us very cheap. In the afternoon we took chairs & went to the cemetery the Happy Valley which has many monuments to the different soldiers & sailors who lost their lives fighting against the Chinese. With the war ? one wonders if England was not too g? to this people. If Russia, Germany and France divide China among them

England will be in "the cold" alas for the young life thrown away. As one stands in the Cemetery & reads names often names of men of good family who died for this cause the Trees & flowers were grand beyond description and the magnificent beds of ? plants in blossom testify to the heat. On my return I wrote a note to Mrs St John, Mr & Mrs Hartshorne niece letting her we had come & got a nice reply Saturday morning. She is ill but will come to see us on one ? from Canton & her husband is with his ship at ? we went & looked at some ? & ? to be sold at auction but were not interested enough to spend the time waiting for a chance. I was not well but did some needed mending. A day of rest suited me very well today. In the afternoon Mr Hartshorne & Mr & Mrs Chill had tea with us. Ronald came rushing? in to tell us he heard the sale was a good one. I gave him some money & let him go to try his luck. This is the anniversary of my grandfather's death in 1862. & that has indeed ?