An Aide-de-Camp's Recollections of Service in China, a residence in Hong Kong, and visits to other islands in the Chinese seas

Front matter

AN AIDE-DE-CAMP'S RECOLLECTIONS OF SERVICE IN CHINA, etc. VOL. I. Sauniers &-Otle*y,Co*nduitS'* AN AIDE-DE-CAMP'S RECOLLECTIONS OF SERVICE IN CHINA, S[ 2£UsiBmec tn Utong^Kong, AND VISITS TO OTHER ISLANDS IN THE CHINESE SEAS. BY CAPTAIN ARTHUR CUNYNGHAME, AIDE-DE-CAMP TO MAJOR-GENERAL LORD SALTOUN, K.C.B. G.C.E. COMMANDING HER MAJESTY'S AND THE HON. EAST INDIA COMPANY'S TROOPS IN CHINA. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON SAUNDERS AND OTLEY, CONDUIT STREET. 1844. DEDICATION. London, August 6, 1844. My dear Lord, In acknowledging and returning my grateful thanks to your Lordship for your permission to dedicate to you this my first appearance in print, I am not wholly with out fear that by such honourable patronage the public may be led to expect better things. I am induced to think that some of these events and anecdotes, occurring in a country VI DEDICATION. so strange and new to all Europe, may be worth recording; and I sincerely hope my readers may experience the same amusement in perusing these pages that I had in com piling them.

I rejoice in every opportunity of assuring your Lordship that I have a grateful sense of your continued kindness towards me; and I have the honour to remain, My dear Lord, Very faithfully yours, Arthur Cunynghame. Major-General LOKD SALTOUN, K.C.B. G.C.II. &c. &c. &c. CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

Chapter I

H. M. S. Belle-Isle — Contrary winds — Mount Edgcmnbe — Eddystone Light — Isle of Madeira — Teneriffe — Middies and ponies — Band of II. M. 98th — Rescue of an officer — Wanderer schooner — Oranges and bananas — Story at Teneriffe — Peak of Teneriffe — Cape de Verd — Flying fish — North-east trades — Sharks — Tacking ship — Cross the equator p. 1

Chapter II

Man overboard — Life-buoy — Man falling from the mast-head — Burial at sea — Bear-up for South America — ■ Cape Frio — Harbour of Rio Janeiro — La Gloria — Corcovado — Palace of the Emperor — French plays — The opera — Population of the town — Slaves — Barometer — Row in the town of Rio— Pay-money . 19

Chapter III

Heavy lightning — The Apollo missed — Albatross — Cape of Good Hope — Cape Town — Cape carriages — Farmer Peck — O.P. S.— Table Bay — The gardens at go- CONTENTS. VIII vernment house — Cape wines — Lion -shooting — Government country house— Mother Cary's chickens — H. M. S. Sapphire— Classification of the winds— The Sextant — Island of Java— Angeer — Canoes — Store ships — Strange story — A Dutch gentleman . 35 35

Chapter IV

China Sea— Straits of Banca — Nanka Island — Fred Hendrich — Sincapore — Shipping in the road — Landing at Sincapore — Government house — The punka — Thugs — Opium smoking — Joss-house — Chinaman's tail — Peons — Beetle-nut — Chewing beetle-nut — Cochin -Chinese junk — Piracy — Cock fighting — Siamese ...;'".... 56

Chapter V

China Sea — The Anambas — St. John's Island — Hong Kong — The barracks and markets — Hong Kong — Chinese — Chinese fight — Police — Tytam Bay — Chapoo — My own opinions .... 79

Chapter VI

Chusan Archipelago — Fishing-boats — Ice houses — The soldier rescued — St. Helen's Bay — Cultivation of Chusan — Inner harbour of Chusan — Chinese junk — Captain of the junk — Prognosticates the destruction of the fleet — Joss-house near the harbour — Brass carronade — Defences of the city — Town of Tinghai — Queen of Heaven — Chinese gong and bell — Gateway of Confusion Temple — Chinese ladies' feet — English ladies' waists 90

Chapter VII

H. C. iron steamer Ariadne— Yang-tse-Kiang — Captain Collinson— Cultivation of the land— Wealth of China CONTENTS. IX — Destruction of the gods — Shang-hai — Tea-gardens at Shang-hai — Return to Woosung — Disposing of plunder — The mate of the Marion — A financial specu lation—Woosung batteries— Date of the guns— Arts and sciences — Mandarin and his button — Wooden crosses — Confucius — Coal discovered . .112 CHAPTER VIH. Surveying ships despatched — Sail up the river — Unpropitious day — Island of Tsung-Ming — Harvey Point — Ships ashore — Pagoda Hill — Deposits of the Yang-tse- Kiang — Fooshan — Temple of Fooshan — Total eclipse of the sun — Prophecies — Chinese prophecy — Home politics — Masters of transports — The Hon. Company — Kiang-yeen-heen — Fire ships — Pagoda of Kiang-yeenheen — Heat of weather — Batteries on shore — Eel pots — Destruction of the batteries — A fire ashore — Self-appropriation — A severe cold — Chinese interpreter — Counter irritation — H. C. S. Phlegethon — Admiral's pagoda — The broken capstan — Santo-shan — Ching-kiang-foo — H. C. S. Pluto — I-ching-heen — Signals for landing 131

Chapter IX

The paddy grounds — Tartar banners — Major Anstruther The Tartars routed — Death among the troops — Extracts from general orders — Military operations — Detached firing — Tong-chow — Chinese ladies' feet — Plunder in the town — Self-destruction — The military governor — The hiri kari — Curious custom in Japan — Prize agents — Mr. Davis's work — A joey — Clocks — Public buildings — Fears of the people — Amputation of a soldier's arm — Lenity to kidnappers — Sickness in the camp — Cross-bow — Position of the force — Chinese art CONTENTS. X

Chapter X

Westerly winds — Emperor Kein Loong — Pagoda at Kinshan— Iron pagoda— Emperor's chair— Curious gong — United Service Museum— Coxcombs— Pomegranates — Ornaments — Kiang-poo-hein — City of Nankin — Walls of Nankin — Reconnoissances— Yachts — Kwan-zin-moon — Tai-ping-moon — Punkas — Tenders of peace — Elipoo— Chinese commissioners — English ensign — Chinese despatch — Negotiations — Climate of Nankin — The bamboo — Friendly meetings — Elipoo's breakfast — The Tartar general — Mandarin tea — Chinese salute 198

CHAPTER XL

Tartar city — Porcelain tower — A large plain — Tombs of the Mings — Representations of animals — The causeway to the mausoleum — Remains of three bridges — Temple dedicated to Confucius — The Ming dynasty — The porcelain pagoda — The astonishment of the people — A space in front of the pagoda — Ma-tso-poo — View from the summit — Walls of the city— Height of the tower — Age of the tower — Pagoda of gratitude — Glazed tiles — Lamps — Chinese account — The queen's health — Chinese worship — Gambling with the gods — High priest of the temple — Chinese salutations — Return home — Bad English propensity . .231 CHAPTER Xn. The owner of our house — Fish and fowls — The transport Defiance — Fever and ague — Paddy grounds — Sam-shu — The Treaty — Elipoo, the commissioner — Chinese national ensign — Despatch from Pekin — Third visit to the Porcelain Tower — Walls of Nankin — Bridges — Porcelain pagoda — A story of a barber — Anxiety for peace — Indemnity — China — Ho-quen — Kia King — CONTENTS.

XI Articles of impeachment — Immense treasures — Re mark upon his wealth — Sale of government patronage 258 CHAPTER XIH. Fever and ague — Vegetable diet — The brig Anne — The Belle-Isle returns — Sickness in the ship — The native followers — Funeral rites — Sail from Nankin — Run a-ground — The Golden Island — Again afloat — Men drowned — Toll upon the junks — Ching-kiang-foo — Well-judged policy — Influence of the tides — H. C. S. Memnon — H. C. S. Vindictive — Woosung river — Shops at Shang-hai — Tou-tai of Shang-hai — Leave the Yang-tse-kiang — Muddy water — Gutzlaff Island — Kintang or Silver Island — Chusan — Inner harbour — Chinese apothecary — Chinese drugs — Pastry-cooks — Pigs — Puppy-dogs DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDER. VOL. I. Kinshan Frontispiece. Teneriffe p. 13 Canoe 52 Pagoda Hill 137 Porcelain Tower 269 VOL. II. Hong Kong Frontispiece. Pasig p. 163 Palankeen 235 Point de Galle AN AIDE-DE-CAMP'S RECOLLECTIONS OI SERVICE IN CHINA, etc.

Chapter I

H. M. S. Belle-Isle — Contrary winds — Mount Edgcumbe — Eddystone Light — Isle of Madeira— Teneriffe — Middies and ponies — Band of H. M. 98th — Rescue of an officer — Wanderer schooner — Oranges and bananas — Story at Teneriffe — Peak of Teneriffe — Cape de Verd — Flying fish — North-east trades — Sharks — Tacking ship — Cross the Equator. At the latter end of the year 1841, having been appointed to a staff situation in China, I proceeded to Plymouth, attendant upon the general officer with whom I was about to serve. Our first care was to visit the ship which was to be our home for so long VOL. I. B H.M.S. BELLE-ISLE. a period : we accordingly proceeded to the Sound. We had been previously led to expect that though she was so large a vessel she would be very crowded, but the state we found her in far exceeded any idea I had formed on the subject.

It had been thought requisite to cram into her, besides the troops and sailors, no less than eighty-seven women and children, making in a grand total, what she was destined to take out, nearly 1300 human beings. It would indeed be an endless task to enumerate what else she contained: sheep, pigs, ducks, fowls, &c, &c. ; in fact, she appeared a perfect Noah's Ark, or otherwise resembled the idea I had pictured to myself of a first-rate Chinese junk. However, they stated, what certainly eventually proved to be the case, that all would shake down in the Channel. The cabins assigned to us were very good. It was arranged that we should mess with the captain, which is generally the custom in men-of-war. This was infinitely preferable to us, as it took a vast deal of difficulty and trouble out of our hands.

In a state of suspense, not knowing when we should be off; we remained in Devonport CONTRARY WINDS. more than a week. The wind holding con tinually to the south and south-west, the Sound became crowded with shipping out ward bound ; among those was the Malabar, 74, which had made three unsuccessful attempts to get down Channel, and had each time been obliged to return. A beautiful schooner called the Wanderer, Royal Yacht Squadron, was also wind-bound : she was the property of Mr. Boyd, and was about to start on a voyage round the world ; her tonnage was 148, old register. We afterwards met her at Teneriffe, and in South America. Well may England's boast be that, of being the first maritime nation in the world, when men of large properties and independence, for the sake of honour and glory, not only voluntarily undergo all kinds of risks, privations, and hardships, but, moreover, as in this instance, for the sake of pleasure and a thirst for enterprise, sacrifice many of the comforts of a home, together with the luxuries appertaining to wealth, to undertake a tedious voyage across such deserts of water, as, by the foreign merchant, are solely traversed for the purpose of enriching himself. b2 MOUNT edgcumee.

On our return from this first visit to the Belle-Isle, we landed below Mount Edg cumbe. The views from different parts of these grounds almost equal any it has been my lot to enjoy in the many foreign countries I have at different times visited, but sadly wanting the magnificent climate of more southern soils. We embarked finally on the 2nd of De cember; the wind blowing strong from the N.E., it was not considered advisable to get under weigh that evening, as the day was far spent, and many of the seamen were young and inexperienced hands. On the following morning, by nine, we had left Plymouth Sound, and passed that won derful structure, the breakwater by the eastern passage. We were quickly followed by the Apollo, a 40-gun frigate, and the Sapphire, 28, both of which vessels had been deprived of their guns, for the purpose of giving accommodation to the troops em barked in them; they had received Ad miralty orders to place themselves under the command of our captain ; they were also to carry out drafts of men for the regiments already stationed in the Celestial Empire.

EDDYSTONE LIGHT. 5 At 1 p.m., we passed the Eddystone Light, standing proudly erect amidst the surround ing deep. For many days, the wind continuing fair and strong, knocking up a heavy following sea, the Belle-Isle being jury -rigged, she rolled amazingly, and the constant crashes of china and glass exceeded that of a county election dinner; and although this was the eighth time of my having crossed the Bay of Biscay, I was amongst those who were very unwell for many days. On the tenth day of our voyage, the agreeable sound of land on the weather bow was shouted from the main-top-gallant cross trees : this we knew, from the position we were in, to be the Island of Madeira. Our run thus far was very good, for although the old Belle-Isle could not be over praised for her sailing qualities, yet by the constant vigilance of her captain and officers in setting and shifting sail, as circumstances required, not a moment was lost.

We skirted the Island of Madeira at such a distance as not to allow us to be within the influence of its proverbial calms, and too great a one to distinguish objects dis- ISLE OF MADEIRA. tinctly, even with the aid of a telescope. It stands out in bold relief from the Atlantic, and were there a good harbour, would, I conceive, be much more frequently visited by outward-bound ships, and, lying so directly in the track of our East and West Indian trade, doubtless it would have crept into our possession many years since. In two days more we came in sight of Teneriffe, every one anxious to catch the first view of the Peak ; but in consequence of the immense masses of heavy clouds which continually, on every side, hung over the island, it was not discernible during either of the three days we remained at the anchorage.

This roadstead is considered much safer, particularly at this season of the year, than that of Madeira. On a nearer approach to the island, the wind, although strong outside, here nearly deserted us, and we did not arrive opposite the town of Santa Cruz until the afternoon. We soon after received pratique, and fired a salute of seventeen guns in honour of the Spanish flag, which of course was duly re turned. We next visited H.B.M.'s Consul and the Captain-General of the Islands; TENERIFFE. 7 the latter, who had the appearance of a soldier, had served constantly with Espar tero, with whom he was reported to be a great favourite ; but if so, the reason for his being left in this out-of-the-way spot I was at a loss to determine, and at the very time when I should have imagined Espartero most required his friends around him, to assist in staying up the somewhat tottering pin nacle which he had raised for himself upon the fickle and ever changeable basis of public opinion, more especially in a country which for ages had been a prey to civil and intestine disorder.

We next visited the cathedral, to see that which must always be our boast to affirm is somewhat a rare sight — the two British colours taken from the hero of Trafalgar and the Nile, when he made his unsuc cessful descent upon the island. It was charming to see the proud looks which the vergers cast upon us, exclaiming, " Mira usted, Senhores, la bandiera Britanica." A Spanish tertulia terminated the evening's amusement. On the second day of our stay, all the ponies the island could boast, were brought MIDDIES AND PONIES. into requisition by the middies of the dif ferent ships, and most ludicrous was it to see the figures they cut when running races through the streets, to the mingled terror and astonishment of the natives. They were, however, not so perfectly trained as at Malta, where no sooner has Jack mounted for his ride than the beast starts at full speed out of the town ; after proceeding at the same pace about one mile, if his rider be not already unseated, he commences a display of antics, such as one of Astley's company could scarcely surmise, and poor Jack is soon left in the mire, when the brute instantly sets off home, and long before his unhappy tenant can return, or demand re dress, he is on his way with a second fare, in the midst of his old tricks again.

A horse that is expert at dispatching its riders is therefore considerably more pro fitable to its owner, particularly on the arrival of a fresh line-of-battle ship, before the brute's propensities have as yet been discovered. At the particular desire of the fair donnas our band was paraded in the Plaza. This was returned by a Spanish play, performed LAGUNA. at a pretty little theatre, for the especial gratification of "los Ingleses," it being wound up by a cachucha dance, very fairly executed, and which of course drew down shouts of applause. On the morning of the 1st January, previous to sailing, I accompanied a party to a town about five miles in the interior of the island, called Laguna; why so named I was at a loss to make out, as we appeared to ascend the whole distance, and when there, high mountains and a rugged country lay around us, without sign of either lake or marsh.

We walked into the cathedral, the pulpit of which is of white marble, most beautifully carved. Again we were disappointed of any view of the Peak, it being stdl enveloped in mist. We now feared we should leave the island without as much as once catching a glimpse of it. As one of the military officers was returning in a boat belonging to the shore, rowed by six hands, when about half way to the ship they demanded of him an exorbitant sum of money, which, very properly, he declined paying; upon this they again returned to wards the shore, which, having neared, the b3 rescue of an officer. Spaniards unsheathed their long knives; he did not wait to ascertain their intentions, but instantly drawing his sword he struck the nearest to him across the face, and, springing into the sea, was fortunate enough to reach the cutter of the Belle Isle, which hove in sight from behind an angle of the mole at the time.

Her crew instantly gave chase, but ere they reached the beacb, the Spaniards having drawn their boat on dry ground, were far inland. On the day prior to our departure, the Wanderer schooner, which I before men tioned as having seen in Plymouth, made her appearance, having had a very quick, though boisterous, passage out : she had touched and remained a few days at Ma deira. Some of the inhabitants were very anxious to see a vessel kept alone for pleasure, an idea which to them appeared pre posterous in the extreme, and more especially so when they were given to under stand it was the intention of her owner to take her round the globe ; they requested permission to be allowed to see her, and their astonishment at her comforts and many luxuries called forth continued exclamations SCOTCH ECONOMY. 11 of surprise and pleasure, they all having been persuaded, from her rakish appearance, the number and smartness of her crew, that she must be intended for a slaver, which, to many of them, was a notion more consonant to their feelings than a yacht for pas time alone.

One most amusing circumstance happened at our departure — a certain officer, from the north country, noted for the care he took of his purse, thought it more thrifty to send his servant's wife on shore with his dirty linen than run the risk of entrusting it to the Spaniards to wash. She accordingly proceeded to land, accompanied by her husband and a small child, as well as the bag of linen; the heat of the day being excessive, long ere it was finished, they betook themselves to a cabaret ; the wine, to which they were unaccustomed, soon had its due effect, — and, suffice it to say, they were both found the following morning con siderably overcome ; not only was the bag of clothes missing, but their hopeful pro geny moreover could nowhere be found, nor was it until a few moments prior to the sail ing of the ship, that the retreat of the darling ORANGES AND BANANAS. infant was discovered, being found asleep in an empty tub, its initiation into the pro pensities of its parents having already pro gressed a considerable extent; the linen, no doubt, a few days subsequent to our de parture gracing the person of some fashionable don.

Having provided ourselves with a store of oranges and bananas to cool us on the passage across the line, and laid in a stock of Teneriffe wine, we again weighed anchor ; this was now no light matter, for, it having been dropped in fifty-two fathoms, the quan tity of chain veered out amounted to 185 ; it was a tremendous heave, but with the united efforts of about 300 to 400 men at the capstan, and also tackles, we succeeded, after about one hour's hard work, in getting it all on board; with royals and studding sails low and aloft, followed by the Apollo and Sapphire, we left the roadstead. About nine the next day we were summoned to look at the Peak, and a most magnificent scene was presented to our view. Its majestic head Avas capped with snow ; it rose perpendicularly out of the sea ; and although at a distance, at the least compu- VIEW©!?

ITIffl 0 ! ; ! LAMM ©If TTEHEMF-FE S aunders &*.Otfr*-y, Conduit St. CAPE DE VERD. tation, of fifty miles, it appeared to us not more than ten. The wind still blew strong from the N.E., and nothing for some days occurred to break the even tenour of our way, save corporeal punishment inflicted upon one of the crew for theft, — in so closely packed a community it being absolutely requisite to have the most perfect understanding between the pro nouns, meum and tuum. We crossed the tropic of Cancer, the thermometer averaging from sixty to seventy degrees. On the morning of the fifth, we were surrounded by a dense atmosphere, which we were informed is invariably the case during an easterly wind on this part of the African coast, the air being loaded with light particles of sand blown from the de sert, covering the decks and booms with a fine golden powder.

The first of the Cape Verd Islands which we made was Sal, a small lofty spot, the most northern ofthe group ; shortly after, the Island of Bonavista hove in sight. Here a fatal termination had well nigh been put to this portion of the China expedition, for the fog clearing up we found NORTH-EAST TRADES. ourselves moving straight upon the land, the ship was quickly hauled close upon a wind ; the captain attentively examined the charts, and upon comparing them with the best instructions he possessed, discovered the island to have been laid down nearly forty-five miles to the westward of its real position. We all congratulated ourselves that this circumstance had not happened in the night ; too much reliance was not put for the future in any of the charts, every land we subsequently made we discovered to have been laid down incorrectly; Cape Frio, in the Brazils, was nearly forty miles out.

The island of St. Paul's, in the south Indian ocean, was placed forty-one miles to the north of its proper latitude. Java head, at the entrance of the Sunda Straits, we discovered to be forty-five miles to the east of where our charts laid it down. It seems somewhat singular that ships should still be supplied with these old documents, the value of the vessels, and the lives of so many persons being placed in jeopardy on account of their inaccuracies. With a fine breeze we soon put all these islands far in our wake. The immense FLYING FISH. 15 number of flying fish, which, on the following day, surrounded the ship, was sur prising ; they rose from the water on our near approach, and continued to skim its surface for a distance of thirty or forty paces; some, however, very far exceeding this: they resembled swallows, flying low prior to heavy rain.

The trades had now fairly set in, and carried us up to the lat. of 5 north. Nothing worthy of noting down occurred to us until the morning of the 10th of January, when a calm was succeeded by heavy squalls of wind and rain ; this I be lieve constantly is the case on a near ap proach to the equinoctial line. There the first shark came to visit us, and an ugly monster did he appear, in length about nine feet; we offered him a tempting piece of pork, which he knowingly contrived to swallow, leaving the hook and line with us, saving his own bacon while devouring ours. Scarce was dinner over when we were in formed an enormous shark had been hauled on deck ; we proceeded to view him, but long ere our arrival he was divided into a thousand pieces. Attached to different SHARKS. parts of his body were some sucker fish, which appear to fix themselves in the same manner as the sea-louse does upon the salmon, and very probably for the same purpose ; we were told he had measured twelve feet, and in the act of bringing him out of the water, a soldier, more eager to see him than was prudent, fell overboard, — fortunately, however, no relative of the en trapped monster was near the spot at the moment.

This man was soon on board again, having got hold of the bight of a rope which was towing over. The circumstance gave rise to many anec dotes relating to these animals. One officer stated, that a few years previously, being then employed in the suppression of the slave trade on the coast of Africa, where sharks were very numerous and voracious, having on a particular occurrence rowed into an unfrequented bay, they actually seized the blades of the oars with their teeth, which breaking off in the wood, were there left sticking; a part of one of these oars was sent to the British Musuem, where, perhaps, it still remains ; another related a fearful circumstance which hap- TACKING SHir. 17 pened to a quarter-master then on board the Winchester, in Port Royal, Jamaica. The poor fellow was in the act of stepping on board from a boat, his hands already grasping the side ropes, when his foot slip ping, he fell between the two, still retaining his hold ; before he could be rescued from his perilous situation, an enormous shark attacked him, and actually bit off the whole of the lower portion of his body, as high up as his breast ; in the agonies of death his grasp relaxed not, and the portion which was left was hoisted on board, the funeral service soon after being performed upon his remains.

On the 14th of January, having now quitted England twenty-four days, the wind for the first time veered a-head of us, we close hauled, and soon after tacked ship : it is somewhat curious that this was the first instance we had occasion to do so since we had quitted England. We soon became very well accustomed to hear that odd ex pression, " dice — and no higher," used by the quarter-master to the man at the wheel, to denote the ship being close hauled, — to keep her thus, and let her come no higher. CROSSING THE EQUATOR. On our crossing the line, the usual ceremonies were performed by Neptune in the most approved style: he did not omit to state that he never had had so much work upon his hands before. I cannot forget mentioning the good feel ings evinced by all parties on this occasion. It proceeded, in the first instance, from the willingness shewn by the officers to submit to so long established a custom, and tended to prove the beneficial effect of that proper understanding which should always exist between themselves and their men, creating respect and mutual confidence, and for which our army is so justly celebrated.

On the same evening we crossed the Equator, I was not a little amused at the pains and anxiety evinced by many of the young soldiers, in their endeavours to catch a glimpse of this line. " I say, Bill, they've been a hoaxing on us; I can't see no line." " No more can't I," — were more than once repeated within my hearing.

Chapter II

Man overboard — Life-buoy — Man falling from [the mast-head — Burial at sea — Bear-up for South America — Cape Frio — Harbour of Rio Janeiro — La Gloria — Corcovado — Palace of the Emperor — French plays — The opera — Population of the town — Slaves — Barometer — Row in the town of Rio — Pay-money. At about half-past ten on the morning of the 18th, as I was quietly writing in my cabin, I was aroused by the cry of "a man over board." I immediately jumped up, and rush ing to the stern windows, saw the poor fellow struggling in the waves; we were going close on the wind at the rate of about four knots, he appeared to swim with confidence and strength, and I felt no doubt in my own mind as to his being saved. I had not been watching him many seconds when I A MAN OVERBOARD. observed that the life-buoy* had been let go, and that he was not very far distant from it; this gave me additional assurance of his safety.