Este anúncio publicado no jornal The China Mail (Hong Kong) informa sobre a nova hora de partida do vapor a pás White Cloud - que fazia a ligação marítima entre Macau e Hong Kong - a partir de 1 de Junho de 1868.
"After a pleasant sojourn of three months I left Canton paying a passing visit to the Portuguese settlement of Macao, the sanatorium of the south of China so called, although for what reason I hardly know as when I was there it was awfully hot.
It is a great place of resort for bridal couples also for the dwellers in Hong Kong who cross over on Saturdays and return on Mondays and indulge in very sumptuous breakfasts on Sundays. There is a great deal in imagination so no doubt many people do fancy Macao very healthy and consequently do not complain so much as they would in Hong Kong which they fancy unhealthy.
I should say Macao was a splendid place for eye diseases for anything like the glare I never experienced anywhere. The principal products of Macao are decidedly very dirty and repulsive beggars. Every other creature seems to be a beggar or a lunatic. The inhabitants are certainly not handsome as may be expected from a mixed breed of Portuguese and Chinese. The population is mainly hybrid, at least seven eighths of the people being of this mixed Chinese type.
On first approach Macao gives one the idea of a strongly fortified place but on inspection one finds it to be all a grand sham. The walls on which antiquated popguns are placed are painted outside being only made of plaster & c something like Vauxhall Gardens used in old times to exhibit.
From one of the batteries a salute on one occasion was fired and the walls crumbled away instantaneously. It looks very picturesque but is very useless. I wonder the Chinese have never taken Macao back. I should not think it would be an enterprise of much difficulty. The scenery about Macao is beautiful. The situation of the town and the bay reminds one very much of Naples. Of course being Portuguese or rather Macanese it is Roman Catholic and from outward appearance most devout. Bells ringing at all hours and half caste looking shovel hatted priests wandering about. All the rites of the Church are adhered to in most exaggerated form which really reminds one very much of the sort of worship one sees in the neighbouring Chinese temple and seems quite as incomprehensible.
The trade of Macao since the cession of Hong Kong to England has nearly died away and at present is most insignificant.
A day or two at Macao as far as sight seeing is concerned is quite enough so I bid adieu to the beautiful spot with its dummy forts, antiquated looking soldiers, gambling shops, pretty boat women, beggars, church bells and half caste population with their monkey faces reminding one a great deal of the monkey house of the Zoological Gardens and embarked on the steamer White Cloud, commanded by the well known and deservedly liked Captain Carroll and soon found myself again in Hong Kong.
Notas:
O White Cloud - veio de Nova Iorque na década de 1850 - ficaria destruído no tufão de Setembro de 1874. A 5 de Julho de 1875 seria lançado à água um novo White Cloud.
White Cloud é também a tradução literal de uma montanha perto de Cantão.
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