speaking particularly of the Hong Kong villages, stated:
115
"The inhabitants, from our knowledge of their character, appear to be industrious and obliging... From all accounts they seem in general to have been very peaceably disposed; nor did they exhibit any marked approbation or disapprobation, on their transfer to the British sway.
+32
Another officer, Captain Loch, described a visit to one of the Hong Kong villages, possibly Tai Tam Tuk which was removed for the last of the reservoirs of that name in 1913:
"The path now wound round a tongue of land to the left into a small dell, where there were a few houses built in a line. The patriarch and ruler of this community was standing foremost, ready to receive us. This universal custom of acknowledging the superiority of age has been recognized by us throughout the island.”33
McKenzie also mentions being entertained by a village elder ‘during an excursion into the interior' of the island.34
This civility and hospitality was apparently not new, nor wholly to be ascribed to the circumspection that was surely felt at the change of rulers. A guide to navigation on the South China coast published in 1806 quotes a report on Hong Kong and its approaches dated September 1793 which says of the island.
"You will be supplied here with almost every kind of refreshment; especially fish, hogs, beef and poultry. We found the Inhabitants very civil and were daily on shore at the Villages, and fowling in the interior parts of the Island (sic).
+35
Sentiments of a similar kind relating to some years later, are contained in Sir John Davis' account of his visit to China as part of the Amherst embassy in 1816. Describing some Hong Kong persons, "mostly fishermen", encountered on the way to the Pearl River he added “To such of the embassy as were accustomed to the impertinence of the Canton people their behaviour appeared very quiet and civil.”36
speaking particularly of the Hong Kong villages, stated:
115
"The inhabitants, from our knowledge of their character, ap- pear to be industrious and obliging . . . From all accounts they seem in general to have been very peaceably disposed; nor did they exhibit any marked approbation or disapproba- tion, on their transfer to the British sway.
+32
Another officer, Captain Loch, described a visit to one of the Hong Kong villages, possibly Tai Tam Tuk which was removed for the last of the reservoirs of that name in 1913:
"The path now wound round a tongue of land to the left into a small dell, where there were a few houses built in a line. The patriarch and ruler of this community was standing foremost, ready to receive us. This universal custom of acknowledging the superiority of age has been recognized by us throughout the island.”33
McKenzie also mentions being entertained by a village elder ‘dur- ing an excursion into the interior' of the island.34
This civility and hospitality was apparently not new, nor whol- ly to be ascribed to the circumspection that was surely felt at the change of rulers. A guide to navigation on the South China coast published in 1806 quotes a report on Hong Kong and its ap- proached dated September 1793 which says of the island.
"You will be supplied here with almost every kind of refresh- ment; especially fish, hogs, beef and poultry. We found the Inhabitants very civil and were daily on shoar at the Villages, and fowling in the interior parts of the Island (sic).
+35
Sentiments of a similar kind relating to some years later, are con- tained in Sir John Davis' account of his visit to China as part of the Amherst embassy in 1816. Describing some Hong Kong persons, "mostly fishermen", encountered on the way to the Pearl River he added “To such of the embassy as were accustomed to the imperti- nence of the Canton people their behaviour appeared very quiet and civil.”36
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