Royal - HKU Libraries - The University of Hong Kong

Gardens. Ferns and orchids suffered severely, many of themdying.The China Mail of 18 January 1893 reported:At the path leading from Stewart Terrace past the PeakChurch, the house servants had turned out with hatchets to cutthe ice so as to form a flight of steps and the boys bringingsupplies of provisions from the town had to send their basketssliding down declivities and clamber after them as best they can.. . . the trees and grass on the Peak scintillate as if they werestudden with diamonds while at other times the hillside isgleaming with tiny fairy lights or flashing with rubies and manycoloured gems.Conditions became so bad, the Mail noted, that not evenpigeons were able to keep their foothold and had to use bothwings and feet to try to walk.53