Xamian Island, also known as Sa Meen Island, was an island situated in the Pearl River in Guangzhou. It was approximately the shape of a cigar and was located in a bay in the south-west corner of the city at the point where the river diverged in two. Following the Opium Wars, the main garrison of the British army was on Xamian, and it was from there that their main operations were carried out. (PROSE: The Eleventh Tiger)