EXPLORATION OF LEW CHEW. 163 



tlie portly old officer, who seemed to have special charge over us, to supply us with four more 

 coolies, promising that tliey should he jiaid on our return. After waiting half an hour at the 

 northern end of the city, four spare young natives cauie uj) witli hamhoo poles, and relieved the 

 Chinamen of half their load. We now took the high road to Shcudi, passing the salt creek 

 which comes up from the village of Tume, hy a bridge of one arch ; the crowd turned back at 

 this point, leaving us about a dozen followers, -svho seemed to be attendants oi* subordinates of 

 the princiijal officers. 



Beyond the bridge we passed over a meadow, studded with singular broken rocks, of 

 secondary limestone, covered with clumps of pine trees. The road then passed around the base 

 of a hill, the front of which was occupied by a temple of massive stone masonry. It was shaded 

 with large trees, resembling in foliage the Indian fig or sycamore. Paths, over which the 

 hedges of bamboo formed complete arches, ran up the sides of the hill. On our right were 

 meadows of bearded rice, a variety which Dr. Lynah declared to be unknown in the southern 

 States. The country now became open and undulating, and covered with the richest vegeta- 

 tion; not only was all the low land planted with rice, but the hills were in many places 

 terraced nearly to the top, and the water carefully conducted from field to field by artificial 

 channels. The streams were lined with thick hedges of banana, and the knolls which dotted 

 the landscape were crowned with groves of the Lew Chew pine, a beautiful tree, strongly 

 resembling the cedar of Lebanon in its flat horizontal layers of foliage ; it is probably a new 

 species. There was something in the forms of the landscape which reminded me of the richest 

 English scenery, mixed with the superb vegetation of the tropics. The views on each side 

 increased in beauty as we approached Sheudi, the capital city of the island, which is scattered 

 along the southwest slope of a group of hills. The houses are half buried in foliage, and stretch 

 over an extent of a mile, the citadel, or residence of the viceroy, occupying an elevated central 

 position. 



The day was dark and cloudy, threatening rain, and fresh wind blew in our faces as we 

 climbed the heights. Near the summit we passed through a high wooden gate, upon which 

 were inscribed two Chinese characters, signifying "the central hill," or "jalace of authority,") 

 and entered the main street of the city, which is broad, handsomely- paved, and lined with high 

 walls, behind which, and the foliage of their gardens, the princiiial dwellings are mostly 

 concealed. As we reached the gate, the flag was unrolled, and fastened upon the end of a 

 musket. A fine grove of old trees, with crooked trunks, gnarled boughs, and thick, dark-green 

 foliage, attracted my attention on entering. We had not proceeded fifty paces before the officers 

 attending us beckoned to us to enter a doorway on the right side of the street. We made a 

 halt, and, leaving men and coolies outside, went in. It proved to be a Cung-qiid, or resting 

 place for travellers, or rather for officers of government, since in Lew Chew there are no other 

 travellers. The Cumj-qud corresponds very nearly to the Turkish khan, except that, being used 

 only by persons of some consideration, it is far more neat and elegant in every respect. The 

 house into which we were ushered resembled a private dwelling of the better class. The 

 principal apartment was carpeted with very fine soft mats, and surrounded on three sides by an 

 open verandah. Adjoining the building were kitchens and out-houses for servants, and in front 

 a small yard planted with sago palms and a tree resemliling the Inocmjms. We were politely 

 received by a gentleman in a gray robe, who performed the ho-tow towards us in the most 

 approved style. Seats were brought, and tea, prepared after the Chinese fashion, served in 



