TOPOQEAPHICAL NOTES — FENGWANSHAN. l^t 



growth; in fact, if one did not know they were the same family one might have even 

 mistaken them for another class altogether. So many varieties of Pteris are to be found 

 here as to call for special notice— amongst them P. longifoUa, P. collinas and P. serrulata— 

 same attaining the height of I foot or more, others only 2 or 3 inches. 



Our stay was unavoidably limited, but we incline to the belief that any diligent 

 botanist would find his toil rewarded with a " catch " of from 25 to 30 different varieties of 

 lovely ferns, while a book on this subject would be of the greatest interest and certainly of 

 service to those fond of this pleasing study. 



We descended the last of the hills well satisfied with the result of our scramble in 

 the treasures we possessed. Retracing our way we arrived at the creek which flows 

 past the Catholic Mission, where our tender awaited us. Pleasant it certainly was to glide 

 along the pellucid stream— the arching boughs of the various trees forming lovely vistas 

 most of the way. Slowly returning we stopped now and again to gather what wild-flowers 

 of interest came within reach. The yellow Potentilla with its tiny crimson "strawberries," 

 the richly lemon-scented agrimony, calling up reminiscences of the farmers' harvest feasts 

 at Home, before which events the bucolics infuse the herb in boiling water and copiously 

 imbibe the potion to ensure good appetite and digestion. The white flowers of the water- 

 chestnut studded the stream, aglow with the rich blue tint of the wild Comtnelyna ; the 

 fragrant southernwood, the parti-coloured toad-flax ("Oxford weed") and the saxifrage — 

 both white and lavender; the tiny wild everlasting, sometimes known as "the rebellious 

 plant" from the fact of the children rising up against their parents (the young plants 

 encircle the parent stem and quickly overtop it,) were all culled as we moved along. The 

 beautiful pink lily in abundance on every hill and mound deserves special mention. In 

 some parts the ground was covered with these lovely flowers, discernible by their tint at an 

 unusually long distance. 



At length our houseboat is reached and gladly do we partake of the fragrant and 

 cheering cup that awaits us on board. 



Casting off from the bank the boat proceeded under sail with a fair breeze, affording 

 opportunity of revelling in the fairy scenery as we moved along. Fishing-stakes extending 

 across the creek were constantly passed, evoking the usual swishing sound as the boat 

 grazed them. Before sunset and when some four miles from the hills we were tempted 

 to land and gather some of the pink lilies which literally clothed the ground. Here on one 

 side of a mound we discovered a small variety of Scolopendrium, the leaves not more than 

 2 inches in length. Later in the evening we remained on deck for some hours watching the 

 fire-flies while the flashes of summer lightning illumined a belt of low-lying dark clouds. 

 Our progress now was constantly interrupted as we passed through busy villages — the creek 

 leading to Wongdoo being all but blocked by numerous rafts and boats. However we at 

 last managed to emerge from the crush amid much shouting and a very Babel of tongues. 



Arrived at Wongdoo the boat is anchored for the night. Early the next morning our 

 homeward track is resumed and Shanghai is reached without incident in due course. 



For comfort's sake August is certainly full early a month for making excursions, but 

 even a short trip at the end of the summer serves to renovate those in need of change and is 

 certainly better than no outing at all. 



