394 SPORTING IN BOTH HEMISPHERES. 



the advantages of awaiting dissolution in a state of calm 

 repose, and expressed his astonishment that any one should 

 prefer a life of bustle and activity to quiet and retirement. 



They did not seem to bestow much attention on the few 

 idols we saw, or trouble themselves with any doctrinal points 

 of theology. Burning a few fragrant joss-sticks and incense 

 comprised the sum total of their devotions. They place im- 

 plicit reliance on the immortality of the soul, and pay more 

 respect to the dead than the living ; in fact, except a little 

 outward show, an almost universal indifference to religion 

 is supposed to prevail in China. 



After some time spent in this lovely spot we embarked 

 again, and sailed to the opposite coast, where we found the 

 same description of scenery and inhabitants. The islands on 

 the lake are chiefly inhabited by rich private families and 

 Buddhist priests. Immense tracts of land are everywhere 

 taken up by cemeteries of very ancient date, full of groves 

 of cedar, cypress, myrtle, and other evergreens. Granite 

 tombs of great variety of size and form are scattered every- 

 where, and the joss-houses are very numerous. The same 

 evening we rejoined our own boats, not thinking it neces- 

 sary to explore the lake any farther, the scenery being 

 exactly the same for several hundred miles, and again 

 ascended the mountain Tung-Tang-Ting-San to gaze upon 

 the glorious prospect from it, probably for the last time 

 in our lives. 



We returned to Shanghai by a somewhat different route to 

 that by which we had arrived, avoided the city of Sou-Cheou- 

 Fou, and passing through a chain of small lakes, gained the 

 Shanghai river, at a distance of about sixty miles from that 

 city, down which we floated in a short time to the settle- 

 ment, after an absence of ten days, spent in the most agreeable 

 and interesting manner. It is true that, in a sporting point 

 of view, our success was nothing extraordinary, but it must 



