54 JOURNEY TO THE HILLS. -  [Cmapr.IV. 
were changing into Chinamen, so rapidly did the 
crowd accumulate at times. The sight was droll 
enough :— here were I and my servant on one 
side of some ravine, with our specimen boxes and 
other implements gathering samples of every thing 
we could find; there, on the top of the other, 
stood three or four hundred of the Chinese, of 
both sexes, and all ages, looking down upon us with 
wonder painted in every countenance. And then, 
their features, their manners and costume, were all 
so striking to a stranger, that I believe our surprise 
and curiosity were mutual.’ They were generally 
civil, but I ran a risk at last of getting into 
trouble, on account of a silk neckloth which I had 
on, and to which some of them took a great fancy, 
telling me that it would look so well round their 
heads — for in this part of China they wear a 
handkerchief like a turban. I was much amused — 
with the various plans they employed to get it from 
me: one brought a handful of chillies, which he held 
out in one hand, and with the other pointed to the 
neckcloth, intimating that he would close the 
bargain in that way ; another did the same with a 
few earth-nuts, and some brought me a few weeds; 
all, however, taking care to offer nothing of value. I 
began blundering Chinese to them as well as I could, 
upon which two of the men ran off to the village as 
fast as they could, desiring me to wait until they 
returned. I could not divine the reason of this; 
but in order to please them, I complied with their 
wishes. They soon returned, bringing with them 
