122 TRADE OF SHANGHAE. [Cuar. VIII. 
it were the valley of the Yang-tse-kiang, is one 
vast plain, intersected by many beautiful rivers, 
and these again joined and crossed by canals, many 
of them nearly natural, and others stupendous 
works of art. Owing to the level nature of the 
country, the tide ebbs and flows a great distance 
inland, thus assisting the natives in the transmis- 
sion of their exports to Shanghae, or their imports 
to the most distant parts of the country. The 
port of Shanghae swarms with boats of all sizes, 
employed in this inland traffic; and the traveller 
continually meets them, and gets a glimpse of their 
sails over the land, at every step of his progress in 
the interior. Since the port has been opened these 
boats bring down large quantities of tea and silk 
to supply the wants of our merchants who have 
established themselves here, and return loaded with 
the manufactures of Europe and America, which 
they have taken in exchange. Our plain cotton 
goods are most in demand amongst the Chinese, 
because they can dye them in their own peculiar 
style, and fit them for the tastes of the people. 
From what we know of the geographical nature of 
the country, there can be no doubt that all the 
green teas, and perhaps the greatest portion of the 
black, can be brought to Shanghae at less expense 
than they can be taken to Canton, or any of the 
other southern towns, except, perhaps, Ning-po; and 
as the tea-men incur less risk in taking their money 
home from the North, owing to the peaceable 
nature of the inhabitants, this will be another 
