Cuar. VIII} CHINESE NURSERY. 133 
experience of Chinese character, we were well 
aware that, if this were properly explained, the poor 
people, whose livelihood depended upon the propa- 
gation and sale of plants, would be very glad to. 
allow me to make purchases at their garden. I 
therefore set out again on the following day, 
accompanied by an officer from the consulate. 
When we approached the garden, my young friend 
was at his post, as usual, and ran off immediately, 
and forthwith the gate was closed and_barri- 
caded as before. We walked quietly up to it, and 
knocked, but there was no answer; and the place 
seemed all at, once to be deserted. The officer well 
knew that the family had hid themselves just 
inside the gate, and commenced talking to them, 
and laughing at their fears. In a few seconds we 
heard a movement amongst the bushes, and then 
the inmates, gaining courage, ventured to approach 
the gate to reconnoitre. At last, being apparently 
satisfied, the bolts were withdrawn, and we were 
admitted within the sacred precincts of the garden, 
when I soon found several very valuable plants. 
The ice was now broken, and, with the assistance 
of the Chinese officer, I got the names and locali- 
ties of several other gardens, which I soon found 
out: and, although it was the winter season, and 
vegetation in a state of repose, I was able in a few 
weeks to get together a collection of plants, which, 
when they flowered, proved not only quite new, 
but highly ornamental. <A few months wrought 
a great change upon these diffident and timid 
K 3 
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