Cuar. XX.] GARDENS AND NURSERIES. 375 
turbances have taken place at the port since it 
was opened to the British. 
After paying our visit to the English Consul, we 
returned to the suburbs to look out for a house 
where we could put up during our stay. When 
we got back to the river, we found all our luggage’ 
and servants already safely lodged in the house of 
a person who had been ordered by the mandarins 
to lodge us and look after us. We were glad to 
get in-doors from the insulting crowd, and were 
consequently not very particular as to quarters. 
We soon found, however, that we were very 
strictly watched, and that we could not move 
anywhere without the fact being communicated to 
the mandarins. 
My first object was to find out all the gardens 
and nurseries in the district. The late G. Trades- 
cant Lay, Esq., the first consul here, who took a 
great interest in botanical pursuits, had unfor- 
tunately left this place for Amoy. All was, there- 
fore, up-hill work, as it used to be in the more 
northern towns when I first visited them. After a 
great deal of exertion and annoyance, I found out 
a number of gardens and nurseries, both in the 
town and in the surrounding country; and obtained 
a few new plants. 
The valley of the Min was still flooded in many 
parts, and travelling over it was a very serious 
matter. One morning I started for a place at a 
considerable distance in the country, accompanied 
by a guide and a Coolie. I took the Coolie that he 
pr4 
