Chap. III. 



TEA-GATHEKERS. 



41 



CHAPTEE III. 



Tea-gatherers and tlieir wages — Food of Chinese labourers compared 

 with the food of the same class in England — Old city of Tse-kee — 

 Sheds and shops — Market — Mode of skinning frogs — Temple on 

 hill and fine scenery — Lake near north gate — Temples and priests 

 — My servant's mode of answering questions — Chesnut-trees dis- 

 covered — Introduced to India — Chinese tombs and ceremonies — 

 A widow comes to worship — Beggars and coffins — Different cus- 

 toms in different countries — Reflections. 



I MADE Ayuka's temple my head-quarters for 

 several days after the events took place which I 

 have related in the previous chapter. My time 

 was now fully occupied in visiting all the tea- 

 farms in the neighbourhood, and in getting in- 

 formation concerning the cultivation and manu- 

 facture of tea. It was the harvest-time for the 

 principal crop of the season, and the natives were 

 observed on every hill-side busily engaged in 

 gathering the leaves. These tea-gatherers were 

 generally seen in small groups consisting of from 

 eight to twelve persons. One old man was 

 usually at the head of each group, the others 

 being women and children. Each had a small 

 stool formed like the letter T, but broad of course 

 at the top, for sitting on while gathering the 

 leaves on the lower sides of the bushes. The foot 

 of the stool being pointed, it was easily forced into 



