22 



OBJECTS m VISITING CHINA. 



i 



Chap. IL 



CHAPTEE II. 



Objects in visiting China — My boat and boatmen — A groundless 

 alarm — Chinese pilgrims — Chair-bearers — Eoad to Ayuka's temple 



— Crowds by the way — Shyness of ladies — Description of scenery 



— Wild flowers — Tea-farms — Approaches to temple — Ancient 

 tree — Hawkers and their stalls — Scene in temple — Visit to high 

 priest — Shay-le or precious relic — Its history and traditions — A 

 picnic — Character of the people for sobriety — An evening stroll 



— The temple at night — Huge idols — Queen of Heaven and child 



— Superstitions of Chinese women. 



My chief object in coming to China at this time 

 was to procure a number of first-rate black-tea 

 manufacturers, with large supplies of tea-seeds, 

 plants, and implements, such as were used in the 

 best districts, for the Grovernment plantations in 

 the north-west provinces of India. Leaving Tai- 

 ping-Wang to fight his battles in the province of 

 Kiang-su and elsewhere, I sailed for the town of 

 Ningpo in the province of Chekiang, and on my 

 arrival at that port started immediately for the tea 

 districts in the interior. I had engaged a small 

 covered boat, such as is used on the canals in this 

 part of the country. It was divided into three 

 compartments : that in the stern was occupied 

 by the boatmen, who pro23elled the boat by a 

 powerful scull, which worked on a small pivot ; 

 the centre was occupied by myself, and the fore- 



