Chap. VI. 



RETURN TO OLD QUARTERS. 



97 



a Chinese been in our boat instead of a foreigner 

 he would have gone away rather the poorer for 

 the encounter. The true state of the case must, 

 I am afraid, remain for ever a mystery; but it 

 does not signify much. 



As the summer advanced — it was now the 

 month of July- — the weather became too hot to 

 live in boats. The thermometer frequently stood 

 at 100°, and once or twice rose to 110°, in the 

 shade. It was time, therefore, to look out for 

 other quarters, and, as I had a good deal to do 

 in the districts to the south of Ningpo, I deter- 

 mined on taking up my quarters in the old 

 Buddhist temple of Tein-tung. I have already 

 described this ancient place in my ' Wanderings 

 in China,' to which the reader who wishes to know 

 more about it is referred. It is situate amongst 

 the mountains some twenty miles south-east from 

 Mngpo, and in the midst of an extensive tea- 

 country, which is becoming of more importance 

 every day on account of the large demand for 

 this article which has sprung up in Shanghae 

 since that port was opened to foreign trade. When 

 I arrived at Tein-tung I took up my quarters 

 with the priest with whom I had lived formerly — • 

 a man with one eye, who is now well known to 

 foreigners who visit the temple. He is a very 

 superior specimen of the Buddhist priesthood, 

 intelligent and strictly honest and honourable. 

 I have often left things in his care for long 

 periods of time, and felt as certain of having 



H 



