Chap. IX. FERTILITY OF THE COUNTRY. 



173 



hills. Towns and villages were visible in which- 

 ever direction our eyes were turned, and every 

 part of the extensive plain appeared to be under 

 cultivation. Indeed industry and perseverance 

 seem to be absolutely necessary in order to make 

 the ground yield food for such a mass of human 

 beings. If the population of the country really 

 amounts to more than three hundred millions — 

 and there seems to be no reason to doubt this — 

 and taking into consideration that a vast extent 

 of its surface is covered with mountains so barren 

 that they must ever defy all attempts at cultiva- 

 tion, the valleys and other portions of cultivated 

 land would require to be fertile indeed, and to 

 have a nation as industrious and persevering as 

 the Chinese to make the ground productive. 



On ascending the hill, and examining its natural 

 productions as I went along, I somehow or other 

 got off the little pathway, and found myself all at 

 once brought up by a fence which seemed to en- 

 close a small monastic building. Inside of this 

 fence there were a number of trees and bushes 

 which seemed worth looking at, and I was also 

 desirous of seeing the little temple itself. Follow- 

 ing the fence some way round in the hope of 

 finding an entrance, the ground began to get very 

 rugged, and my progress was greatly impeded. 

 At last I thought there would be no great harm 

 in jumping over the fence, which I could easily 

 do, as it was only four or five feet in height. No 

 sooner did the idea enter my mind than it was put 



