214 



HOWQUA'S GAKDEN. 



Chap. X. 



to have been manufactured in England than in 

 China. 



The foreign merchants in China as a class are 

 upright and honourable men, and quite incapable 

 of lending themselves to frauds of this description. 

 Besides, every house of any standing has a " tea- 

 taster " who has a perfect knowledge of his busi- 

 ness, and who can not only tell true tea from 

 false, but, in most instances, can tell the identical 

 district in which the sample presented to him has 

 been produced. 



As it seems only a step or two from the well- 

 known " Howqua's Mixture " to the less known 

 Howqua's G-arden, I now ask the reader to visit 

 that with me before we leave Canton. 



This garden is situated near the well-known 

 Fa-tee nurseries, a few miles above the city of 

 Canton, and is a place of favourite resort both for 

 Chinese and foreigners who reside in the neigh- 

 bourhood, or who visit this part of the Celestial 

 Empire. I determined on paying it a visit in 

 company with Mr. McDonald, who is well known 

 in this part of the world as an excellent Chinese 

 scholar, and to whom I am indebted for some 

 translations of Chinese notices, which appeared 

 very amusing to us at the time, and which, I dare 

 say, will amuse my readers. 



Having reached the door of the garden, we 

 presented the card with which we were provided, 

 and were immediately admitted. The view from 

 the entrance is rather pleasing, and particularly 



