Chap. XT. 



STATE OF THE COUNTRY. 



225 



ultimately be done in imports for the supply of 

 these places. And teas from the south side of the 

 Bohea mountains can always be brought cheaper, 

 in better condition, and earlier in the season, to 

 Foo-chow, than they can be had at any of the 

 other ports. 



Having completed the arrangement alluded to 

 at the commencement of this chapter, I was 

 anxious to proceed northward to Chekiang and 

 Kiangnan. On making inquiries as to vessels for 

 the northern ports, I found there was nothing of 

 the kind in port except native craft — boats and 

 wood junks — which were very unsafe, owing to 

 the hordes of pirates w^hich infested all parts of 

 the coast. Owing to the unsettled state of the 

 country and the weakness of Government at this 

 time, it would have been an act of madness to 

 have trusted myself in any of these vessels, unless 

 I had been tired of my life, or had had an inclina- 

 tion to spend some months as a prisoner on some 

 piratical island. As I was not weary of life, and 

 had no fancy for the alternative of being impri- 

 soned with thieves and robbers for my companions, 

 1 determined not to go to sea in a native vessel. 

 I was strongly urged to this course by all the 

 foreigners in Foo-chow, but they looked to me like 

 " Job's comforters," for one and all were of opinion 

 that it would be necessary for me to return again 

 to Hongkong — a distance of some four hundred 

 miles, which I had just beat up against the mon- 

 soon — before I would be able to get a vessel bomid 



