Chap. Xll. 



FKOVINCE OF CHEKIANG. 



245 



CHAPTEE XIL 



Eefcurn to Chekiang — A journey to the interior — Chinese country 

 fair — Small feet of women — How formed, and the results — Stalls 

 at the fair — Ancient porcelain seal same as found in the bogs of 

 Ireland — Theatricals — Chinese actors — Natural productions of 

 the country — Liliaceous medicinal plant — "Cold water temple" 

 — Start for Tsan-tsin — Mountain scenery and productions — 

 Astonishment of the people — A little boy's opinion of my habits. 



On arriving at Shangliae I lost no time in return- 

 ing again to the tea-districts in the interior of the 

 Chekiang province, in order to make again ar- 

 rangements for further supplies of seeds and plants 

 for the following autumn. I shall not enter into 

 a description of this part of my duties, as it would 

 he nearly a repetition of some of the earlier pages 

 in this work. But during the summer and autumn 

 I had many opportunities of visiting districts in 

 the interior of the country hitherto undescribed, 

 and to these " fresh fields and pastures new," I 

 shall now conduct the reader. 



The eastern parts of the province, in which the 

 islands of the Ohusan archipelago and the great 

 cities of Hangchow and Ningpo are included, 

 is now pretty well known, — partly through my 

 own researches, and partly through those of other 

 travellers. The central and western parts of this 

 fine province, however, have scarcely as yet been 



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