348 



TEMPLES AND PRIESTS. 



Chap. XVI. 



great plain of the Yang-tse-kiang, tlirougli which 

 I had been passing for several days. The most 

 striking hill which came first into view was 

 crowned by a seven-storied pagoda. It had a 

 large tree by its side, equally striking in the dis- 

 tance, and which had probably been planted when 

 the pagoda was built. I afterwards ascertained this 

 to be the "maidenhair-tree" (Salishuria adiantifolia), 

 a tree which attains a large size in this part of 

 China, and is extremely ornamental. 



As I neared Hoo-chow the general aspect of the 

 country appeared very different from that through 

 which I had been travelling for upwards of one 

 hundred miles. The general level seemed higher, 

 and little well-wooded hills adorned the surface of 

 the country. I visited these hills as I went along 

 for the purpose of examining their vegetation. 

 In most cases I found pretty temples near their 

 summits, surrounded with trees. From these spots 

 the most charming views were obtained of the 

 great mulberry plain, the city of Hoo-chow, and 

 the mountain ranges which form the background 

 towards the west. 



In one of the temples which I visited I found a 

 priest who was a native of Ningpo, the town to 

 which my servants belonged. He received us 

 most cordially, and appeared glad to have an 

 opportunity of talking with his townsmen, and 

 getting all the news from his native place, which 

 he ^ had not visited for several years. In one of 

 the cells of this temple we were shown a priest 



