Chap. XVII. VIEWS FROM PAGODA HILL, 363 



freshiiig it was after my morning walk — I pro- 

 ceeded Tip the hill towards the pagoda. Here I 

 was received by a solitary priest and a little boy 

 who seemed his servant. The priest took me into 

 a small room in which was a bed, a table, and a 

 few books — all he possessed in the world, so he 

 told me. He informed me, in answer to my ques- 

 tions, that the pagoda was called Taou-chang-shan- 

 ta. It appeared to be ancient, for the adjoining 

 temple, which had probably been built about the 

 same period, was now in a very ruinous condition. 

 Being curious to know what the tree was which, 

 with the pagoda, formed such a striking sight 

 when seen from a distance, I paid it a visit and found 

 it was the maidenhair-tree (Salisburia adiantifolia) , 

 If the pagoda and maidenhair-tree were striking 

 from a distance, the view from the top of the hill 

 where they stood was equally so, and of quite a 

 different character. The bustling city of Hoo- 

 chow-foo, with its w^alls, rampart, and broad and 

 beautiful canals lay at my feet. Looking eastward 

 the country was perfectly flat as far as the eye 

 could reach — it is one vast rich and fertile mul- 

 berry-garden. On the west the prospect was 

 bounded by a long range of mountains, very irre- 

 gular in height, form, and general outline, and 

 some of them very high. The T^ai-hu lake with 

 its islands — the Tung-ting-shans — ^were seen to the 

 north, and far away on the horizon to the south- 

 east the little hills near Chapoo are just visible on 

 a clear day. 



