392 TEA-MAKERS ENGAGED FOE INDIA. Chap. XX, 



CHAPTEE XX. 



Tea-makers from Fokien and Kiangse engaged for India — Ning-chow 

 tea country — Formerly produced green teas — Now produces black 



— How tliis cliange took place — Difficulty in getting the men off 



— One of them arrested for debt — All on board at last and sent on 

 to Calcutta — Coast infested with pirates — Ningpo missionaries 

 robbed — Politeness of the pirates — Their rendezvous discovered — 

 Attacked and destroyed by the 'Bittern' — A mandarin in difficulty 



— The English " don't fight fair " — Liberality of the Chinese and 

 English merchants — Captain Yansittart's reward. 



On my arrival at Sliangliae I found that the 

 efforts I had been making in order to secure the 

 services of some firstrate black-tea manufacturers 

 for the Government Plantations in the Himalayas 

 had been successful. Eight men, natives of Fo- 

 kien, and well acquainted with the method of 

 making the finest teas of Tsin-tsun and Tsong-gan 

 — districts situated on the south side of the great 

 Bohea mountains, famous for the superior quality 

 of their black teas — had been engaged by Mr. 

 Clark at Foo-chow-foo, and were now on their 

 way to Hongkong and India. They had taken 

 with them an ample supply of the implements in 

 use in those districts for the purpose of manu- 

 facturing the leaves, and thus one of the chief 

 objects I had in view in coming to China, after 

 many delays and difSculties, had been successfully 

 accomplished. 



