32 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. II. 



different sizes, all engaged in an active bustling trade. 

 Many of these were sailing in the same direction as 

 ourselves, whilst others were leaving the city and 

 hurrying onwards in the direction of Soo-chow, Hoo- 

 chow, Kea-hing, and other towns. Canals were seen 

 branching off from the grand canal in all directions, 

 and forming the high roads of the country. 



When I reached the end of this part of my 

 journey my boatmen drew up and moored the boat 

 amongst thousands of the same class, and, it being 

 now nearly dark, I determined to rest there for the 

 night. When the next morning dawned, and I had 

 time to take a survey of our position, I found that 

 we had been moored on the edge of a large broad 

 basin of water which terminates the grand canal. 

 As I had nothing to do in the city, and merely 

 wanted to pass onwards on my journey to the green- 

 tea country, I did not wish to run the risk of passing 

 through it. Before leaving Shanghae, when consult- 

 ing the map and fixing my route, I asked if it were 

 possible to get to the mouth of the Hang-chow river 

 without actually passing through the city itself. Both 

 my men informed me that this was quite easy, and 

 even protested strongly against my entering the town. 

 They said we could go by the See-hoo lake, at which 

 place we could leave the Shanghae boat, and then 

 proceed on foot or in chairs a distance of 30 le. By 

 this means we should merely skirt the town, and 

 attain the object we had in view. This plan seemed 

 feasible enough. When we reached the suburbs of 

 Hang-chow, therefore, not knowing the locality, I 



