46 TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. Chap. III. 



consists simply of a mat to lie upon, a hard square 

 pillow for the head, and a coverlet stuffed with cotton 

 to draw over the body as a protection from the 

 cold. 



I had the berth nearest the stern of the boat, a 

 dwarf occupied the one opposite, and my two servants 

 slept in the passage between us. The galley, or, I 

 should rather say, cooking apparatus, was placed out- 

 side in the stern, near to the steersman. 



Each passenger, when he takes his passage in these 

 boats, agrees for three meals a-day at a certain fixed 

 rate. We were to have conge in the morning, rice 

 at mid-day, and rice-conge again in the evening. 

 Anything else the passengers wanted, such as tea, 

 fish, meat, or vegetables, they had to provide and 

 cook for themselves. The arrangement seems a good 

 one, and it enables those who are so inclined to travel 

 at a very small cost. Many of the passengers had 

 nothing else than what was provided by the boatmen, 

 excepting perhaps a little tea, which they all carried 

 with them, and which in this country is cheap 

 enough. 



In the morning a basin of hot water, with a cloth 

 in it, was brought to me to perform my ablutions. 

 The following is the Chinese way of using this : the 

 cloth is dipped in the hot water and then wrung until 

 the greater part of the water is pressed out. In this 

 hot and damp state it is spread out on both hands, 

 and the face, neck, and head rubbed over with it. 

 This mode of washing is not the most effectual, but 

 there is nothing more refreshing on a warm day, if 



