50 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. Chap. III. 



most pitiable of them all ; he was evidently a man of 

 some standing in society, and had plenty of money. 

 His bed was surrounded with silk curtains, his pillows 

 were beautifully embroidered, and his coverlet was of 

 the richest and softest satin. Everything about him 

 told of luxury and sensual pleasures. 



But let me take a peep inside his bed-curtains and 

 describe what I saw on the first day of our acquaint- 

 ance. The curtains were down and drawn close 

 round, particularly on that side from which the wind 

 came. He was clothed in the finest silks, and had 

 lain down on his side upon a mat ; his head was resting 

 on one of the embroidered pillows. A small lamp 

 was burning by his side, an opium-pipe was in his 

 mouth, and he was inhaling the intoxicating fumes. 

 After smoking for a few minutes he began to have 

 the appearance which a drunken man presents in the 

 first stage of intoxication ; the fumes had done their 

 work, and he was now in his " third heaven of 

 bliss." 



In a minute or two he jumped up and called for 

 his teapot, from which he took a good draught of 

 tea 5 he then walked about the boat evidently a good 

 deal excited, and talked and joked with every one he 

 met. After spending some time in this manner he 

 began to smoke tobacco ; he then took another draught 

 out of his teapot and lay down to sleep ; but his 

 slumbers were not of long duration, and were evi- 

 dently disturbed by strange and frightful dreams. 

 He awoke at last, but it was only to renew the dose 

 as before ; and so on from day to day. Even in the 



