26 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. II. 



bitants — 2/0,000. Its walls and ramparts bad been 

 in a most dilapidated and ruinous condition, but tbe 

 people got sucb a frigbt when the English took 

 Chapoo — which is not a very great distance off — 

 that they came forward with funds, and had the de- 

 fences of their city substantially repaired. Such was 

 the boatmen's story when accounting for the excel- 

 lent order in which the fortifications were. A num- 

 ber of old grain junks, of great size considering the 

 depth of water, are moored in the canal abreast of 

 the city, and are apparently used as dwelling-houses 

 by the natives ; some, however, are half sunk in the 

 water, and appear entirely abandoned. Junks of the 

 same description as these are seen abreast of all the 

 large towns on the grand canal. When too old for 

 the Government service they seem to be drawn up to 

 the nearest city, and either used by Government 

 officers as dwelling-houses, or sold to the highest 

 bidder. 



We had now entered the great Hang-chow silk 

 district, and the mulberry was observed in great 

 abundance on the banks of the canal, and in patches 

 over all the country. 



I was greatly struck with the appearance of a 

 cemetery on the western side of the city of Kea- 

 hing-foo, not very far from the city walls. Its large 

 extent gave a good idea of the numerous and dense 

 population of the town. It had evidently existed for 

 many ages, for a great number of the tombstones 

 were crumbling to pieces, and mingling with the 

 ashes of the dead. But this " place of skulls " was 



