Chap. II. 



NO DEPENDENCE ON THE CHINESE. 



21 



undertaken the mission — how could I be at all cer- 

 tain that the plants or seeds which they would have 

 brought me had been obtained in the districts in 

 question? No dependence can be placed upon the 

 veracity of the Chinese. I may seem uncharitable, 

 but such is really the case ; and if it suited the pur- 

 pose of the agents employed in this matter they 

 would have gone a few miles inland to the nearest 

 tea district — one which I could have visited myself 

 with ease and safety — and have made up their col- 

 lection there. After staying away for a month or 

 two they would have returned to me with the collec- 

 tion, and, if requisite, have sworn that they had 

 obtained it in the country to which I had desired 

 them to proceed. It is just possible that they might 

 have done otherwise ; but even if they had I could 

 not have been certain that such was the case, and I 

 therefore abandoned all idea of managing the business 

 in that way, and determined to make an effort to 

 penetrate into the Hwuy-chow country myself, where 

 I could not only procure the true plants which pro- 

 duce the finest green teas of commerce, but also gain 

 some information with regard to the nature of the 

 soil of the district and the best modes of cultiva- 

 tion. 



I had two Hwuy-chow men in my service at this 

 time. I sent for them, and inquired whether it was 

 possible to penetrate so far into the country. They 

 replied that we could easily do so, and that they were 

 quite willing to accompany me, only stipulating that 

 I should discard my English costume and adopt the 



