62 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. III. 



branches grew at first at right angles to the main 

 stem, then described a graceful curve upwards, and 

 bent again at their points. From these main 

 branches others long and slender hung down perpen- 

 dicularly, and gave the whole tree a weeping and 

 graceful form. It reminded me of some of those 

 large and gorgeous chandeliers, sometimes seen in 

 theatres and public halls in Europe. 



What could it be ? It evidently belonged to the pine 

 tribe, and was more handsome and ornamental than 

 them all. I walked, no, — to tell the plain truth, I ran 

 up to the place where it grew, much to the surprise of 

 my attendants, who evidently thought I had gone crazy. 

 When I reached the spot where it grew it appeared 

 more beautiful even than it had done in the distance. 

 Its stem was perfectly straight, like Cryptomeria, and 

 its leaves were formed like those of the well-known 

 arbor-vitse, only much more slender and graceful. 



This specimen was fortunately covered with a 

 quantity of ripe fruit, a portion of which I was most 

 anxious to secure. The tree was growing in some 

 grounds belonging to a country inn, and was the pro- 

 perty of the innkeeper. A wall intervened between 

 us and it, which I confess I felt very much inclined 

 to get over; but remembering that I was acting 

 Chinaman, and that such a proceeding would have 

 been very indecorous, to say the least of it, I 

 immediately gave up the idea. We now walked 

 into the inn, and, seating ourselves quietly down at 

 one of the tables, ordered some dinner to be brought 

 to us. When we had taken our meal we lighted our 



