76 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. IV. 



the stage were very gaily dressed in rich silks and 

 satins of many colours, and evidently did their best to 

 afford amusement to this immense audience. 



Such was the scene presented to us as we ap- 

 proached the town. " Come," said all my fellow 

 passengers, " come and see the play and they set 

 off as fast as they could to a bridge a little higher up 

 the river, by which they could reach the town and 

 the place where the festivities were going on. I was 

 quite satisfied with the view I had of the whole 

 scene from the opposite bank, and therefore declined 

 the invitation to go nearer. The old dwarf, whom I 

 have already mentioned, and who had taken every 

 opportunity in his power to show his good will, volun- 

 teered to remain with me and my two servants. We 

 sat down on the green grass, and had an excellent 

 view of the whole proceedings. The Chinese never 

 seemed to tire, and would have remained there all 

 day ; but as our boat would pass up the other branch 

 of the river, it was necessary for us to get to it. We 

 therefore crossed the bridge, and passed through the 

 centre of the town. No one seemed to have the 

 slightest idea that I was a foreigner ; indeed, the poor 

 old dwarf attracted far more attention than any of 

 us, I did not remark anything of interest in this 

 town, except some large tea-hongs and carpenters' 

 shops, where tea-chests were being made. 



When we had passed through this place and 

 reached the other branch of the river, we entered a 

 ferry-boat, and crossed over to the other side. 

 Amongst the ferry-boat passengers were two very 



