78 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. IV. 



a large one, this was agreed to, and a second boat 

 was engaged. 



A circumstance now occurred which astonished 

 me not a little at the time, although it must be a 

 common thing in the country. When the second 

 boat was brought alongside, and the floor of our cabin 

 taken up to get at the cargo, I found that we had 

 some fellow-passengers which I had never calculated 

 upon. Two enormous coffins, each containing the 

 body of a Chinaman, had been lying directly under 

 my bed for the last three weeks without my having 

 the least suspicion of the fact. It was, perhaps, just 

 as well that this was the case, for the knowledge of 

 the circumstance would not have added to my com- 

 fort, and might have made me sleep less soundly. 

 These coffins were now removed to the other boat, in 

 which they were taken onwards to their last resting- 

 place. On inquiring, I found that the deceased were 

 natives of Hwuy-chow-foo, and had left their native 

 country some years before to reside at Hang-chow, 

 where they had died. Their friends were now taking 

 their remains back to their own land, to be buried in 

 the graves of their ancestors. 



On the following day, while walking on shore with 

 some of the other passengers, we came to a village in 

 which there was a celebrated garden and temple be- 

 longing to a family of high rank and influence in the 

 country. The head of the family himself had died 

 a short time before, but the place was still kept up in 

 excellent style. It seemed to be open to the public, 

 and we determined to go and see it 



