Chap. VI. 



MOUNTAIN SCENERY. 



107 



mountains which frequently rose to a height of at 

 least three thousand feet. 



The moon was just past the full, and the scenery 

 by moonlight was striking and grand. Sometimes 

 the moon rose in all her grandeur above the tops of 

 the mountains, and threw a flood of mellowed light 

 upon the clear and shining river, which made it 

 appear to sparkle as if covered with a thousand 

 bright gems. Again, as we approached the eastern 

 shore, the moon appeared to sink behind the moun- 

 tains, and set where she rose, and we were left in 

 the shade ; and so, as we floated onwards, she rose 

 and set many times, until she was so high in the 

 sky that the mountains could no longer intercept 

 her rays. 



On our way up the river I Had marked the spot 

 where the beautiful Berberis grew, and I now paid it 

 another visit, and procured some good cuttings of it 

 from an old woman who seemed to be in charge of 

 the place. I would gladly have bought the plant 

 itself, but it was too large to move with any chance of 

 success. A goodly number of tea-seeds were also 

 collected on our way down, as well as more of the 

 seeds of the Funereal cypress. The boat being 

 wholly engaged by myself I was able to stop when 

 and where I chose. 



The river being rapid) and in many parts studded 

 with rocks and large stones most dangerous to navi- 

 gation, we were often obliged, wBen evening came, 

 to drive a bamboo pole into the bank, and fasten our 

 boat up for the night, On one occasion' a sudden 



