Chap. VII. PRODUCTIONS OF SILVER ISLAND. 



117 



I was particularly struck with the scenery. Passing 

 through the small town or village of Leh-kong, I 

 soon came to the foot of the first range of hills, and 

 ascended the pass which led over them into the in- 

 terior of the island. On the sides of the road and 

 scattered over the hills I observed large quantities of 

 the tallow-tree. Its seeds are carefully gathered by 

 the natives, and are valuable for the oil and tallow 

 which they contain. A few patches of tea were seen 

 dotted on the lower parts of the hills. When I 

 reached the top of the first ridge of hills, and looked 

 down on the other side, a most charming view pre- 

 sented itself. A quiet and beautiful valley lay below, 

 here and there studded with small farm-houses, and 

 apparently bounded on all sides by hills richly clothed 

 with shrubs and trees. It was a fine autumnal day, 

 and many of the leaves had assumed their red and 

 yellow tints before falling to the ground. Those of 

 the tallow-tree and a species of maple had become of 

 a clear blood-red colour — others were nearly white ; 

 and the contrast between these colours and the deep 

 green foliage of the pines was most striking. Clumps 

 of fine bamboos, and the sung — the species of palm 

 already noticed — gave a tropical appearance to the 

 scenery. 



The green- tea shrub is cultivated very extensively 

 in the interior of the island ; and my chief object in 

 coming here was to procure a quantity of its seeds. 

 For this purpose I took my two servants with me, 

 and examined all the tea-farms on our way. China- 

 men generally have a great aversion to long walks, 



