118 



TEA DISTKICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. VII. 



and my men were no exception to the rule. From 

 the way in which they lagged behind I suspected they 

 had some intention of turning back when I was far 

 enough advanced to be out of sight. This they 

 contrived to do, and when they got home reported 

 that they had lost me amongst the hills. I felt 

 rather annoyed, as I expected to have secured a 

 considerable quantity of tea-seeds, but contented my- 

 self with a determination to look better after them the 

 next day. On the following morning I procured a 

 pony, and with my two defaulters set off for the tea- 

 farms situated in the middle of the island. Captain 

 Priestman accompanied me ; and as he had seen the 

 conduct of my two men on the day previous, he 

 assisted me to look after them with hearty good will. 

 When we had crossed the first range of hills and were 

 descending into the valley on the opposite side, the 

 two Chinese disappeared just as they had done the 

 day before. Riding back some distance, we found 

 them lingering behind, and evidently intending to 

 lose us again and return home. This time, however, 

 it would not do; so calling them to come on, and 

 placing them between us on the narrow road, we 

 moved forwards. I fear, I must confess, that we 

 did not take the nearest road to our destination, which 

 we reached at last, having been between three and 

 four hours on the way. We gathered a good supply 

 of tea-seeds from various farms on the hill-sides ; and 

 when we had finished the day's operations rode quietly 

 homewards, leaving the Chinamen to bring the col- 

 lections which had been made. The same plan was 



