164 



TEA DISTKICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. IX. 



boat, and proceeded on our journey. But as I came 

 down this way before, and have fully described the 

 route in a former chapter, I need not say much 

 regarding it here. 



We arrived at the small town of Nechow on the 

 following day. Here we took our passage in a large 

 boat, and proceeded up the Hwuy-chow, or Green 

 River. I may remind the reader that this river falls 

 into the sea a little below Hang-chow-foo. Being, as 

 it were, the highway or chief road from the northern 

 parts of Fokien, as well as from Kiang-see and 

 Hwuy-chow, to the large towns of Hang-chow-foo, 

 Soo-chow-foo, and Shanghae, on the eastern coast, 

 nearly all the black and green teas of commerce, 

 which are exported from northern China, come down 

 this way. As this subject may prove of some inter- 

 est to the merchant, I shall take a survey of the 

 whole route in a subsequent chapter. 



When we got upon the Green River, having a fair 

 wind, we sailed rapidly onwards. There were several 

 passengers on board our boat besides ourselves. They 

 were all country people from the westward, knew 

 little of foreigners, and seemed to have no idea that 

 I was one. My servant, I believe, told them that 

 I came from some far distant province beyond the 

 great wall, and with this information, indefinite as 

 it was, they seemed to be perfectly satisfied. Besides, 

 I was now well acquainted with their habits and 

 manners, I could eat with the chopsticks as well as 

 any of them, and my dress was, I believe, scrupulously 

 correct, even to the glossy black tail, which had 



