Chap. IX. 



A CHINESE MES. CAUDLE. 



169 



seemed ill at ease. Her husband, who had gone on 

 shore before dark, had not returned, and she was 

 evidently a little jealous of his proceedings when out 

 of her sight. The result proved that she had good 

 reasons for her uneasiness, for when the man re- 

 turned, about three o'clock in the morning, he was 

 in a state of intoxication. The good lady — a Mrs. 

 Caudle in her way — did not spare him, and at the 

 same time gave me an opportunity of hearing a 

 Chinese curtain lecture. Mrs. Amee was not a whit 

 behind her great prototype, for she soon put her hus- 

 band to sleep, and as she talked till a late hour I 

 followed his example. 



When I awoke the next morning the storm and 

 all its effects had passed away. The sun was just 

 tinging the tops of the hills, and every tree and bush 

 was glistening with heavy drops of rain and dew. 

 The river had fallen considerably, but the stream 

 was still too rapid for our progress upwards, so I had 

 an early breakfast and went on shore. 



The low lands through which this river flows were 

 now much broader — the hills appeared to fall back, 

 and a beautiful rich valley was disclosed to view. 

 The soil of this valley is a deep sandy loam, resting 

 on a bed of gravel. I observed some patches of the 

 mulberry and tea plants under cultivation ; but the 

 tallow-tree (Stillingia sebifera) is evidently the staple 

 production of the district. The number of these 

 trees cultivated in the province of Chekiang is im- 

 mense, and shows that the tallow and oil expressed 

 from their seeds must be considered articles of great 



