192 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. X. 



nearly the whole way across from Chang-shan to Yuk- 

 shan they formed one unbroken line. Yuk-shan was 

 the name of the town to which we were now bound. 

 As we proceeded, we began to get more extensive 

 views of the country. We had passed the line or 

 ridge which divides the streams which flow to the 

 eastward from those which flow westward. The 

 country appeared to open up, and we were evidently 

 approaching some river of considerable size. At last 

 a hill, richly wooded, came into view, and was pointed 

 out to me as that from which the town of Yuk-shan 

 had taken its name, and which was situated in its 

 vicinity. We reached the town about four o'clock in 

 the afternoon, having travelled about thirty miles 

 since the morning. 



Yuk-shan is a walled town of considerable size, and 

 I should imagine contains from thirty to forty thou- 

 sand inhabitants. It appears to be a larger place than 

 Chang-shan ; and, like that town, it stands at the 

 head of a navigable river. All the merchandise of 

 the Bohea mountains, and of the countries east of the 

 Poyang lake, which is destined for Hang-chow-foo, 

 Shanghae, and other towns in that district, is landed 

 here, to be carried across to Chang-shan by coolies. 

 Hence these two towns appear to be the connecting 

 links between two most important rivers, as well as 

 between the richest countries of China. One of them 

 is connected with the great black-tea eountry, and the 

 other with the green-tea districts, and also with those 

 rich silk and cotton lands near the coast; and the 

 importance of these two towns and rivers will be 



