200 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. XI. 



I cannot tell, but they left him and came to me. I 

 had not a single cash in my pocket, and, Sing-Hoo 

 being far behind, I did not know what to do. I, 

 however, closed my eyes, and feigned to be fast 

 asleep. When they held out their baskets for alms 

 I was of course sleeping most soundly. " Loi-ya, 

 loi-ya,"* they bawled in my ear, and did their best 

 to awake me ; but finding the tongue of no avail, 

 they beat the sides of the chair with their hands, and 

 at last got hold of my clothes. I have a great horror 

 of being touched by a Chinese beggar, who is gene- 

 rally filthy beyond description. Starting up, I nearly 

 capsized the chair, greatly to the annoyance of my 

 bearers, who immediately forced the beggars to desist 

 and to go away. When we reached the top of the 

 pass I desired my bearers to put me down and to 

 rest themselves. There was a pretty little house, or 

 traveller's resting-place, just on the summit, from 

 which I obtained. an excellent view of the country. 



In the valley beyond me lay a small town, named 

 Yuen-shan. At first sight it appears to be completely 

 encircled by hills; but this is not the case, for the moun- 

 tain stream which I have just noticed passes the town, 

 and winds round the hills on its way to Hokow. 



Descending the hill on our way to Yuen-shan 

 I had another encounter with beggars, but having 

 provided myself with a few cash I easily got rid of 

 them. Many of them were lame and blind, but some- 

 how or other all managed to get close to my chair. 



We now came to an archway erected over the 



* A term applied to a mandarin or government officer. 



