208 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. XII. 



CHAPTER XII. 



First view of the Bohea mountains — Mountain pass — A noble fir- 

 tree — Its name and history — Flora of the mountains — New plants 

 — Source of the river Min — Entertainment for man and beast — 

 A rugged road and another pass — A gale amongst the mountains 

 — An amusing old China- woman — Sugar and tea-spoons — A kind 

 landlord — The Tein-sin — Arrive at the city of Tsong-gan-hien — 

 Its situation, size, and trade — Tea-farms. 



Nothing occurred during the night to disturb our 

 slumbers, and mine were as sound and peaceful as if 

 I had been in "the old house at home." When 

 morning dawned we had an early breakfast and pro- 

 ceeded on our journey. One of the grandest sights 

 I had ever beheld was now awaiting me. For some 

 time past I had been, as it were, amongst a sea of 

 mountains, but now the far-famed Bohea ranges lay 

 before me in all their grandeur, with their tops 

 piercing through the lower clouds, and showing them- 

 selves far above them. They seemed to be broken 

 up into thousands of fragments, some of which had 

 most remarkable and striking outlines. It is difficult 

 to form an estimate of their height, but, comparing 

 them with other mountains known to me, the highest 

 here may be six or eight thousand feet above the 

 level of the sea. There are some spots on the sides 

 of the lower hills under cultivation, but all above 

 these is rugged and wild. 



