Chap. XII. SUGAE AND TEA-SPOONS AT AN INN. 217 



tion. The old lady did not lose anything by it y how- 

 ever, for I bought some cakes and other things which 

 were not below her dignity to sell, and we parted the 

 best of friends. We had many a good joke and hearty 

 laugh at her expense as we pursued our journey. 



The sky had been overcast during the morning, 

 and, the wind having died away, the rain came down 

 in torrents. We were obliged to take shelter in 

 another tea-house, and remained there for some 

 hours. It continued to rain, however, and we were 

 glad to proceed a little further on to a small village 9 

 where there was an inn, in which we took up our 

 quarters for the night. The landlord paid me the 

 most marked attention. When I entered the hall 

 tea was set before me as usual, but in this instance a 

 curiously shaped tea-spoon was in the cup, and the 

 tea was sweetened with sugar. T had never seen the 

 Chinese use either sugar or tea-spoons before, and 

 was rather surprised ; and it is still a question with 

 me whether we are not indebted to them for our 

 mode of making tea, as well as for the tea itself. It- 

 was only on our first entering that this was done, for 

 when tea was brought afterwards it was always made 

 in the usual way, that is, the leaves were put into a 

 cup and boiling water poured over them. 



To the question usually put to Sing-Hoo, of "who 

 his master was," he invariably returned the same 

 answer, " A Loi-ya from a far country beyond the 

 great wall." I much doubt whether he had himself 

 a clearer idea of the position of England than this 

 answer conveyed to his interrogator. In the present 



