222 TEA DISTRICTS OF CHIXA. Chap. XII. 



ever, to collect into one chapter the remarks I have 

 to make upon the tea cultivation in this important 

 part of the country. 



As I arrived at Tsong-gan-hien early in the day, I 

 stopped there only three hours. This was sufficient 

 to enable me to take a survey of the town, and to 

 obtain some refreshment both for myself and my 

 men. At the end of that time I got into my chair 

 and took the road for Woo-e-shan, which was only 

 forty or fifty le further on. As soon as we were 

 clear of the town the road seemed entirely different 

 from that which we had been travelling on before. 

 The fact is we had left the great tea highway, — that 

 had ended at the town we just passed. Our road 

 was now more narrow and less frequented. The 

 travellers in chairs, the coolies with tea-chests on 

 their shoulders, and all that motley band which we 

 had seen on our journey across the mountains, had 

 disappeared, and we were now journeying alone. 



