246 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. X1Y. 



pleased with his gratitude for the small present I had 

 given him, and gladly accepted the plants, which in- 

 creased my store very considerably ; these with the 

 other plants were carefully packed with their roots in 

 damp moss, and the whole package was then covered 

 with oil-paper. The latter precaution was taken to 

 screen them from the sun, and also from the prying 

 eyes of the Chinese, who, although they did not seem 

 to show any great jealousy on the point, yet might 

 have annoyed us with impertinent questions. Early 

 in the morning, our arrangements being completed, 

 we bade adieu to our kind host and hostess, and set 

 off across the hills in the direction of Tsin-tsun. 



Tsin-tsun is a small town built on the banks of one 

 of the branches of the river Min. This stream divides 

 the northern ranges of Woo-e-shan from the southern. 

 The town is built on both banks of the river, and is 

 connected by a bridge. Here are great numbers of 

 inns, eating-houses, and tea-shops for the accommo- 

 dation of the tea-merchants and coolies. A great 

 quantity of tea, produced in the surrounding hills, is 

 brought here for sale, before it finds its way to 

 Tsong-gan-hien, and thence across the Bohea moun- 

 tains to Hokow. 



When I arrived at Tsin-tsun 1 felt strongly in- 

 clined to go down the river Min to Foo-chow-foo. 

 This could have been accomplished in about four 

 days without trouble or inconvenience, as the whole 

 journey could be performed in one boat. There 

 were two objections, however, to this route ; one was 

 that I should not have seen much more new ground, 



