264 



TEA DISTKICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. XV. 



rises amongst the hills to the north-east of Yuk-shan, 

 and, flowing westward, empties its waters into the 

 Poyang lake. Hokow is a large and flourishing 

 town, abounding in tea-hongs, which are resorted to 

 by merchants from all parts of China. Many of 

 these men make their purchases here, without going 

 further, while others cross the Eohea mountains to 

 Tsong-gan-hien. When China is really opened to 

 foreigners, and when our merchants are able to go 

 into the country to make their own purchases of 

 black teas, Hokow will probably be chosen by them 

 as a central place of residence, from which they can 

 radiate to Woo-e-shan and Ning-chow, as .well as 

 to the green-tea country of Mo-yuen, in Hwuy-chow. 



The teas, having arrived at Hokow, are put into 

 large flat-bottomed boats, and proceed on their journey 

 either to Canton or to Shanghae. If intended for 

 the Canton market, they proceed down the river in a 

 westerly direction towards the Poyang lake. Ball 

 says that they are " conducted to the towns of Nan- 

 chang-foo and Kan-chew-foo, and then suffer many 

 transshipments on their way to the pass of Ta-moey- 

 ling, in that part of the same chain of mountains 

 which divides Kiang-see from Quan-tung. At this 

 pass the teas are again carried by porters ; the 

 journey occupies one day, when they are re-shipped 

 in large vessels, which convey them to Canton. The 

 time occupied in the entire transport from the Bohea 

 country to Canton is about six weeks or two months."* 



If intended for the Shanghae market, the tea- 



* Cultivation and Manufacture of Tea. 



