298 



TEA DISTEICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. XVII. 



difficulty in another part of the town from that in 

 which we had spent the night. Silently but heartily 

 I bade adieu to Pouching-hien and the beggars, and 

 getting into my chair continued my journey. 



The road from Pouching-hien to the foot of the 

 mountains (I was now travelling in a northerly direc- 

 tion) led through an undulating country. Eice was 

 the principal crop in the fields, but considerable quan- 

 tities of tobacco were cultivated on all the spots a 

 little higher than the irrigated rice-lands. The tallow- 

 tree was again met with in great abundance. 



Forty le north from Pouching-hien we passed 

 through a large town, the name of which I neglected 

 to write down at the time, and which I now forget. 

 We stopped here about two hours for refreshment, 

 and pushing onwards arrived the same evening at a 

 small place amongst the Bohea mountains, named 

 Tsong-so. Determined not to run the risk of meet- 

 ing disreputable company, I ordered Sing-Hoo to go 

 to the principal inn of the town. The landlord re- 

 ceived me at the door, and conducted me to the 

 upper part of the hall, on each side of which the 

 bedrooms were placed. Having chosen one, and de- 

 posited my luggage in it, I returned to the hall and 

 partook of the usual beverage — tea. In due time an 

 excellent dinner was set before me, and so ended in 

 a peaceful and agreeable maimer a most exciting and 

 disagreeable day. 



The next morning we had an early breakfast, 

 and then continued our journey. The road was a 

 good one, but, being entirely mountainous, it was very 



