Chap. III. 
A CHINESE HOLIDAY. 
55 
whicli were growing on these hills. The crops were just 
ripening (November 2nd), and the Chinese had begun 
to harvest them. 
This part of the country was exceedingly beautiful and 
full of interest. Many of the less fertile hills were 
clothed with junipers and pines, whilst on others the 
patches of ripening corn afforded a striking contrast to 
the dark-green leaves of the tea-bushes with which they 
were dotted. I had now the pleasure of seeing many 
groups of the beautiful " funereal cypress f it was growing- 
on the sides of the hills, generally near villages or amongst 
the graves. Everywhere it was beautiful, and produced 
a striking effect in the appearance of the landscape. 
In walking over the country I always, when possible, 
avoided entering large towns. About this time, however, 
all the passengers were obliged to get out of the boat, in 
order to lighten it, and allow it to be drawn up one of 
the shallow rapids. "We all walked on together, and in 
a short time came to a town of considerable size. It 
happened that the day we arrived was a holiday, and 
a scene presented itself such as I had never before 
witnessed. 
The town was on the opposite bank. Two rivers unite 
here, and the town was built between them just at their 
junction. One of the rivers was nearly dry, and its bed 
was now used for the purpose of giving a grand fete. 
The bank where we were was probably about 150 or 200 
feet above the bed of the river, so that we had a capital 
view of what was going on below us. 
The first and most prominent object which caught my 
eye was a fine seven-storied pagoda, forty or fifty feet 
