Chap. III. 
A MANDARIN'S GARDEN. 
59 
country some years before to reside at Hang-chow, where 
they had died. Their friends were now taking their 
remains back to their own land, to be buried in the 
graves of their ancestors. 
On the following day, while walking on shore with 
some of the other passengers, we came to a village in 
which there was a celebrated garden and temple belong- 
ing to a family of high rank and influence in the country. 
The head of the family himself had died a short time 
before, but the place was still kept up in excellent style. 
It seemed to be open to the public, and we determined 
to go and see it. 
The place had no pretensions to what in England 
would be called a fine garden ; but it was evidently con- 
sidered unique by the Chinese in this part of the coun- 
try. Small square courts were seen here and there, 
ornamented with rockwork, and planted with the 
favourite flowers of the district. The fragrant olive, 
moutan, sacred bamboo {Nandina domestica), and 
other common shrubs, were met with in great abund- 
ance. Some pretty ponds were filled with the favourite 
water-lily. But the most interesting plant of all was a 
new evergreen holly, with leaves somewhat like the 
Portugal laurel, very handsome and ornamental. 
Amongst the buildings there was a pretty small pa- 
goda, which we ascended, and from its top had an excel- 
lent view of the surrounding country. The whole place 
had e^idently been laid out for the purpose of giving 
plays and fetes on an extensive scale. Summer-houses, 
ornamental towers, balconies, and ancestral temples^ 
were scattered over the grounds. The tout ensemble 
