76 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. \' . 
new Berberis, which I have already described, and which 
I was most anxious to procure, in order to introduce it 
into Europe. I had frequently desired Wang to endea- 
vour to procure me some young plants of it from some 
garden in the neighbourhood, as I could not believe it 
to be so rare as only to exist in the old place where I 
had first seen it. However, he either could not find 
it, or, what was more probable, he gave himself no 
trouble about the matter. Knowing the potent influence 
of dollars, I called three or four of the family around me 
one morning, and, showing them the leaf which I had 
brought with me, promised a dollar to any one of them 
who would bring me a small plant of the same shrub. 
One of them went out immediately, and, to my surprise 
and pleasure, returned in less than five minutes with a 
fresh leaf of the plant in question. " That will do,'' said I ; 
" that is just the thing I want : bring me a young plant 
with good roots, and I will give you the promised 
reward." They now held a consultation amongst them- 
selves in an under tone, and at last said that the plant in 
question had some peculiar medical virtues, and that the 
lucky possessor would not part with it. " Sell me this 
one,'' said I, " and you will be able to buy a dozen others 
with the money." " No," one of them replied, " my 
uncle, in whose garden it is growing, does not want 
money; he is rich enough ; but he requires a little of the 
plant now and then when he is unwell, and therefore he 
will not part with it." This was very provoking, but the 
Chinese were firm, and there was nothing for it but to 
go, as sailors say, "upon another tack." This I deter- 
mined to do. " Well, at all events," said I, " let me see 
