92 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. VI. 
which led over them into the interior of the island. On 
the sides of the road and scattered over the hills I 
observed large quantities of the tallow-tree. Its seeds 
are carefully gathered by the natives, and are valuable 
for the oil and tallow which they contain. A few patches 
of tea were seen dotted on the lower parts of the hills. 
When I reached the top of the first ridge of hills, and 
looked down on the other side, a most charming view 
presented itself A quiet and beautiful valley lay below, 
here and there studded with small farm-houses, and 
apparently bounded on all sides by hills richly clothed 
with shrubs and trees. It was a fine autumnal day, and 
many of the leaves had assumed their red and yellow 
tints before falling to the ground. Those of the tallow- 
I tree and a species of maple had become of a clear 
blood-red colour — others were nearly white ; and the 
contrast between these colours and the deep green 
^ foliage of the pines was most striking. Clumps of fine 
I bamboos, and the sung — the species of palm already 
j noticed — gave a tropical appearance to the scenery. 
The green-tea shrub is cultivated very extensively in 
the interior of the island ; and my chief object in coming 
here was to procure a quantity of its seeds. For this 
purpose I took my two servants with me, and examined 
all the tea-farms on our way. Chinamen generally have 
a great aversion to long walks, and my men were no 
exception to the rule. From the way in which they 
lagged behind, I suspected they had some intention of 
turning back when I was far enough advanced to be out 
of sight. This they contrived to do, and when they got 
home reported that they had lost me amongst the hills. 
