110 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. VII. 
The old priest now led me to a different part of the 
grounds, to see a famous spring. This was in one of the 
most romantic-looking dells or ravines that I had ever 
beheld. We descended to it by a flight of stone steps, 
crossed a bridge which spanned the ravine, and found 
ourselves in front of a small temple. On one side of it 
the water was gushing down, clear and cool, from the 
mountain, into a small cistern placed there to receive 
it ; while on the other a caldron or large kettle was 
always boiling during the day, in order that tea might 
readily be made for visitors. Here a number of priests 
were lounging about, apparently attached to this temple. 
They received me with great kindness, and begged me 
to be seated at a table in the porch. One of them took 
a cup and filled it with water at the spring, and brought 
it to me to taste. They all praised its virtues ; and 
it certainly was excellent water. I told them it was 
the best I had ever tasted, and they then brought 
me a cup of tea made with water from the same 
spring. 
^ After drinking the tea I wandered away along a 
paved path that led me round the side of the mountain, 
amidst vegetation which had been planted and reared by 
the hand of nature alone. The Chinese fir (Pinus 
sinensis) and a noble species of Abies were the only 
of the well-known Dr. Morrison, one of the earliest and best of 
Chinese scholars) to send for his teacher, in order, if possible, to get 
further information. This old gentleman was a native of the city 
of Shaou-hing-foo, a place famed in China for its literary men. He, 
too, had visited the temple of Koo-shan, and had seen the precious 
relics. Upon questioning him, he gave us the same account as 
I had already received from the priests. 
