174 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. XI. 
inspect the natural productions of the mountains. My 
chair -bearers were delighted with this arrangement, the 
more so as they are not accustomed to anything of the 
kind from their countrymen. 
We arrived at last at the celebrated gates or huge 
doors which divide the provinces of Fokien and Kiang- 
see. The pillars of these gates have been formed by 
nature, and are nothing less than the " everlasting hills " 
themselves. The arched doorways of the place bore a 
great resemblance to the gates of a Chinese city. As 
we passed through the archway I observed a guard of 
soldiers lounging about, but they did not take any 
notice of us, or attempt to examine our baggage. We 
were soon through the pass, and in another province. 
The province of Kiang-see had been shut out and left 
behind us, and our view now opened on Fokien. Never 
in my life had T seen such a view as this, so grand, so 
sublime. High ranges of mountains were towering on 
my right and on my left, while before me, as far as the 
eye could reach, the whole country seemed broken up 
into mountains and hills of all heights, with peaks of 
every form. 
While gazing with wonder and admiration on the 
scene, my attention was arrested by a solitary pine-tree 
of great size, standing about a hundred yards from the 
gateway. No other trees of any size were near it. Its 
solitary position near the pass, and its great height and 
beautiful symmetry, made it appear a most striking 
object. " What could it be ? was it new, or did we 
already possess it in England V I must confess that 
for a few seconds I had eyes for nothing else. Chairs, 
