Chap. XIII. 
VISITORS. 
209 
had just laid down their burdens to take a cup of tea, 
expressed great anxiety to see a traveller who had come 
so far. On several occasions some of them walked up 
stairs without any ceremony. I believe I always re- 
ceived them with the utmost politeness and sustained 
my character tolerably well. On one occasion, however, 
I nearly lost my gravity. An old priest, apparently 
in his second childhood, came in to see me, and the 
moment he entered my room he fell upon his knees and 
kow-towed or prostrated himself several times before me 
in the most abject manner. I raised him gently from 
this humiliating posture, and intimated that I did not 
wish to be so highly honoured. Another priest came 
and expressed a desire for me to go and visit his 
temple, which was on an adjoining hill, and which he 
told me had been honoured with a visit from a former 
emperor. 
I remained two days under the roof of the hospitable 
Taouist, and saw a great part of the Woo-e hills and 
their productions. On the evening of the second day, 
having entered into a fresh agreement with my chair- 
bearers and coolies, I intimated to the old priest that I 
intended to proceed on my journey early next morning. 
He kindly pressed me to stay a little longer, but, when 
he saw I was in earnest, he went out to his tea planta- 
tions and brought me some young plants which he 
begged me to accept. I felt highly pleased with his 
gratitude for the small present I had given him, and 
gladly accepted the plants, which increased my store 
very considerably ; these with the other plants were 
carefully packed with their roots in damp moss, and the 
