338 
to correct the water, which is said to be brackish and ill tasted in many parts 
of those countries.* 
Sir George Staunton says, that persons of rank in China are so careful 
about the quality of the water intended for their own consumption, that they 
seldom drink any without its being distilled; and every Chinese infuses tea 
or some other vegetable supposed to be salubrious, in the water which he 
uses. Like beer in England, tea is sold in public houses in every town ; also 
by the side of public roads, and on the banks of rivers and canals, both in 
China and Japan ; nor is it unusual for the burthened and wearied traveller 
to lay down his load, refresh himself with a cup of warm tea, and then pur¬ 
sue his journey.I* 
These qualities, of taking off the ill taste of water, and refreshing after 
fatigue, have been experienced in other countries besides China and Japan. 
Thus Kalm says, if tea be useful, it must be so in travelling through a desart 
country, where wine or other liquors cannot conveniently be carried, and 
where the water is generally unfit for use, as being full of insects. In such 
cases it is very pleasant when boiled, and tea is infused in it; nay, I cannot 
sufficiently describe the fine taste it has in such circumstances. It relieves 
a weary traveller more than can be imagined, as I have experienced with 
many others who have travelled through the forests of America: on such 
journies tea is found to be almost as necessary as victuals. Forster , the 
translator, adds, that on his travels through the desart plains beyond the river 
Volga, he has had several opportunities of making the same observations on 
tea , and that every traveller in the same circumstances will readily allow 
them to be very just, j—-Captain Forrest , in his voyage to New Guinea, re¬ 
lates several instances, wherein the sailors experienced the exhilarating effects 
of this infusion.§ Other travellers have borne testimony to this pleasant and 
salutary effect of tea. And persons, after violent exercise, or coming off a 
journey much fatigued, and affected with a sense of general uneasiness, at¬ 
tended with thirst and great heat, by drinking a few cups of warm tea , com¬ 
monly experience immediate refreshment. 
Neither the Chinese , nor the natives of Japan , ever use tea , before it has 
been hept at least a year \ because when fresh it is said to prove narcotic, 
* Lettsom, p. 19 . f Embassy, Yol. II. p. 69 , 66 . 
§ Travels in North America, Yol. II. p. 304, engl. ed. § Lettsom, p. 20 . || Idem. p. 95 . 
