Page:A Residence Among the Chinese.djvu/46

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OBJECTS IN VISITING CHINA.
Chap. II

CHAPTER II.

Objects in visiting China — My boat and boatmen — A groundless alarm — Chinese pilgrims — Chair-bearers — Eoad to Ayuka's temple — Crowds by the way — Shyness of ladies — Description of scenery — Wild flowers — Tea-farms — Approaches to temple — Ancient tree — Hawkers and their stalls — Scene in temple — Visit to high priest — Shay-le or precious relic — Its history and traditions — A picnic — Character of the people for sobriety — An evening stroll — The temple at night — Huge idols — Queen of Heaven and child — Superstitions of Chinese women.

My chief object in coming to China at this time was to procure a number of first-rate black-tea manufacturers, with large supplies of tea-seeds, plants, and implements, such as were used in the best districts, for the Government plantations in the north-west provinces of India. Leaving Tai- ping-Wang to fight his battles in the province of Kiang-su and elsewhere, I sailed for the town of Ningpo in the province of Chekiang, and on my arrival at that port started immediately for the tea districts in the interior. I had engaged a small covered boat, such as is used on the canals in this part of the country. It was divided into three compartments: that in the stern was occupied by the boatmen, who propelled the boat by a powerful scull, which worked on a small pivot; the centre was occupied by myself, and the fore-

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