CHAPTER VII.

Bay of

Kintang or Silver Island Its inhabitants and productions Chapoo - Advantages of an inland route New year at Shanghae Flower-shops and flowers Sacred bamboo-The Chrysanthemum - Mode of cultivating it - Weather-prophets - Sail for Hong-kong-A game-ship- The Enkianthus - Canton seeds, and mode of packing them False notion regarding their being poisoned.

ON my arrival at Ning-po I engaged a Chinese boat to take me to Kintang. Kintang or Silver Island is one of the islands of the Chusan archipelago, situated between Chusan and the mouth of the Ning-po river, in about the 30th degree of north latitude. It is about seven miles in length, and from two to three in breadth at its widest part. I found two opium vessels at anchor in the little harbour of Leh-kong, and was kindly received by Captain Priestman, who gave me quarters on board his ship.

Silver Island, although near Chusan, was rarely visited by the English during the time they held that place. All sorts of stories used to be told about it. It was said to be a place of banishment for mandarins who had offended the Government; and this circumstance, taken in connexion with its name, led us to believe that it was a place of wealth and luxury. Moreover, the Chinese Government had requested that none of our officers or soldiers might

be allowed to go there, as it was full of Chinese troops, who might be exasperated if they came in contact with those who had vanquished them during the late war. Having all these matters in my mind, I naturally expected to find this a very important place; but my ideas with regard to its soldiers and riches were not realized. Small villages are scattered over the valleys, but there is no town of importance, and judging from appearances the inhabitants generally are very poor. No fierce soldiers were met with in any part of the island: these, however, might have been withdrawn since 1844.

The inhabitants, like those of Chusan and Ning-po, are quiet and inoffensive. They were very civil to me, and often treated me with great kindness. They had little to offer but their good will; and this they showed by asking me to sit down in their houses, or, what was often preferable, under the awning in front of the door. Here they never failed to offer a draught of the national beverage-tea. I do not know anything half so refreshing on a hot summer's day as a cup of tea: I mean pure and genuine as the Chinese drink it, without sugar and milk. It is far better and much more refreshing than either wine or beer. It quenches thirst, is a gentle stimulant, and wards off many of the fevers incident to such a climate.

If Silver Island is not inhabited by rich men and brave soldiers, nature at least has been most bountiful, for it is one of the most beautiful of the group to which it belongs. On paying it a visit at this time

Passing

I was particularly struck with the scenery. through the small town or village of Leh-kong, I soon came to the foot of the first range of hills, and ascended the pass which led over them into the interior of the island. On the sides of the road and scattered over the hills I observed large quantities of the tallow-tree. Its seeds are carefully gathered by the natives, and are valuable for the oil and tallow which they contain. A few patches of tea were seen dotted on the lower parts of the hills. When I reached the top of the first ridge of hills, and looked down on the other side, a most charming view presented itself. A quiet and beautiful valley lay below, here and there studded with small farm-houses, and apparently bounded on all sides by hills richly clothed with shrubs and trees. It was a fine autumnal day, and many of the leaves had assumed their red and yellow tints before falling to the ground. Those of the tallow-tree and a species of maple had become of a clear blood-red colour-others were nearly white; and the contrast between these colours and the deep green foliage of the pines was most striking. Clumps of fine bamboos, and the sung-the species of palm already noticed-gave a tropical appearance to the

scenery.

The green-tea shrub is cultivated very extensively in the interior of the island; and my chief object in coming here was to procure a quantity of its seeds. For this purpose I took my two servants with me, and examined all the tea-farms on our way. Chinamen generally have a great aversion to long walks,

and my men were no exception to the rule. From the way in which they lagged behind I suspected they had some intention of turning back when I was far enough advanced to be out of sight. This they contrived to do, and when they got home reported that they had lost me amongst the hills. I felt rather annoyed, as I expected to have secured a considerable quantity of tea-seeds, but contented myself with a determination to look better after them the next day. On the following morning I procured a pony, and with my two defaulters set off for the teafarms situated in the middle of the island. Captain Priestman accompanied me; and as he had seen the conduct of my two men on the day previous, he assisted me to look after them with hearty good will. When we had crossed the first range of hills and were descending into the valley on the opposite side, the two Chinese disappeared just as they had done the day before. Riding back some distance, we found them lingering behind, and evidently intending to lose us again and return home. This time, however, it would not do; so calling them to come on, and placing them between us on the narrow road, we moved forwards. I fear, I must confess, that we did not take the nearest road to our destination, which we reached at last, having been between three and four hours on the way. We gathered a good supply of tea-seeds from various farms on the hill-sides; and when we had finished the day's operations rode quietly homewards, leaving the Chinamen to bring the collections which had been made. The same plan was

adopted daily until nearly all the farms were visited, and a large supply of tea-seeds was obtained.

Silver Island consists of a succession of hills and valleys not unlike those of Chusan, but even more rich in appearance. Passing over the first hill and descending into the valley, the traveller at first imagines that he is surrounded on every side by hills; but proceeding onwards, the road gradually winds round the base of the hills, and another valley as pretty as the last opens up to view. Thus, like a splendid panorama, picture after picture is presented to the eye, painted by the hand of nature beautiful and perfect.

There is more tea grown on Silver Island than on any of the other islands in the Chusan archipelago. The greater part of what is not consumed by the natives is sent over to Ning-po and Chapoo for home consumption or for exportation to the Straits. Although good tea, it is not prepared in a manner to suit the English or American markets. The tallowtree (Stillingia sebifera) and the "Tung-eau" (Dryandra cordata, Thunberg) both produce articles of export. The former is well known to produce the tallow and oil so much in use in China: the latter furnishes a valuable oil which is used in mixing with the celebrated varnish of the country, and hence this tree is often called the varnish-tree.

Having procured a collection of the seeds of these useful trees, as well as a large quantity of tea-seeds, I had the whole of them carefully packed, and left Silver Island for Shanghae, viâ Chapoo. This route,