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CHAP. XI.

CHU-CHU.

205

cheaply than those from the southern side of the Bohea mountains.

We were now approaching the end of our first day's journey from Hokow. The day was far advanced, and we intended to put up for the night at Chu-chu, a small town near the foot of the Bohea mountains properly so called. During all my wanderings in China I had never yet slept in a Chinese inn, and could not help indulging in various speculations respecting it. Calling Sing-Hoo, I desired him and the coolie with the luggage to go before, and look out for a respectable place in which we could pass the night.

The town of Chu-chu is built on the two sides of a mountain stream. It is a small, poor place, supported by travellers and coolies passing to and from the Bohea mountains, and by the trade in the tea which is grown and manufactured in the surrounding districts.

My chairmen followed Sing-Hoo down the main street of the town for some distance. He had been making many inquiries by the way, and at last entered one of the numerous inns which abound in the place. Having hastily inspected it, and seeing it would suit our purpose, he returned to the door to give me this information. After being received in due form by the landlord, I walked through the outer part of the premises into the reception-hall.

This inn, although somewhat smaller than the one formerly described, was built upon the same plan. The part fronting the street was perfectly open, being entirely composed of pillars and shutters. Mine host,

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TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA.

CHAP. XI.

with a cloth in his hand, hastily wiped a table and chair, and, bowing politely, asked me to be seated. He then placed a cup of tea before me, and brought a joss-stick to light my pipe, and, having done so, he retired and left me to my own reflections.

I had now time to take a survey of my quarters. In the front part of the building a number of persons were dining at tables placed there for the accommodation of travellers. I had given them a slight glance as I passed through, but was now able to examine the groups with more leisure. My chairbearers and coolie were already seated at one of those tables, evidently enjoying their evening meal after the fatigues of the day. Sing-Hoo was bustling about with the landlord, making himself quite at home, and ordering the materials for my dinner. Perhaps this had a tendency to turn the landlord's attention more to his own business than to that of his guests; but be this as it may, he never appeared to have the slightest idea that he had a foreigner under his roof, and asked no troublesome questions.

On each side of the hall in which I sat there were a number of small sleeping apartments—I can scarcely call them bedrooms-and in one of them my luggage had been placed. It was about twelve feet square, and had two beds and a table in it. It had no window, nor any aperture of the kind for the admission of light, but the front boarding was not carried so high as the roof, and hence an imperfect light streamed in from the top, or through the doorway when that was open. Add to this an uneven earthen

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CHAP. XI.

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LUXURIES OF A CHINESE INN.

207

floor, and the walls besmeared with the remains of tallow and dirt, and a fair idea may be formed of the place in which I was about to pass the night.

In ordinary circumstances these appearances would have been very discouraging. But I had "counted the cost" of all these things before I began to travel in China. I never expected to find my way strewed with luxuries; I knew the people were not very remarkable for cleanliness in their dwellings, and I was therefore in some measure prepared for all the inconveniences to which I was subjected. The only way was to make myself as comfortable as the circumstances would admit of.

I therefore called Sing-Hoo, and desired him to sweep my bedplace before he unpacked my sleeping mat and other articles for the night. Whilst this was going on the host informed me that dinner was ready and placed on the table in the centre of the hall. The fare was plain and homely. There was a large basin full of boiled rice, with other smaller ones containing fish, eggs, and pork. The vegetables consisted of cabbages and bamboo.

The latter I

thought extremely good, and always ordered it during the remainder of our journey.

I did full justice to the rice, eggs, fish, and bamboo, and left the other articles for Sing-Hoo, who seemed to enjoy them with equal relish. Dinner being over, the dishes were removed, and tea set the table. Our labours for the day being over, upon pipes were lighted, and the smoke rose in wavy curls to the roof of the inn.

CHAPTER XII.

First view of the Bohea mountains Mountain pass A noble fir

tree-Its name and history-Flora of the mountains-New plants

Source of the river Min- Entertainment for man and beast A rugged road and another pass — A gale amongst the mountains -An amusing old China-woman Sugar and tea-spoons - A kind landlord- The Tein-sin- Arrive at the city of Tsong-gan-hien — Its situation, size, and trade-Tea-farms.

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NOTHING Occurred during the night to disturb our slumbers, and mine were as sound and peaceful as if I had been in "the old house at home." When morning dawned we had an early breakfast and proceeded on our journey. One of the grandest sights I had ever beheld was now awaiting me. For some time past I had been, as it were, amongst a sea of mountains, but now the far-famed Bohea ranges lay before me in all their grandeur, with their tops piercing through the lower clouds, and showing themselves far above them. They seemed to be broken up into thousands of fragments, some of which had most remarkable and striking outlines. It is difficult to form an estimate of their height, but, comparing them with other mountains known to me, the highest here may be six or eight thousand feet above the level of the sea. There are some spots on the sides of the lower hills under cultivation, but all above these is rugged and wild.

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CHAP. XII. FIRST VIEW OF THE BOHEA MOUNTAINS. 209

I always like to look on scenery of this kind early in the morning. I do not know whether it is that there is a freshness and beauty about it then which it loses when the day is further advanced, or whether the mind is more susceptible of impressions then than at other times; it may be that both these combine to render morning views most delightful and pleasing to the eye. Had I chosen the time for my first view of the Bohea mountains, I could not have been more fortunate. The morning was clear, the air cool, and the sun was just shining on their eastern sides. As its rays shone on the rugged peaks, they gave a rich and golden tint to some, while those in the shade looked gloomy and frowning. Strange rocks, like gigantic statues of men or various animals, appeared to crown the heights, and made the view most remarkable.

Our road had been of an undulating character all the way from Hokow, and, although we had ascended a great number of hills, yet we generally descended again into valleys on the opposite side, but, on the whole, we were gradually attaining a higher elevation above the level of the sea. We had now, however, arrived at the foot of the central and highest range, and began the ascent towards the mountain pass. The road here is about six feet in width, and paved with granite. It led us round the sides of the mountains, and gradually carried us higher and higher, and at last, when we had rounded one of the upper windings, a view of the pass itself, in the highest range, was presented. This pass is much lower than

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