CHAPTER X. City of Chang-shan and its trade- Land journey - My chair and chair-bearers - Description of the road-Trains of tea coolies Roadside inns Boundary of two provinces - Dinner at a Chinese inn-Value of the chopsticks- Adventure with two Canton men -City of Yuk-shan - Its trade and importance - Quan-sin-fooMy servant speculates in grass-ecloth - A Chinese test of respectability-Description of the country and its productions — Arrive at the town of Hokow. - CHANG-SHAN is a city of the third class, and is said to be 140 le from Chu-chu-foo. Judging from the population of other towns in China, I estimated the population of this place at from twenty to thirty thousand. It is built at the base of a hill about a mile from the river, but its suburbs extend down to the water's edge. The streets are narrow, and the shops have a mean appearance when compared with those of Hang-chow-foo or Ning-po. It has no trade of its own, but, as it is situated on the principal road which leads from the towns on the coast to the great black-tea country of Fokien, to the large towns of Yuk-shan, Quan-sin-foo, Hokow, to the Poyang Lake, and even to Canton, it is necessarily a place of considerable importance. Hence the town is full of hongs, inns, tea-shops, and warehouses for the accommodation of travellers, coolies, and merchandise, the latter being chiefly the black teas of Fokien and Moning. On the morning after our arrival we bade adieu to our boat and our obliging boatmen, and proceeded on foot to one of the inns in the city, in order to hire chairs for the next stage of our journey. We did not attract the slightest notice as we passed along the streets, and, as popularity in my present circumstances was not desirable, I confess I felt much pleased at this. When we reached the inn the landlord received us with great politeness, asked us to be seated, and brought us some tea. tea. In reply to our inquiries respecting a chair, he said that those he had were uncovered, and pointed to some of them which were standing in the entrance-hall. I observed that they were exactly like those mountain-chairs which I had frequently used amongst the hills near Ning-po, and informed him that one of them would answer my purpose. This chair is a most simple contrivance, and consists of two long poles of bamboo, with an open seat in the middle and a small crossbar slung from the poles on which the feet can rest. The coverlet on which I slept was thrown over the seat, and my primitive carriage was ready for the journey. After breakfast the chair-bearers arrived, and we started. A number of other travellers were going and returning by the same road as ourselves. Some of them had chairs like mine, while others had a light framework of bamboo erected over the seat, and covered with oil-paper, to afford some protection from the sun and rain. I found when too late that it would have been much better for me to have had one of these chairs instead of the one I was in. It was no use, however, now to indulge in vain regrets; so with a Chinese umbrella over my head I jogged along, consoling myself with the thought that, at least, I enjoyed a better view of town and country in this chair than if I had been shut up in a more comfortable one. I had now passed through the crowded street of Chang-shan, and was already in the open country. It had rained heavily during the night, but, as the morning was fine, the late showers had only tended to increase the natural beauty of the country. There was a coolness in the atmosphere too which was most agreeable. The grass on the hill-sides and the young rice in the valleys were of the liveliest green. Every bush and tree was loaded with heavy drops of rain which glistened in the sunshine. Altogether the scenery was delightful, and, with the freshness of the morning air, put me in the highest spirits. The road on which we were travelling was one of the broadest and best I had met with in the country. It was well paved with granite, about twelve feet in width, and perfectly free from weeds, which proved, if other proof had been wanting, that there was a great traffic upon it. The general aspect of the country was hilly, but there was abundance of good land in the valleys amongst the hills. It reminded me of some of the pretty islands in the Chusan archipelago. No mountain-passes had to be crossed on our way, for the little hills seemed, as it were, to open up a passage for the road as we went along. For the first few miles after leaving Chang-shan we met with few people by the way. I was indulging in the hope that my day's journey would be through a quiet country district like what one sees on some of the country roads at home; but, in so far as a quiet country road was concerned, I was soon undeceived. Long trains of coolies were now met, loaded with tea which was destined for Hang-chow-foo, and thence for Shanghae, to be sold to the English and American merchants. As my chair-bearers walked very fast, we likewise passed great numbers on the road going the same way as ourselves. These were hands returning after having got rid of their loads at Chang-shan; but they were not returning emptyhanded; they were loaded with raw cotton, cotton goods, lead, and various other articles, which had either been imported from foreign parts, or produced in countries nearer the sea. At nearly every le of the road as we went along we found inns and teashops. The road in front of these houses was generally thatched over, in order that those who stopped for refreshment might be protected from the sun and rain. When we had journeyed in this way about thirty le, my chair-bearers said they must rest awhile, and have some refreshment. I readily agreed to this proposition, as I was rather thirsty myself, and desired them to set me down at the first house we came to, which they accordingly did. We walked into the house, and I took a seat at one table, while my servant and the chair-bearers seated themselves at another. The good lady of the house set down a teacup before each of us, into which she put some tea, and then filled each cup up with boiling water. I need scarcely say she did not offer us any sugar or milk. Other tables were crowded with people, most of whom were coolies going to Chang-shan with tea, and whose chests nearly blocked up the road in front of the door. We drank our tea, which I found most refreshing, in its pure state without sugar and milk. Now and then some one connected with the house. came round and filled our basins again with boiling water. This is usually repeated two or three times, or until all the strength is drawn out of the leaves. Having smoked our pipes and paid two cash each for our tea, I got into my chair and resumed my journey. The road now led us up between two hills, and a huge stone gateway and pass showed me that I was on the outskirts of the province of Chekiang, and about to pass into Kiang-see. A strong wall, not unlike the ramparts of a city, connected the two hills, the gateway being of course in the centre of the pass. The whole place had a warlike appearance, and there was a military station on each side, so that each province might be duly represented and duly guarded. These stations were in a ruinous condition, and I observed only women and children about the houses. In peaceful times the soldiers are, no doubt, permitted to convert the sword into the ploughshare, and engage in the cultivation of the land. Although small villages and houses for refreshment extended, at short intervals, along the whole |