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 upon the table. Our labours for the day being over, 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

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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-hienIts situation, size, and trade-Tea-farms.

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.

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 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.

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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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any other part of the range, and consequently has the mountains rising high on each side of it. Just before we arrived at the top the road was so steep that even Chinese travellers get out of their chairs and walk, a proceeding unusual with them on ordinary occasions. From the foot of the range to the pass at which we had now arrived the distance was twenty le, or about five miles.

This pass is a busy thoroughfare. It connects the countries of Fokien with those of Kiang-see, and is the highway, through the mountains, from the blacktea districts to the central and northern provinces of the Chinese empire. Long trains of coolies were met or overtaken at every turning of the road. Those going northward were laden with chests of tea, and those going south carried lead and other products for which there is a demand in the tea country. Travellers in chairs were also numerous, some going to, and others returning from, the towns of Tsong-ganhien and Tsing-tsun, and the surrounding country. Whether I looked up towards the pass, or down on the winding pathway by which I had come, a strange and busy scene presented itself. However numerous the coolies, or however good the road, I never observed any two of them walking abreast, as people do in other countries; each one followed his neighbour, and in the distance they resembled a colony of ants on the move.

At every quarter of a mile, or sometimes less, there is a tea-shop, for the refreshment of those who are toiling up or down the mountain. We frequently

stopped at these places on our way, and refreshed ourselves with a cup of the pure bohea on its native mountains. During the ascent I walked nearly all the way, being anxious to inspect the natural productions of the mountains. My chair-bearers were delighted with this arrangement, the more so as they are not accustomed to anything of the kind from their countrymen.

We arrived at last at the celebrated gates or huge doors which divide the provinces of Fokien and Kiang-see. The pillars of these gates have been formed by nature, and are nothing less than the "everlasting hills" themselves. The arched doorways of the place bore a great resemblance to the gates of a Chinese city. As we passed through the archway I observed a guard of soldiers lounging about, but they did not take any notice of us, or attempt to examine our baggage. We were soon through the pass, and in another province. The province of Kiang-see had been shut out and left behind us, and our view now opened on Fokien. Never in my life had I seen such a view as this, so grand, so sublime. High ranges of mountains were towering on my right and on my left, while before me, as far as the eye could reach, the whole country seemed broken up into mountains and hills of all heights, with peaks of every form.

While gazing with wonder and admiration on the scene, my attention was arrested by a solitary pinetree of great size, standing about a hundred yards from the gateway. No other trees of any size were