There had been no exaggeration in the description given by the Jesuits, or in the writings of the Chinese, excepting as to the height of the hills. They are not "awfully high indeed;" they are lower than most of the hills in this part of the country, and far below the height of the mountain ranges which I had just crossed. The men who were with me pointed to the spot with great pride, and said, "Look, that is Woo-e-shan! have you anything in your country to be compared with it?"
The day was fine, and the sun’s rays being very powerful, I had taken up my position under the spreading branches of a large camphor-tree which grew by the roadside. Here I could willingly have remained until night had shut out the scene from my view, but my chairbearers, who were now near the end of their journey, intimated that they were ready to proceed, so we went onwards.
When they arrived at the foot of the hills, they inquired their way to the temple. "Which temple do you wish to go to?" was the answer. "There are nearly a thousand temples in Woo-e-shan." The Buddhist priesthood, like the monks of old, always select the most beautiful spots for the erection of their temples and dwellings. The first group our traveller visited was situated on the sloping side of a small valley or basin, on the top of Woo-e-shan, with a small lake in its centre. Our traveller was most kindly received and hospitably treated. Whilst with these priests, Mr. Fortune relates,
During dur meal the conversation between Sing-Hoo and the priests turned upon the strange scenery of these hills, and the numerous temples which were scattered over them, many of which are built in the most inaccessible places. He informed them how delighted I had been with my walk during the afternoon, and how much I was struck with the strange scenery I had witnessed. Anything said in praise of these hills seemed to please the good priests greatly, and rendered them very communicative. They informed us that there were temples erected to Buddha on every hill and peak, and that in all they numbered no less than 999.
The whole of the land on these hills seems to belong to the priests of the two sects already mentioned, but by far the largest portion belongs to the Buddhists. There arc also some farms established for the supply of the court of Peking. They are called the imperial enclosures; but I suspect that they too are, to a certain extent, under the management and control of the priests. The tea-shrub is cultivated everywhere, and often in the most inaccessible situations, such as on the summits and ledges of precipitous rocks. Mr. Ball states that chains are said to be used in collecting the leaves of the shrubs growing in such places; and I have even heard it asserted (I forget whether by the Chinese or by others) that monkeys are employed for the same purpose, and in the following manner: These animals, it seems, do not like work, and would not gather the leaves willingly; but when they arc seen up amongst the rocks where the tea-bushes are growing, the Chinese throw stones at them; the monkeys get very angry, and commence breaking off the branches of the tea-shrubs, which they throw down at their assailants!
Of all the varied and picturesque scenery of the tea-district of Woo-e-shan, that of "the Streams of Nine Windings,” and of which a Chinese bird's-eye view is given in Mr. Fortune's work, is, however, the most curious and striking. It is from hence that the finest souchongs and pekoes are derived, and we would strongly recommend it, with the rest of the Woo-e-shan, to the attention of Mr. Burford. In bidding adieu to this curious spot, Mr. Fortune says:—"In a few years hence, when China shall have been really open to foreigners, and when the naturalist can roam unmolested amongst these hills, with no fear of fines and imprisonments to haunt
