CONTENTS.
[CHAPTER I.]
Introduction.—Erroneous Notions regarding China.—No correct Sources of Information.—Information gleaned from the Chinese not to be depended upon.—Imaginative Powers of Authors on China.—Peculiar Traits in the Character of the Chinese.—Remarks on Agriculture and Soil.—On Government and Laws.—China has been retrograding for many Years.—My own Experience.
[CHAPTER II.]
First View of China and the Impressions produced.—Contrasted with Java.—Land at Hong-kong.—Description of its Harbour.—Town of Victoria.—Chinese Towns, Stanley and Aberdeen.—Description of the Island.—Effects of Rains.—"Happy Valley" noticed.—Chinese mode of "Stopping the Supplies."—Views from the tops of Mountains.—Climate.—Botany of the Island.—Few Animals indigenous.—Unhealthiness of the Settlement.—Its Causes.—Character of the Chinese Population.—Mixed Character of Foreigners.—Remarks on the Settlement as a Place of Trade.
[CHAPTER III.]
Leave Hong-kong for Amoy.—Opium Station at Namoa.—Liberty the English enjoy there.—Chinese Population, and their Modes of living.—A new Admiral makes new Laws.—Cherry Brandy alters his Views.—The Account which, as in Duty bound, he sends to Peking.—Natural Tunnel through Chaple Island.—Amoy.—Remarks on its Trade.—Travels in the Country amongst the People.—The want of a Tail.—The Hills.—Island of Koo-lung-soo.—Effects of War.—Strange Rocks.—Unhealthy Nature of the Island.—Botany and Birds.—Visit to one of the Chief Mandarins.—His House and Grounds.
[CHAPTER IV.]
Leave Amoy.—Gale in the Formosa Channel.—Driven back to Chimoo.—Chimoo Bay.—Chinese Mode of paying Taxes.—Character of the Natives.—Journey to the Hills.—Chimoo Pagoda.—Interesting Scenery.—Attacked and robbed.—My Servant's Opinion of the State of Matters.—Get back in safety to the Shore.—Novel Mode of crossing the wet Sands.—New Plants found.—The Bay of Chinchew.
[CHAPTER V.]
Land at Chusan.—Description of the Island.—Town of Tinghae.—Agriculture.—Staple Productions.—Hemp Plants.—Palm of which Ropes are made—Trefoil cultivated for Manure.—Oil Plant.—Flora.—Hills covered with Azaleas, etc.—The Tallow Tree.—Green Tea Shrub.—Bamboos and other Trees.—Fruits.—Yang Mai and Kum-quat.—Inhabitants and Shops in Tinghae.—English Names on Shop Doors.—A new Language.—Mode of classing Foreigners.—Diseases of the Eye common.—Salt-making.—Method of preparing the Vegetable Tallow.—Mode of hatching Eggs by artificial Heat.
[CHAPTER VI.]
First Visit to Ning-po.—The Bridge of Boats.—City and Pagoda.—Medical Missionary.—Temperature—Chinese Mode of keeping themselves warm.—Charcoal Stoves.—My Lodgings.—Chinese Gamblers.—Description of Shops.—Silks and Embroidery.—Jade Stone.—Cotton Printing.—Rope making.—Curiosity Shops and Contents—"Furniture Street" and Furniture.—Banking Establishment.—No prospect of Foreign Trade.—Temples, and Devotion of some of the People.—Dwarfed Trees.—Mode of Dwarfing explained.—Mandarins' Gardens visited and described.—View from Northern Hills.—Agriculture.—Native Flora of these Hills.—Graves of the dead.—Collins exposed.
[CHAPTER VII.]
Remarks on the Chinese Language.—Ice-houses near Ning-po described.—Their Simplicity and Utility.—Novel Modes of Fishing.—Fishing Cormorants met with.—Their Actions described.—Two pairs purchased.—Account of their Food and Habits.
[CHAPTER VIII.]
Shanghae visited at the end of 1843.—My Lodgings.—Prejudices and Superstitions of the Inhabitants.—The City described.—Shops and Merchandise.—Food.—An important Station for foreign Trade.—The Exports of the Country; Teas and Silk easily brought to it.—The adjacent Country described.—Its Canals—Agriculture.—Tombs of the Dead.—Trees and Shrubs.—Gardens and Nurseries.—Difficulty of access to them.—Cunning and Deceit of the Chinese.—A Chinese Dinner.—Theatricals.
[CHAPTER IX.]
Return to the South of China.—The Canton River described.—Forts at the Bocca Tigris.—Productions of the Country.—The "Sighing" Willow.—Cultivation of the Nelumbium.—Boats on the River.—The Barber's Boat, &c.—Splendour of the Flower Boats.—Appearance of the River at Festivals.—Order which prevails in this floating City. Houses built over Water.—Chinese Dexterity in swimming and diving.—Fa-tee Gardens.—Their Plants.—Old Aching gets a bad Name because his Seeds do not grow.—He does not deserve it.—Advice to the Buyers of Seeds.—English and American Public Gardens at Canton.—Chinese New Year.—Attacked and robbed by the Chinese.—A subsequent Attack made upon some Officers of the English Government.—Their Letter to Her Majesty's Consul.
[CHAPTER X.]
Visit to the Ning-po Green Tea District.—Mountain travelling Chair.—The Budhist Temple of Tein-tung.—Scenery around the Temple.—Traditional History communicated by the Priest.—The Temple and its Idols.—Invitation to Dinner with the Priests.—First Trial with Chopsticks.—Politeness! of the Chinese.—Usual Dinner Company.—My Bed.—Devotions of the Priests.—Wild Boar Hunt.—Narrow Escape.—Mode of frightening the Animals from the Bamboo Plantations.—Mountain Scenery.—Budhist Temple of Ah-yu-Wang.—Poo-to-san, or the Worshipping Island.—Its Temples and Idols.—Bronze Gods.—Trees and Shrubs.—Gardens and pet Plants of the Priests.—Sale of Gods or Josses.—Offerings to the Gods in Shanghae and Ning-po.—Processions in Honour of the Gods.—Christian Missions.—Medical Missionary Society.—Roman Catholics.
[CHAPTER XI.]
The Tea-plant of China.—The Species found in the Green and Black Tea Districts—Best Situation for Tea Plantations.—Remarks on their Management.—Seasons, and Method, of gathering the Leaves.—Manufacture of Tea.—Cottages amongst the Tea Hills.—Furnaces and Drying Pans.—First Application of Heat.—Rolling Process.—Exposure of the Leaves to the Air.—Second Heating.—Length of Time required.—Two kinds of Tea.—Difference in the Manufacture of each.—Selecting and packing Teas.—Appearance and Colour of the Leaf.—Peculiar Taste of Foreigners for Dyed Teas.—Good Sense of the Chinese.—Tea Merchants.—Their Visits to the Tea Hills.—Mode of buying from the small Growers.—Black Tea District in Fokien.—Teas divided into two Kinds.—Peculiar Method of preparing each.—Cause of their difference in Colour.—Flowers used in scenting the finer Teas.—Sir John Francis Davis's Remarks on different kinds of Teas sold at Canton.
[CHAPTER XII.]
Chusan Archipelago.—Storm in a small Boat.—Nearly upset.—Kin-tang, or Silver Island.—Its Inhabitants.—Their Surprise on seeing a Foreigner.—Yang-tse-kiang River.—Its numerous Sand Banks.—Our Schooner aground.—Novel Method of getting Assistance from the Chinese.—Village of Woo-sung.—Opium Station.—Remarks on the Opium Trade.—Its Effects upon the Chinese.
[CHAPTER XIII.]
Shanghae in 1844.—Its Gardens and Plants.—Start for the Hills in the Interior.—Canals and Bridges.—Adventure with my Pony.—The "Tein-ching," or Blue Dye, found.—Hills and their Vegetation described.—The Surprise of the Natives on seeing a Foreigner.—Their Curiosity, and Honesty!—Plants sent to England.—Another Journey into the Interior.—Some large Northern Cities noticed.—A midnight Visit from Thieves.—The far-famed City of Soo-chow-foo visited.—A Description of it.—New Plants found.—Central Position of Soo-chow as a Place of Trade.—Baths for the Million.—Return to Shanghae.
[CHAPTER XIV.]
Chinese Cotton Cultivation.—Yellow Cotton.—District where it grows.—Cotton Country described.—Soil.—Manure, and Mode of Application.—Preceding Crops.—Time of sowing.—Method.—Rains.—Summer Cultivation.—Early Rain advantageous.—Time of reaping and gathering. Cotton Farmers and their Families.—Drying and cleaning Process described.—Marketing.—Independence of the Seller.—Crowded Streets in Shanghae during the Cotton Season.—Warehouses and Packing—Home Consumption.—Stalks used for Fuel.
[CHAPTER XV.]
Climate of China.—Summer and Winter.—Temperature of Hong-kong—of Shanghae.—Monsoons.—Typhoons.—Signs of their Approach.—Description of a Typhoon witnessed by the Author.—Effect produced upon Vegetation.—Rains.—Wet and dry Seasons.—Meteorological Table.
[CHAPTER XVI.]
Chinese Agriculture.—Exaggerated Statements regarding its Advancement.—Soil of the Hills.—Tea Land—Soil of the Plains.—Summer Crops.—Rice and its Cultivation.—Chinese Plough and Harrow.—Number of Crops produced.—Method of obtaining two Crops of Rice in Summer in the Province of Chekiang.—Rice Harvest.—Terrace Cultivation described.—The Tein-ching Plant, from which the Northern Indigo is obtained.—Summer Hill Crops.—Cultivation of sweet Potatoes.—Earth Nuts.—Winter Crops.—Celebrated Shan-tung Cabbage.—Oil Plant.—Wheat, Barley, etc.—Ripening of Winter Crops.—Manures.—Two Plants cultivated for this Purpose.—Their Cultivation and Mode of Application.—A Manure for mixing with Seeds.—Its Utility.—Other Manures in common use.—Manure Tanks.—Night Soil and Urine.—Mode of Application.—Succession anti Rotation of Crops.
[CHAPTER XVII.]
Return to Chusan.—Its supposed Unhealthiness.—Mortality amongst the Queen's Troops when first stationed there.—Subsequent Salubrity.—Its Advantages over Hong-kong as a British Settlement.—New Plants found on the Island.—Ning-po.—Gardens of the Mandarins.—Manners of Chinese Ladies.—Sail for Hong-kong.—Tombs of the Chinese.—Situations supposed to be the best.—Soothsayers employed.—Their Methods of working on the Minds of the People.—Mr. Lay consulted as to the best Site for a Grave.—Inscriptions on the Tombs.—Periodical Visits to them by Relatives.—Different Modes of Interment.—Coffins exposed in the Fields.—Kept in Houses.—Tombs near Sung-kiang-foo.—Favourite Flowers for planting on the Graves.
[CHAPTER XVIII.]
Plants shipped for England.—Sail for Manila.—Natural Productions and Exports—Passport Annoyances.—The Interior of Luzon.—Its Laguna.—Early Morning in the Philippines.—Valuable Plants procured.—The "Queen of Orchids."—Natural Habits of Air-Plants.—Lawless Banditti of the Interior.—A false Alarm.—Monkeys more harmless than Men.—A Night at Dolores with the Padre.—Volcanoes in the Philippines.—General Appearance of the Country.—Leeches not very agreeable Companions.—Return to Manila and ship Plants for England.—Sail for the north of China.—"A Man overboard."—His Recovery by a gallant Boat's Crew.—Arrive in the North.
[CHAPTER XIX.]
Spring in the north of China.—New Flowers.—Journey through the Country.—Motley Group of Fellow Passengers.—A Morning Scene in a Chinese Junk.—Tartar City of Chapoo.—Shops and Trade.—Crowds of People.—A Visit to the Mandarins.—A free Passage onward offered.—Their Object in this.—Means taken to thwart them.—Leave Chapoo for Shanghae.—Country and Town of Ping-hoo.—Silk Districts visited.—Cultivation of the Mulberry.—Management of the Silk-worm.—Arrival at Shanghae.—Consul's Letter enclosing one from the Taoutae, or Head Mandarin.—A most satisfactory Reply!
[CHAPTER XX].
Sail for Foo-chow-foo on the River Min.—Novel Mode of engaging a Pilot.—Entrance to the River.—Scenery on its Banks.—Bridge of Foo-chow-foo.—Chinese Chairmen.—Insults received from the Natives.—City and Suburbs.—Native Trade.—Fishing Cormorants.—Bank Notes.—Character of the Natives.—The Ladies and their fondness for Flowers.—Population.—Remarks on Foo-chow-foo as a Place of foreign Trade.—Government Spies.—Gardens and Nurseries.—Deceit of the Mandarins.—Leave Foo-chow-foo for the Tea Hills.—Mountain Scenery described.—Black Tea Districts.—Flora of the Hills.—Agriculture of the District.—Native Fruit.—Climate and Temperature.
[CHAPTER XXI.]
Engage a Passage in a Junk.—Leave the District of the Min.—An Attack of Fever.—Religious Ceremonies on Board the Junk.—Attacked by Pirates.—Scene on Board.—Cowardice of the Chinese.—Pirates beat off.—Gratitude of the Crew.—A safe Anchorage!—Another Fleet of Pirates.—Attack, and Results.—Arrive at Chusan.—Ingratitude of the Crew.—Mode of making them keep their Word.—Kindness of foreign Residents at Shanghae.—Large Peaches.—Collections paeked.—Leave the north of China.—Sail for England.—Arrival in the Thames.—Conclusion.