302

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

CHAP. XVIII.

size in Japan, and forms a most remarkable and beautiful object when in flower.

I had now accomplished the object which I had in view in coming to Zipangu. I had carefully examined the country during autumn and winter, spring and summer, in search of new trees and other plants of an ornamental character which were likely to prove suitable to our English climate. Large collections of insects and landshells had also been made; and my spare time had been employed in procuring examples of works of art, particularly of ancient lacquer, for which this country has long been famous in Europe. The agriculture of Japan-the productions of the hills and those of the plains, the wet crops and the dry ones-had been carefully examined at the different seasons, and fully described from time to time in my Journal. While engaged in work of this kind I came much in contact with various classes of the people, and had an opportunity of observing their habits and customs in daily life. The political state of the country, its relations with foreign powers, and the prospects of foreign trade, had all passed in review before me, and enabled me to draw my own conclusions. This was the work which I had proposed to myself to do, and thus far it had been brought to a successful termination.

My collections of living plants and other objects of natural history were now very large and valuable, and the whole had to be arranged and

packed. I determined to take them over to China under my own care, as the monsoon was still blowing strong from the south, and it was too early to ship them for home. A number of Ward's cases which had been made for me by Japanese carpenters were now filled with soil, and planted with many rare and beautiful examples of the trees and shrubs of Japan. During the operation of planting I was visited by many of the inhabitants of Kanagawa, who evidently watched my proceedings with a good deal of curiosity and interest. They had never seen such queer little greenhouses before, and made many inquiries regarding the treatment of the plants during their long voyage. When I told them that the plants would be four or five months at sea, and that during that long period they would never receive any water-that in fact the cases would never be opened from the time they left China until they reached England-they looked rather puzzled and incredulous; but this was not to be wondered at, as that little fact has puzzled wiser heads than theirs.

When I had got everything ready for shipment, Her Majesty's Consul, Captain F. Howard Vyse, to whom I was indebted for many acts of courtesy during my residence in Kanagawa, gave me a note to the customhouse authorities, who allowed me to ship my collections free of duty, and, what was of even more importance, without being opened and unpacked.

304

ARRIVAL IN CHINA.

CHAP. XVIII.

On the morning of the 29th of July, 1861, the 'Fiery Cross,' Captain Crockett, in which I was a passenger, got her steam up and stood out to sea. As we passed rapidly onwards towards the mouth of the bay, the towns of Yokuhama and Kanagawa, with the well-known headlands in their vicinity, gradually disappeared from our view, and I bade farewell to the green hills and lovely scenery of Japan. We had a pleasant passage down the North Pacific Ocean, through Van Dieman's Strait, and across the Tung-Hai or Eastern Sea, and arrived at Shanghae in China on a hot morning on the 4th of August. My plants, which had come over in excellent order, were now landed and placed in Mr. Webb's garden here, where they were to remain until the season arrived for shipping them to England. In the mean time it was my intention to visit the scenes of the late war in the north, and if possible the city of Peking, and the mountains beyond it.

CHAPTER XIX.

Leave Shanghae for Peking

Port of Chefoo

Agricultural and

natural products - The Pei-ho river Arrival at Tien-tsin Salt-mounds - Suburbs - Mean buildings - Active trade - Noisy coolies Shops - Large warehouses Hawkers-Gambling propensities of the people - The city - Ruinous ramparts - Filthy streets Surrounding country - Salt plain- Gardens and nurseries Winter houses for plants-Fruit-trees cultivated in potsFruit ice-houses - Vineyards San-ko-lin-tsin's Folly - Winter in Tien-tsin.

6

ON the 11th of August I sailed from Shanghae for Chefoo, in Her Majesty's despatch boat Attalante,' and reached that port on the 16th. Chefoo, or rather Yentae, for that is the name of the place, is one of the ports which have been opened to trade under Lord Elgin's treaty. It is in the province of Shantung, on the south side of the Gulf of Pechele. The town is a poor straggling place, and does not seem to be of much value as a place of trade. The harbour, however, is good, and is much frequented by junks engaged in the coasting trade. When I went on shore I was kindly received by H. B. M. Consul, M. C. Morrison, Esq., an old and valued friend whom I had known from my first visit to China in 1844.

It may be remembered that Chefoo or Yentae

306

CHEFOO-NATURAL PRODUCTS.

CHAP. XIX.

had been occupied by the French troops during the late war, and at the time of my visit there were two French ships of war in the harbour, and the town was still partially occupied by the French. It is certainly a healthy station, and has a fine beach for sea-bathing, but those who think it important as a place for foreign trade will, I fear, be disappointed. It may, however, be of some value as a mail station in the winter season when the approaches to the Pei-ho river are frozen up. Ships can always get to Yentae, and the mails can be brought overland from Peking and Tien-tsin and shipped at Yentae.

The soil of the surrounding country is very fertile in the valleys and low lands, but the hills are extremely barren. The cultivated lands produce large crops of beans (Dolichos), peas, and several kinds of millet, one of which is not met with in the more southern parts of the empire. It grows to the height of from twelve to fifteen feet, and is, I believe, the Sorghum, which has, of late years, been introduced to Europe, and is said to be a good substitute for the sugar-cane. When in a young, growing state its stem is sweet to the taste, but I doubt its containing sugar enough to compete with the sugar-cane of commerce. It may, however, prove useful as food for cattle.

On the hill-sides I observed two trees of an ornamental and useful description, and secured a portion of their seeds, which are now growing in this country. The one is a curious pine, which,