A Tea Reader (26 page)

1
[Certain British spellings and archaic terms have been amended. Ed.]

2
“
Ine
” is a rice plant.

3
A “
kuruma
” is a carriage or chariot. “
No-nim-biki
” suggests that it was drawn by two men.

4
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a borough in west Kent, England that was considered a destination for the upper class.

5
“
Kaki
” is a Japanese persimmon tree. “
Kari
” is another wood that is carved; it is often used for chess sets. “
Sendan
” or “
Melia azedarach
” is also known as white cedar and is part of the Mahogany family.

6
“
Ninsoku
” are laborers.

7
A “
ri
” is a bit less than 2½ miles.

8
“
Solfataras
” are volcanic areas where sulfuric gases are released.

9
“
Deutzia
” is a genus of shrubs, mostly with white flowers.

10
The “Acheron Cauldron” is an extinct volcano.

11
“
Asemi
” is another name for
Pieris japonica
,
an evergreen ornamental shrub with cascading flowers.

Memorandum of an Excursion
to the Tea Hills

BY
G. J. G
ORDON
, E
SQ
. (C
OMMUNICATED BY
D
R
. N. W
ALLICH
)

Excerpted from the
Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal
,
1835.
¹

Having been disappointed in my expectations of being enabled to visit the Bohea hills, I was particularly anxious to have an opportunity of personally inspecting the tea plantations in the black-tea district of the next greatest celebrity, in order to satisfy myself regarding several points relative to the cultivation, on which the information afforded by different individuals was imperfect or discordant.

Mr. Gutzlaff, accordingly, took considerable pains to ascertain, for me, from the persons who visited the ship, the most eligible place for landing with the view of visiting the Ankoy hills; and Hwuy Taou bay was at length fixed upon as the most safe and convenient, both from its being out of the way of observation of any high Chinese functionaries, who might be desirous of thwarting our project, and from its being equally near the tea hills, as any other part of the coast, at which we could land. As laid down in the map of the Jesuits, there is a small river, which falls into the head of this bay, by which we were told we should be able to proceed a good part of our way into the interior. We should, of course, have preferred proceeding by the Ankoy river, which is represented in the same map as having its source to the west of Ngau-ki-hyen and falling into the river which washes Sneu-cheefoia, were it not for the apprehension of being impeded or altogether intercepted by the public functionaries of that city. In order to make ourselves as independent as possible of assistance from the people, we resolved to dispense with every article of equipment which was not necessary for health and safety. The weather had for some days been comparatively cold, the thermometer falling to 55° at sunrise, and not getting higher than 66° during the day, so that warm clothing not only became agreeable, but could not be dispensed with during the nights; arms for our defence against violence from
any
quarter, formed likewise a part of our equipments, and, trusting to money, and Mr. Gutzlaff 's intimate knowledge of the language and of the people, for the rest, we left the ship on the morning of Monday, 10
^th
November, proceeding in the ship's long boat towards the head of the bay, where the town of Hwuy Taou is situated.

The party in the boat consisted of Mr. Gutzlaff, Mr. Ryder (second officer of the “Colonel Young”), Mr. Nicholson, late quartermaster of the “Water Witch,” whom I had engaged for the projected Woo-re journey, and myself, one native servant and eight
lascars
.
²
The wind being unfavorable, we made rather slow progress by rowing, but taking for our guidance the masts of some of the junks which we observed lying behind a point of land, we pulled to get under it, in order to avoid the strength of the ebb tide, which was now setting against us. In attempting to round the point, however, we grounded, and soon found that it was impossible to get into the river on that side, on account of sand-banks, which were merely covered at high water, and that it was necessary to make a considerable circuit seaward to be able to enter. This we accomplished, but not till 1:00
A.M.
At this time a light breeze fortunately springing up, we got on very well for some time, but were again obliged to anchor, at ¼ past 2, from want of water....

...At daylight we found that there was not six inches of water in any part of the channel, and from the boat we stepped at once upon dry sand. The survey from the bank showed us plainly that it would be impossible to proceed any farther by water. We accordingly prepared to march on foot, taking with us three
lascars
who might relieve each other in carrying our cloak-bag of blankets and great coats, as well as some cold meat. We ordered the people to prepare a meal as fast as possible, intending to make a long stretch at first starting, and Mr. Nicholson was directed to remain in charge of the boat with five
lascars
, to move her down under the bridge on the return of the flood, and there to wait our return for four or five days. Crowds of people now began to crowd round the boat, moved by mere curiosity. Mr. Gutzlaff induced some of them to get ducks and fowls for the use of the boat's crew, and, strange to say, prevailed on one man to become our guide, and on two others to undertake to carry our baggage, as soon as we should be a little farther off from the town and out of the way of observation....

...It was, however, past 9 o'clock before Mr. Ryder had completed his arrangements for the boat's crew, and the sun was already powerful. We were soon joined by our guide and the coolies, and our cavalcade winding along the footpaths, which are the only roads to be met with, made an imposing appearance. Mr. Gutzlaff and the guide led the way, followed by a
lascar
with a boarding pike; next came the baggage, attended by a
lascar
similarly armed. I followed, with pistols and attended by a
lascar
armed with a cutlass. Mr. Ryder, carrying a fowling piece and pistols, brought up the rear.

Skirting the town of Hwuy Taou, we proceeded in a N. N. E. direction at a moderate pace for an hour and a half, when we stopped at a temple and refreshed ourselves with tea. Nothing could be more kind or more civil than the manners of the people towards us hitherto, and if we could have procured conveyance here, so as to have escaped walking in the heat of the day, loaded as we were with heavy woollen clothes, we should have had nothing farther to desire; as it was, my feet began already to feel uncomfortable from swelling, and after another hour's marching, I was obliged to propose a halt till the cool of the evening. Fortunately, we found, however, that chairs were procurable at the place, and we accordingly engaged them at half-dollar each. These were formed in the slightest manner, and carried on bamboo poles, having a cross bar at the extremities, which rested on the back of the bearer's neck, apparently a most insecure as well as inconvenient position; but, as the poles were at the same time grasped by the hands, the danger of a false step was lessened. We had not advanced above a mile and a half before the bearers declared they must eat, and to enable them to do so, they must get more money. With this impudent demand we thought it best to comply, giving them an additional real each. After an hour's further progress, we were set down at a town near the foot of the first pass which we had to cross. There the bearers clamorously insisted on an additional payment before they would carry us any further. This we resisted, and by Mr. Gutzlaff 's eloquence gained the whole of the villagers, who crowded round us, to join in exclaiming against the attempted extortion. Seeing this, the rogues submitted and again took us up. Mr. G. mentioned that, while we were passing through another village, the people of which begged the bearers to set us down that they might have a look at us, they demanded 100 cash as the condition of compliance. The country through which we passed swarmed with inhabitants, and exhibited the highest degree of cultivation, though it was only in a few spots that we saw any soil which would be deemed in Bengal tolerably good; rice, the sweet potatoes, and sugarcane were the principal articles of culture. We had now to ascend a barren and rugged mountain, which seemed destined by nature to set the hand of man at defiance....

...At half past four, we arrived at a rather romantic valley, which was to be our halting place for the day. We proposed to the bearers to carry us on another stage next day, but for this they had the impudence to ask five dollars per chair. This, of course, we would not listen to for a moment, and were afterwards happy that we got rid of such rascals, as
good bearers and on moderate terms were procurable at the place. The name of this village is Lung-tze-kio. It seems once to have been a place of greater importance than now, exhibiting marks of dilapidation and decay....

...Nov.
12
^th
—Got into our chairs at a quarter past 6:00
A.M.
, and proceeded along a narrow rugged dell to a town called Koe-Bo. Several nice looking hamlets were seen on the way. The people were engaged in reaping the rice, which seemed heavy and well-filled in the ear. In several places, I observed that they had taken the pains to tie clumps of rice stalk together for mutual support. Sugarcane is bound in the same way, and, for additional security, the outside canes are mutually supported by diagonal leaves, which serve at the same time to form them into a kind of fence. The leaves are not tied up round the stalks as in Bengal; the cane is slender, white, hard, and by no means juicy or rich; yet, bating the black fungus powder, which is very prevalent, their surface is healthy, and close growing in a remarkable degree. We arrived at Koe-Bo at eight o'clock, and finding we could get water conveyance for part of the way on which we were proceeding, we engaged a boat for that purpose. After a hearty breakfast we embarked at 10:00
A.M.
, amidst crowds of people who covered the banks of the river at the
ghát
....
³

...We had been in vain all yesterday and today looking out for a glimpse of tea plantations on some of the rugged and black looking hills close in view, though at almost every place where we halted, we were assured that such were to be found hard by. At 3:00
P.M.
we reached a town near the foot of the pass by which we were to reach Taou-ee, the place of our destination. There we proposed selling our gold, which for the sake of lightness, I had brought with me in preference to silver, not doubting that I should find little difficulty in exchanging it at its proper relative value whenever required. In this, however, we had been disappointed at our last abode, and we were therefore much vexed at learning from our conductors that the inhabitants of Aou-ee were of such a character that the less we had to do with them and the shorter our stay amongst them, the better....

...The hill we had now to ascend was more rugged, and in some places more abrupt, than that over which we were first carried; and though we had set out at three o'clock, the sun had set long before we came to the end of our journey. The moon was unfortunately obscured by clouds, so that nothing could be more unpleasant than the unfortunate
hits
our toes were constantly making against stones, and the equally unfortunate
misses
,
where an unexpected step downwards made us with a sudden jerk throw our weight on one leg. At length we reached a village at the further end of the pass, the inhabitants of which were so kind as to light us on the remainder of our way, by burning bundles of grass, to the eminent danger of setting fire to their rice fields, now ripe for the sickle. Arrived at Taou-ee, we were hospitably received by the family of our guide, and soon surrounded by wondering visitors.

Mr. Gutzlaff speedily selected one or two of the most intelligent of them, and obtained from them ready answers to a variety of questions regarding the cultivation of the plant. They informed him that the seed now used for propagating the plant was all produced on the spot, though the original stock of this part of the country was brought from
Wae-eshan
;
that it ripened in the tenth or eleventh month, and was immediately put into the ground where it was intended to grow, several being put together into one hole, as the greater part was always abortive, that the sprouts appeared in the third month after the seeds were put into the ground; that the hole into which the seeds were thrown are from three to four inches deep, and that, as the plants grow, the earth is gathered up a little round their root; that leaves are taken from the plants when they are three years old, and that there are from most plants four pluckings in the year. No manure is used, nor is goodness of soil considered of consequence, neither are the plants
irrigated.
Each shrub may yield about a
tael
of dry
tea annually (about a twelfth of a pound). A
mow
⁴
of ground may contain three or four hundred plants. The land tax is 300 cash (720 to a dollar) per
mow
.
The cultivation and gathering of the leaves being performed by families without the assistance of hired laborers, no rate of wages can be specified; but as the curing of the leaf is an art that requires some skill, persons are employed for that particular purpose, who are paid at the rate of one dollar per
pecul
⁵
of fresh leaf, equal to five dollars per
pecul
of dry tea. The fire-place used is only temporary, and all the utensils as well as fuel are furnished by the owner of the tea. They stated that the leaves are heated and rolled seven or eight times. The green leaf yields one-fifth of its weight of dry tea. The best tea fetches, on the spot, 23 dollars per
pecul
,
(133
¹
/
₃
lbs.) and the principal part of the produce is consumed within the province, or exported in baskets to Taiwan. That the prevailing winds are north-westerly. The easterly winds are the only winds injurious to the plants. Hoar frost is common during the winter months, and snow falls occasionally, but does not lie long, nor to a greater depth than three or four inches. The plant is never injured by excessive cold, and thrives from 10 to 20 years. It is sometimes destroyed by a worm that eats up the pith and converts both stem and branches into tubes, and by a gray lichen which principally attacks very old plants. The period of growth is limited to six or seven years, when the plant has attained its greatest size. The spots where the tea is planted are scattered over great part of the country, but there are no hills appropriated entirely to its culture. No ground, in fact, is formed into a tea plantation that is fit for any other species of cultivation, except, perhaps, that of the dwarf pine already alluded to, or the
Camellia Obeifora
.
Mr. Gutzlaff understood them to say that the plant blossoms twice a year, in the eighth moon, or September, and again in winter; but that the latter flowering is abortive. In this I apprehend there was some misapprehension, as seed of full size, though not ripe, were proffered to me in considerable quantities early in September, and none were found on the plants which we saw. I suspect that the people meant to say that the seeds take eight months to ripen, which accords with other accounts. We wished much to have spent the following day (the 13th) in prosecuting our inquiries and observations at Tawand and its neighborhood, but this was rendered impracticable by the state of our finances. We had plenty of gold, but no one could be found who would purchase it with silver at any price. We, therefore, resolved on making the most of our time by an early excursion in the morning previous to setting out on our return.