Those were days when China tea held the markets of the world, and the first boat to drop anchor in the Thames sold its cargo at a fancy price, while its crew was given a prize. Those were romantic days, for the China Seas were infested: with pirates, and the journey from the Far East to Europe a long and perilous one. One can well imagine the picturesque scenes at Pagoda Anchorage as the clippers took on their valuable loads. The river is wide here, and in places very deep, while the tide rip is extremely strong running, as it docs, like a mill-race. The old pagoda, which gives the place its name, stands on a low hill on the left bank of the river, and all round the scene is hemmed in with hich hills, whose rugged outlines would form a fitting background for a fleet of sailing ships. riding at anchor, and surrounded by quaint native boats.
But today a tail factory chimney stands at the foot of the page hill, its severe lines contrasting strangely with the broken outline of the crumbling tower above. Steamers and an occasion] man-of-war take the place of the sailing vessels, and—the tea. {rade is no mire! The Foochow pirates, at one time the terror of the whole South China coast, have been driven from the seas, at least, as far as modern skipping is concerned, though it is said that Chinese junks still go in fear of these wolves of the sea An extensive. lumber industry has developed, and across the river from the pagoda stand the plant and sawmills of a big company engaged in the export of "pine wood, while junks may be seen putting to sea. smothered in huge "and unwieldy cargoes of the famous Foochow poles. Beyond this the principal exports seem to be oranges. olives, and cauliflowers.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.