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DRINKS.

251

twelve

times,

or,

in

other

words,

at

all

hours

of

the

day.

**When

the

leaf

is

gathered,

it

is

well

dried

in

an

oven,

after

which

it

is

put

in

tin

boxes,

which

are

tightly

closed,

because

if

the

air

gets

to

it

it,

is

spoiled,

and

has

no

strength,

the

same

as

wine

that

is

exposed

to

the

air.

I

leave

you

to

judge

if

Messieurs

the

Hol-

landers

take

care

of

that

when

they

sell

it

in

France.

To

know

whether

the

Tay

is

good,

you

must

see

that

it

is

very

green,

bitter,

and

so

dry

as

to

be

easily

broken

with

the

fingers. If

it

passes

these

tests,

it

is

good;

otherwise,

be

assured

it

is

not

worth

much.

"

This

is

how

the

Chinese

treat

the

Tay

when

they

take

it.

Some

water

is

boiled

in

a

very

clean

pot,

and

when

it

boils

it

is

taken

off

the

fire,

and

this

leaf

is

put

therein,

according

to

the

quantity

of

water

:

that

is

to

say,

the

weight

of

a

crown

of

Tay

to

a

large

glass

of

water.

They

cover

the

pot

well,

and,

when

the

leaves

sink

to

the

bottom

of

the

water,

then

is

the

time

to

drink

it,

for

then

it

is

that

the

Tay

has

communicated

its

virtue

to

the

water,

and

made

it

of

a

reddish

colour.

They

drink

it

as

hot

as

they

can,

for

it

is

good

for

nothing

if

it

gets

cold.

The

same

leaves

which

remain

at

the

bottom

of

the

pot

will

serve

a

second

time,

but

then

they

boil

them

with

the

water.

*'

The

Japanese

take

Tay

differently,

for

they

make

it

into

powder,

which

they

throw

into

boiling

water,

and

swallow

the

whole.

I

know

not

whether

this

method

of

making

it

is

more

wholesome

than

the

former

;

I

always

use

it

thus,

and

find

that

it

is

com-

mon

among

the

Chinese.

Both

mix

a

little

sugar

with