Miscellany: A Chinese Dinner

The Chinese nsisted that we sliould take oflf our coats; we had taken care to próvido ourselves with white jackets, cxcept one gentleman, who was positively obliged to sit at this great diplomatic dinner, given on the conclusión of a national treaty, in his shirt slcevcs! The table was set fortwenty, and covered with b.innanas, &c. A hot drink, like poor whiskey, called samchnu, was prepared, each having a smnll teapot contnining it by his side. We were required to fill a small cup with it, raise the cup in both hands, half rise, nod to the friend whom he wished to compliment, nnd then emply the cup.taking care to turn the inside towards him that he might be assured that it was empty. This done, according to the custom, we were helped to fruits. Keying, with his own chop stick, seized a fig and put it upon the Minister's plate. This order over, a pudding was introduced ex)ressly nvented for the occasion by Keyng himself. It was excellent and spoke olumes for the gastronomic talents of ie high Commissioner. After this was ver, two dishes of ment were brought on jy attendants, who were very numerous nd well drilled. Keying again helped our Minister to a dish of chicken anc pork, like n stew; and the dish was then passed round to the other guests. Then cups of samchou were taken. The dishei were then set in the centre of the table the same process was rapidly repeated til a hundred dishes, in silver vessels, fiilec the table trom one end tothe other. Va rious dishes were introduced, as we usi bread, among which were lotus, water melon seeds, &c, shark's fins, bechc d mer, bird's nests, roofs of hogs' mouths &c, of course abounded in the shape o stews or broils. The bird's nests wer the most costly of the dishes, and fíe quently command their weight in silveii hey are ot gelatinous substance, supposod to be collected by swallows upon the , rock from the foam of the sea. They are perfect nests, and required to be clennsed of feathers, dirt, &c, and are by no means disngreeable, being somewhat between vertnicilli and tapioca, stringy like the one, transparent like the other, and quite tasteless. Beche de mer is a sea snail and quite npalatable. Fish íins, a-weed, hogs' mouths, &c. would certainly be thought no great addition to our festive boards. - They are costly however, and only can be oílorded by the rich. The custom of taking up morsels and thrusting them into the mouths of their friends, which prevail at the Chinóse tables, reminds us forcibly of lh? adjuration of Meg Mcrrilies to Dominie Sampson, "Gape sinner and swallow!" After a pause there appeared crossing the yard six cooks, each with a silver dish and a joint of meot. They were followed by six attendants carrying blocks covered with oloth. These were set down behind the chairs, and thcn each cook, drawing from bis girdle a long sharp knifo, carved the meat into small slices, which were received on plates by the attendants, and handed to the guests. The ineats thus served were turkeys, hams, pigs roasted whole and gilded, &c. This is the Tartar addition to a regular Chinese dinner; and was not unwclcome ai it introduced us to meats of which we liatheí.rd befon?. A large bowl of very nicc soup was then brought in. Keying took t up in both hands, drank out of t, and ihen passed t to the Minister; and then it went the round of the table. Thus nt dinner we spent the time from 9 to 1 o'elock - the whole order of a European dinner being exaclly reversed, beginningwith fruit and ending wilh soup. We rose from the table, put on our coats, and took leave. The band struck up, three guns were fired, and we returned to Macoa, ready to exclnim with Macbeth, that we had "supped full of horrors!"