The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-04-08


happened to be the consular interpreter,
who induced his linguist and teacher to take
the chair to him, fine old Chinese gen.
tleman, OF convivial habits and great infor-
nation, We left the entire management.
STIMULATING only that the dinner should be
the best that the first tavern in Ningpo could
produce. He promised to take US to one
in the principal street which he himself
frequented. He was to direct us in the
most accomplished way Of dining la Chi
noise. and to illustrate the course, in order
that our repast should be perfectly Ia mode.
| have unfortunately forgotten the beautiful
collection Of monosyllablss that composed
his name. In the lobby of our hotel was a
tempting display Of, 10 US, very novel deli
cacies. illustrative Of mine hosts Pro6cien-
cy in his calling. together with cloud Of
steam and most variegated odour. Call
ing the waiter our major dono ordered that
every dish the house could provide should be
served as soon as possible, at the same time
requiring private apartment. The waiter
(wh0se dress was not calculated to impede
his movements much, consisting Of pair
Of short unmentionables, it being the height
Of summary led the way up stairs. through
large apartment, in which at small tables,
one or two at each, sat respectfully dressed
Chinese. taking their afternoon meal, or
conversing over cup Of hot sam-shoo, into
a neatly furnished small apartment. No
sooner had we entered than a pipe-bearer,
with necessary paraPhernalia. introduced
| pipe Technically le-bubble) into the
mouth Of one Of the party, who, being told
by our preceptor that it was scion lie reggie,
drew Whit or two and passed it on to
another, and so on all round. After few
moments delay tea was served, succeeded
by six small saucers, containing separately
sugar-candy, cherries, dried pips Of melons,
walnuts, ground-nuts, and brown sugar !;
these, we were informed, were for our
amusement, while the landlord prepared a
dinner worthy the reputation OF his estab-
lishment; our Chinese friend beguilins the
time with anecdotes Of heroes who had dis
tinguished themselves in the convivial line,
and heroes with vengeance they must have
been. il these stories of their mighty apPe-
lite, and grand exploits Of gormandising had
any foundation in fact. Soon the advanced
guard made its appearance, consisting OF
several small basins, filled with soups and
stews Of birds nests, beche-de-mer, sea-slugs,
and other light and stimulating delicacies,
patties Of shrimps, &C., fried in pork.fat,
sailed and boiled eggs, and boiled and
stewed vegetables (salt, pepper. soy, and
oil, in smaller saucers, were in every part
Of the table.) These, We were given to
understand, were mere provocatives Of ap-
petite, intended as a foundation for more
substantial fare; they were ranged in line
round the table. leaving an open square in
the centre. The best wines were now pro-
duced, warm. in small metal pots (not un-
like coffee pots, and poured into very small
China cups; from our maitre de ceremonie,
We took our queue, and, Selling the din,inu.
tive vessel in both hands, We half rose, and
reaching across in direction OF the person
whom we wished to honor until both YES
sells met, when, each making profound
bow, and Chin-chin, We reseated ourselves,
and emptied the cup, which was no sooner
empty than reflled by our officious Gany.
mede.
} Before each Of us were two or three
small basins to serve as plates, and pail
Of chop-sticks. The repast might be said
now to have commenced in earnest, with
the appearance Of large bowl Of stewed
mutton, by no means bad, which was placed
at an angle Of the square, at which each
Pecked with chOp-sticks, and the more
finished example was set by our accomplish
ed friend, breaking piece with his own
chop-s,icks giving us. at the same time, to
understand that it was highly compliment
tary, and handing it over to me. After an
interval OF ten minutes, viz-a-viz to the
stewed mutton, appeared a corresponding
bowl with the tripes Of a rare fish, found on
the coast Of COromantel. Our Chinese
friend was an epicure, and this a favorite
dish with him, and he was now in his glory,
and did full justice to it in no equivocal
manner. The other angles, at equal inter.
walls, were occupied by stewed fowl and
Ipuf-puddings, and these four surmounted
by a dish Of sailed blubber. The pile oil
five dishes being complete, so was the
course, followed by other piles Of five dishes,
consisting OF stews Of fowls, ducks, buildings
stewed in gravies, kabobs, sweetmeats, CELIA.
tinous soups and vegetables, to the number
Of thirty, in fact, every variety Of fish,
and pastry, when it was agreed we should
move that the repast be brought to an end,
upon which everything was removed but the
salt, &c, when, all Of sudden, stewed
duck with some peculiar sauce appeared
We had all. with the exception OF the
Chinaman, long cried "Hold, enough :" but
when that worthy, after many vain attempts
to cheer US up, told us Of an extensive friend
OF his, who, having dined,' topped off with
six ducks out Of compliment to him as host;
we could not do otherwise than make an
effort to help him out Of his difficulty, and
managed the one before us: bowl OF rice
for each concluded the feast. Our officious
waiter now appeared with warm water, and
dark colored and uninviting towel, which,
to his establishment, we rejected, when Of
Tered to Us as general fingsr-glas and
napkin.
On calling for the reckoning we were
whispeingly instructed by our friend to fee
the waiter and pipe-bearer who would stand
our friend with the landlord they received
a rupee each; presently they re-appeared
with long account which, when totalled,
amounted to five dollars, or altogether a
most extepsiva faast for 49,.