Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1852-12-30
from the Boston To-Dsy.l
A Chinese State Dinner.

n OnAuCoS Stdtc
We are permitted to publish the following extract
from letter containing spirited description of
teTtanmeDt given IN China to official agent Of our
government, IN high capacity, by the Governor Key.
Ing q few years since
The Govern led the way down stairs into lar ge
room the ground aoor, where table was arranged
for dinner Tne roon which the principal the
house, sort Of hall, divided into parts by
OF pillars running it, and Of great height.
The division In which dined rather narrow and
about large enough hold the table, with reasonable
latitude Tor attendance around It, The other division
was much larger contained good deal Of furniture,
and had several elegant lanterns suspended from the
ceiling. The table was paralleogram, with round
ends and large enough to hold about twenty persons
which was, think, the number of the party. On one
side two rather long armchars with seats Of red
cloth, large enough to hold two persons The Cover
placed CT these and then seated himself
on the other, at my right hand thus giving me the left
which Is ssTe the seat OF honor We sat side by side,
each OF having vacant seat between him and the
chairs. Tbs space round the table crowded with
attendants. Two Chinese linguists stood behind the
tween u.s. but as they understood only the Canton En-
gsh, they made bat bungling work of it, and was
obliged to rely mainly upon Dr. Parker.
The table had no ornaments in the way of flowers
plsteau Ii laid with porcelain plates, and a
knife fork, and pair of ivory chop sticks each.
Upon trying Iese, 1 found that could them with
convenience than l should have supposed in
veyng my mouth the contents Of the Chinese dishes
which all either soups, stews, meats minced into
small pieces. The middle OF the table was occupied by
OF fruits, contained in twenty thirty small
dishes Itsusua to begin With these and the first thing
the Governor did alter we were seated was to place
upon nv plate pear and a crambolo This is large
fruit, Of the size Of pear much liked by the Chinese.
and which has something Of the freshness and flavor Of
juicy apple. After the fruit removed series Of
disho, come on, to the number should think, Of at
least hy all served IN porcelain bowls holding about
pint each Of which placed before each person.
II was Of course, impossible taste tenth part
Of arAr alrr ho1I
for no. eating and drinking in the state of my
health Soon alter we took seats, explained to
the Governor, through DR.. Parker, that l under
medical treatment and permitted 10 eat much
or drink anything but water. The Governor received
the suggestion very kindly and gave trouble He
had occasion TO make the himself when he
met Commodore Biddle. He then quite i'll with a
pulmonary complaint, brought on DIR. Parker, who
treated him, thinks, by anxiety about the Of
Chusan the retention Of which by the British would
probably have cost him his head.
the dish most valued is the birds nest, Of which we
mad large supply in three different forms The
best sort Is the inner coat Of the nest carefully cleaned
oil all extraneous matter As il the tatie it
appears Ike senitransparent, whitish jelly, the
white part OF an oyster. Il has little of its
own, bu eaten with soy which placed by the side Of
each plate TO be used occasion requiras a very
good relish Second only TO the birds in the esti-
nation { the Chinese gOrmanc and separated from IL
by very long interval are the sinews of the deer
Dogs said TO occupy the third place. but Of those
we had specimen the Governors table. IL seems
however IRON the nigh value Get upon them that they
not as they have been sometimes represented the
resource Of extreme poverty but Of the uxuries oil
the rich Sharks fms are in great request and were
sNsrved in three forms Bishe de- Mer. large
sse snail or slug, OF the pri deicacies and is
in fact very good; being, served, much the same
sort Of thing oyster II is rather remarkable thai
the Chinese przng highly they do several dishes
very much like oysters, should not value the oyster
itself 90 not recolect that we had oysters in any
shape on this occasion; and am told that they
much used, although they found in abundance
ShrmPs. which uncommonly large and fine here
were served in several forms. One set OF bowls were
filed with the tongues Of singing-birds others with
and game Of different sorts, generally minced
into small morsels, favored with various condiments
and srmetimes wrapped up in paste.
.sOf those dishes that tasted nearly all had goos
relish, and some were excellent. II appeared to M
that csnld have dned very well upon almost any on
Of them The Chinese cookery in its general charac
terlscs, strongly resembles the French; and, after
little usage, would, fancy, lie thought fully equal t.
ftn