The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1861-04-10
Extract from a Travellers Note Book
in Pekin.

At about ten o'clock in the morning,
the mandarin sent to invite me to break
fast. Twas agreeably surprised at the at
tention, and passing through the reception
saloons, l was introduced into the break
fast room. | had not yet seen my host,
and did not know on what footing I was
with him. He received me with the
greatest cordiality, his manners being af-
fable, gracious and aimable, rivaling with
the high-bred gentleman. He begged
me to remain covered. He was of about
forty years of age, with an open intelli-
gent face. He evidently did not use OPT
um. His tail appeared to me remarkable
for its length, thickness, the beauty Of the
hair, and The elegance with which it was
decked. He had on n long blue silk
gown, ornamented with embroideries of
gold and silver, representing a dragons
head, birds, butterflies, flowers, the like
of which exist nowhere in the world,
but which were excellently executed. He
wore boots of black satin, a straw hat
with two peacock's feathers falling on the
shoulders, and in front red coral button,
which was the insignia Of his dignity
of mandarin. The eating-room was
decked with handsome screens. The
breakfast consisted Of a number of small
dishes placed on the table one over the
other, and containing soups of birds eggs,
periwincles, sharks fins, eggs containing
young birds, and quantity of other Chi
nese dainties. Having good appetite l
found all these things excellent. The re-
past lasted about two hours, including
the ceremony of smoking the pipe, from
which there is no escape. In returning to
our chambers, the mandarin mode, we had
TO pass before suite Of small apartments,
all opening on a vast gallery. l looked
into these rooms with eager curiosity
they were all literally encountered with
silk garments, shoes, fans, rouge-pots, ar
tifcial or natural flowers, and thousand
other things used by woman. All these
rooms were sumptuously decorated. The
furniture was is lacquer, and in better taste
than had supposed the Chinese to pos
sess. The walls and ceilings bore sculp-
lures displaying great artistic skill. In a
corner of each room was boudoir few
yards square, ornamented with brilliant
paintings, 10 which access was obtained
by sliding door. In each 6owdoir was
a bed surrounded with white curtains, O
table and two low chairs. These apart
ments were, it is scarcely necessary to re-
mark, those of the women. In the eve
ming the mandarin entertained me at din
ner. When the provisions had been
placed on the table, every one sat down
My neighbor on the left offered me a por'
tion of kitten; the one on the right the
wing Of an owl; and third pressed on
me the leg Of dog. The Chinese, to
do honor to a guest, cram his plate with
what they consider the most delicate NOR
sells, so that he runs the risk of having q
violent indigestion.
In this country, obesity is considered
the highest beauty in man. The Chinese
with whom / was at table had good ap
petites; they ate good deal, and used
their long, transparent finger-nails, which
are as hard as horn, to separate theil
food into small portions. Wine made
from rice, tea, and different sorts of syrur
were sent around the table. l confined
myself to taking few glasses Of the lat
ter, but it would be difficult for me Il