, 1865-09-28

the tenth Of an inch In thickness and tapeTfn,
to point at each end Tie appearance of til
dish Was like that of q dish Of cxceedingl
small elrimps; Instead Of being WORMS, how
some neat chemical trick from sharks fins
and I assure you they were not bad to take
having nice nutty flavor quite pleasant t.
; the taste. Then there were dishes conpose'
Of many Kinds Of vegetables, waller chest
nuts, sliced abo1ones (the California ros
oysters sailed and smoked, (vcry large sizc'
and high aayored), mushrooms, cucumters
Chinese vegetables, Of which We do not eyel
know the names, cutie fish, etc., etc Othe.
dishes had finer article Of sharks fms, cost
Ing $4W, coin, perpound, in their composition
Chinese to be quail-I have my doubts frie<
iu butter Hike oysters, rcry foothsotnn ant
delicate. Then there was the famous dclFca
ey. abirds-ncst SOUP" which I assure you !
q delicacy, md worth almost rs much rs IT.
weight In gold, the material costing SIG PEI
| OF. The glutinous substance derived from III,
! nests of the seu swallows Of Java, Is in appear
ance not unlike taploca, as 1t comes 10 tbt
| table, and to gise the soup flavor Ittlt
7 shreds Of chicken and Shanghai ham arc ad
ded to The thin white liquor. The table.
were set at all times with little dishes Of soy
I calculated to give pi4uancy and relish to tl,t
ttakf, and an immense number Of dessert
dishes, consisting Of various dried Chincst
ffn1ts, nuts, py1amfds Of preserved ginger
candicd citron, candied nat1neg, candict
oranges and similar delfcacies. There were
many varieties Of small cakes and some deli
cate jelly cakes made from rice flour aud finit
paste, but nothing in the shape Of bread IS We
use 1t, or any substitute therefor, and no but
ter. The main dishes Wcrc brought In by tlte
attendants, passed around By tho polite aud
smiling hosts, tasted BY each guest, and quick
| tn frf1y J11n IN ~
forts Of tho unfnitiaied guests to matter the
chop sticks and convey the food to their
mouths with them, created vast amount nt
amusement to the company, aod sometimes
not little modification to thcmost awkward
9! tug party: some Of the guests soon, got
after teptatel failures, gnve up the attempt
and contcnted themselves With spearine tic
4 morFels OF food with single stick, rs m Es-
qpimAux y nuld harpo0n walrus, or school
boy impale m unlncky b1uebott1e on pin.
The Lieutenant Governor Of Illinois handled
his chop sticks very much a he does Ills pcu,
and at one time appeared likely to starve; he
| got Oh better later In the feast. Cbamparne.
c}arct, and delicately favored but trcsnend-
ouEly strong Chinese wlac distilled from pears
and other fruits, with rose leaves to give chou
course. At the end Of the first sitting ali
arose and returned to the reception room,
where cigars were passed erpund, and the
guests talked. laughed and walked about to
stretch their legs and tell each other and their
hosts how much they enjoyed Il. Here the
six Presidents advanced TO the Colfax party
| with many bows, thanking them for their
attendance in Oriental style, through their
interpreter, Mr. Caryalho, and receiving the
thanks ofttefF guests In return, and then took
their leave according to the ''afatntes In such
cases made and provided" and everywhere
recognized ~ rules Of action by the Chinese.
4 Chinese band was now introduced, and thc
guests were much unused and Interested BY
their peculiar performance, until the tables
were ready for the second sitting.
| On returning to the dining tss.ll, the tables
were found reset with fresh dishes and flowers
throughout. This sitting comprised dishes Of
the eame general character as the first. Du-
| ring this tea Of tho "fowery Pekoe" variety
worth $500 per pound was served In little
without sugar or milk, rs the Chinese always
| drink It.
| During the second sitting, deputatlon OF
the merchants approached Mr.. Co1fnx and
Lieutenant Governor Bross, and presented
their compliments, welcoming them to The
honor done them by their presence. The gen
tfe1ncn replied In short speeches. which were
translated by Mr. Carrnlho, aud the merchants
then retired. At the end of this sitting tie
COMPANY, were entertained in the reception
room with Chine4e historical rec1tatlyc sope,
pitched M key higher than Mount Shasta
by several degrees, the mir being nearly that OF
''6alling down the river On the ohio.''
At The third and last sitting the tab!es were
set with fruits aud flowers onlr, no made
dishes, flesh or vegetables being served. At
the end a committee Of the companies again
approached Mr. Colfax and party, and repeat,
Ing the thanks for the honor Of their coInpa-
ny, expressed their regret at not being able to
furnish more sumpfuous rcpast. Mr., Col
fax replied that the pleasure was all unou hfs
side, That he returned thanks for the honor;
donc himself and friends, and that he was u1l-
able to conceive OF q possibility of more
shaking Of hands and exchange Of conplI-:
ments followed, and the company separated
at - o'c1ock-the dlnDeer havIn: occupied
few minutes less than six hours. +
Now, have told you what can of the
dnnes, onittine many things, however, which
could By no possibility be made intellisible 10
Your readers, md will leave s'the honoretl
guests to tell you what they thought Of tic
lcnst md tho gircrs thereof. This meeting on
the confines Of the American continent Of the
representative men Of the vigorous young
tives Of q civilization which, with all Ills de-
fects md drawbacks has existed for thousands
or years, unchanged as the ocean which sepa-
ratcs the races, and has already planted itself
strongly In this land Of ours, is not without
It's Significance For myself sllall always
made one In the party, III which thero was 50
much to sec and think Of, albeit there was
not much which nc who speak only the Saxon
tongue, could understandingly write about.
PRIVATE RECEPTIONS AND TESTIMONIALS.
The party have been the recipients Of from
one to half dozen Testimonials, receptions.
dinners, suppcrs, collations, social parties,
etc, etc, at tho hands Of our citizens: Many
Of Them were magnificent demonstrations Of !
hner3$ a1}tv and Tnufi r., fhnrY.cn1rnr
extended descriptions did my space permit. |
Il may eeem inyidlous to mention any one Of
these singly, but 90 exceedingly noteworthy |
Nas the dinner party given in their honor at |
the magnificent residence Of ". C.. Ralton,
Esq, Cashier of The Bank Of California, which
took place this day week, TINT cannot re.
tIain from mention Of some Of It's features,
even at the risk Of being accused Of vioating
the sauctlty which should attach to every.
thing within the precincts of the domestic
circle. The character Of the party will be
Of The guests. Besides tie distinguished
Speaker and his party, there were present,
lion. Stephen J. Field, Judge Of tie Supreme
Court of the United Stntcs NaI. Gen. Nc
Dowell, y. 3; Army; George Gordon, founder
and principal proprietor Of the San francisco
Tie Pacific Insurance Company +. sfccrel.
Hsll, editor and proprietor of the x1Aa Ca1ifor-
nia.,; 4. G. Agnew, Of Pcrton & Co., New
FORK City; Hon. s. Latham, FORMERLY
e. =. Senator and now manager Of
the London and San Francisco Bank Capt.
Ainsworth Of the Oregon Steam Navigation
Company VIM. 9. Coleman one Of our most
wealthy and influential corn merchants
Capt. Whitney, President Of the California
Steam Navigation Company; Samuel Nc
aeun, Managing Director of Wells, Fargo d.
Company and Director Of the Bank Of CaH.
fornia ). ~ Wilson, q leading member. Of t.
The San Francisco Bar D. o. Mills OF D. O.:
Mills Co., Bankers, Sacramento, aud Prcsi-
dent Of the Bank of California Judge Hotf.
man, U. s. Court Geo. H. Howard, one of |
our most wealthy capitalists Floyd Ferris,
ButterNortl, Manager Of the Almaden Quick.
sllver Mining Company; +. J. Van Dewatcr,
capitalist and large steamboat owner; Mr..
Failc, capitalist, Of New York citv Fred,
Billings, capitalist, and Capt: Eldridge, Mnn-
ager Of the Pacific Mail and Stcamshiu Com.
pany; H: ". Carpenter, President II Cali
lornta Telegraph Co.; Mr.. Ham1in Of Austin,
l!urd d Coz merchants, China Ym. {. .HaIrnu,
of Barron, Forbes d Co-Sery heavy Med-
can capitalists and Eugene Corseby, one Of
3nf most distinguished attorneys. + have
been thus particular In order to assure your
'ea1ers, that tho wealth and The lca1inr legal
md business talent Of California were fully
represented at this magnificent entertainment. |
1t was IN all respects the g1andest affair TINT
yer came off upon tho PacIFc coast. Afr.
Io1iaI and bis party have reason to cou~,at-
llate themselves on the pri1cely hospitality
hey hare received; md our people that
heir attentions md courtesies have been bo-
to~cd upon guests Worthy to receive them.
ALTAMoSrE.
SWORD FOR GEN. BUrLEn.-The Richmond
Hh FAM = |