The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-10-20

ana an Ttut In all cOurteSleS anu pOillentSS
An interpreter was present for the heavy
talking: but most of our Chinese enter.
tainerS spoke little English. and we got
on well enough as far a that was concern
ed 3: though hand shaking and bowling ant
scraping and general flexibility of coun-
tenance, bodies and limbs had very
large share of the conversation TO perform.
Neither here nor in China is ii common fol
the English and Americans to learn the
Chinese language The Chinese can and
do more readily acquire ours, sufficiently
at least forall business intercourse. Their
broken or pigeon English as it is called
is often very groteSque, and always very
simple.
!, We were seated for the dinner around
little round tables, six to nine at the ia
bic. and hosts and guests evenly mixed.
There was Il profusion of elegant China
dishes on each table each guest had two
or three plates and saucerS, all delicate
and small. Choice sauces, pickles, sweet
meats and nuts were p!entitully scattered
about. Each guest had a saucer of flow
ers. a China spoon or bowl with a handle,
and pair of chop sticks. little round and
smooth ivory sticks about six inches long.
Chi Sing-Tong, president of the San Iup
company, presided at Mr.. Colfax'S table.
Now the meal began. 1t consisted of
three different courses, or dinners rather,
between which was 4 recess OF halt an
hour. when we retired to an ante-room,
smoked and talked. and listened TO the
simple, rough, barbaric music from coarse
guitar. viol drum. and violin, and mean
while the tables were reset and new food
provided.
Each course or dinner comprised a
dozen to twenty different dishes. served
generally one at time. though sometime.
two were brought on at once. There
We're no joints. nothing to be carved
Every article of food was brought ON in
quart bowls in Il sort of hash form. We
dove into it with our chop sticks which.
we'll handled. took up about a mouthtul.
and transferring this to our plates worked
the chop sticks AGAIN TO yet 1t or parts OF
il to our mouths. No one seemed to take
mare than Il single taste or mouthiul oi
each dish 81 that. even if one reliShel
the food. it would need something like q
| hundred different dishes 10 satisfy an or
binary appetite. Some of liz took very
readily TO the chop stick; others did not
l-pcrhap> were glad they could not and
for these Yankee fork WAS provided. and
their Chinese neighborS at the table Were
also prompt 10 offer their own chop sticks
10 place 4 bit oi each dish upon their
| plate But us these same chop sticks
were also uscd Ia convey food into the
mouths of the Chinese. the service did not
always add TO the relish of the food
These We're the principal dishes served
for the first course, and in the order nam
ed Fried shark fins and grated ham.
~tewed pigeon with bamboo soup. fish
>inewS with ham. s;ewed chicken with
water crcS>. seaweed. Stcwcd ducks and
bamboo soup. sponge cake, omclct cake,
flower cake and banana tritterS. bird nest
soup. tea The meats seemed all alike {:
they had been dried or preserved in some
WAY Were cut up into mouthtulS. and
depended for all s;.vorincsS upon their ac-
compartments. The Scaweed. shark fins
and llic like had gluiinou> sort of taste ::
moi rcpu!>ive. nor very seductive The
sweets were very delicate. but like every
thing else had a very artificial flavor : 'ev-
cry article. indeed. seemed to have had It's
original and real taste and strength dried
or cooked out of it. and 4 common Chi
nc>c flavor put into it. The bird nest
soup looked and tasted somewhat as a very
delicate vcrmiccli soup does The tea
was dclicious-it was served without mill,
or sugar. did not need any such ameliora-
ton, and was very refreshing. Evidently
it WAS made from the most delicate leaves
or flowers of the tea plant. and had e>cap-
ed all vulgar STEPPING or boiling.
During the first recess. the presidents OF
the companieS-the chief entertainers
took their leave, and the merchants a>Sum-
ed the post of leading hosts: such being
the fashion of the people. The second
dinner opened with cold tea. and Il white.
rosc-scented liqueur. very strong. and serv-
ed i'll tiny cups, and went Oh with lichenS
and Il tunrIS-likc moss. more sharks fins.
Stcwed chcstnutS and chickens. Chinese
oysters, yellow and reSurrected from the
dried stage, more fungus stewcd, Il stew OF
flour and white nuts. Stewed mutton, roaS;
ducks, rice soup, rice and ducks eggs and
picked cucumbers, ham and chicken soup.
Between the second and third parts there
was 3n exchange of complimentary speech
cs by the head Chinaman and Mr.. Coltax.
at which the Interpreter had TO otiiciate
The third and last course consisted of 4
great variety of fresh fruits; and the
unique entertainment ended about II
O'Clock, after sitting of full five hours
The American resident guests furnished
champagne and claret, and our Chimes
hosts, invariably at tile entrance and de.
lpartuTe of each dish. invited lis. with &
gracious bow, to sip thereof. in the which
they all faithfully joined themselves.
The dinner was unquc>tiOnably mos
: MAGNIFICENT one after the Chinese stand
ard; the dishes were many of them rare
and expensive; and everything was served
in elegance and taste. 1t was a curiou,
and interesting experience, and one of tn,
!, rarcSt OF the many courteSics extended [,