The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11

two sorts of gravy in little bowls, two
KINDS OF pickles, and soft, unleavend
rolls OF white flour, quite hot. The
urlnkaDles were samshu of the differ
ent strengths, the one to imbibe Will 9
eating, the other ut deSert-the for
mer was fiat, mild and rather flavor
less, the latter rough and potent
both, to my palate, disagreeable.
Samshu Is a spirit distilled usually
from rice, although it may be made
from potatoes, beans or sugar-cane :;
1t Is OF whitish color, and not al
together unlike bad whisky much
under proof. 1t serves the Chinese in
lieu of wine, which they never make
from the grape. Some fruit was
brought, and the repast concluded
with the inevitable tea. Chop
sticks were the only implements
supplied, but as l had already
become tolerably adroit in their ma
nlpulatlons, l was quite able to get
my victuals into my mouth without
the use of any other instrument. l
cannot say that 1 enjoyed my meal.
1t was not the first time that had
tasted pure Chinese cuisine, so that
the food was not altogether foreign to
me, nor were the viands in their way
badly cooked, but the taste of almost
everything one eats is more or less ac-
qulred, and matter of education; as
my tongue was unschooled in the Ian
guage so my palate had not yet been
taught to appreciate the cooking.
Anything more primitive, strange,
and weird than the Chinese quarter of
Peklng by night can hardly be i'm
agined. Dim darkness" in the tor
tuous streets, unbroken by single
ray from the Sombre houses, and I'm
relieved by the paper police lanterns.
posted at rare intervals, looking in the
distance like spectres, or by those of
the few pedestrians, which, bobbing
up and down in the obscurity, have
the appearance of so many will-o' the
WISps; the rumbling of an occasional
cart, for which one has to make way
at the risk Of falling into a yawning
ceSs-pool, the black depths of which,
as held my lantern over the brink,
looked still more horribly black in the
gloomy night; the monotonouS sound
OF the Watchmen striking together
the pieces OF bamboo with which they
announce their presence; the groans
OF the mendicantS crouching in the
doorways; the cries of the ambulant
vendors OF food who wander through
the streets or attract stray paSsers-by
to their temporary stalls, pitched for
the nonce in some out-of-the-Way nook
or corner-au these strange sounds
and apparitiOns suggested to my mind
a home of evil spirits, the departure of
demons after Sabbath meeting, or
the breaking up of pagans on a
dark Walpurgis night. A thunder
storm now burst upon us, and
added its effect to the lugubri-
Gus scene. The lightning was vivid
in the extreme, and the rain came
down in such torrents that the thor
oughfareS were soon converted into
muddy water-courseS, and further ex-
ploration was rendered impossible.
My conductor proposed that we should
return to the reSt-house, but as it was
already long past midnight, ordered
trial at the gate. My suggestion
proved to be COOL. \ mandarin on
his way to the pai Z, i.iid just passed
through, and the custodian, caring
more for his comfort than for orders,
or thinking, perhaps, that no one
would be stirring in such terrible
weather, had omitted to close the por-
tails after the official. Wegot through,
then, without hinderance. The storm
had rendered the morning air very
chilly, and l was not sorry to regain
my hotel and creep into bed,