Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-08-14
TRIP TO THE Orient
Clarence e. EdwOrds Touring the
Eastern Countries.
he is OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
INTERESTINGLY WRITTEN IN WEEK
LY LETTERS, WHICH WILL Ap.
PEAR IN THE RECORDER.

III LEIIEho, w Hill w ILL hf
PEAR IN The RECORDER.
Canton, China, March 12.--l
have partaken of a genuine Chi,
nese dinner, eaten in the house OF
Chinese gentlemen of high class,
and you may take my word for it
that the experience is not what !
would recommend to anyone unless
it were for the same reason | took
it--curiosity. I have had a lot to
say in my former letters regarding
the general uncleanness of all
things Chinese, and when | was in
vited to dinner-in the home of a
wealthy Chinese thought | would
find something different. was
disappointed, not only in that re-
spect, but in others. When |
reached the house with the friend
through whom the invitation came
to me | was ushered into a bleak
and almost bare room, with dirt
floor and scant furniture. Outside
a cold rain was falling and the in
terror of the house was so cold that
Il was compelled to keep on my
heavy ulster overcoat, and stamp
my feet to keep warm.
The floor of the room looked as
| if it had not been swept for ages,
and with every person that came
in from the street tramping more
mud, it can be imagined that the
dirt floor was not in very present
able condition. We sat in this
cold room for nearly two hours be-
fore dinner was served. We were
ushered into what might be termed
the library, for there were few
books on some shelves, and four OF
us sat at table. The first guest
of honor sat opposite the host, the
second guest at the hosts right and
the third opposite the second. No
women sit at the table in China.
Wine and oranges were first serv-
ed. The wine, sake, was much
finer than any l had tasted in ia
pan. The dishes of food were
placed around the table symetrlc-
ally, and each person helped him
self from the central dishes, there
being no dish or plate for the indi-
vidual. Then rice was served in
individual dishes. Following the
orange came water chestnut, served
crisp and with delicious flavor.
Then came peanuts, fried in oil and
served cold. These were better
than any peanuts | ever tasted at
home, and1 would advise my read
ers to try them. Next came wa
termelon seed, which / found taste
less. | cannot understand why
the Chinese consider them delica-
cy.
| Then was served something, the
taste and memory of which fingers
with me yet, and | almost gag
when | think of it. 1t was goose
egg four years old. Just what per-
iods of decomposition and chemic-
al change it had undergone | am
unable to say, but it had flavor
that did not get rid of for days.
A friend of mine said it tasted like
the scrapings of a charnel house
How he knows | did not find out
but never having tasted the scrap
ings mentioned, / am unable to
say. 1t certainly tasted bao
enough to be anything CHASTITY.
! Next came sailed chicken follow
ed by sailed pork, both good ant
palatable, the chicken especially so
, This was followed by clover lea
and bamboo, served as spinach
and with delicious flavor Sharks
fins in a gelatinous mass came at
ter fish served in rich gravy
The fish was better than any
/ have ever tasted, and the sharks
fins was so good that | wanted
more, but etiquet prevented my
asking for it. Having begun the
meal with the desert it was natural