174 VOYAGE TO THE 



liver, called ivatsha'mgo, which in this course was the 

 only meat upon the table. We ate more plentifully of 

 these sweet things than we liked, in consequence of 

 our ignorance of what was to follow, and partly from 

 our not being aware that their politeness prevented 

 them from sending away any dish as long as we could 

 be prevailed upon to partake of it — a feeling which 

 induced them continually to press us to eat, and offer 

 us part of every dish on the end of their chopsticks. 

 The next course induced us to res:ret that we had not 

 made the tasting more a matter of form, for it con- 

 sisted of several good dishes, such as roast pork, 

 hashed fowls, and vermicelli pudding, &c. After 

 these were removed they brought basins of rice, but 

 seeing we would eat no more, they ordered the whole 

 to be taken away. 



During the whole time we were closely plied with 

 sackee in small opaque wine glasses, which held about 

 a thimblefull, and were compelled to follow the ex- 

 ample of our host and turn our glasses down ; but as 

 this spirit was of a very ardent nature, I begged to be 

 allowed to substitute port and madeira, which was 

 readily granted, and we became more on a footing 

 with our hosts, who seemed to think that hospitality 

 consisted in making every person take more than they 

 liked, and argued that as they had been intoxicated on 

 board, we ought to become so on shore. 



After dinner was removed, Jeema favoured us with 

 two songs, which were very passable, and much to the 

 taste of the Loo Chooans, who seemed to enjoy them 

 very much. Nothing could exceed the politeness and 

 hospitality of the mandarin throughout, who begged 

 that dinner might be sent off to one of the officers, 

 whose health would not permit him to risk a wetting, 



