Ceremonial Visit of the Tdii-Tai. 473 



chair, and finally a noisy '' following," in the shape of a rabble 

 of servants. Mr. Robertson received the Tau-Tai at the 

 threshold of his house, and greeted him with the customary 

 Tschin-Tschin, moving the hands closely folded a few times 

 over the breast. 



All present kept the head covered, making in like manner 

 a few Tschin-tschins, and then accompanied the visitor to the 

 reception-room, in which were five stools, the seat of honour 

 being on the left. As soon as the Tau-Tai was seated, the 

 rest took their seats, and a proposition was made in conse- 

 quence of the truly tropical heat, contrary to Chinese notions 

 of com'tesy, to divest one's self of one's head-gear. The 

 Mandarin, at all events, seemed as little loth to lay aside his 

 funnel-shaped straw-cap, with its blue button and peacock's 

 feather, as the Europeans present to doff their uniform caps. 



The presentation of the commander and the author of this 

 narrative by Mr. Meadows, who acted as interpreter, gave the 

 Tau-Tiii an opportunity of inquiring of the English Consul 

 whether our frigate had been at the gulf of Petcheli. Mr. 

 Robertson replied that the Novara was the first "war-ship of a 

 German power which had ever visited the Yang-tse-Kialig 

 and Wusung rivers, and that the frigate was bound on a voy- 

 age of scientific discovery. This led to a running fire of 

 questions and answers, during the course of which two 

 attendants were engaged alternately in filling a small pipe 

 with tobacco, which they handed to the Tau-Tai. The latter 

 drew a few puffs, permitted the smoke to escape through his 



