282 CHINESE MENU. 



great number of* .small compartments filled witli occu- 

 pants of every class, and attended by a swarm of long- 

 tailed, blue-robed waiters and native musicians, who 

 played on curious one-stringed instruments, accompanied 

 by tambourine and now and then by a song in tones of 

 nasal development. The table was crowded with little 

 porcelain plates, no larger than saucers, and ivory chop- 

 sticks, which I at first found very difficult to handle, 

 and requested that a knife and fork might be brought, 

 which raised strong opposition on the part of my enter- 

 tainers, who insisted that the character of the 

 establishment ought not to be prejudiced Ijy such a 

 revolutionary innovation : and as most of the dishes 

 produced did not tempt me to go beyond tasting, I 

 soon . got reconciled to the limited use these small 

 instruments of torture were called upon to perform. 

 The tnenu was an extraordinary mixture of ingredients, 

 sweet, salt, sour, and spicy. It consisted of: 



BIRD'S NEST SOUP. 



SHARK'S FINS. 



RAGOUT OF YOUNG PUPS, with Lotus Seed. 



FISH ROE, hi brown sugar. 

 BLACK PUDDING, of Duck's Brain and Blood. 



