A Chinese Menu. 



pleasant afternoon there. We discussed various topics, Loutchitch 

 relating some good stories of his experiences in China. 



On December 8th I dined with the Tchja, the banquet taking 

 place in one of the reception rooms at the Yamen, and timed 

 for 12 o'clock. Loutchitch was already there when I arrived, as 

 well as the Chinese guests, of whom there were about a dozen. 

 We had a prehminary conversation during which tea was served, 

 and the Tchja showed some fine maps of the Chinese Empire 

 and Siberia he had obtained from Russia. 



We then adjourned to inspect the private zoological gardens, 

 which comprised a full grown Altai wapiti stag, a red bear and 

 one or two other animals, as well as a number of excellent 

 Siberian, Chinese and Manchurian ponies, of which our host was 

 justly proud. He pressed me to accept the wapiti as a present, 

 an offering I decHned with many thanks, though I should like 

 to have tendered it to the Zoological Society had not the 

 expense of transportation been prohibitive. 



At dinner the customary delicacies gracing a Chinese table 

 were served, including roast sucking pig, sharks' fins, sea slugs, 

 stewed celery, stags' tendons, duck's brains, ligaments, and eggs 

 preserved in chalk, the latter distinguished by their age and 

 antiquity, from which standpoint their edibility is regarded 

 b)/ Chinese gcurmets. There were a great variety of other dishes, 

 and, as I had the honour of being the principal guest, I was 

 assailed with snacks from them all by my hosts who desired to 

 show their unremitting attention, the acme of Celestial pohte- 

 ness. The salads made of radishes and cucumbers were ex- 

 tremely good, in fact the cooking of all the dishes left nothing to 

 be desired, although the ingredients of which they are composed 

 in many cases severely tries one, so that the ordeal is not 

 altogether an unmixed blessing. 



During dinner the Tchja was particularly gracious and 

 charming, asking many questions concerning England, which 

 country he seemed very desirous of visiting. He informed me 

 he had arranged a dinner and duck shoot to take place at a mill 



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