APPENDIX. 277 



with these, served as a relish, was a small fruit called " youzo," a 

 species of citron 



The fourth course consisted of a sweetened preparation of 

 boiled beans, served with green ginger-root, and another variety 

 of fish called " tai," fried. 



The fifth course, called "sachi-mi," consisted of raw fish, 

 served upon a delicate lattice-work of glass, and accompanied with 

 two kinds of sauce, one dark in color, salt in flavor, and tasting as 

 if composed of soy and anchovies, the other a preparation of 

 horse-radish. 



The sixth course was called "miza-gai," and consisted of 

 " koi," a variety of boiled fish, served with pears and a kind of 

 raw shell-fish, very much resembling our American scallops, cut 

 in small squares. 



The seventh course was composed of rice served perfectly 

 plain, in small porcelain cups ; this is called " meshi." 



The eighth and last course, called " skemono," was a sort of 

 salad, composed of egg-plants and small cucumbers 



With each course, after the first, was served "saki," a fer- 

 mented liquor manufactured from rice, and, in character, some- 

 thing between ale and wine. Some writers have fallen into the 

 error of describing " saki " as a distilled liquor, but we were 

 assured that this is not correct, and it is made by a process some- 

 what similar to brewing. 



It is not disagreeable in flavor, but has a larger percentage of 

 alcohol than our malt liquors, and exhilarates more quickly. In- 

 deed, in this respect, it is somewhat similar to champagne. It is 

 served hot from small porcelain vases, and it may be said to be 

 the national drink of the Japanese. 



When near the end of the dinner we were surprised by the 

 appearance of some singing-girls, who proceeded to favor us with 

 some music. They sang in the nasal falsetto tone common in the 

 East, and accompanied themselves upon an instrument resembling 

 a guitar, called Chami-Sen (or Shamisen). It has three strings, 

 which are struck or thumbed with a piece of ivory somewhat re- 

 sembling a paper-cutter. One of these girls also accompanied the 

 music with a sort of dance, consisting of a series of graceful mo- 

 tions that were half pantomime and half posturing. 



