APPENDIX. 297 



is evidently mucli superstition which to a European is absurd, it 

 is also evident that the regard for his religion must be very strong 

 in the average Chinaman to make him so faithfully observe all 

 its forms. 



I had heard so much of the peculiarities of Chinese diet that 

 I was anxious to try a genuine Chinese dinner, and we therefore 

 had our interpreter take us to a celebrated Chinese restaurant, 

 kept by one " Chi-Hung," where we ordered a first-class native 

 dinner. First, tea was served with dried melon-seeds, which our 

 interpreter explained were to keep us busy until they could bring 

 the other things. The first regular course consisted of shrimp- 

 salad served with " soda eggs " (eggs boiled in a strong solution 

 of soda-water and having an alkaline taste), together with a sauce 

 made from soy and English malt vinegar; there was also an 

 assortment of fruit consisting of sliced pears; "Yung-toh"(a 

 star-shaped fruit tasting somewhat like gooseberries) ; " Pumlo " (a 

 large, bitter orange) ; shelled almonds and pear- wine. The next 

 course was the celebrated " bird's-nest soup," which was thickened 

 with shreds of boiled chicken and hard-boiled eggs cut very fine ; 

 a little dried ham was also grated upon the top of the dish. 

 These birds' nests, which are considered the greatest delicacy by 

 the Chinese, are simply a sort of gelatinous substance which is 

 gathered from the sea by a species of swallow in Java and 

 Sumatra, and built up into nests. These nests are gathered by 

 the natives, usually just as they are being finished, and before 

 they have been soiled by the birds, and are shipped to Canton. 

 As they are received here, they look more like a piece of crude, 

 rather dingy glue bent up in the shape of a swallow's nest, such 

 as we have at home, but much smaller. They are prepared by 

 being soaked in water, thoroughly scoured to remove the dirt, cut 

 up into thin strips, and it is then in substance, appearance, and taste 

 nearer like Cooper's gelatine than any other substance with which I 

 can compare it. To my taste it cannot be considered a delicacy, 

 but as served to us it was certainly a very palatable dish. Course 

 No. 3 consisted of pigeon's eggs sei-ved with chicken and ham, in 

 a sort of stew ; this was also a very good dish. Course No. 4 

 was composed of dried oysters stewed with mushrooms, young 

 bamboo-shoots and cucumber, with a very little mixture of salt 



