Ex bracts from Travels in China. 



titc, instructions were given by the Mandarines to roast 

 large pieces, such as pigs, turkies, and geese entire. This 

 is a mode of preparing food which did not appear to have 

 been very well executed by the Chinese cooks. 



Baking bread was as little understood as roasting meat, 

 no proper oven was to be seen in this part of the country; 

 instead of bread, boiled rice or other grain was generally 

 used. The rice swells considerably in boiling, and this 

 operation is supposed to answer the purpose of fermentation 

 of the dough in regard to bread. To each yacht were sent 

 jars of a yellow vinous liquor, and also a distilled spirit. 

 The management of the latter seems to be understood better 

 than the former, for the wine was generally muddy, indif- 

 ferent in taste and soon grew sour. The spirit was strong 

 and clear, and seldom partook of any empyreumatic odour. 

 In some of the Chinese provinces it is distilled from Millet, 

 in others from Rice ; it is called by the Chinese show-choo, 

 which means hot wine. 



Supplies were received also of peaches from the neigh- 

 bourhood of Pekin, in which province they chiefly flourish; 

 apricots, oranges, and grapes, also sugar candy and brown 

 sugar from Fochien. 



During the Embassador's stay at Tacoo, there was an 

 interchange of visits between the Viceroy of the province 

 and himself, he came also one hundred miles to compliment 

 his Highness upon the occasion. lie was tottering with 

 age, but dignified, and venerable and polite without any 

 particular restrain or parade ; there was nothing particular 

 in the present meeting, only that the tea was brought in 

 cups with covers and infused in each cup separately, the 

 leaves remaining at the bottom of each cup, and that the 



