Seaweed and its Uses. 



327 



waves at high water over these obstructions, are left behind 

 when the tide falls. 



One cannot be surprised at the large and important 

 consumption of seaweed for food by the people, when we 

 consider that, besides the quantities collected on their own 

 coasts, the junks, the sailing vessels, and steamers bring 

 from Japan to China thousands of tons annually, to the 

 ports of Shanghai, Tient-sin, Neuchang, etc. These bales, 

 transferred to boats, are carried up the Yang-tse-kiang to 

 the most distant towns of the empire, such as Ho-nan and 

 Setchuen, and even to Thibet. 



For food purposes the seaweed, as in Cochin China 

 and Japan, is mixed in soups, with rice, fish, and vegetables 

 in general, and forms the celebrated cabbage pak-soeij, or 

 pe-tsay in mandarin language. 



The seaweeds not only communicate to food the salt 

 with which they are naturally impregnated, which is a great 

 economy for the poorer classes, who have to pay dear for it 

 the further they are removed from the salines, but also a 

 certain aromatic flavour of the sea, which resembles the 

 taste of dried and fermented fish, so much in use among 

 the numerous populations of the extreme East. 



The English give to the seaweed gelose the name of 

 isinglass, and the people of Canton call it tow-kao, while 

 the jelly in a liquid state they c^\\ ghu-kao. 



This isinglass of the first quality is made in the form of 

 filaments. The gelatine made with it is white and trans- 

 parent, and is employed in a number of industries. It 

 is used by bakers and pastry-cooks for making biscuits, 

 macaroons, and confectionery ; by paper-makers ; in 

 stiffening the light and transparent gauzes, in the fine silk 

 which is used for making fans, screens, hangings, etc. It is 

 on these stuffs, so well stiffened, that the painters produce 



