porter's jolr:nal. 105 



ver and others, any further directions would be super- 

 fluous. 



The customs of the inhabitants of this place ditfer so ma- 

 terially from our own, (and perhaps from those of every 

 other people,) that I cannot help noticing a few particu- 

 lars that struck me as the most singular. 



At all their dinner entertainments, the principal guest is 

 placed at the head of the table, the host on one side of him, 

 and the hostess on the other ; and their principal business 

 appears to be to make him eat as much as possible. This 

 duty they are apt to perform most etFectually, if he hap- 

 pens, like me, to be a stranger, and not aware of the va- 

 riety of changes that is to be brought on, each one more 

 and more inviting in its appearance and taste. 



There is another practice at their bails, or evening par- 

 ties, which at first gave me some embarrassment. A very 

 large silver dish, filled with sweet jelly, was presented to 

 me by a servant, as well as a silver plate and fork. Be- 

 lieving that the whole dish could not be intended for me, I 

 attempted to take the plate ; this the servant objected to. 

 1 then attempted to take the dish ; but to this she also ob- 

 jected. I felt certain, however, that it was intended for 

 me to eat in some way or other, and vras determined to do 

 it in that way which appeared the most natural and conve- 

 nient ; I therefore took from her the plate and fork, and 

 helped myself to as much as I thought I should want. The 

 eyes of all the company, however, were on me, and I per- 

 ceived that I had made some mistake, which I was soon 

 convinced of; for the servant brought another plate with a 

 fork, which was handed with the sweetmeats around to the-" 

 company, and each one made use of the same fork to take 

 a mouthful, holding his head carefully over the dish in or- 

 der that nothing might fail from his mouth to the floor ; the 

 fork was then laid on the plate, and passed to the next. 

 The matti is taken with as little regard to delicacy or clean- 

 liness. When the cup containing it is brought in, one of 

 the company blows into it, through the silver tube, until a 

 high froth is produced ; it is then considered properly pre- 

 pared. The same matti and tube is then passed around the 

 room, and each one takes in turn a draught of it, with much 

 apparent relish and delight. It is also a practice for one 

 glass of water, one spoon, or one segar, to be served to the 



VOL i. 14 



