But to return to this famous repast.  It began with mandarin bird’s-nest soup, with plover’s eggs floating about in it.  This is a most delicious and dainty dish, and is invariably given to strangers on their first arrival.  I had no idea how expensive the nests were—­54 dollars a ‘pice,’ weighing something under a pound, and it takes two or three ounces to make enough soup for ten people.  We had a very pleasant evening, talking over our experiences, and exchanging news as to our mutual friends.

CHAPTER XXIII.

CANTON AND MACAO TO SINGAPORE.

    I remember the black wharves and the slips,
      And the sea-tides tossing free;
    And Spanish sailors with bearded lips,
    And the beauty and mystery of the ship
      And the magic of the sea.

Saturday, March 3rd.—­After our long day yesterday, I did not feel capable of acceding to our guide’s proposition of being ready at half-past six for further explorations before breakfast; besides, I wanted to see Tom off by the nine o’clock boat to Hongkong, whither he is obliged to return in order to keep various engagements.  The rest of our party have been persuaded to stay and see a little more of Canton and to go with some friends to a picnic in the White Cloud Mountains.  A man brought home to-day some carved tortoiseshell brushes Tom has given me, with my name carved on them in Chinese.  It was no good writing it down for the engraver’s guidance, and after hearing it several times he wrote down two characters; but, as the ‘r’ is always a great difficulty with the Chinese, I much doubt whether the name is really spelt rightly.

It was a most lovely day, and after some little delay we started about eleven o’clock, a party of seventeen in chairs.  There were five ladies and twelve gentlemen—­a most unusual proportion for Canton.  A few weeks ago they wanted to get up a fancy ball, but there were only five available ladies to be found in the city.  At present one or two more are staying here on a visit, and it is hoped that another ball may be arranged during this week, which may boast of at least ten ladies.  We made quite a procession, with all the servants, bearers, &c., and excited much commotion in the narrow streets, where everybody had to make room and squeeze up to the side as best they could.  Men ran before to clear the way for us, shouting, yet we were more than an hour going right across the city.  On our way we passed through the egg market, saw the pork fat market, and the poulterers’ and fowlers’ shops.

We managed to visit several shops for the sale of real Chinese furniture.  It is very handsome, but curious in form, and, unless it is specially ordered, is made only for native use.  Every Chinese reception-room is furnished in precisely the same manner, with very stiff high arm-chairs, arranged in two rows.  A small four-legged square table stands between every two chairs, a larger table in the centre, and at the end an enormous sofa, big enough for six or eight people to lie full length across.  The sofa and all the chairs have marble seats and backs, and the tops of the tables are also made of marble, or a sort of soapstone, on which may be distinguished natural landscapes slightly assisted by art.