be interesting and advantageous. I again thank Your Majesty for the splendid hospitality which has been shown to myself and my party, and I trust that your reign will be happy and prosperous, and that Siam will continue to advance in the arts of civilization. THE QUEEN OF SIAM. General Grant, after a pause, then rose and said :— I hope you will allow me to ask you to drink the health of His Majesty the King of Siam. I am honored by the opportu nity of proposing that toast in his own capital and his own palace, and of saying how much I have been impressed with his enlightened rule. I now ask you to drink the health of His Majesty the King, and prosperity and peace to the people of Siam. This toast was drunk with cheers, the company rising and the band playing the national air of Siam. The King then led the way to the upper audience-chamber, the saloon of the statues. Here ensued a long conversation between the King and the General and the various members of the party. Mrs. Grant, in the inner room, had a conversation with the Queen, who had not been at table. In conversing with the General, the King became warm and almost affectionate. He was proud of having made the acquaintance of the General, and he wanted to know more of the American people. He wished Americans to know that he was a friend of the country. As to the General himself, the King hoped when the General returned to the United States that he would write the King and allow the King to write to him, and always be his friend and correspondent. The General said he would always remember his visit to Siam; that it would afford him pleasure to know that he was the friend of the King; that he would write to the King and always be glad to hear from him, and if he ever could be of service to the King it would be a pleasure. With Mr. Borie the King had also a long conversation, and his manner towards the venerable ex-Secretary was especially kind and genial. It was midnight before the party came to an end. CHAPTER XXXV. EN ROUTE FOR CANTON -THE RECEPTION AT THE VICE REGAL PALACE A CHINESE TEA-PARTY EATING CANTON CANTON Bidding Siam farewell, the party embarked for Canton on board the American man-of-war Ashuelot, on the 5th of May. After a short and pleasant voyage they reached the city about ten o'clock in the evening. As they entered the harbor, the booming of cannon announced their arrival. The visitors were received by the Consular officials and conducted to the Viceroy's yamen, three miles from the point of debarkation. At least one hundred thousand persons witnessed the little procession, and perfect order prevailed on all sides. Their reception at the Viceregal palace is thus described: the The booming guns, which boom in a quick, angry fashion; the increasing crowds, the renewed lines of soldiery, now standing in double line, their guns at a present; the sons of mandarins, the Viceroy's guard, under trees, and open, shaded enclosure into which we are borne by our staggering, panting chair-bearers, tell us that we are at our journey's end and at the palace of the Viceroy. We descend from our chairs and enter the open reception-room or audience-chamber. The Viceroy himself, surrounded by all the great officers of his court, is waiting at the door. As General Grant advances, accompanied by the Consul, the Viceroy steps forward and meets him with a gesture of wel come, which to our barbarian eyes looks like a gesture of adoration. He wears the mandarin's hat and the pink button and flowing robes of silk, the breast and back embroidered a good deal like the sacrificial robes of an archbishop at high mass. The Viceroy is a Chinaman, and not of the governing Tartar race. He has a thin, somewhat worn face, and is over fifty years of age. His manner was the perfection of courtesy and cordiality. He said he knew how unworthy he was of a visit from one so great as General Grant, but that this unworthiness only increased the honor. Then he presented the General to the members of his court-Chang Tsein, the Tartar General; Jen Chi, the Imperial Commissioner of Customs; Shan Chang Mow, the Deputy Tartar General, and Chi Hwo, the Assistant Tartar General. After General Grant had been presented we were each of us in turn welcomed by the Viceroy and presented to his suite. Mr. Holcombe and the Chinese interpreter of the Consul, a blue button mandarin, who speaks admirable English, were our interpreters. The Viceroy was cordial to Mr. Borie, asking him many questions about his journey, congratulating him upon his years, it being Chinese courtesy to especially salute age, and expressing his wonder that Mr. Borie should have taken so long a journey. Mr. Borie said to the Viceroy that he had always desired to see China. He had been for fifty years in business trading with China, and the result of that long experience had been to give him the highest opinion of the honesty, ability, and veracity of Chinese merchants. During this interchange of compliments, the receptionroom was filled with members and retainers of the court. Mandarins, aids, soldiers-all ranks were present. The whole scene was one of curiosity and excitement. The The assurance Chinamen seemed anxious to do all they could to show us how welcome was our coming, but such a visit was a new thing, and they had no precedent for the reception of strangers who had held so high a position as General Grant. The question of who should call first had evidently been much in the Viceroy's mind, for he said, apparently with the intention of assuaging any supposed feeling of annoyance that might linger in the General's mind, that, of course, that was not a call, it was only the General on his way about the town coming in to see him. was certainly not necessary, and I only recall it as an illustration of the Oriental feature of our visit. After the civilities were exchanged, the Viceroy led the General and party into another room, where there were chairs and tables around the room in a semicircle. Between each couple of chairs was a small table, on which were cups of tea. The General was led to the place of honor in the centre, and the Chinese clustered together in one corner. After some persuasion, the Viceroy was induced to sit beside the General, and the conversation proceeded. Nothing was said beyond the usual compliments, which were only repeated in various forms. I observed more vivacity among the Chinese than when we visited the Siamese desire to talk, and make the callers at home. more of a you After sitting fifteen minutes, we drank tea in Chinese fashion. The tea is served in two cups, one of which is placed over the other in such a manner that when take up the cups you have a globe in your hands. The tea is plain, and as each particular cup has been brewed by itself, is, in fact, brewing while you are waiting, you have the leaves of the tea. You avoid the leaves by pushing the upper bowl down into the lower one, so as to leave a minute opening, and draw out the tea. Some of us drank the tea in orthodox home fashion, but others, being sensi |