It is not true, as has been supposed, that on these convivial occasions the guests were served with roast or boiled 'puppy' as a _bonne bouche_, and I am sure that the author of the following lines gave way to his imagination after a 'chopstick' dinner with 'green pea' wine when he wrote them, or to fortify a current joke:-- The feast spread out, the splendour round Allowed the eye no rest; The wealth of Kwang-Tung, of all Ind, Appeared to greet each guest. All tongues are still; no converse free The solemn silence broke; Because, alas! friend Se-Ta-Che No word of Chinese spoke. Now here, now there, he picked a bit Of what he could not name; And all he knew was that, in fact, They made him sick the same! Mingqua, his host, pressed on each dish With polished Chinese grace; And much, Ming thought, he relished them, At every ugly face! At last he swore he'd eat no more, 'Twas written in his looks; For, 'Zounds!' said he, 'the devil here Sends both the meats and cooks!' But, covers changed, he brightened up, And thought himself in luck When close before him, what he saw Looked something like a duck! Still cautious grown, but, to be sure, His brain he set to rack; At length he turned to one behind, And, pointing, cried: 'Quack, Quack.' The Chinese gravely shook his head, Next made a reverend bow; And then expressed what dish it was By uttering, 'Bow-wow-wow!'