Page:A Forbidden Land - Voyages to the Corea (1880).djvu/323

282 principal official of the place, probably acting upon instructions from a higher quarter, as he hardly would have ventured to do so on his own responsibility, gave me a pressing invitation to his house, where a repast of fowls and various Corean dainties had been prepared. Coreans are not over much given to hospitality in general, and the honour and favour intended to be shown on this occasion were consequently the more to be valued, though I would heartily have dispensed with them, on account of the various unknown luxuries which we were made to swallow, and which could not well be refused without giving offence to our host. Several of the dignitaries of the neighbourhood had been asked to this festive repast, who appeared to enjoy it amazingly, drinking immense quantities of the most nasty saki I ever tasted, a stuff more horrible yet than Chinese saki. Nor was it long before the effects of this very strong drink became apparent upon the company assembled, which was soon in the highest spirits. Of course there was a great exhibition of friendly feeling, and a general demonstration of good wishes on our behalf. It was close upon midnight before we were allowed to depart, not however without all the company insisting upon seeing us safely to the shore, where we took very warm leave from each other. Our host had previously presented me with a long staff of very peculiar and hard wood, which has served me as a walking-stick ever since.