hundred wafers is divided into four parts; and each part is put
into a separate paper numbered or marked so as to indicate the
quality. Thus four packages are prepared of the incense classed
as No. 1, four of incense No. 2, and four of incense No. 3,--or
twelve in all. But the incense given by the guests,--always
called "guest-incense"--is not divided: it is only put into a
wrapper marked with an abbreviation of the Chinese character
signifying "guest." Accordingly we have a total of thirteen
packages to start with; but three are to be used in the
preliminary sampling, or "experimenting"--as the Japanese term
it,--after the following manner.

We shall suppose the game to be arranged for a party of six,--
though there is no rule limiting the number of players. The six
take their places in line, or in a half-circle--if the room be
small; but they do not sit close together, for reasons which will
presently appear. Then the host, or the person appointed to act
as incense-burner, prepares a package of the incense classed as
No 1, kindles it in a censer, and passes the censer to the guest
occupying the first seat, (2) with the announcement--"This is
incense No 1" The guest receives the censer according to the
graceful etiquette required in the ko-kwai, inhales the perfume,
and passes on the vessel to his neighbor, who receives it in like
manner and passes it to the third guest, who presents it to the
fourth,--and so on. When the censer has gone the round of the
party, it is returned to the incense-burner. One package of
incense No. 2, and one of No. 3, are similarly prepared,
announced, and tested. But with the "guest-incense" no experiment
is made. The player should be able to remember the different
odors of the incenses tested; and he is expected to identify the