Now Whittington’s employer was a merchant,
Who sent forth ships to trade beyond the seas
One of his captains saw—admired the cat,
And with her sailed to China, land of dirt,
Rice, lorchas, pigtails, ivory deftly carved,
And ladies with short toes bent backward. Soon
Made he acquaintance with the Emperor,
The brother of the Sun and Moon, celestial “swell,
First cousin to the Stars; for in those days
Men craved not introduction—Bowring then