336 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



treated in a similar manner, for in this service 

 there is never any possibiKty of obtaining redress 

 unless one happens to be a Member of Parliament. 

 But there is no use stirring up old grievances, so I 

 will return to. the Coast, vrhere a Government that 

 has sunk scores of millions to no purpose still con- 

 tinues to throw more good money after bad without 

 a hope of seeing any return. 



Freeman and I breakfasted with Eoss at mess, 

 and I must say that the entertainment showed the 

 nakedness of the land, for animal food of any kind 

 is scarcely to be procured, everything having to be 

 imported. It requires a very clever cook to turn 

 out a good dinner, when tough beef, rank goat's 

 flesh, and stringy fowls— all killed the same day — 

 is the only flesh obtainable. Climate is not the 

 only evil of this part of the coast, for semi- starva- 

 tion is also not uncommon. The first gun fired 

 before we had finished, so we had to wish our kind 

 entertainers adieu and hurry down to the beach, 

 where we found the Government canoe ready to 

 take us on board. Half-an-hour later, the anchor 

 was weighed, and we were going a-head at full 



