186 CRUSOE'S ISLAND. 



a da, ma massa, see de swizzle-stick me fin' down by 

 da pon'." These sticks were slender and straight, 

 each one with four or five prongs at the end, at right 

 angles to the stem, and from their peculiar shape 

 they are used as egg-beaters and mixers of beverages. 

 They create, even in plain drinks, a peculiar froth, 

 owing to the mucilaginous or saponaceous quality of 

 the cambium layer covering the wood. 



From what I have said, it will be seen that Thomas 

 Ned had installed himself as butler in my establish- 

 ment ; and if it has not already transpired that he was 

 in reality the chief in charge and the major-domo, 

 I will set at rest all doubt and declare that he had 

 usurped every function pertaining to the domestic 

 economy of the household. 



It was as chef^ however, that he shone resplendent ; 

 from the very first he regarded my array of shining 

 culinary utensils as his particular property, nor would 

 he ever allow me to go near the kitchen under any 

 pretext. 



" Da kitchum ain' no place fo' genlemun like yo', 

 sail ; it am de mos' mysteriumest t'ing dat yo' ain' 

 done kill yo'se'f, a-cookin' all by yo'se'f ; ef yo' ain' 

 got 'spepsy it am a dispenshun ob Prov'dence. But 

 me know how to cook ef um don' know an'ting else." 

 And he did. Thomas Ned never boasted, but he had 

 a fair knowledge of his abilities ; which, after all, is 

 better than knowing too much, or knowing ~a great 

 deal and at the same time not being aware of it. It 

 was his delight, it was his glorious privilege, to solve 

 the daily-recurring problem of not only what we should 



