A DIRTY, DISAGREEABLE DINNER. 197 



the game, when in the country there exist such blood- 

 thirsty assassins. Instead of going to hear the 

 Predicant, better far he had communed with himself 

 in his closet, and resolved never again uselessly to 

 destroy the beautiful children of nature, a race bestowed 

 upon us by the Creator to be used, but not abuse I. 



In due course of time the man returned ; he came 

 to me for another glass of brandy, and as I was going 

 to dine with him, how could I refuse it? At length 

 we reached the house ; a dirty, a fearfully dirty table- 

 cloth covered a shaky nondescript thing that did 

 duty for a table. On it were placed several knives, 

 altered in form, and not unlike what they might be 

 supposed to become if hungry persons bit pieces out of 

 them. In due course of time a dish was placed in 

 front of where the head of the establishment was 

 supposed to sit. We took our places, the cover was 

 removed, and a frightful smell assailed my nostrils. 



Could I eat such food ? Well, I am in Africa, far 

 beyond what is acknowledged as a civilised country, and 

 I will try. I succeeded so far as to empty the plate, 

 but this was no use ; the host, as often as I did so, 

 fished out a new dainty with his dirty fingers, and 

 insisted that I should accept it. This was bad enough, 

 but the mother, a most antiquated witch, was in attend- 

 ance, acting as waitress. In her hands was a clout ; 

 with it she wiped the plates before we sat down to 

 our meal ; afterwards, because it was warm, she relieved 

 herself of the perspiration on her head and neck with 

 this rag, and ultimately collared a dirty child, five or 

 six years of age, and wiped its face with this table- 

 napkin. I could endure it no more, but rushed forth 

 into the open air, and thence to my wagon. 



