266 A LONG MENU 



llth, pancakes ; 12th, manioc ; 13th, dried bananas ; and 

 last, when I thought everything must have been served, came 

 hunches of roast beef ! All this was finished up with coffee. 

 By taking a constantly diminishing quantity of each dish I 

 managed to appear to do justice to them all. Claret went about 

 very freely, and at length some much stronger liquor ; and the 

 healths of the Queen, " Our friends the two Foreigners," then 

 those of the Prime Minister, Chief Secretary, and Chief Judge, 

 were all drunk twice over, the Governor's coming last ; all fol- 

 lowed by musical (and drum) honours. As already remarked, 

 it was the noisiest affair of the kind at which I have ever been 

 present. There was a big drum just outside in the verandah, 

 as well as two small ones, besides clarionets and fiddles, and 

 these were in full play almost all the time. Then the room was 

 filled by a crowd of servants and aides-de-camp, and the shout- 

 ing of everybody to everybody, from the governor downwards, 

 was deafening. The old gentleman directed everything and 

 everyone, filled up everybody's glass, and, in fact, filled up his 

 own more often than was quite good for him, so that he became 

 a little incoherent in the last toasts he proposed ; so that I was 

 glad when the finishing one arrived, and I could take my leave 

 after nearly two hours' sitting. But I was not to leave quietly ; 

 again I was taken by the hand, the big drum being hammered 

 at in front of us all the way, and, followed by a posse of officers 

 and ladies, was escorted home by the governor. My invalid 

 friend could well have dispensed with the big drum ; however, 

 being a little better, he and I managed to say a few earnest 

 words to them about " the praying " ; after which they took 

 their leave. I had afterwards to pay quite a round of visits 

 to our men who were poorly, some with fever, others lame, with 

 feet hurt with thorns, stumbling, etc. 



It was fine on the following morning, and as my companion's 

 fever had left him, although he was still very weak, we deter- 

 mined to get off ; but first, there were more visits to be paid, 

 and more presents to be received. Mr Street left first at half- 

 past nine, but I waited until all the baggage was off, and then 

 went to wish our old friend the governor good-bye. But I was 

 not to get away so easily ; I was again taken into the chief 

 house, the claret was brought out, and the Queen's health and 

 our own drunk with military honours. Then I turned to say 



