CHAP. V ANNUAL FESTIVAL DINNER. 131 



the green uniform sate opposite to me, and as lie spoke 

 French tolerably well I did not find myself so much at a loss 

 as I had anticipated. 



The dinner was well served and abundant, comprising 

 soup, turkey, roast pig, fowls, ducks, &c., with some good 

 pastry, all set out and served in respectable French or Eng- 

 lish dishes, plates, &c. But the chief novelty was a dish of 

 jaka, which occupied the middle of the table. Jaka is beef 

 which has been preserved from the previous year's festival, 

 and to exchange visits and eat each other's jaka, is considered 

 b}^ the people as the greatest mark of amity in their power to 

 give. The jaka or preserved beef was cut into small shreds, 

 and seemed to have been fried crisp and brown. 



WTien all were seated, the marshal rose and made a speech 

 in praise of the sovereign, and stating that it was the wish of 

 the Queen that the foreigners should partake with her officers 

 in the hospitalities of the season ; that the governor regretted 

 that illness prevented his being present, but that he, the 

 speaker, was, on the governor's behalf, happy to welcome the 

 company as guests. The dish of jaka was then handed round, 

 each person taking a small piece in his fingers, and eating it 

 silently and slowly. It seemed to me as if some of the native 

 religious feelings were associated -with this part of the feast. 

 I took a small piece, but did not perceive in it any peculiar 

 flavour, certainly nothing to indicate that it had been kept 

 twelve months without salt. 



The company amounted to more than twenty, and the 

 greatest propriety, with much cheerful hilarity, prevailed. 

 Six female slaves stood behind the two ladies who sat at 

 the head of the table, and one or two aides-de-camp behind 

 the chairs of each of the officers. Indeed, there seemed to be 

 rather too many attendants, but they managed remarkably 

 well. WThen the dinner was nearly over, two slave women 

 entered, and sitting down on the ground by the side of their 



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