CHAP. XI. MEALS BY THE WAY SIDE. 305 



then put on to boil in an earthen pot, borrowed from some of 

 the inhabitants, who afterwards, shared its contents. While 

 this was cooking, a fowl was killed and cut up ; and when the 

 rice was boiled, the fowl was fried. The tea kettle was in the 

 mean time placed by the side of the fire. In some places, the 

 device for a trivet consisted of three pegs of wood, a species of 

 succulent wood, so thoroughly saturated with wet, as to burn 

 very slowly. My meals were served in remarkably primitive 

 style ; and I sometimes thought it was well that there would 

 be an interval between my Malagasy journey and the begin- 

 ning of usages at home, or I might be in danger of forgetting 

 some of the proprieties of more civilised life. 



On these occasions, a mat was generally spread on the ground. 

 My small canteen containing crockery, cutlery, &c., served for 

 a table and was covered with fresh clean leaves of the traveller's 

 tree. The fowl was served in a dish, and one plate remained. 

 The want of others was supplied by the broad green leaf on 

 v.^hich the manioc, sweet potato, and other vegetables were 

 served. The teapot, cup and saucer, to prevent accident, were 

 usually placed on the floor by the side of the box, an egg 

 beaten up in a cup serving as a substitute for milk with the 

 tea. The door, the only avenue for light or air, was always 

 open ; and five or six athletic men, who had probably 

 helped in the cooking, sat round ■svithin the door. One usually 

 whisked away the flies with a green bough, the others dis- 

 cussed the news of the day, or perhaps scared away a 

 hungry dog from the door. When my meal was over, the 

 bearers, if they had not been able to obtain the use of 

 another house, brought their own rice, or whatever they 

 might have, and took their meal in the same house, where 

 they were sometimes joined by the owners. 



The quantity of rice a man would sometimes eat appeared 

 to me enormous. They generally cook more at one time than 

 they use, and bake the rice adhering to the sides of the vessel 



X 



