CHAP. XIV. DINNER GIVEN BY THE QUEEN. 385 



and chief officers of the government. Property appeared to be 

 estimated, not by the extent of land which a man possessed, 

 but by the number of his dollai's, slaves, or cattle ; hence, an 

 individual, speaking on one occasion of the losses he had suf- 

 fered, concluded by sa5dng, " Formerly I had fifty slaves ; 

 now I have not twenty." 



At three o'clock on the day appointed, an officer came to 

 conduct me to the dinner ; and after ascending by a somewhat 

 steep path to the crest of the hill on which the house stands, 

 we reached the front court, where the queen's band, in scarlet 

 uniform (apparently English), was stationed beneath the 

 verandah. On entering, I was received by a number of 

 servants dressed in a sort of livery, consisting of blue jackets 

 bordered with red. I was politely received by the owner of 

 the house, a number of officers, and other company, amongst 

 whom were M. Laborde, and the Catholic priest with whom 

 I had breakfasted. When dinner was announced, we were 

 shown to our respective places, which were designated by 

 papers bearing our names placed on the table. Mine was on 

 the left hand of the chief officer, and M. Laborde's was im- 

 mediately opposite. 



The room was large and lofty, furnished with looking- 

 glasses, and other articles of European or Asiatic manufac- 

 ture, having a large sideboard at one end. The table was 

 splendidly furnished with porcelain vases, filled with artificial 

 flowers, and silver vases the size of wine coolers along the 

 centre. The covered dishes, spoons and forks, were all silver ; 

 the dishes as well as the vases being of native manufacture, 

 after English patterns, and remarkably well executed. On all 

 these articles, as well as on the handles of the knives, a 

 crown, and a bird, the crest of the Hovas, were engraved. 



As soon as all were seated, my friend the secretary, who 

 sat next me, intimated in English, that as I was a stranger, 

 and the queen's guest, I should now projjose her majesty's 



c 



