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our dining-room we could look out 

 upon the large yard enclosed by a line 

 of tall cocoanut palms, and, if our meal 

 was in preparation, see several negroes, 

 big and little, stooping over little wood 

 fires between three bricks arranged in 

 a triangle. In basins on these fires 

 were steaming the various concoctions 

 later appearing on our table in regular 

 courses as fragrant soups, made dishes, 

 strange native vegetables, fish, meat, 

 desserts, etc. If the time of looking 

 out happened after a meal, we would 

 see the servants stooping over basins 

 of cold water, washing the dishes, which 

 were never wiped, but laid on the 

 ground to dry, knives, forks, spoons, 

 cups, saucers, plates, — everything. We 

 would also see in that yard, frolicking in 

 and out and over the drying dishes, 

 numbers of little half- naked pickanin- 

 nies, a goat and two kids, dog and 



