cii. IV. DINNER WITH THE GOVERNOR. 93 



dant bore water, another a brass bowl or basin, and a third 

 presented to each in turn an embroidered towel. This 

 process is always repeated at the close of dinner, and is 

 common to all classes in the country. The feast then 

 began, as every well-ordered Moorish banquet must do, 

 by green tea. Three cups, carefully prepared in the 

 presence of the guests, in a silver teapot half filled with 

 sugar, were handed in succession to each, and then fresh 

 tea, with mint leaves added, is again prepared, and of 

 tliis decoction the natives usually take one or two cups 

 more. The serious part of the repast then followed. 

 A large dish of coarse earthenware, covered with a conical 

 cap of fine straw, twice the size of a beehive, is laid on a 

 low wooden frame in the centre of the circle of guests. 

 On the present occasion duplicate dishes were prepared for 

 us, and for the Governor and his native friends. When 

 the cover was removed, we were introduced to the national 

 dish which was destined to be our frequent acquaintance 

 during our journey in the South. The basis of keskossou 

 is coarse wheaten, or sometimes millet flour, cooked with 

 butter, for which oil is occasionally substituted. To this 

 is added mutton, lamb, or fowls, cut up into pieces, with 

 various vegetables, either laid on the farinaceous sub- 

 stratum or mixed up with it. Numerous dishes succeeded 

 each other, but they appeared to be all variations on the 

 same gastronomic theme. The cookery on this occasion 

 was better than we often found it ; but the pervading 

 flavour of rancid butter, long kept in great earthen pots, 

 is repulsive to European stomachs, and few strangers are 

 ever fortunate enough to be able to enjoy Moorish feasts. 

 To some of us this was the first occasion for practising 

 the art of eating with our fingers, and it was lucky that 

 our host was not at hand to observe the awkwardness of 

 our first essays. We improved somewhat with practice, 

 but never could approach the dexterity and neatness with 

 which the natives accomplish the operation, using only the 

 fingers of the right hand. Conversation was completely 



