248 THE REGENT INVITED TO DINNER. [1820. 
his example was followed by several others, like 
one sheep leading a flock astray. I made a point 
of never going beyond half an hour in the address, 
knowing the frivolity of their minds. 
The greatest concourse of people I had noticed 
assembled about our dinner-hour, when they 
arranged themselves regularly before the tent- 
door. Observing the Regent and Moeelway 
seated amidst the crowd, we invited them into 
the tent to dine with us. They immediately 
complied ; on which one of their servants took his 
station at the side of the tent-door, with a long 
switch, driving off every intruder. The number 
who attended to witness our mode of taking 
dinner was at least three times greater than at- 
tended the worship in the morning. Nothing 
seemed to surprise them more than to see a con- 
siderable part of what was put down upon the 
table taken away after we had dined ; it probably 
was the first time in their lives that they had 
seen a morsel left that was put down to be eaten. 
Their stomachs being capable of receiving almost 
any quantity, they never, like the Matchappees, 
consider a meal to be finished till all be eaten 
up. The man who could introduce economy in 
eating among the African tribes would prevent 
much misery arising from frequent scarcity of 
food, which is produced by their extravagant and 
improvident conduct. Even the dogs, to whom 
