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21 I 
be well plied ^vith. wine, to which, at the same time, thej 
were by no means backward in helping themselves. Some of 
the elder sort sat at table to a late hour, while the younger 
part returned to the ball-room, where reels and jigs and horn- 
pipes now took place of country dances. A Scoto-Batavian 
officer displayed his raw-boned activity in a saraband, to 
the great amusement of the native dames, who had seldom 
witnessed such nimble capering. So fascinating was the en- 
tertainment that it was near four in the morninfr before the 
company dispersed. 
It is almost superfluous to remark how very ill suited is the 
mode of life I have here described to an equinoxial clima^te. 
But the Dutchman, whose predominant vice in Europe is 
avarice, rising into affluence in an unhealthy foreign settlement, 
almost invariably changes this part of his character and, with a 
thorough contempt of the frugal maxim of Molieres L'Avare, 
lives to eat rather than eats to live. His motto is, " Let us 
" eat and drink, for to morrow we die." He observes, it is 
true, the old maxim of rising at an early hour in the morning, 
not however for the sake of enjoying the cool breeze, and 
of taking moderate exercise, but rather to begin the day's 
career of eating and drinking. His first essay is usually a 
sopie or glass of gin, to which succeed a cup of coffee and a 
pipe. His stomach thus fortified, he lounges about the great 
hall of the house, or the viranda if in the country, with a 
loose night-gown carelessly thrown over his shoulders, a 
night-cap and slippers, till about eight o'clock, which is the 
usual hour of breakfast. This is generall}' a solid meal of 
dried meat, fish and poultry made into cunies, t.ggs, rice, 
strong beer and spirits. Ciirrie.-dvA rice is a standing dish 
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