V 
46 MESURIL 
forming, as I have generally done, to most of these customs, I 
confess that I have felt almost as much repugnance to return to 
the tedious forms of an English entertainment, as I did to 
descend to the simple informality of these homely repasts ; and 
possibly the irksome restraint of sitting in a constrained position 
for three hours, pampering the appetite with an accumulated 
succession of viands, may, with equal justice, appear to a savage 
quite as irrational, as his rude and unceremonious habits to our 
more refined tastes. 
The Governor's household establishment forms a small society 
in some degree independent of the old settlers ; but in some 
degree only, for, owing to a most unpleasant practice prevailing 
in the place, every person who can command a decent coat 
takes advantage of the privilege to visit the Government House, 
about five o'clock in the evening, under the pretext of paying 
his compliments (as it is termed) to His Excellency, though, as 
I should rather presume, with the more immediate design of 
obtaining a cup of tea. Here many of them remain seated, not 
unfrequently without uttering a syllable, till so late an hour as 
nine o'clock. If the Governor remove to his country seat, it is 
esteemed a proper mark of respect to follow him, where the 
same custom is duly kept up, which, however absurd it may 
appear, has now been so long sanctioned by usage, that it does 
not allow of any escape from the persecution. 
September the 8th being a festival, I attended the Governor 
and family to mass in the chapel adjoining to the house, where 
seats were placed in a gallery kept apart for the Governor's 
family and the Bishop. The latter had just returned from a 
