320 KIND RECEPTION OF THE AUTHOR AT GEBA. 
eat when you think fit, a liberty which is the more extraordinary, 
as every one who passes the door, is obliged to take off his hat 
most respectfully whether the master be within or not. 
As soon as I had entered, the principal inhabitants of Geba 
assembled to hear the account of my travels and sufferings ; 
some of my hearers appeared astonished that a Frenchman 
should come to a Portuguese settlement without some political 
motive ; this opinion they expressed so unreservedly, that I 
was obliged to destroy the suspicions which such motives 
might have produced. The Commandant told me, that, 
affected by my misfortunes, he wished me to sleep in his 
house ; that he was extremely sorry he had not any medicine 
to offer me ; but he hoped that the care which would be taken 
of me would quickly re-establish my health. 
He conducted me to a large mud hut at a very little 
distance from his own, where his wife directed a chamber to 
be prepared for me. Never was I so overjoyed as at this 
moment, by the attentions with which this kind Negress 
lavished upon me. My Marabout joined me in returning 
thanks to God; " my white man is saved!" he exclaimed, 
taking Madame Dioqui by the hand. In fact, after five 
months of every sort of privation, I found a good bed of 
bamboo leaves, a musquito curtain, white linen, tea, butter,, 
in dhort, all the conveniences to which we are accustomed in 
Europe. The gratitude which I felt for such affectionate cares 
