314 
THE BREAKFAST. 
that such a thing might be within the compass of her 
ability. She, however, held out no hopes, except such 
as arose out of an apparently reluctant promise, to see 
if the hens had furnished the means. Such prospects 
we had so often found to be fallacious that we calcu- 
lated but little thereon. Nevertheless, after having 
waited so long, it became a matter of necessity to 
exercise our patience a little further, — while the gos- 
sips were discussing the extraordinary event of the 
visit of the white men, and the still more extraordi- 
nary fact that they wanted a breakfast. 
Our patience was, however, rewarded; for we were 
regaled with the sight of our old friend the negress, 
crossing the green from the village, bearing a tray, 
covered with a snow-white though ragged napkin, on 
which were some beautiful plantains, fine fish, broiled 
and boiled, and eggs. These, with our well-established 
appetites, and pure water from a calabash, formed a 
delicious breakfast. When it became evident to the 
horses, — which had been also enjoying a breakfast of 
fresh grass under the shade of some noble trees, — that 
we meditated a return to the town, they recommenced 
their pranks, breaking loose and galloping round the 
village, to the no small terror of the quiet little 
“niggers.” When caught, they showed a decided 
repugnance to the saddle, and kicked most furiously, 
until convinced, by the application of a bamboo to 
their hoofs every time they lashed out, that resistance 
was useless. 
