CHAP. V. 
ANNUAL FESTIVAL DINNER. 
131 
the green uniform sate opposite to me, and as he spoke 
French tolerably well I did not find myself so much at a loss 
as I had anticipated. 
The dinner was well served and abundant, comprising 
soup, turkey, roast pig, fowls, ducks, &c., with some good 
pastry, all set out and served in respectable French or En¬ 
glish dishes, plates, &c. But the chief novelty was a dish of 
jaka, which occupied the middle of the table. Jaka is beef 
which has been preserved from the previous year’s festival, 
and to exchange visits and eat each other’s jaka , is considered 
by the people as the greatest mark of amity in their power to 
give. The jaka or preserved beef was cut into small shreds, 
and seemed to have been fried crisp and brown. 
When all were seated, the marshal rose and made a speech 
in praise of the sovereign, and stating that it was the wish of 
the Queen that the foreigners should partake with her officers 
in the hospitalities of the season; that the governor regretted 
that illness prevented his being present, but that he, the 
speaker, was, on the governor’s behalf, happy to welcome the 
company as guests. The dish of jaka was then handed round, 
each person taking a small piece in his fingers, and eating it 
silently and slowly. It seemed to me as if some of the native 
religious feelings were associated with this part of the feast. 
I took a small piece, but did not perceive in it any peculiar 
flavour, certainly nothing to indicate that it had been kept 
twelve months without salt. 
The company amounted to more than twenty, and the 
greatest propriety, with much cheerful hilarity, prevailed. 
Six female slaves stood behind the two ladies who sat at 
the head of the table, and one or two aides-de-camp behind 
the chairs of each of the officers. Indeed, there seemed to be 
rather too many attendants, but they managed remarkably 
well. When the dinner was nearly over, two slave women 
entered, and sitting down on the ground by the side of their 
