CIIAP. XI. 
MEALS BY THE WAY-SIDE. 
305 
then put on to boil in an earthen pot, borrowed from some of 
the inhabitants, who afterwards, shared its contents. While 
this was cooking, a fowl was killed and cut up; and when the 
rice was boiled, the fowl was fried. The tea-kettle was in the 
mean time placed by the side of the fire. In some places, the 
device for a trivet consisted of three pegs of wood, a species of 
succulent wood, so thoroughly saturated with wet, as to burn 
very slowly. My meals were served in remarkably primitive 
style; and I sometimes thought it was well that there would 
be an interval between my Malagasy journey and the begin¬ 
ning of usages at home, or I might be in danger of forgetting 
some of the proprieties of more civilised life. 
On these occasions, a mat was generally spread on the ground. 
My small canteen containing crockery, cutlery, &c., served for 
a table and was covered with fresh clean leaves of the traveller’s 
tree. The fowl was served in a dish, and one plate remained. 
The want of others was supplied by the broad green leaf on 
which the manioc, sweet potato, and other vegetables were 
served. The teapot, cup and saucer, to prevent accident, were 
usually placed on the floor by the side of the box, an egg 
beaten up in a cup serving as a substitute for milk with the 
tea. The door, the only avenue for light or air, was always 
open; and five or six athletic men, who had probably 
helped in the cooking, sat round within the door. One usually 
whisked away the flies with a green bough, the others dis¬ 
cussed the news of the day, or perhaps scared away a 
hungry dog from the door. When my meal was over, the 
bearers, if they had not been able to obtain the use of 
another house, brought their own rice, or whatever they 
might have, and took their meal in the same house, where 
they were sometimes joined by the owners. 
The quantity of rice a man would sometimes eat appeared 
to me enormous. They generally cook more at one time than 
they use, and bake the rice adhering to the sides of the vessel 
x 
