the French Colony . 
!3 
At 7 p.m. the word was given to “fall to.” The 
room was small and exceedingly close; the social 
board was big and very rickety. The clientele 
rushed in like backwoodsmen on board a Missis¬ 
sippi floating-palace, stripped off their coats, tucked 
up their sleeves, and, knife in one hand and bread 
in the other, advanced gallantly to the fray. They 
began by quarrelling about carving ; one made a 
sporting offer to dScouper la soupe , but he would 
go no farther; and Madame, as the head of the 
table, ended by asking my factotum, Selim Agha, 
to “have the kindness.” The din, the heat, the 
flare of composition candles which gave 45 per 
cent, less of light than they ought, the blunders of 
the slaves, the objurgations of the hostess, and the 
spectacled face opposite me, were as much as I 
could bear, and a trifle more. No wonder that 
the resident English merchants avoid the table- 
d'hote. 
Provisions are dear and scarce at the Gaboon, 
where, as in other parts of West Africa, the negro 
will not part with his animals, unless paid at the 
rate of some twenty-two or twenty-three shillings 
for a lean goat or sheep. Yet the dinner is copi¬ 
ous ; th employes contribute their rations; and 
thus the table shows beef twice a week. Black 
cattle are imported from various parts of the coast, 
north and south; perhaps those of the Kru coun¬ 
try stand the climate best; the Government yard 
