Page:Travels in West Africa, Congo Français, Corisco and Cameroons (IA travelsinwestafr00kingrich).pdf/463

 them against it. I note there will be a heavy percentage of blue here, because in the fifteen feet square living room there are three doors and two windows—each one of which, from a determination to be quite the white man, is fitted with a lock and a bolt. The next room, there are only two, is particularly strong in windows, being provided with three. Out of the two to the north there is a lovely view of wooded valleys and low hills seen across that charming bright foreground of a banana plantation. The window to the east commands the line of back arrangements of one side of the little village, a view full of interest to the ethnologist, only just at present I am too wet and tired for the soulful contemplation of science, or of scenic beauty, so I close all three windows up with their wooden shutters,—glass, of course, there is none—and having got my portmanteau, and a pudding basin of European origin—with a lively combination of blue, maroon, and gas greens all over it—full of water and, joy! a towel from Agnes, I proceed to wash and dress in the dark. I hear, meanwhile, great uproar in the next room; the entire settlement seems to be doing things and talking about it! On re-entering the other apartment I find one kindly native has lent me a four-legged table, and another an ivory bundle chair, and the population of Cape Esterias has been enterprisingly employed in hauling and hoisting the furniture on to the stairless verandah and into the house, or standing by and giving advice as to how this was to be done. Agnes also adds a slip of new calico for a table cloth, and I am exceedingly grateful, but, Allah! how stiff and bruised and tired! So after having some food and a cup of sugarless and milkless coffee, I excuse myself and go and lie down on the most luxurious bed, that bag of old salt sack stuff, filled with sweating sea-weed, just a bit over-populated, perhaps, with fleas, but very enjoyable, on the plank floor.

It is 5 o'clock when I awake, and I am still thirsty; not liking to bother Agnes for more coffee and being mortal frightened of raw water, I ask her for a "paw-paw." She gets me some unripe ones, explaining "that those nasty boys done gone chop all them ripe one"—such is the universal nature of boys! I regretfully decline the hard fruit, and as they attract