STAY AT SAY 333 managed to eat it in semi-darkness. On the other hand, our rice was always good. That grown in the countryis small, and of a slightly reddish colour. It swells less in cooking than the white rice of Cochin China or Pegu, but it has a nicer and a stronger taste. Taburet used to swear by all the heathen gods that he would never eat rice, yet very soon he could not do without it. Fili Kante, already mentioned, turned out a first-rate cook, and he really did deserve praise for what he achieved, for we were none of us able to help him with advice. True, the Commandant had made everybody's mouth water by saying that he would take charge of the pot as soon as the expedition arrived at Say; but he never troubled his head about the matter again.

He did, however, sometimes preside at the cooking of inechuis, that is to say, of sheep roasted whole on the spit in the Arab style, and the viechuis of Fort Archinard were celebrated — on the island !

Rice and mutton were the staples of our meals. Every morning Fili Kante used to come to the chief of the mess and say, as if he were announcing a new discovery — " I shall give you mutton and rice to-day. Lieutenant." — "And what else?" I would ask. — "An omelette." — "And after that ? " — " A nougat and some cheese."

You read that word nougat ? Well now, would you like to know what it was made of? Here is the recipe (not quite the same as that for Montlimar almond cake) : Take some honey ; make it boil ; add to it some pea-nuts shelled and ground. Turn it all out on to a cold plate — the bottom of an empty tin will do if you have nothing else — and let it stand till cold.

It makes a capital dessert, I can tell you, especially when there is nothing better to be had.

You read, too, that we were to have cheese. We could