m by the right
hand, lifted it to my lips and kissed it. He likewise immediately stood
up, and we embraced each other with great tenderness. I then begged him,
as I had so worthy and near a relation of my wife's with me, that he
would not delay the happiness I hoped for, in a narrative from his
mouth, how it fared with my father, wife, and children, and all their
kinsfolks and friends whom I had so often heard mentioned by my dearest
Youwarkee, and so earnestly desired to see.

My brother Quangrollart (for that, he told me, was his name)
was preparing to gratify my impatience; but seeing I had set the
entertainment on the table, which consisted chiefly of bread, several
sorts of pickles and preserves, with some cold salted fish, he said that
eating would but interrupt the thread of his discourse; and therefore,
with my leave, he would defer the relating of what I desired for a
little while; which we all thinking most proper, I desired him and
his friend (who might be another brother for aught I knew) to refresh
themselves with the poor modicum I was able to provide them.

Whilst my brother Quangrollart was looking upon and handling his plate,
being what he had never before seen, his friend had got the handle
of one of the knives in his mouth, biting it with all his force; but
finding he could make nothing of that end he tried the other, and got
champing the blade. Perceiving what he was at, though I could not help
laughing, I rose, and begging pardon, took the knife from him; telling
him I believed he was not acquainted with the use of that instrument,
which was one of my country implements; and that the design of it, which
was called a knife, and of that other (pointing to it), called a fork,
was the one to reduce the food into pieces proper for chewing, and the
other to convey it to the mouth without daubing the fingers, which must
happen in handling the food itself; and I then showed him what use I put
them to, by helping each of them therewith to somewhat, and by cutting a
piece for myself, and putting it to my mouth with the fork.

They both smiled and looked very well pleased; and then I told them
that the plate was the only thing that need be daubed, and when that was
taken away the table remained clean. So, after I had helped each of them
for the first time, I desired them to help themselves where they liked
best; and, to say the truth, they did so more dexterously than I could
have expected.

During our rep