Though nobody came near me yet, I did not care to be too inquisitive all at once, but I longed to know what they burnt in the globes, which gave so steady a light, and yet seemed to be enclosed quite round, top and sides, without any vent-hole for the smoke to evaporate. Surely, thinks I, they are a dullish glass, for they hung almost above my touch, and must be exceeding hot with the fire so enclosed, and have some small vent-hole though I can't see it. Then standing on tiptoe to feel, it struck quite cold to my finger; but I could only reach to touch that, or any of the rest, being all of one height. Whilst I was musing thus, I heard the sound of voices coming along the gallery; and presently came a train of servants with as much victuals as a hundred men could eat, and wines proportionable; they set it down at the upper end of the oval room, on a flat of stone, which on making the room had been left in the upper bend of the oval quite across it, about table high, for that purpose. These eatables, such as were liquid, or had sauces to them, were served up in a sort of grey stone bowls; but the dry were brought in neat wooden baskets of twig-work. The servants all retiring into the gallery, except my bash, I asked him if anybody was to eat with me: he told me no.--"I wonder," says I, "they should send me so much, then." He replied it was the allowance of my apartment by his majesty's orders; which silenced me. I believe there were twenty different things on the table, insomuch that I did not know where to begin, and heartily wished for an excuse to get rid of my bash, who stood close at my elbow, that I might have smelt and tasted before I helped myself to anything, for I knew not what any one thing was.