This May Appear Only A Harsh
Judgment From A Mind Imbued With Christian Prejudices; But Without
Any Pretention To That Impartiality, Which Leaves It Doubtful To
Which Side The Affections Lean, The Truth May Be Fairly Stated By One
Who Viewed All Mohammedans And Africans With The Sincerest Good Will.
Our twelve Mohammedans from Johanna were the least open of any of our
party to impression from kindness.
A marked difference in general
conduct was apparent. The Makololo, and other natives of the
country, whom we had with us, invariably shared with each other the
food they had cooked, but the Johanna men partook of their meals at a
distance. This, at first, we attributed to their Moslem prejudices;
but when they saw the cooking process of the others nearly complete,
they came, sat beside them, and ate the portion offered without ever
remembering to return the compliment when their own turn came to be
generous. The Makololo and the others grumbled at their greediness,
yet always followed the common custom of Africans of sharing their
food with all who sit around them. What vexed us most in the Johanna
men was their indifference to the welfare of each other. Once, when
they were all coming to the ship after sleeping ashore, one of them
walked into the water with the intention of swimming off to the boat,
and while yet hardly up to his knees was seized by a horrid crocodile
and dragged under; the poor fellow gave a shriek, and held up his
hand for aid, but none of his countrymen stirred to his assistance,
and he was never seen again.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 446 of 505
Words from 120297 to 120569
of 136856
