338 NATIVES OF EASTERN BRITISH EAST AFRICA part in 



efforts of the Mazrui (the leading family of Arab settlers), the natives of 

 the coast, and fresh bands of Asiatic emigrants. The Portuguese had, 

 however, left their mark on the language, and, if my informant be 

 correct, in some places also on the physical character of the people. 

 Sherifu knew that the Suahili language was indebted to the Portuguese ; 

 thus before they came there was no word for " table," and the Portuguese 

 meza was therefore adopted. He also said that the people of Siyu, an 

 island of the Lamu group, were really Somali, changed by intermarriage 

 with the Portuguese settlers. 



After the expulsion of the Portuguese, the whole coast gradually 

 became subject to the Sultan of Muscat, or (as he is more correctly 

 named), the Iman of Oman, and it continued to receive fresh contingents 

 of Arabian settlers. 



There were thus three periods in the growth of Semitic influence on 

 the coast — the long prehistoric immigration ; the settlement of the 

 Nabahani ; the conflict with the Portuguese, and the final rule of the 

 Iman of Oman. 



One of the proofs that the rise of the Arabian power dates back to 

 pre-Mohammedan days is supplied by the religion of the Suahili, which 

 is Islamism of a modified and very tolerant type. My friend Sherifu 

 told me that for a long time the east coast Arabs declined to accept 

 Islam, although at the cost of a desperate struggle with their fanatical 

 compatriots. When at length they bowed the knee to Mohammed, 

 they introduced many modifications into the creed, and have ever acted 

 up to their motto, " Kafiri akufage, si Isilamu asiyekufaa " (Better a 

 useful infidel than a useless believer). 



The following are the chief points of difference between Arab and 

 Suahili Mohammedanism : — 



1. If a slave woman bears a child to an Arab owner, the child only 

 is free, whereas both the woman and child are free according to 

 Suahili law. 



2. If an Arab touches a European when on his way to mosque, he 

 has to wash his face and hands before entering, whereas a Suahili 

 regards this as unnecessary. 



3. The Suahili will eat with Europeans, and take food killed by 

 them, though not by a native of another tribe. A Muscat Arab, how- 

 ever, will not take any food unless killed by a Mohammedan. 



4. The Suahili, on the other hand, are more particular over contact 

 with dogs. If an Arab touches one, he is purified by washing once ; 

 whereas a Suahili has to wash six times in water and then once with 

 sand. 



5. When travelling, the Suahili merge the middle day and after- 

 noon prayers into one, and also those at sunset and at eight o'clock. 

 But after staying in a place for eighteen days, the Suahili have to 

 make the four prayers separately ; whereas the Muscat Arabs do not 

 revert to the ordinary ritual until their return to Muscat 



