OUR "BOYS" AND SWAHILIS IN GENERAL 



formed, and some of the men are fine and tall, but 

 not as a rule. Swahilis copy the Arabs to a great ex- 

 tent in manners and customs, including religion, 

 most of those owning to a religion being Moham- 

 medans of the Sunni Sect — but I could never 

 find out where their religion came in, except 

 to cause inconvenience to their masters. They 

 never seem to pray, and they abhor dogs — when 

 their master wants them to do anything for those 

 animals. 



I remember a lady's dog flying at mine, which I 

 seized and held up high, but her dog still continued 

 to jump up and bite mine, as I could not separate 

 them alone. In the meanwhile, all her boy did, 

 and she had had him some time in her service, was 

 to flap her dog with a duster, which increased the 

 difficulty. She explained to me that he was such 

 a ''good Mohammedan," he could not touch dogs. 

 If she had known the Swahili Moslem as I did, 

 she would not have put much faith in his goodness 

 — for it does not prevent many being drunkards, 

 nor stealing their master's wine and spirits either 

 to drink or sell. 



It is best taken for granted that they all lie, 

 often when apparently it is quite unnecessary ; and 

 they will generally steal if they get the chance and 

 think it safe. Although often they appear stupid, 

 one is surprised to find how cunning and clever 

 they are ; when it comes to getting the better of 



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