GLIMPSES OF EAST AFRICA AND ZANZIBAR 



their masters it is impossible to be up to all their 

 tricks. Also it is very difficult to get at the truth 

 of anything, as their faces remain passive under 

 searching examination even when the boy is well 

 known to the inquirers ; as they seem to object to 

 giving a straightforward answer, or a truthful one, 

 the subject has to be given up in despair. Often 

 in a court of law they will so blatantly contradict 

 themselves that the judge can thereby tell within 

 a little what the truth may be. One man accused 

 of stealing something from another man will say, 

 never in his life has he seen or heard of his accuser, 

 and swears to that effect ; later he will say his ac- 

 cuser wanted the thing and came and asked him for 

 it, and as he refused the request he now claims it 

 as his own. One of the good qualities the Swahili 

 has, is that he will stand by his master and not dis- 

 cuss him with other people, nor will he let other 

 people wrong him, unless, of course, he himself 

 thereby gets some benefit. There are some who 

 make good and faithful servants ; and although they 

 will take service with another person during their 

 Bwana's (master's) absence on leave, they will 

 always want to go back to him on his return, and 

 perhaps stay with him for years. 



Some firms in Zanzibar have had boys twenty 

 years ; passing them on as the managers change. 

 Other boys will meet ship after ship arriving in 



32 



