LAST WORDS 



him " run in " ; but being a British subject (as we 

 had brought him from Nairobi) it necessitated my 

 appearing as witness in the court full of natives, 

 which my husband and the other officers were 

 against my doing ; so the case was withdrawn, and 

 I just dismissed Ali from my service. While his 

 case was being heard, I was amused to see him 

 return as if nothing had happened, and go on clean- 

 ing his knives as usual. I, now ceasing to trust 

 him, did not care for him in the house. He lost 

 his fare back to Nairobi, as we intended taking him 

 back with Baruku and leaving him at Mombasa on 

 our way home. The last I heard of him was that 

 he, with other out-of-work boys, had been deported 

 to Pemba Island to pick cloves. I was very sorry, 

 as for so long he had served us faithfully and well, 

 and I think he would have kept straight in Nairobi ; 

 but Zanzibar is such a den of iniquity that green 

 up-country boys soon get led astray. I should 

 think the native in Zanzibar can hardly be beaten 

 for dishonesty and wickedness — they see so much 

 of the scum of other nations. Ali also lost his 

 " chit " or letter of good character, which would 

 have been of great value to him, a reference of over 

 two years ; but these " chits " are easily bought in 

 the bazaar forged by Indians, or lent by friends, so 

 they are not always to be relied upon. 



Some people think Somalis make the best 

 hunters and even servants ; they are, of course, a 



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