CHAP. VIII.] GIVING MEN AWAY. 233 



and you find that he considers himself your property, 

 and that you are, in fact, become the owner of a slave. 

 They have no independence about them, generally 

 speaking, but follow a master as spaniels would. 

 Their hero-worship is directed to people who have wit 

 and strength enough to ill-use them. Eevenge is a 

 very transient passion in their character : it gives way to 

 admiration of the oppressor. The Damaras seem to me 

 to love nothing : the only strong feehngs they possess, 

 wliich are not utterly gross and sensual, are those of 

 admu-ation and fear. They seem to be made for 

 slavery, and naturally fall into its ways. Their usual 

 phrase with reference to the missionaries is, " Oh, 

 they are wise, but weak ; " but Jonker and the Hotten- 

 tots are, I could almost say, their delight. They 

 wonder at their success. 



All over Africa one hears of "giving" men away: 

 the custom is as follows. A negro has chanced to live 

 a certain time in another's employ ; he considers him- 

 self his property, and has abandoned the trouble of 

 thinking what he is to do from day to day ; but leaves 

 the ordering of his future entirely to his employer. 

 He becomes too listless to exist without a master. 

 The weight of independence is heavier than he likes, 

 and he will not bear it. He feels unsupported and 

 lost if alone in the world, and absolutely requires 

 somebody to direct him. Now, if the employer 

 happens to have no further need of the man, he 

 " gives" him, that is to say, he makes over his interest 

 in the savage to a friend or acquaintance ; the savage 

 passively agrees to the bargain, and changes his place 



