THE SUAHILL 345 



usually take in a very plucky and stoical manner, 

 they may be heard laughing and joking half an 

 hour after it is over. Yet, if treated with injus- 

 tice, they may sulk for months, and, in fact, never 

 get over the feeling of being ill-used. 



They are not constitutionally brave, and are 

 very liable to sudden panics. Even such a great 

 favourite with natives as Mr. George Wilson has 

 been deserted by his whole caravan. But about 

 half my men always volunteered if I wanted to do 

 anything dangerous, and I should never be afraid 

 of desertion if I could get the drum beaten a little 

 and could manage to work up their enthusiasm. 



I have never found in them any kind of affec- 

 tion for their masters or their fellows. In fact, 

 their treatment of their own comrades shows their 

 very worst side. They will leave them to die on 

 the road. No Suahili can be trusted to deal out 

 food or cloth for the others. He will always steal, 

 even from the sick. It is extremely difficult to 

 get any sick porter attended to. If you trust 

 his chum to give him medicine, he will very 

 probably sell the medicine to the other porters 

 and go to sleep. 



I do not think they ever really care much for 

 their white masters. I have noticed much more 

 appearance of real affection between Suahilis and 

 Arabs than between Suahilis and Europeans ; but 

 one is very much in the position of a schoolmaster 

 with a rod to wield, and I do not think many boys 



