SUPERIORITY OF THE INDIAN 279 



mechanics as surprising as it was exceptional, and 

 has for some time past proved entirely efficient 

 in the latter somewhat unusual capacity. 



Where, however, the Indian — be he British or 

 Portuguese — displays his superiority over the native 

 of Africa is in the quickness and accuracy with 

 which he is enabled to gauge the shallower mental 

 capacity of the negro, and to profit by the in- 

 decision of the African's slower-working mind. 

 He possesses, in addition, no small amount of 

 personal dignity, which also goes far to impress 

 the native, always susceptible to influences wielded 

 by individuals whose customs and manners of life he 

 only partly comprehends. These two advantages 

 have in the past enabled natives of both British 

 and Portuguese India to accumulate considerable 

 wealth in the JNIozambique Province generally, and 

 especially in the district known as Zambezia, where 

 they are especially numerous. It is indeed sur- 

 prising to note how in the older settlements of 

 the Province such as Ibo, Mozambique, Parapat, 

 and Quelimane, the Indian merchant and trader 

 has succeeded in securing so large a proportion of 

 the native traffic. His Eastern costume of flowing 

 white, and the pleasing glitter of his gold- 

 embroidered cap and waistcoat, add an Oriental 

 touch to the African settlements which goes far 

 to heighten their not invariable picturesqueness, 

 and doubtless duly impresses the native mind with 

 the superiority of the Asiatic both inwardly and 

 outwardly. The habits of these men are the last 

 word of frugality, in some cases almost amounting 

 to asceticism. Their food consists chiefly of rice 



