280 EXISTING SETTLERS 



with a small quantity of curry. Weak tea is the 

 favourite beverage, all form of alcohol being 

 carefully avoided as being contrary to the teachings 

 of the great prophet of their faith. During the 

 whole of the month of October, the feast of 

 Ramadan, they fast from dawn until evening, not 

 even drinking water until the sun has disappeared. 

 It is at this season of the year that their very 

 interesting and not unpicturesque festival pro- 

 cessions, to which I have made some reference 

 in the early portion of this chapter, take place. 

 Another valuable characteristic which the Indian 

 possesses is his unceasing activity. There is 

 probably no more hard-working or patient trades- 

 man engaged in commerce. From an early hour 

 until nine or ten o'clock at night, his doors are 

 open to custom. Recreation as we understand it 

 he disdains, pleasure for him consisting chiefly in 

 counting his gains and estimating his often not 

 inconsiderable profits. E\en the small boys of 

 eight or nine years of age are rarely if ever to be 

 seen amusing themsehes as do those of other races. 

 Already assisting their parents in the shops, they 

 have even at this early age assumed that air of 

 grave responsibility which clings to them through 

 life like their own shadows. 



From the foregoing it will have been seen that 

 the Zambezi Valley is very largely frequented by 

 Indians, chiefly of the trading classes. On the 

 recently completed railway from Port Herald to 

 Blantyre the employment is, I understand, con- 

 templated of a considerable number of natives of 

 India, to replace certain of the more expensive 



