ISLAM EXTORTION. 25 



and three or four of the brig's people murdered. 

 The Indian Government rewarded him munificently 

 at the time for his generous interference ; and since 

 then, finding him honest, intelligent, and grateful, 

 they have always patronised him, allowing him in 

 our eastern parts the privilege of a British subject, 

 with liberty to hoist our flag in his bogaloivs. He 

 is now our native agent in all transactions with the 

 Soumaulee inhabitants of Berberah and Zeila. By 

 his industry and enterprise he has become the 

 richest man along this coast ; nor is there scarcely 

 a prince or petty chief in the adjoining countries 

 who is not indebted to this African Rothschild. 



We rested ourselves upon the only piece of furni- 

 ture in the mat-walled room, a rude couch of wood 

 with a bottom of interlaced palm-leaf rope, covered 

 with a coarse Arab carpet of as many colours as 

 Joseph's jacket. We refused to take any refreshment, 

 and sent immediately for the articles we wanted. As 

 usual, the Islam spirit of despoiling the Christian 

 exhibited itself in the exorbitant demands of the 

 Arab merchants, but which in this case was 

 defeated by the prompt interference of Shurmalkee, 

 who dismissed them very summarily as much to 

 ours as to their surprise. As soon as they were gone, 

 however, he explained the cause, and promised to 

 obtain the things himself, before we went on board, 

 at half the price that had been demanded, desiring 

 us not to take any further trouble about them, but 

 to proceed at once to view the town, at the same 



