514 AFRICANS THE BETTER MEN. Chap. XXV. 



quasi philanthropist would certainly never need to recom- 

 mend the followers of Islam, whom we have met, to restrain 

 their benevolence by preaching that " Charity should begin at 

 home." 



Though Selele and his companions were bound to their 

 masters by domestic ties, the only new idea they had imbibed 

 from Mohammedanism was, that it would be wrong to eat meat 

 killed by other people. They thought it would be " un- 

 lucky." Just as the inhabitants of Kolobeng, before being 

 taught the requirements of Christianity, refrained from 

 hoeing their gardens on Sundays, lest they should reap an 

 unlucky crop. So far as we could learn, no efforts had been 

 made to convert the natives, though these two Arabs, and 

 about a dozen half-castes, had been in the country for 

 many years ; and judging from our experience with a dozen 

 Mohammedans in our employ at high wages for sixteen months, 

 the Africans would be the better men in proportion as they 

 retained their native faith. This may appear only a harsh 

 judgment from a mind imbued with Christian prejudices ; 

 but without any pretension to that impartiality, which leaves 

 it doubtful to which side the affections lean, the truth may 

 be fairly stated by one who viewed all Mohammedans and 

 Africans with the sincerest good will. 



Our twelve Mohammedans from Johanna were the least 

 open of any of our party to impression from kindness. A 

 marked difference in general conduct was apparent. The 

 Makololo, and other natives of the country, whom we had 

 with us, invariably shared with each other the food they had 

 cooked, but the Johanna men partook of their meals at a 

 distance. This, at first, we attributed to their Moslem pre- 

 judices ; but when they saw the cooking process of the others 

 nearly complete, they came, sat beside them, and ate the 

 portion offered without ever remembering to return the 



