160 JEALOUSY NOT MAINLY AFRICAN. Chap. VI. 



before yon, and I shall come and see yon plough." This 

 again was substantially what took place, when Mr. Moffat 

 introduced the missionaries to his old friend, and shows 

 still further that the notion of losing their country by 

 admitting foreigners does not come as the first idea to the 

 native mind. One might imagine that, as mechanical 

 powers are unknown to the heathen, the almost magic 

 operations of machinery, the discoveries of modern science 

 and art, or the presence of the prodigious force which, for 

 instance, is associated with the sight of a man-of-war, 

 would have the effect which miracles once had of arresting 

 the attention and inspiring 'awe. But, though we have 

 heard the natives exclaim in admiration at the sight of 

 even small illustrations of what science enables us to do 

 — " Ye are gods, and not men " — the heart is unaffected. 

 In attempting their moral elevation, it is always more 

 conducive to the end desired, that the teacher should 

 come unaccompanied by any power to cause either jealousy 

 or fear. The heathen, who have not become aware of the 

 greed and hate which too often characterize the advancing 

 tide of emigration, listen with most attention to the 

 message of Divine love when delivered by men who 

 evidently possess the same human sympathies with them- 

 selves. A chief is rather envied his good fortune in first 

 securing foreigners in his town. Jealousy of strangers 

 belongs more to the Arab than to the African character ; 

 and if the women are let alone by the traveller, no danger 

 need be apprehended from any save the slave-trading 

 tribes, and not often even from them. 



We passed through a fertile country, covered with 

 open forest, accompanied by the friendly Bawe. They 

 are very hospitable ; many of them were named, among 

 themselves, " the Baenda pezi," or " Go-nakeds," their 

 only clothing being a coat of red ochre. Occasionally 

 stopping at their villages we were duly lullilooed, and 



