178 GENERAL SIR CHARLES WARREN, G.C.M.G._, F.K.S., ON 



Our Desert Cook and his Brother. 



The cook I employed in the desert was half-brother to one of 

 the principal murderers for whom we were looking, and who 

 was eventually convicted and executed ; and the employment of 

 this cook caused me many remonstrances from amongst those 

 Europeans who did not understand the customs of the Bedouin. 



In the first place, this murder was not wholly approved 

 amongst the Bedouin, as there was a smack of disregard of 

 ancient usage about it. It was a doubtful case, and not 

 entirely in keeping w^ith the laws of hospitality, which are the 

 first laws of all primitive people — need I say of all people who 

 have any religion. In the second place, I knew that our cook 

 did not entirely approve of his brother, and that if he had the 

 moral courage to stay with us, we should be comparatively safe 

 from poison, which was our principal danger. This is how I 

 looked at it. The cook knew that if we were poisoned he 

 would be deemed guilty, and would be hunted down with the 

 others ; whereas if he acted in good faith he might in some 

 manner help his brother. Of course, after his brother was 

 executed there was an end of the matter ; he had admitted his 

 guilt, and the cook could serve us with a clear conscience. My 

 view was that the cook, knowing that he would be suspected, 

 would take every precaution against anyone else poisoning us, 

 and so I looked upon his being a safeguard instead of a danger. 

 I mention this case because it shows how differently the 

 subject can be looked at — of course, as there were other lives 

 than my own concerned, I had to convince the authorities on 

 the spot that I had reason on my side, and they took a practical 

 view of all these matters. 



In all countries outside civilization one has to guard against 

 poison in food, and sometimes one has to take very odd 

 precautions. 



At Suakim, where I was Governor in 1886, I found at 

 Government House convicts of the deepest dye told off as our 

 official servants and boatmen, and I chose a well-known 

 poisoner to make the coffee, which is always served to visitors, 

 and I did this as a precaution against poisoning. The face of 

 the Chief Civil Intelligence Officer may be imagined when he 

 was first served with coffee by the hands of such a convict, but 

 when I gave my reason he quite agreed with me. Of course, as 

 the host I had, in accordance with ancient custom, always to 

 drink before my guests, and I may say I was not unmindful of 

 the convict, who always drank the first cup of coffee of each brew ! 



