AARON AND ELISHEBA 



135 



However, my sympathies for the devoted little 

 Aaron were too strong for me to permit him to be 

 imposed upon by a rival, who was twice as big and 

 three times as strong as he was, so I took him and 

 Elisheba away on the after deck, where they had a 

 ofood time alone. 



Elisheba was never very much devoted to me, 

 but in the early part of her career she began to realise 

 the fact that I was her master and her friend. She 

 had no gratitude in her nature, but she had sense 

 enough to see that all her food and comfort were due 

 to me, and as a matter of policy she became submis- 

 sive, but never tractable. She was doubtless a 

 plebeian among her own race, and was not capable 

 •of being brought up to a high standard of culture. 

 She could not be controlled by kindness alone, for 

 she was by nature sordid and perverse. I was 

 never cruel or severe in dealing with her, but it was 

 necessary to be strict and firm. Her poor health, 

 however, often caused me to indulge her in whims 

 that otherwise would have brought her under a more 

 rigid discipline ; and the patient conduct of Aaron 

 appeared to be tempered by the same consideration. 



