SAID BIN SALIM GOES TO THE BAD. 



383 



" point d'appui" the coast, the more independent be- 

 came his manner, — of course it afterwards subsided 

 into its former civility, — and an overpowering egotism 

 formed the motive of his every action. I had impru- 

 dently allowed him to be accompanied by the charming 

 Halimah. True to his servile origin, he never seemed 

 happy except in servile society, where he was " king of 

 his company. " At Kazeh, jealous of my regard for 

 Snay bin Amir, and wearied by long evening conversa- 

 tions, where a little " ilm " or knowledge in the shape 

 of history and divinity used to appear, — his ignorance 

 and apathy concerning all things but A. bin B>, and B. 

 bin C, who married his son D. to the daughter of E., pre- 

 vented his taking part in them, — he became first sulky, 

 and then " contrarious." Formerly he was wont, on 

 the usual occasions, to address a word of salutation to 

 my companion : this ceased, and presently he would pass 

 him as if he had been a bale of cloth. He affected in 

 society the indecorous posture of a European woman 

 stretched upon a sofa, after crouching for months upon 

 his shins, — in fact he was, as the phrase is, " trailing 

 his jacket" for a quarrel. 



Through timidity he had been profuse in expending 

 the goods entrusted to his charge, and he had been re- 

 peatedly reproved for serving out, without permission, 

 cloth and beads to his children. Yet, before reach- 

 Unyanyembe, I never had reason to suspect him of dis- 

 honesty or deceit. At Kazeh, however, he was ordered 

 to sell a keg of gunpowder, before his slaves could pur- 

 loin the whole. He reported that he had passed on 

 the commission to Snay bin Amir. I also forbade him 

 to issue hire to porters for a return-march from the 

 Lake, having been informed that such was the best way 

 to secure their desertion ; and the information proved 



