Life at Ribe, 
139 
Swine's flesh in every form is an abomination to the 
Muhammadan, even to the slave ; so also is all other 
meat, not killed by Muhammadan hands, and in Mu- 
hammadan fashion. It is necessary, first, that the 
animal should be bled ; secondly, that its throat be 
turned towards Mecca ; and thirdly, that the words 
'^Allahu Akbar, Muhammad rusul Allah," (God is 
great, and Muhammad is his prophet) be repeated by 
the butcher ; otherwise the meat is unclean. It is 
very amusing to see with what care these matters are 
attended to, while the commonest requirements of 
morality are altogether ignored. 
So we found our Muhammadan cook was not dis- 
posed to prepare everything we would have eaten, 
and what he would take in hand he generally marred. 
When our supplies have been best we have often 
fared the worst, simply because there has been more 
to spoil, and Africans never spoil things by halves. 
Sometimes we have tried to effect an improvement, 
and have injudiciously raised our expectations, but 
at such times we have been most miserably dis- 
appointed. After fever, too, when appetite returns, 
the mind often fixes itself upon some old dish that 
used to be enjoyed in days gone by, and you feel, if 
you could get it, you would enjoy that ; but then 
comes the blank, the everlasting hakuna " (there is 
not) of the country ; it is not to be had, ^nd you have 
to abandon the desire in despair. 
It is clear then that pleasure in such a place as 
Ribe is not to be found in aught else but your work. 
This comprises almost every imaginable variety of 
occupation. Your object is the good of the people, 
and anything that will contribute to that end is cheer- 
