chap, v.] OBTUSENESS OF NATIVES . 241 
take their molotes and cattle ; you keep the cattle, and 
I will have the molotes/* I asked him whether the 
village was in an enemy’s country ? “ Oh no O’ he 
replied, “it is close here; hut the people are rather 
rebellious, and it will do them good to kill a few, and 
to take their molotes. If you are afraid, never mind, 
I will ask the Turks to do it.” Thus forbearance on 
my part was supposed to be caused from weakness, 
and it was difficult to persuade them that it originated 
in a feeling of justice. This Adda most coolly pro¬ 
posed that we should plunder one of his own villages 
that was rather too “ liberal ” in its views. Nothing 
is more heartbreaking than to be so thoroughly mis¬ 
understood, and the obtuseness of the savages was such, 
that I never could make them understand the existence 
of good principle;—their one idea was “ power,”—force 
that could obtain all—the strong hand that could 
wrest from the weak. In disgust I frequently noted 
the feelings of the moment in my journal—a memo¬ 
randum from which I copy as illustrative of the 
time. “ 1863, 10th April, Latooka: I wish the black 
sympathisers in England could see Africa’s inmost 
heart as I do, much of their sympathy would subside. 
Human nature viewed in its crude state as pictured 
amongst African savages is quite on a level with that 
of the brute, and not to be compared with the noble 
VOL. T. R 
