Kasenge islet inadvertently made a general
statement thus: "The mothers of these savage people have infinitely less
affection than many savage beasts of my acquaintance. I have seen a
mother bear, galled by frequent shots, obstinately meet her death by
repeatedly returning under fire whilst endeavouring to rescue her young
from the grasp of intruding men. But here, for a simple loin-cloth or
two, human mothers eagerly exchanged their little offspring, delivering
them into perpetual bondage to my Beluch soldiers."--_Speke_, pp. 234,5.
For the sake of the little story of "a bear mother," Speke made a
general assertion on a very small and exceptional foundation. Frequent
inquiries among the most intelligent and far-travelled Arabs failed to
find confirmation of this child-selling, except in the very rare case of
a child cutting the upper front teeth before the under, and because this
child is believed to be "moiko" (_unlucky_), and certain to bring death
into the family. It is called an Arab child, and sold to the first Arab,
or even left at his door. This is the only case the Arabs know of
child-selling. Speke had only two Beluch soldiers with him, and the idea
that they loaded themselves with infants, at once stamps the tale as
fabulous. He may have seen one sold, an extremely rare and exceptional
case; but the inferences drawn are just like that of the Frenchman who
thought the English so partial to suicide in November, that they might
be seen suspended from trees in the common highways.

In crossing Tanganyika three several times I was detained at the islet
Kasenge about ten weeks in all. On each occasion Arab traders were
present, all eager to buy slaves, but none were offered, and they
assured me that they had never seen the habit alleged to exist by Speke,
though they had heard of the "unlucky" cases referred to. Everyone has
known of poor little foundlings in England, but our mothers are not
credited with less affection than she-bears.

I would say to missionaries, Come on, brethren, to the real heathen. You
have no idea how brave you are till you try. Leaving the coast tribes,
and devoting yourselves heartily to the savages, as they are called, you
will find, with some drawbacks and wickednesses, a very great deal to
admire and love. Many statements made about them require confirmation.
You will never see women selling their infants: the Arabs never did, nor
have I. An assertion of the kind was made by mistake.