ess. A marked difference in general
conduct was apparent. The Makololo, and other natives of the country,
whom we had with us, invariably shared with each other the food they had
cooked, but the Johanna men partook of their meals at a distance. This,
at first, we attributed to their Moslem prejudices; but when they saw the
cooking process of the others nearly complete, they came, sat beside
them, and ate the portion offered without ever remembering to return the
compliment when their own turn came to be generous. The Makololo and the
others grumbled at their greediness, yet always followed the common
custom of Africans of sharing their food with all who sit around them.
What vexed us most in the Johanna men was their indifference to the
welfare of each other. Once, when they were all coming to the ship after
sleeping ashore, one of them walked into the water with the intention of
swimming off to the boat, and while yet hardly up to his knees was seized
by a horrid crocodile and dragged under; the poor fellow gave a shriek,
and held up his hand for aid, but none of his countrymen stirred to his
assistance, and he was never seen again. On asking his brother-in-law
why he did not help him, he replied, "Well, no one told him to go into
the water. It was his own fault that he was killed." The Makololo on
the other hand rescued a woman at Senna by entering the water, and taking
her out of the crocodile's mouth.

It is not assumed that their religion had much to do in the matter. Many
Mohammedans might contrast favourably with indifferent Christians; but,
so far as our experience in East Africa goes, the moral tone of the
follower of Mahomed is pitched at a lower key than that of the untutored
African. The ancient zeal for propagating the tenets of the Koran has
evaporated, and been replaced by the most intense selfishness and
grossest sensuality. The only known efforts made by Mohammedans, namely,
those in the North-West and North of the continent, are so linked with
the acquisition of power and plunder, as not to deserve the name of
religious propagandism; and the only religion that now makes proselytes
is that of Jesus Christ. To those who are capable of taking a
comprehensive view of this subject, nothing can be adduced of more
telling significance than the well-attested fact, that while the
Mohammedans, Fulahs, and others towards Central Africa, make a few
proselytes by a process which gratifies their own covet