carries with him his harem, his religion, his long robe, his shirt,
his slippers, and his dagger. If he penetrates Africa, not all the
ridicule of the negroes can make him change his modes of life. Yet
the land has not become Oriental; the Arab has not been able to
change the atmosphere. The land is semi-African in aspect; the
city is but semi-Arabian.

To a new-comer into Africa, the Muscat Arabs of Zanzibar are
studies. There is a certain empressement about them which we must
admire. They are mostly all travellers. There are but few of
them who have not been in many dangerous positions, as they
penetrated Central Africa in search of the precious ivory; and
their various experiences have given their features a certain
unmistakable air of-self-reliance, or of self-sufficiency; there
is a calm, resolute, defiant, independent air about them, which
wins unconsciously one's respect. The stories that some of these
men could tell, I have often thought, would fill many a book of
thrilling adventures.

For the half-castes I have great contempt. They are neither
black nor white, neither good nor bad, neither to be admired nor
hated. They are all things, at all times; they are always
fawning on the great Arabs, and always cruel to those unfortunates
brought under their yoke. If I saw a miserable, half-starved
negro, I was always sure to be told he belonged to a half-caste.
Cringing and hypocritical, cowardly and debased, treacherous and
mean, I have always found him. He seems to be for ever ready to
fall down and worship a rich Arab, but is relentless to a poor
black slave. When he swears most, you may be sure he lies most,
and yet this is the breed which is multiplied most at Zanzibar.