Whatever may be the cause of it--better food, a different legislation or
climate, or contact with other nations--the suggestive fact remains, that
the more objectionable idiosyncrasies of the Maltese, Corsicans and
Sicilians become diluted on African soil. Can it be the mere change from
an island to a continent? There may be some truth in Bourget's "oppression
des iles." _Insulani semper mali_, says an old Latin proverb....
"Do you know," the gaitered young ex-farmer was saying--"do you know how
many French _colons_ there are in the whole regency? Eight or nine
hundred, drowned in an ocean of Arabs, who own the land. And that's what
we call settling a country. The Americans knew better when they cleared
out the redskins! And how do the English manage in India? Why, they shoot
them--_piff-paff_: it's done! That's the way to colonize (looking
approvingly at me)--_supprimez l'indigene_! A nation cannot condescend to
the idealistic ravings of an individual."
I observed that I had never heard of that method being actually adopted in
India.
"You say that, Monsieur, because you fear it sounds a little drastic.
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