A white man would not fall in with their ideas--would not be trustworthy.

The man they wanted should be rich, unscrupulous, have many followers, and be a well-known personality in the islands.

Such a man might be found amongst the Arab traders.
Lingard's jealousy, said Babalatchi, kept all the traders out of the river.

Some were afraid, and some did not know how to get there; others ignored the very existence of Sambir; a good many did not think it worth their while to run the risk of Lingard's enmity for the doubtful advantage of trade with a comparatively unknown settlement.

The great majority were undesirable or untrustworthy.