%^^^ V' ♦ ^ ■ " A P- *' '■'■ .■ 'h, O .S-^> c9' . tN' (>• » •* ' c 'fU. ■■ '^if- .^^^■' » <>. .A A>' ■'.r: S 5 'OO^ .0- c " ^ '• « ^ ^ ^.s^ °/. * '. s o ' s^^ -^ .0 0, '. \- 1 ' C i '''. ..^ o. v '■ ■V ' a\ a'^' x^^ ,0 O, .i'" X ° "^ * ^ ^-s- rP' •',.^^' * ' /^^ .-^"^ .V * o.. /y>t-, 0- .'..c^:^...'. '-^^ ^^^'^ .v^ .H -^ci vOO. r. y .<;■ ""<>• .^^^'' ^ S '' ^ / 'A^ ..-^ . ■0- o 0^ O. * -°'.,-'c 1 s" % •o- >^^ . I ' « « -}.- X />^^.''. • • » '/:. ■^. * 3 K ^ "^ -^ « ». ■* 'O --' ' » ft - \ • ' '"^^ v^ THROUGH JUBALAND TO THE LORIAN SWAMP A Typical Bush Somali .,nJ^^\V-^r^lV"']-i ''''°';^^ '^^ ,'"''"°' °J J"^?'?"d '" ="d'«'= search of water and pasture for their restless ^ife ""' ""^ '"'' P"" °"'^ '" '"■"■'^' ='"'^ freedom only in a THROUGH JUBALAND TO THE LORIAN SWAMP AN ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION 6^ SPORT IN THE UNKNOWN AFRICAN FORESTS d^ DESERTS OF JUBALAND TO THE UNEXPLORED LORIAN SWAMP BY I. N. DRACOPOLI WITH 44 ILLUSTRATIONS &- 2 MAPS PHILADELPHIA J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY LONDON : SEELEY, SERVICE &-> CO. LD. 1914 tK •i-C^fi'C y THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO MY MOTHER TO WHOSE ENCOURAGEMENT AND HELP I OWE EVERYTHING. " Alors il se rappela de ces strophes du po^te : " Pars, ami, quitte tout et pars ! Tu trouveras bien d'autres amis que ceux que tu laisses. Va ! sors des maisons et dresse tes tentes. Habite sous la tente. C'est Ik, et rien que \k, qu'habitent les delices de la vie. "Dans les demeures stables et civilisdes, il n'y a point de ferveur, il n'y a point d'amiti^. Crois- moi ! fuis ta patrie, et enfonce-toi dans les pays du lointain profond." Histoire du beau Hassan Badreddine. PREFACE In a few years the days of adventurous exploration in Africa will have passed, and the darkness that enshrouded that continent at the end of last century will have melted away. With the spread of civiliza- tion, which ultimately, no doubt, brings peace and prosperity, the interesting customs and habits of the primitive tribes must change, giving place to new, and so brief is this period of transition, that within a short space almost all traces of the old are obliterated. Jubaland is an unexplored country. Its inhabi- tants are living to-day in the same fashion that their forefathers lived centuries ago. Its wild animals roam undisturbed over its wide and silent plains, or lie unmolested in the shadow of its bush. But this state of affairs cannot last. In a few years all will be different, and Jubaland will be unrecognizable. In the following pages I have attempted to record my impressions of the lives and habits of its people and its game, before the Somali and the Borana become civilized and the wild animals are driven out and finally exterminated. The explorer who enters for the first time an unknown country about which there is nothing but native information on which to depend, is at once 7 PREFACE faced by a variety of problems as interesting as they are generally complex ; he can only hope, by record- ing the plain and sober facts which he has collected, to create some kind of foundation, as it were, upon which future travellers may build, until our knowledge of' such regions is complete. I have not attempted in this book to deal with many of these problems, interesting though they are, since I do not feel qualified to do so. But as far as time and circum- stances permitted, I paid special attention during my journey to the geography, the natives and the natural history of the country I traversed, and my object in pres_enting the results of my observations in the following pages, is the hope of adding something, however small, to the sum of human knowledge. My best thanks are due to Captain R. E. Sal- keld for the valuable assistance he gave me in Juba- land ; to the Hon. K. R. Dundas for his kindness and hospitality ; to the Director of Surveys at Nairobi for providing me with the latest maps and valuable geographical data concerning Kismayu and the adjacent country ; to the Council of the Royal Geographical Society for the loan of scientific instru- ments ; to Mr. F. Elliott for giving me much infor- mation as regards the Somali language and the meaning of native names ; and to my brother-in-law, Mr. Eric Corbett, for reading and correcting my manuscript. In Chapter II., I have drawn freely from Captain Stigand's book, The Land of Zinj, for information concerning the early history of Lamu, and I have PREFACE constantly referred to Mr. R. Lydekker's Game Animals of Africa in writing the chapters on Hunter's Hartebeeste, and the big game of Jubaland. All the photographs, from which the illustrations were made, were taken by myself, except the three on page 138, which were given me by Mr. F. Elliott. I should indeed be ungrateful if I did not mention my great indebtedness to Mr. E. A. Reeves, the Map Curator and Instructor to the Royal Geo- graphical Society. It is to his tuition and constant help and encouragement that I owe whatever measure of success I may have obtained in geographical surveying. I. N. DRACOPOLI. London, 1913. CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE British East Africa . . . . . .17 CHAPTER II By Sea to Lamu ....... 28 CHAPTER III KlSMAYU AND THE JUBA RiVER . . . . .38 CHAPTER IV A Short Expedition across the Dibayu Plains . . 49 CHAPTER V Final Preparations and Start from Kismayu . . 60 CHAPTER VI A Chapter of Accidents . . . . . .71 CHAPTER VII A New River . . . . . . .81 CHAPTER VIII The Arrola, or Hunter's Hartebeeste . .^ -94 CHAPTER IX Hunting in Joreh . . .... 103 CHAPTER X More Arrola and a New Zebra . . . .114 II CONTENTS CHAPTER XI FAGB Across the Wilderness . . . . . .126 CHAPTER XII Some Notes on the Somali , . . . .137 CHAPTER XIII Further Notes on the Somali. . . . -147 CHAPTER XIV The Discovery of Gulola Swamp . . . -159 CHAPTER XV Into the Unknown . . . . . .171 CHAPTER XVI The Lak Dera . . . . . . .182 CHAPTER XVII From the Haryel Plains to the Lorian Swamp . . 192 CHAPTER XVIII Plain and Swamp ....... 202 CHAPTER XIX A Land of Mirage ...... 213 CHAPTER XX The Borana . . . . . . . .225 CHAPTER XXI Marti Plateau ....... 236 CHAPTER XXII The Big Game of Jubaland and the Lorian . . 247 12 CONTENTS CHAPTER XXIII PAGE The Uaso Nyiro between Marti Plateau and Archer's 258 Post ........ CHAPTER XXIV Some Notes on the Camel ..... 269 CHAPTER XXV Back to Civilisation ...... 279 CHAPTER XXVI Hints on Outfit ....... 287 APPENDIX A Summary of the Geographical Results of the Expedition 300 APPENDIX B Climate ........ 307 APPENDIX C List of Trade Goods . . . . . .308 APPENDIX D The Native Names of Animals .... 310 Index. . , . . . . . .313 13 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS A Typical Bush Somali . Natives at Mazeras Station A Native Bazaar in the Highlands . KiSMAYU ..... Ancient Ruins at Gondal A Flat-topped Conifer . Swimming my Camels across the Juba River Our Guide . . . . , The Lak Guran at Shimbirleh An Ogaden War Dance . The Arrola. .... Oryx Beisa ..... A Water- Hole in Joreh . Topi ...... A Marabou Stork .... Loading a Camel with the Water Tanks A Somali Woman .... A Somali Girl .... An Ogaden War Dance . Somali Cattle .... Somali Warriors preparing for a Dance A Somali Hut .... Somali Ghee Spoons 14 Frontispiece FACING PAGE 22 32 40 40 50 64 72 82 92 98 104 108 120 132 138 138 138 144 144 148 156 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS The Back of a Handle of a Ghee Spoon Three Different Styles of Hair Combs A Remarkable Wooden Sleeping Pillow A Loaded Bullock A Typical Camp Scene . LiBOYi Swamp . . . ' . A Large Ant-heap near the Lak Dera A Water-pan in the Desert My Headman, Dahir Omar In the Lorian Swamp The Second Lorian Swamp The Uaso Nyiro above Marti Plateau A Borana Water-Bottle A Borana Milk-Pail An Observation Station on Marti Plateau Telephotograph of some Vultures Grevy's Zebra The Impalla Camels resting at Midday A Study in Discontent . Loading a Camel . FACING PAGE 156 160 168 184 188 200 208 217 217 232 232 244 248 256 256 264 264 276 MAPS PAGE Sketch Map of Jubaland, showing Distribution of Game 16 Map of portion of British East Africa . , .312 15 THROUGH JUBALAND TO THE LORIAN SWAMP CHAPTER I BRITISH EAST AFRICA British East Africa is inevitably associated in the minds of most people with the Uganda Railway. The words conjure up a picture of what has been advertised as "Nature's Zoo" — of lions, rhinoceros and giraffes wandering across the track which winds its way through a fertile and wonderful country from the coast up to the highlands, the so-called " health resort of British East Africa," where rich sportsmen pass a few hurried weeks during the winter, shooting big game within comfortable reach of Nairobi. Even in a recent series of special articles on the country, which appeared in the Times, no attention was paid to any other part of the Protectorate than that which borders on the railway. Yet if the reader will but glance at a map, he will see that in size that is but an insignificant portion of British East Africa. Far away from Nairobi, beyond the snowy heights of Kenya, lies a land still imperfectly known, stretching away to Abyssinia in the north and to the Juba River in the east. There are still fully 100,000 square B 17 UNEXPLORED COUNTRY miles of unexplored country, chiefly in the eastern portion of these regions ; but a great deal of attention has been paid by explorers during the last few years to the interesting country immediately to the south of the Abyssinian frontier, and to the lava-strewn plateau between Lake Rudolf and Marsabit, The former was first surveyed by Captain Maud, R.E., in 1902-3, and again in 1908-9 by Major Gwynn. In 1895 Dr. Donaldson Smith explored the volcanic regions east of Lake Rudolf, which were crossed by Count Eduard Wickenburg in 1901, and again described by Captain Stigand in his book, To Abyssinia throtigh an Unknown Land. In 1909 Mr. G. F. Archer carried out the first scientific ex- ploration of this part of British East Africa, and extended the triangulation of the Survey Department from Mount Kenya to Kulal, near Lake Rudolf, where he joined on to Major Gwynn's work. The detail work has been filled in by Mr. Archer, Captain Stigand, Mr. A. C. Hoey and Mr. N. C. Cockburn, and with the exception of the country round the Matthews range, the western portion of the Northern Frontier District is now mapped with a fair degree of accuracy. It was in May 1909 that the Government decided to occupy effectively the country lying between the Juba River and Lake Rudolf, south of the Abyssinian frontier, though previously an agent had been ap- pointed by the British Minister in Abyssinia to watch our interests until the Boundary question had been definitely settled. An effective administration of this territory was deemed advisable in order to check intertribal warfare and to protect the Borana, who were living in the Protectorate, and were friendly, from the lawless raiding parties from Abyssinia. l8 EFFECTIVE OCCUPATION Moreover, it was hoped that if direct communication could be opened between the settled parts of the Protectorate and the rich cattle districts in the vicinity of Moyale in southern Abyssinia a lucrative trade would ensue. By degrees military outposts were formed at Ngabotok, Kulal, Marsabit, Moyale, Wajheir and Sarrenleh, and a great improvement has been made, so that travelling has been rendered perfectly safe, at any rate in the western portion. This northern country is still a "closed district"; that is to say, that although conditions are satisfactory and on the whole peaceful, it is considered inadvisable as yet to throw it open to settlers and traders, and a special permission from the authorities is necessary to enable the traveller to enter it. This large stretch of country is divided by a provisional line, drawn from the junction of the Daua and Juba Rivers to the Lorian Swamp and passing immediately to the east of Eil Wak, into two portions known respectively as the Northern Frontier District on the west and Juba- land on the east. Jubaland is bounded on the east by the Juba River, beyond which is Italian Somaliland, on the south-east by the Indian Ocean, and on the south by an imaginary line drawn from the Lorian Swamp to the Bajun settlement of Kiunga on the coast. To the south of this line is the province of Tanaland. I have already mentioned the western boundary of Jubaland, which I have reason to believe will shortly be altered in order to include Wajheir. While no large expeditions have been engaged in exploring Northern Jubaland, much good work has been done there by officers in the King's African Rifles, and by members of the administrative force in the course of their travels. The late Lieutenant 19 GALLA AND SOMALI TRIBES rim er, who was killed in the early part of this year )y Abyssinian poachers, was the first to investigate M / this unknown region, and in two papers contributed to the Geographical Journal he threw some light on the general hydrography of the country. But the southern half of Jubaland and the northern part of Tanaland, that is to say, the country between the Tana River and the Lak Dera, has been totally neglected, and still remains almost completely unknown. Westwards of 41° 30' E., as far as the Lorian, no white man had ever penetrated until I crossed it this year. ** One problem not yet solved is that of the continuation of the Uaso Nyiro," was a statement made by Mr. F. R. Cana in an admirable summary of the unknown regions of Africa in 1911,^ and he continues : " It is highly desirable that the mountains, rivers and lakes of this part of East Africa should be made known with certainty. The country is inhabited by wild Galla and Somali tribes, and most of it is a semi-arid bush-land, but the soil is rich and there are many areas beside that above Lorian suitable for cultivation." It was to solve this problem and to add as much as possible to our knowledge of the country lying between the Lorian Swamp and the Indian Ocean that I undertook the journey that I am about to describe in the following pages. Before I do so, however, it is advisable to define these problems at greater length, and to give some account of what was already known of the Lorian, The Uaso Nyiro, which means in the Masai language "the brown river," rises in the Aberdare 1 Geographical Journal, November 191 1, " Problems of Exploration : Africa," by F. R. Cana. 20 e^ THE UASO NYIRO Mountains, and is known at first as the Uaso Narok until it is joined on the Laikipia Plateau by the Ngare Nyuki, which flows down from the western slopes of Kenya. Together they turn north and then almost due east, and known now as the Uaso Nyiro it flows for over 350 miles, until it enters a huge bed of reeds known as the Lorian Swamp. The position of the western end of the swamp has generally been given on the various maps of East Africa as in latitude 1° N., longitude 39° ^i^' E,, and this is approximately correct, but Mr. C. W. Hay- wood placed it nearly forty miles farther east in his sketch map published in the Geographical Journal, May 191 3. It was first discovered by Chanler and von Hohnel, who reported it to be apparently of great extent and filled with high reeds ; ^ they further stated that it occasionally overflowed, and sent its waters farther east. In 1901 Count Wickenburg passed it and found no stream emerging from its eastern edge ; ^ Colonel Broun, who reached it in 1905, corroborates this statement. He remained there two days, and says : " Most unfortunately, the small quantity of food left for my porters did not (,^, /(^ justify a longer stay. . . . What was seen was an immense bed of reeds twelve feet higrh and no open water. . . . My guide . . . said he was clear that . no water flowed out of the swamp from any point on r1 its circum,ference. He was questioned closely on that 4^v? point." ^ Mr. C. W. Haywood, however, who, after an interesting journey from Kismayu along the ^ Through Jungle and Forest, by W. A. Chanler. ^ Geographical Journal, February 1902. ^ Ibid. January 1906, "A Journey to the Lorian Swamp," Lieutj^^jaL- \^JlJBroun. "^ 21 THE UASO NYIRO Somali trade route to Wajheir, reached the Lorian at the height of the dry season, states: "... the Uaso Nyiro runs out of this swamp in a fairly large stream and then flows in a south-easterly direction for about thirty miles, when it reaches a swamp known as * Ururaha.' Here the river splits up into little swamps running off in different directions like the fingers of a hand and gradually trickles out in a tiny stream a few feet in width and about six inches in depth. This runs on for about ten miles, gradually dwindling until it eventually dries up entirely near Marer Koh,^ where the dry watercourse known as Lak Dera, which runs down in the direction of Afmadu, commences. I had not time to follow this course, but there is no doubt it is well defined. . . ."^ Mr. Haywood has obviously confused the main Lorian Swamp with an extensive shallow depression covered with grass and surrounded by jungle, and crossed by three shallow channels situated on the right bank of the Uaso Nyiro, and which the Borana call Melka Gela. He has called it Jaffa-wein, but this is the name applied by the natives to the southern side of the bed of reeds, which forms the main swamp. There are several other points in his description of it with which, I am afraid, I entirely disagree, but I shall have more to say about them in dealing with the Lorian in the course of my narrative. Another description is as follows : " . . . the E. Uaso Nyiro was very low, and was not running into the swamp, but formed a long series of dis- connected pools. These pools, some as much as two ^ Probably the same place as I mention under the name of Madoleh. ^Geographical Journal^ May 1913, "The Lorian Swamp," C. H. Haywood. ''^' 22 A SOLID MASS OF FISH miles in length, were practically a solid mass of myriads of fish, mostly siluroids, and often running up to 30 lb. in weight. From the photographs shown the numbers of the fish were incredible. No water could be seen from bank to bank, nothing but millions of fish packed as close as could be, but all alive. There were more fish than water. In some pools the crocodiles appear to have collected, and half a dozen of these saurians could be seen lying packed in a pool not more than 15 feet across. Just before the traveller left the swamp the river was beginning to rise, rain having evidently fallen at the head-waters of the river." ^ This curious and interesting account was con- firmed in a conversation I had recently with Mr. W. N. Macmillan, the well-known African sportsman and traveller, who had witnessed a similar scene. Such are a few of the accounts given by big-game hunters, traders and officials, who have from time to time made their way into the Lorian district, and it will be seen what an extraordinary divergence of opinion there was between them. To some extent this may be explained by the fact that undoubtedly the Lorian varies enormously with the time of year, and during the rains it probably presents an entirely different appearance to what it does during the dry season. Another fact which no doubt has caused some confusion is the name Lorian, as used by the natives. The river which enters the swamp is known as the Uaso Nyiro from the junction of the Uaso Narok, and Ngare Nyuki until the remarkable vol- canic plateau of Marti is reached. Thence until I '^ Journal of East Africa aftd Uganda, Nat. Hist. Soc, July 1912, I" A Journey to the Lorian Swamp," communicated. 2% THE LORIAN permanent water ceases at Madoleh, it, as well as the country lying on both sides, is known to the Borana and the Somali under the general name of " Lorian." But since Marti Plateau is about one hundred miles west of the main Lorian Swamp, some travellers have been very much puzzled when told they had reached Lorian by the natives, and they have on several occasions returned without having penetrated farther than Melka Gela — even if they have reached as far. This will probably explain the reports of those who described the Lorian Swamp as a shallow lake or a large expanse of open water. But the greatest con- fusion has been caused by those who, having travelled thither and back again without any attempt to carry out more than a rough compass sketch of their route, if they even did that, do not hesitate to make a map of their journey on their return. Colonel Broun, however, brought back an excellent map of the lower Uaso Nyiro, and my work corresponded very closely with his results, except for a difference as regards the height of Marti Plateau. But the country to the east of Lorian, between the main swamp and Afmadu, was quite unknown, and had remained unexplored south of the Wajheir- Afmadu road. The opinion had been held for some time, however, that a river, or, at any rate, a small stream called " Lakdera," did connect the Lorian Swamp with the shallow lake known as the Deshek Wama, which is situated not very far from the mouth of the Juba River, and it had been referred to as "the great watercourse which runs from Lake Lorian." Moreover, it was generally known as the " River Lakdera." The marking of this channel on even the most recently published maps under this 24 HYDROGRAPHY OF JUBALAND title is another striking instance of the confusion in geographical nomenclature which often shows itself in the maps of a new country. "Lak"is itself the native term in this part of Africa for a river-bed in which water only occasionally runs, while "dera" is a separate word, meaning, in Somali, ** long." Another strange mistake was the name given to a small water- hole — Lake Worrta. For "worrta" is the Somali word for "rainpool." In 1898 Captain C. O. Tanner surveyed the lower part of the Lak Dera from the Deshek Wama to above Afmadu, and he stated on his map that, according to native report, it came from Lorian. He also found another stream bed, the Lak Jiro, coming from the north, which joined the Lak Dera at Afmadu. The hydrography of southern Jubaland had also aroused considerable speculation, for along the coast from Kismayu to Port Durnford there are a number of small inlets and creeks, down which water had been observed to flow occasionally. Where did this water come from ? Were there any hills in the interior, or a plateau, which they drained ? What was the nature and importance of the " Lak Guranluga," a river marked on every map, and which was stated in an official report, published two years ago, to rise in the El Lin ^ swamp and to run southwards until it joined the "River Arnole".'* What was the character of the Bisahu Hamu, shown on every map of Jubaland as a very large swamp lying on the Equator, and fed by two streams from the north? Was there any important divide or watershed between ^ The name El Lin does not seem to be known to the natives — at any rate to none of those I met. It probably corresponds to the swamp I have called Seyera on my map. 25 NAIROBI the Tana River and the Lak Dera ? Such were only a few of the questions which it was hoped the ex- ploration of Jubaland would solve. Moreover, the study of the inhabitants and the fauna could not fail to be of interest. I arrived at Mombasa in the month of October 19 1 2, and immediately proceeded to Nairobi in order to see the authorities and obtain permission to under- take my journey. The railway journey is too well known to need any description. Three years had passed since I had last travelled on the Uganda Railroad, but time had brought no change for the better in its comfort, and the carriages were not improved in any way. We arrived in Nairobi about four hours late, and having engaged a room at the hotel, I strolled round the town to renew old acquaintances. I found Nairobi much grown in size, but not in beauty. It is neither African nor European, but seems to combine in one city the discomforts of two civilisations without the advantag-es of either. I at length managed to obtain a pass to enter Jubaland after some irritating delays, but it was only through the kindness of Captain Salkeld, the Provincial Commissioner of Jubaland, who happened to be in Nairobi on official business at the time. I engaged, on his recommendation, a Somali headman named Dahir Omar, and also an interpreter, who came from Somaliland, while in the bazaar I found an Akamba boy, who had been my personal servant on a previous expedition, and I arranged to take him, a cook and a gun-bearer (both the latter Swahilis) with me, as it might be impossible to get others in Kismayu, the little town on the coast of Jubaland, from which I was to start my journey. Mr. R. P. 26 ENGAGING MEN Cunnlnghame, the well-known naturalist, very kindly found me a good native boy, who could collect birds, if necessary, and was an expert skinner. He proved to be an Akamba boy of powerful build and ex- ceedingly ugly, who rejoiced in the name of Kampi Mbaya (bad camp). He had been so nicknamed, it appeared, from the fact that he had once distinguished himself in a big fight between porters of a safari, in which he had stunned three men ; both he and the camp at which it occurred had been christened simultaneously! In spite of his quick temper, he proved to be one of the best men I had with me, and served me well and faithfully throughout my journey. I left Nairobi without regret and reached Mombasa with pleasure. In this delightful old town, so full of historical interest, I spent some pleasant days waiting for the steamer to sail for Kismayu. I engaged six porters here, chiefly Swahili ; for although the arid nature of the country I was to traverse rendered it imperative to use camels which were best obtained on the coast, it was necessary to take a few porters to carry scientific instruments and cameras on the march, which would have shaken to pieces on a camel, and to collect wood and water in the evenings. I always try to reduce the number of my men to a minimum, for it greatly simplifies the question of food-supply and renders the traveller far more independent and the caravan far handier, in case hard marches are necessary. I also bought part of my trade goods here. At last everything was settled, the little steamer Wiesman sailed into Mombasa harbour, and I went down towards the dock full of eagerness and impatience to be gone, and to start on the long journey that lay before me. 27 CHAPTER II BY SEA TO LAMU The day had been particularly hot, even for Mombasa, but now as I walked down from the club to the little harbour, the evening breeze brought freshness to the heated air, and ruffled with tiny cat's paws the smooth, glassy surface of the harbour. In the distance I could see the line of foam where the lazy swell broke over the reefs, and close at hand the palms stirred and whispered gently in the night wind. The little Wiesman lay at anchor in the bay ; she had that morning come in from Zanzibar, and was to start the same night for the north, calling at Malindi, Lamu, Kismayu, Brava and Mogadishu. Then she would return. She belonged to an Indian firm and was in charge of two white officers and a Lascar crew. Her sole accommodation consists of a couple of tiny cabins amidships, a minute saloon on the poop, into which five men could just squeeze at meal-times, and a toy navigating bridge above the cabin. As I made my way down the steep incline to the landing-stage, she blew her whistle twice im- patiently. My men, stores and luggage were all on board in charge of my headman, so I was alone in the little boat in which I was rowed across. As I stepped on board I was greeted by the skipper, and after taking a drink with him in the little saloon, we made our way on to the bridge ; shortly after, my 28 MIXED HUMANITY two fellow-travellers came aboard, both officials bound for Jubaland, and as soon as they arrived anchor was weighed. The sun had set in a very riot of colour, and Mombasa was hidden in the soft, velvety darkness of a tropical night ; but hundreds of little lights shone brightly along the shore, and were reflected in the water, as we steamed fussily out towards the open sea. The Wiesman emerged at length from the channel and began pitching as she met the ocean swell, leaving in her wake a line of phosphorescent fire ; the lights grew dim behind us and faded from our sight, and I felt at last that my journey had begun. At the skipper's suggestion we had our blankets brought up on to the bridge, glad to escape the horrors of the tiny cabins. Every available part of the deck below was occupied by the native passengers ; covered up to the eyes, they lay outstretched in every corner, rendering it impossible to move about ; among them were Somali returning to their country, " askaris " travelling to Sarrenleh, Bajun and Swahili on their way to Kismayu or Lamu, Kikuyu recruits going to the rubber plantations on the lower Tana, now all huddled together irrespective of creed or caste, overcome by fatigue and sleep. Over all hung the odour of the cargo of hides, and of the huddled mass of humanity, defiling the pure air of the open sea ; and now, as the pitching of the ship increased, loud sounds of distress came from the wretched natives below as they writhed in the throes of sea-sickness, drowning the throbbing of the crazy engines and making night hideous with their cries. At the wheel, on the navigating bridge above, stood a Lascar, a picturesque ruffian in blue overalls 29 MALINDI with enormous rings in his ears. Throughout the hours that followed I kept waking up as he called the number of bells in some uncouth tongue, or repeated the orders of the mate who was on watch. A small oil lamp threw a flickering light upon his bronzed face and bare chest, glistening with sweat, as he kept the little vessel on her course. Dawn broke with rare loveliness upon a smooth sea, whose unruffled surface shone like burnished silver, and as the light grew it revealed on our port side the low sandy shore, fringed with the deep green of a belt of palm trees, in which the little town of Malindi was half concealed. We anchored here for an hour, but the few white houses built on the very- beach, and the uninteresting character of the place decided me to stay on board ; from the deck I watched the Lascars unload some cargo on to the dhows that had come out to meet us ; the Kikuyu recruits were transhipped, and we were off again towards the north before seven o'clock. All through that morning and well into the afternoon, the little Wiesman steamed untidily over the gentle swell, leaving a broad wake of foam behind her, above which wheeled innumerable gulls in search of food ; occasionally I had a glimpse of the African coast, low and inhospitable, but it showed indistinctly through the haze that hung above the water ; a school of porpoises, and now and again a shoal of fish rising for a moment like silver spray above the sea, lent charm and life to a scene that was otherwise monotonous and wearisome. At three o'clock we entered the long and intricate channel that leads into Lamu Bay. We passed at first between coral reefs, and then threaded our way down 30 BAJUN ISLANDS the narrow passage that separates Lamu from Manda Island. The shore on either side was low and covered with dense scrub, but on the landward side this was replaced by mangrove swamps ; I was told that at low tide a great expanse of mud and sand is exposed, on which can be seen countless crabs and other animals. These islands, as well as those to the north, known collectively as the Bajun Islands, are of coral formation, and are very similar in appearance one to another. Ruins of ancient mosques and stone houses of unmistakably Persian design are to be found on many of them. Both the inhabitants of Lamu and the Bajun claim to be of Persian descent, and their light colouring, their regular type of features and the shape of some of their pottery seem to bear out their statement, although it is more probable that Arab blood perponderates. We skirted the little promontory on which the old town of Shela stands, sailed close to a low open beach, behind which were some large sandhills, and dropped anchor in front of the picturesque town of Lamu. Known to the natives as Amu, it stands at the western corner of the island of Lamu, which is separated from the mainland only by a narrow channel. Like Kismayu it is said to have been founded by Abdul Malik bin Muriani in the 77th year of the Hejira (694 a.d.), but it is almost certain that there were settlements here of Hamyarites or Phoenicians at a still earlier date. The internal strife that raged throughout Arabia after the death of the Prophet was probably the indirect cause of the colonisation of the East African coast, for the defeated sultans were obliged to flee from their country and take refuge at those ports 31 PICTURESQUE BUILDINGS which trade had made known to them ; and there they founded small separate kingdoms. The history of Lamu from that time onwards is somewhat obscure, but it is known to have undergone many vicissitudes ; it was captured by Tristan da Cunha at the beginning of the sixteenth century, and con- tinued to be under Portuguese rule, in spite of many revolutions, for about one hundred and sixty years. Civil war and internal dissensions of all kinds then broke out along the whole of the East African coast, and permanent peace was not secured until 1893.^ The first thing that strikes the traveller on entering Lamu are the tall stone houses, built of coral rock, and constructed after the Arab fashion, round an open central courtyard. Many of these houses have beautiful doors, handsomely carved, and decorated with brass or iron knobs or handles. The streets are very narrow, only sufficiently wide to allow a loaded donkey or two men abreast to pass at the same time. Most of the refuse is thrown out into the road from the houses, so that the smell is appalling. The narrowness of the streets only serves to emphasise the height of the houses, so that as one walks along they appear to be nothing less than " sky-scrapers." But the effect, on the whole, is quaint and picturesque. Another sight, peculiar to Lamu I believe, cannot fail to interest the traveller. A free-born woman, when she goes out into the town, holds a kind of tent, called "Shiraa," above her head. It is composed of two cloths sewn together, with a stick attached to each corner. If she has no servants or slaves, she takes two sticks in each hand and thus stretches ^ The Land of Zinj^ by Capt. C. H. Stigand, p. 15. 32 ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRE the cloth above her head. If she has one servant, the latter walks in front holding two sticks spread out fanwise, and her mistress follows her, holding the other two ; but if she is a rich woman and has two slaves, she walks in the middle, while one slave goes in front and the other behind supporting the shiraa, one stick in each hand, above the lady's head. The procession thus formed is somewhat comic, and very clumsy ; what the origin of this interesting custom is, is not known. Owing to the darkness of the streets in the late afternoon, my attempts at photographing were not successful, much to my disappointment. Lamu is the administrative centre of the district of Tanaland, and is the residence of several Govern- ment officials. Its inhabitants are of various races, and consist of Arabs, Swahili, who are probably people of mixed Persian and African descent, slaves from every kind of native tribe from the interior, Somali, Indian traders and Galla. They are notorious throughout East Africa for their licentious- ness, and every form of unnatural vice is common. In the days of their prosperity china and pottery were manufactured there, but it has now become very scarce, owing to the fact that it is impossible to find labourers, since the slave trade has been abolished and the slaves freed. There is very little china left in Lamu to-day, the greater part having been sold to traders and collectors under the stress of poverty ; at Mombasa and, in fact, almost anywhere, it fetches a high price and is much sought after. I was very hospitably received by the Provincial Commissioner, Mr. A. T. Reddie. He has spent twenty years of his life in East Africa, and was the c 33 A HORN WITH A HISTORY first man to reach the Lorian Swamp by way of the Tana Valley. During his travels he has gathered together a unique collection of great ethnological and historical interest, part of which I had the privilege of seeing. Amongst other things which particularly struck me was an enormous ivory horn, made from the tusk of a large bull elephant, very richly carved and ornamented. The history of this very interest- ino- instrument and that of the brass horn from which it was copied, was written out for him by the Sultan of Witu, and I give it here, exactly as it was trans- lated from the Swahili : — History of the Brass Horn The Sultan of Manda bought it from a dhow which came from Arabia, previous to the Ivory one being made (Hejira 701). The Wazee of Lamu for some reason thought they ought to possess it, or wished to possess it. They accordingly went to the man in whose charge it was and said, " We will pay you well if you let us get possession of the horn." He said, " No ! I cannot do this, as if the Sultan knows I gave it to you he would kill me." The Wazee of Lamu replied, "You can tell the Sultan that we took it by force from you," and he agreed to do so. Therefore one day when he was out blowing it at sun-set, he handed it over to the Lamu people and reported to his Sultan that men from Lamu had taken it by force from him. A war between the two peoples was the conse- quence, but the Lamu people kept the " Horn." They cast lots as to who was to look after it. 34 A HOEN WITH A HISTORY It fell to the Wajiri family to be its custodians, and they keep it to this day. History of the Ivory Horn of Patte The ivory horn (Siwa) was made at Patte by Sherif Jamall Lail, it is said, about 700 years ago. He made it in secret. He presented it to the then Sultan of Patte, who gave him a handsome present. It was blown on all state occasions, as well as lent to the Principal men of Patte on the occasion of marriage or other festivities in their families. At that time Lamu was a part of the dominions of the Patte Sultans. The great families of Lamu also were lent it for the above purposes. At a recent date, namely, the occasion of the marriage of the Ex-Wali of Lamu Abdulla bin Hamed to his present wife Fatuma binti Mohamed, it was borrowed by the bride's father to be used at the marriage ceremony. At this time there was living in Lamu Fumo Bakari, one of the Ex-Sultans of the Nahaban line. After the marriage ceremony Fumo Bakari seized it ; he said it must not be returned to Patte. He sold it to a woman, Binti Waziri, who was the living representative of the family which was the hereditary keeper of the Lamu brass trumpet, which was at that time in her house. Binti Waziri gave Fumo Bakari thirty dollars for it. Kombo bin Sham, one of the Patte Wazee and a resident of Lamu, stated before the then Wali of Lamu, Sudi bin Hamed, that the Horn was not the property of the Royal Family, but belonged to the Wazee of Patte. The Wali replied, " Pay dollars thirty for it and I will get it from Binti Waziri." 35 A HORN WITH A HISTORY They paid the money and the Horn was given to Kombo bin Sham and Nasiri bin Abdalla, and a document was written out by the WaH that it was the property of the Wazee of Patte and to be kept by Kombo bin Sham. It remained with him till Said bin Hamed became Wali. He seized it by force and put it in Lamu Fort along with the Lamu brass Horn. During the reign of the Nahaban Sultans at Witu, it was offered by the then Wali of Lamu, Said bin Hamed, to the then Sultan Ahmed of Witu upon condition that he would hoist the Zanzibar flag, and if he would seize Mbaruk of the Manzrui he would be eiven one thousand dollars besides. Sultan Ahmed refused to do so, and the Siwa remained in the Fort. By an arrangement between the Ex- Wali Abdulla bin Hamed and Mr. Rogers, Sub- Commissioner, it was placed in the house of the latter, where it still is. It was customary both in Mr. Rogers' and Mr. Macdouofall's time to lend it to certain of the old families of Lamu for any marriage or other family ceremony (Harusi). The above information has been given to me by Sultan of Witu, Wali of Lamu, Sherif Abdulla bin Hamed Redemi Witu, Ali bin Khalid of the Waziri, the hereditary custodian of the Lamu trumpet. Mawia bin Mohamed Lamu MOHAMED BIN HaMED LaMU Abubokar bin Mohamed Lamu Etc., etc. A. T. Reddie, Provincial Commissioner. It was now getting late, so I was obliged very 36 A HORN WITH A HISTORY reluctantly to cut short our most interesting conversa- tion, and return to the steamer. As soon as I was aboard, the skipper weighed anchor and we pro- ceeded very cautiously down through the channel out into the open sea. As we were due to arrive in Kismayu at sunrise the next morning, I went to bed early. A fresh north-easterly wind was blowing, and the tiny steamer plunged and staggered over the heavy seas in a most uncomfortable fashion, but the air was cool, and I should have slept well had it not been for the dreadful sounds that rose from the wretched natives below. 37 CHAPTER III KISMAYU AND THE JUBA RIVER It was still quite early when the Wiesman turned inwards towards land before entering- the intricate channel which is the only passage into Kismayu bay. The coast lay some five miles off, low, sandy, and inhospitable, while in front of it rose a small island and several isolated coral rocks, against which the slow swell broke and foamed. These formed a natural breakwater, and behind them rode on the smooth surface of the bay a variety of native vessels of all kinds. But before reaching this haven, a full hour was spent in navigating the passage which wound in and about between the coral reefs in a most bewildering fashion. The wretched natives had forgotten all their miseries, now that calm water had been reached, and began chatting together and discussing their plans in loud tones. Finally we turned for the last time ; the skipper took a bearing, and we went forward slowly into the bay, at the other end of which the little town of Kismayu could be seen, a cluster of white houses and native huts nestling among the sand-dunes near the water's edge. We anchored at last a mile and a half out ; all around the little steamboat was a crowd of native craft filled with Arabs, Somali or Bajun. Some were helping to unload or bringing more cargo ; others had come to meet friends or merely to look THE WHITE POPULATION on ; at any rate it was a pleasant and amusing scene. The glorious sunlight, the blue sea edged with cream where the tiny waves lazily rolled up the beach, the white houses beyond, and the happy crowd of natives, for the most part unspoiled by civilisation, and clad in loose and brightly coloured robes, together formed a very vivid picture of Eastern life. After seeing that my men passed the medical inspection, I climbed down the ladder, not sorry to leave the wretched little steamer, and was rowed ashore, the last few yards of the journey being per- formed on the back of one of the boat-boys, as the beach sloped so gradually that it was impossible to bring the boat much nearer in than fifteen yards or so. There was a tremendous va et vient on the beach, almost the whole of the population turning out to see the arrival of the steamer ; the noise was overwhelming, and as the sun climbed higher in the heavens, the glare increased and became very trying, so that I was glad to pass out into the little town. Kismayu boasts of no hotel or inn of any kind ; white visitors indeed rarely come to this part of the world, but when they do, the hospitality of the officials more than makes amends for any lack of accommodation. The white population of Kismayu consists of the Provincial and District Com- missioners and their wives, the doctor, and the Inspector of the Jubaland police. The Provincial Commissioner was away when I arrived, but the Honourable K. R. Dundas, the District Com- missioner, very kindly asked me to stay at his house, although I was a perfect stranger to him ; and for the next week, while I was busily preparing for my journey, he made me most truly welcome. He not 39 KISMAYU only smoothed away many difficulties that con- fronted me, but took the greatest trouble to show me the many interesting things that are to be found in the vicinity of the town, and placed a riding camel at my disposal to facilitate my movements. Kismayu is not only the principal town in Juba- land, if it may be called a town at all, but is also the seat of Government. It derives its importance from the fact that it possesses the only well-protected roadstead between Mogadishu and Lamu, and thus much of the merchandise desisfned for Giumbo and southern Italian Somaliland passes through its port. It contains about 4000 inhabitants, chiefly Somali, Arabs, Bajun and a few Indian traders. Except for the custom-house and a few stone buildings in which the officials reside, the town is composed of native huts running in straight lines on each side of broad sandy streets, which in turn nearly all lead to the little central square where the Treasury, Court House, Gaol and Provincial Commissioner's office are situated. Here also is a small hall with open sides, where all important meetings [dorassa) are held between Somali chiefs and the Commissioner. The former also often forgather within its walls to chat over a cup of coffee amongst themselves. For the Government employs a man at a salary of Rs. 15 a month to supply coffee free to all natives of any position, and sweetmeats on all festivals and fete days. Kismayu boasts of a club, which includes among its members most of the officers stationed in Juba- land, many of the officials from Italian Somaliland and some of the planters from the Gosha country along the Juba River. Among the regulations of 40 KiSMAYU A street in the native quarter. The palms afford the only shade to be found in the town, and the road is of soft white sand. Ancient Ruins at Gondal These curious ruins are probably Persian in origin. It is interesting to note that the heart-shaped emblem, shown over the arch in this photograph, is aUo to be seen over the doorway of the Persian Monastery at Lamu, near the mouth of the River Tana. THE WATER SUPPLY the club, there is an unusual but most excellent rule, which does not allow any member to offer another a drink without incurring a fine of Rs. 5. It might with advantage be copied in other clubs in the Protectorate, for there the habit of standing and being stood drinks has become a perfect burden, especially to those who are not blessed with an abundance of this world's goods. There are several wells in Kismayu, but the water they contain is bitter and unpleasant to the taste ; all the water therefore which is required has to be fetched from the Juba River some nine miles away, whence it is broug-ht back in twelve-gallon tanks on camels. But the slope of the ground is such that whenever there is any rain, all the refuse and filth from the little village of Gobwein is swept down into the river at the only place at which it is practicable to fill the water tanks, for further up there is an abundance of tsetse fly. Consequently it is not surprising that dysentery is rife at Gobwein and Giumbo as well as at Kismayu, and it is marvellous there is no more. Formerly the Treasury at Kismayu was the fort, and around it were the ofScers' quarters when it was a military station. Surrounding them was a high, thick wall, which is still standing in excellent repair, but the little town has now spread beyond it, and it no longer serves a useful purpose, for conditions along the coast are quite peaceful. The town of Kismayu, whose name is said to be derived from the words " Kisima cha yuu," meaning the " Upper Well," was founded by Abdul Malik bin Muriani in the 77th year of the Hejira {694. a.d,). At about the same time the little towns of Mogadishu, 41 "THE LAND OF ZINJ " Brava and Malindi also sprang into existence through the enterprise of Abdul Malik ; he placed one of his own followers as governor in each place, and declared himself Sultan. The reader who is interested in the early history of the East African coast and in the career of Abdul Malik and his successors, cannot do better than refer to Captain Stigand's book entitled The Land of Zinj. In it he will find much valuable information derived from Swahili sources, translated by the author. Time, however, has hardly changed the daily life at Kismayu. The beginning of the north- east monsoon still brings traders from the north, dhows from the Persian Gulf and from southern Arabia laden with cloths and ornaments from India, with coarse, woven silk goods from Persia, and dates and dried sharks' flesh from the Persian Gulf. After six months, when the south-west monsoon begins to blow, these same traders return northwards, having sold or exchanged their goods, carrying with them in their heavily-loaded ships grain, hides, ivory and ambergris. The latter commands a ready market almost anywhere, and is very valuable, for it is a necessary ingredient in the manufacture of perfumes. The ivory too finds its way, not only to the West, but also to the East, to India and China, where it is worked into a variety of beautiful ornaments. Only one line of steamers links Kismayu with the outside world. The Italian mail-steamer call once a month, but at irregular intervals the little Wies?jzan, or the Kilwa, tiny obsolete steamers belonging to rival Indian firms, laboriously cover the 364 miles that lie between it and Mombasa in from three to five days, calling on the way at Malindi and Lamu. In Kismayu the stone buildings are constructed 42 THE BUILDINGS of coral rock, with flat roofs, consisting of two storeys of rooms with a balcony running outside on a level with the upper storey, to which access is obtained by means of a broad wooden staircase. The roads in the European quarter are also made of crushed coral rock and sea-shells dutifully pounded into a hard smooth surface by the convicts from the gaol. The final appearance of the roads resembles chalk, which, combined with the sea, the sand and the white-washed houses, causes a terrible glare most trying to the eyes, which the green of a few palm trees is quite unable to mitigate. The native huts are composed of a single room with walls and roof of makuti (palm fibre interwoven with reeds and branches). The doors are low and narrow, and windows conspicuous by their absence. This method of construction renders the interior very dark, but cool ; in this way the injurious effects on the eyes of the blinding glare outside are successfully counteracted, and the ceaseless and un- welcome attentions of swarms of flies are discouraged. The interior is as simple as the exterior is unpreten- tious. A small open fireplace in one corner, and a bed or couch, made by stretching a piece of grass matting on a low wooden framework, are the most notable objects within; sometimes a few rugs of sheep or goat skin cover the mud floor, while in another corner may be found a few simple cooking utensils and receptacles for holding water or ghee. People who have not much knowledge of the tropics may consider these huts deplorably primitive and barbaric. But they are, as a matter of fact, the outcome of long experience and are eminently suited to the trying climatic conditions that prevail along the coast. If circumstances compelled me to live in those regions, 43 / GALTI DEPREDATIONS I would much prefer to inhabit a hut of this descrip- tion than a house of European design. It was not long after my arrival that I realised I should have to go farther afield than Kismayu to obtain my camels, for all available ones had long been snapped up by the authorities for the transport of supplies to Sarrenleh, a military post on the upper Juba River. For 800 men of the King's African Rifles were stationed there under eleven white officers to patrol the north-eastern corner of Jubaland. This was rendered necessary owing to the turbulence of the Galti tribe of the Marehan Somali, who had but lately entered British territory, having migrated from southern Somaliland. True stock raiders, as all Somali are at heart, they had caused much trouble by practising their favourite pastime on friendly tribes, who appealed to the Government for help, and it was in answer to this request that a patrol had been despatched to restore order and put a stop to the looting of cattle. The presence of a small army naturally checked the depredations to some extent, but such is the character of the Somali, that unless the Galti are given a thorough lesson in discipline the next time they are caught transgressing, they will immediately begin looting again with renewed energy as soon as the force is withdrawn. Seeing how matters stood, I decided to go over to Giumbo and try to obtain permission to buy my camels in Italian Somaliland ; so I rode over one evening to Gobwein on a camel in company with Mr. Dundas, and remained the night there, as the guest of Lieutenant Phillips, who was in charge of a small detachment of the Camel Corps. Gobwein, which means in the Somali language "a large plain," is 44 A MILITARY POST situated on the very banks of the Juba River. Between the village and the sea is a low and narrow range of hills, running north and south, approxi- mately 200 feet in height, through which the river has cut its way, leaving on each side of its bed cliffs that rise perpendicularly from the water. On the Juba- land side, on the very top of these cliffs, stands the little military post of Gobwein, and at their foot nestles the village itself, consisting of several hundred native huts, an unpretentious bazaar and the Camel Corps lines. To the north-west the little hill called Helwalud can be seen covered with dense vegetation, which grows even more profuse, if possible, as it nears the water's edge. But in between Gobwein and Helwalud is a plain (from which the former gets its name), that stretches away to the north-v/est until it is lost to view. In times of great drought immense herds of cattle are driven down to water here by the Somali, thousands upon thousands of head packed tight together, for it is unsafe farther north, owing to the tsetse fly that haunts the bush along the river banks. The Juba is here a broad stream of muddy colour, \ which has cut a deep bed for itself in the rich alluvial | h^*^ soil. It rises in the mountains of southern Abyssinia ' and flows in a southerly direction, but its windings are innumerable, and below Sarrenleh its current is very slow. The latter place has hitherto been mis-spelt "Serenli," owing to ignorance of its true meaning. y^In the Somali language the suffix ** leh " is often added to a word, and means " containing or possess- ing." Sarrenleh means "containing Sarren grass," ^ i.e. the place where Sarren grass grows, y Other ^ Eragrostis papposa. 45 ( VALLEY OF THE JUBA names formed in a similar way are, for example, Shimbirleh "(pool) of birds," Madoleh, "(place) of darkness," and Arnoleh, which means "containing milk," in other words, "a good place to graze cattle." From Sarrenleh to the sea, the valley of the Juba is extraordinarily level, the fall being roughly 500 feet in 450 miles. ^ The river, which is known locally as the Webbe Ganana, rises to its maximum height between the months of October and December ; it then falls slowly until April, when it begins to rise again ; in June the floods subside, in July it is at its lowest ebb, but in August it increases once more. Between the two low-water periods, shallow draught steamers can proceed for nearly 400 miles up river. Owing to the extreme flatness of the country, it has no important tributary in Jubaland except the river Daua. During the rains there are no doubt several small streams that temporarily discharge their waters into it, and of these probably the largest is the outlet from the Deshek Wama. There are numerous swamps on both sides that lie just outside the belt of tropical vegetation that clothes the banks. Above Mfudu the country is at first densely covered with forest, but below, as far as Helwalud, the country is under cultivation. Maize and sim-sim are doing well in the hands of natives, and an English company is busy growing cotton in the district between Yonti and Helwalud. I was fortunate in being able to visit this plantation through the kindness of Mr. Gabriel, to whom it belongs, and I was very hospitably entertained there by Mr. and Mrs. Sargent, who are interested in the estate. I was much struck by the extraordinary fertility of the soil ; moreover, the physical formation of the 46 THE TANA country and the nature of the river lend themselves admirably to irrigation, so that there appears to be a very prosperous future in store for this part of the country. It is interesting to note that on a map, published in the year 1806, the Tana was confused with the Juba River. It was known presumably that a large stream rose in Abyssinia and flowed southwards. Travellers had also certainly reported that an important river flowed into the Indian Ocean south of Lamu. The draughtsman at home, responsible for the map, was evidently struck by these two facts, and immediately drew in a new river which rose in Abyssinia, flowed across the country which is now called Jubaland and poured its water into the sea near Lamu. On the hill immediately opposite to Gobwein stands the little town of Giumbo. This is the administrative capital of Italian Somaliland, which stretches from the Gulf of Aden to the mouth of the Juba River between the Indian Ocean and the East African boundary line. To be accurate, it is the southern part only of this large territory that forms the true Italian colony, for the northern parts consist of native states under Italian protection. The little town of Giumbo is beautifully kept and very clean. There are a number of white officials and officers, and their houses are built on European lines. In addition to a very nice club, where every one meets daily for lunch and dinner, there is a wireless station, by means of which the inhabitants are kept in touch with the outside world. I was received with the utmost cordiality by the " Residente," who willingly gave me permission to send my headman 47 A CORDIAL RECEPTION into the interior to purchase camels, and insisted on my riding his mule when I returned to the river, before crossing over to Gobwein. In addition, he provided me with soldiers to see me safely down, and they formed an escort which, although totally un- necessary, was highly picturesque. These native soldiers wore white cotton shirts and loose trousers with crimson belts, and long cock's feathers in their red fez, but this uniform does not look nearly so smart as that of the Jubaland Camel Corps, The latter wear tunic and shirt of a peculiar shade of khaki, almost a warm grey in colour, blue puttees, and a yellow cap with peak and a white cloth to protect the neck. Over this uniform the smartly polished brown leather accoutrements look particu- larly well. In war time, or when marching, the tunic is replaced by a blue cotton jersey, which is not only inconspicuous but is highly serviceable. Having thus successfully accomplished my purpose, and despatched my headman in search of camels, I returned to Kismayu, and decided to go for a short expedition to the Dibayu Plain while awaiting him. I therefore hired five camels from an Arab, and having selected the things I should need for a few days in the bush, was ready to start on the morrow. I always think it is a good plan, previous to embarking on a long journey, to take a little trip such as this. It enables one to try the men, and, if necessary, to weed out the undesirables before it is too late ; moreover it gives them a chance to know your ways, which may save friction and unpleasantness in the future. 48 CHAPTER IV A SHORT EXPEDITION ACROSS THE DIBAYU PLAINS There was but little life in the streets of Kismayu as I mounted my mule and started off. I had already sent ahead the five camels I had hired from the Arab with instructions to camp at a rainpool on the other side of the sandhills, and with them had gone the few porters I needed for collecting wood and pitching my tent. So it was but a small cavalcade that made its way down the broad sandy street that led southwards through the native quarter. I caught now and again a glimpse of a shadowy form sleeping in the cool darkness of the huts, a few diminutive hens were moving restlessly about in search of food, and occasionally camels would be seen, solemnly chewing the cud in the thin shade of a palm tree. All else slept or was at rest, for the hour of the siesta was not yet over. The little town was soon left behind, and we followed a narrow trail that led at first over some rolling sanddunes, which soon gave place to a series of sandy hillocks covered with dense thorn scrub. The ground gradually rose till a moderately high ridge was reached, from which an extensive view was obtained over the country which lay to the south-west. It seemed to be a vast expanse of green scrub stretching away to the horizon, in D 49 SCRUB AND CONIFERS striking contrast to the white sand and arid appear- ance of the dunes through which we had been cHmbing. A very noticeable feature on these hills was a large number of conifers {Juniperus procera). This tree, which is common in many parts of Somali- land, Abyssinia and British East Africa, under normal conditions is of a pyramidal shape, but here on the coast of Jubaland it is flat-topped and table-like. As may be seen in our own coasts the effect of wind on the growth of trees and shrubs is to prevent them from growing perpendicularly, and such trees as the oak and hawthorn and even the elm and sycamore may be seen stunted and flat-topped from this cause. ^ Slowly we made our way down into the plains, and towards sunset we came upon two " worrta " or rain-water pools. Two Somali were filling up their leather water-bottles here, and loading them on their camels, while their little boys were running around playing and laughing. It formed a most picturesque scene in the fading light, when both colours and outline are softened by the afterglow. A little farther on I found my own camels and my tent pitched. The following morning I was awakened long before dawn, as there was a lengthy march to be accom- plished before the next water was reached. The headman woke me punctually at 3 a.m., and as usual, while I had breakfast, down came the tent, the camels were loaded to the accompaniment of loud snarling, and we were soon away. I could not see what the country was like for the first two hours, although the bush looked very dense in the moonlight. It was already oppressively hot, and we were all per- * The Fields 5, vii. 13, " Juniperus Procera." 50 YAK TREES spiring freely before the sun rose behind some threatening storm clouds ; these gradually dispersed, and as the light grew brighter we emerged into a large level plain covered with thin scrub and a few large yak trees. These trees serve an extremely valuable purpose, for often in their thick, stunted stems large cavities are to be found, which become full of water during the rainy season. It is from the living wood round these cavities that the branches spring. Native hunters nearly always carry a hollow stick, approximately two feet long by half an inch in diameter, by means of which they can suck up the water from these holes, the opening to them being often too narrow to allow them to obtain the water in any other way. Whenever they see a number of birds collected together in the mornings or evenings on one of these trees, experience tells them that water will probably be found there. I noticed that on many of the larger trees queer marks were cut, such as the following "^, and on questioning the guide I was told that they were cattle brands and indicated what sub-tribes or families were grazing their stock in that locality. A couple of hours later we entered another belt of thick bush. There was no breath of wind, and the heat was extremely oppressive, so that we were all glad to emerge about an hour later into the next plain, where there was a slight breeze. This district is called " Dameir Baktis" (meaning "a donkey, its corpse," i.e. a dead donkey), so named from the fact that a long time ago a small herd of donkeys was killed by lions near two very large bushes that are still a distinctive feature on these plains. It struck me as curious that so extensive a tract should be 51 GAME named from such a trivial occurrence. For, after all, similar events are by no means uncommon in these unsettled parts, where lions are a constant menace to the Somali and their stock. Small herds of game were grazing on the coarse grass that covered the plains ; a few gerenuk galloped away at our approach, their long necks stretched out in a futile attempt to avoid observation as they made their way through the scattered scrub. A small band of what I took to be Peter's gazelle, and a solitary oryx beisa with a single horn gazed for a moment at the oncoming caravan, and then they too fled away and were soon lost to sight in the bush. They were astonishingly shy, but I was still close to the coast, and I learned later that the Herti Somali were fond of hunting. Not long after we were joined by a wild hunter from that tribe. He was neither an interesting nor a picturesque figure ; I merely mention him because of the very curious wooden pillow he carried, of which I shall have more to say in a subsequent chapter ; his round war shield, made of giraffe hide, also attracted my attention, for it was deeply scarred in many places in an unusual way. He told me that the shield had once been his brother's ; but the latter had been killed one day by a lion while out hunting, and the scars I had noticed had been caused by the lion's claws in the struggle that took place before his brother's death. I was able to persuade him to let me have the shield, and it bears eloquent testimony to the desperate struggle that had been fought between those strano-e antag^onists. Towards noon we passed through another narrow belt of bush, but emerged again shortly into Dibayu Plain. Grass was more abundant here, showing that 52 A CHARACTERISTIC SCENE a fairly plentiful supply of rain had fallen, and soon we reached two shallow pools, around which a small herd of native cattle were resting during the heat of the day, huddled together in the scanty shade afforded by a few low camel-thorn trees. A couple of hundred yards away was a group of Somali huts surrounded by a thorn fence, above which hovered and wheeled innumerable vultures. I camped here, and spent the afternoon in taking photographs. Towards evening I was visited by the headman of the village, who brought me a sheep and some milk. He carried a large black umbrella, and no weapons, but was dressed in the usual white " Tobe," as were his followers. The whole scene was very characteristic of Jubaland, and typical of many others that I was to see later on my journey to the Lorian. It reminded me very vividly of passages in the Old Testament ; the same conditions are found to-day as prevailed two thousand years ago by the shores of the Dead Sea. I held a long conversation with him through my interpreter, but unlike most Somali, he was stupid and unintelligent, and I could get little information from him. He told me, however, that his village was about to move south, as water was getting scarce in Dibayu. Having obtained all the news I could, I gave him a small present and then dismissed him. The following morning I started shortly before dawn in a south-easterly direction across the plains ; occasionally we passed through thin belts of bush, but on the whole the scenery was very monotonous, the country being too flat and overgrown with low scrub to afford any extensive view. Animal life was also little in evidence, but while on the march I was 53 A USEFUL TREE able to obtain a silver-backed jackal (Cams mesomelas). These beautiful little animals are among the most handsome of the smaller carnivora, their bright rufous coat showing up in vivid contrast to the silver-coloured patch along the back, from which they get their name. I noticed, among other small birds, a species of horn- bill {Lophoceros medianus) whose harsh note and curiously uneven flight, continuously dipping and then rising again, renders it very conspicuous. Some four hours later we reached another small Somali " boma " or village, and I camped near a clump of "araru" trees, about half a mile farther on. These trees, which resemble a diminutive baobab tree, are much valued by the natives, as by peeling off the smooth outer bark they obtain a tough and resilient fibre, from which the women make many useful household utensils. The camel mats, which serve also as a covering for their huts, are skilfully woven of grass, and tied together with this fibre, which renders them extremely durable. While waiting for the camels I strolled down to the water-hole, which lay a quarter of a mile distant, to see what it was like. The bush was very dense all round, but situated in a little clearing were five shallow depres- sions or pans, averaging 15 yards broad by 30 yards long, filled with rain-water to a depth of about 6 inches. The water was grey-brown, covered with patches of green slime, and was much soiled with the dung of cattle and goats. The pools had evidently been far larger, but they were fast drying up, and the Somali were already moving to "pastures new." I took the temperature of the water in the largest pan, and my thermometer showed 84*5° in the deepest parts and slightly more at the edge. 54 A SOMALI FAMILY Whilst I was taking some theodolite observations here, a typical Somali family passed on their way to a new camp. First came the father, accompanied by a little girl about twelve years old, driving some fifty head of cattle and half a dozen donkeys. The man was fully armed with spear, shield and knife, and carried in addition a small gourd of water, his wooden pillow and a tooth stick. Having allowed the animals to drink they passed on, and were shortly followed by a woman, presumably his wife, leading a large camel. On it were the fibre and grass mats, called " Herios," the curved posts of their hut, several water-bottles made of gourds or wood and hung in wicker baskets, and various other household groods. The woman stopped to have a drink, and was joined by a very old man, probably her father, and two tiny children ; she made the latter drink by dipping her two hands in the water, thus improvising a cup, and when they had all satisfied their thirst, they too passed on, and were soon swallowed up in the thick bush. While working near camp in the evening I shot another silver-backed jackal, a female, and so secured a pair from this district. There were also many vulturine guinea-fowls about, of which I shot two. This exceedingly handsome game-bird is very common throughout southern Jubaland, and later on in the interior, where all other food is extremely scarce, it formed the "piece de resistance" of my daily menu. My next move was eastwards towards the sand- hills which separate Dibayu Plain from the sea. In the early dawn there was the usual bustle and confusion on striking camp, while the tents came down and the loads were made up, but in this case it 55 A CHARMING SCENE was intensified owing to the objections of one of the camels to being loaded. There was consequently much excitement among the syces ; everyone, includ- ing most of the Somali from the village, was giving advice and generally getting in one another's way, while the camel snarled and gurgled, making the most hideous din. Before his load was finally adjusted, he manaored to smash one bucket and several minor articles of less importance. All this delayed the start till 5.30, but as there was only a short march to be accomplished, it was of no great consequence. The whole caravan straggled through the bush along a narrow sandy trail that wound its tortuous way through the acacias, mimosas and scrub that covered the hillside. Only once did we come to a clearing, a beautiful little meadow with green grass, starred with wild flowers and shaded by three huge yak trees. In the centre nestled a tiny rainpool, as yet unsoiled, with a ring of clean white sand between it and the vivid green of the grass. There were many brightly coloured birds and many curious tracks, those of giant lizards and rats, whose broad tails had left a smooth line between their footprints, and all around and about signs and tracks of dik-dik and guinea-fowl. Two hours later the crest was reached, and here I pitched camp in the shade of some huge acacia trees. Only water was lacking, but it was a lovely, picturesque spot, and the north-east monsoon tempered the heat which had been so trying on the plains. Two days were spent here in shooting and working, and I was able to add to my collection, among other animals, three dik-dik and fifteen species of birds. The dik-dik, of which I shall have more to say in a subsequent chapter, are found in 56 A FINE LEOPARD this district in the most extraordinary numbers, but owing to the thickness of the undergrowth they are hard to see. While creeping very slowly and cautiously through the bush in search of them I suddenly came across a fine leopard ; as he rose, I fired two shots at him with my shot-gun, very unwisely, but I had no other weapon ; for a second I thought he would charge, but he changed his mind, and with a low snarl turned and vanished into the bush before I could reload. Although I followed the blood spoor some distance, I never found him, much to my disappointment, and though later I often came across fresh leopard spoor I never saw another. They are, as anyone who has hunted them knows, very hard to bag, and in Jubaland this Is especially the case, owing to the dense undergrowth. They appear to feed mainly on dik-dik and gerenuk, which are very numerous everywhere. In rare cases, when pressed by hunger, they may attack larger game, and in one instance I found a young giraffe killed by leopards after a desperate struggle. All through the march from this camp down to the sea, near Gondal, the half-sneeze, half-whistle of a frightened dik-dik was constantly heard, and I saw quite a number in spite of the thickness of the bush. Down by the seashore also I saw some cranes and several pelicans, but they were out of range and very wild, so that I was unable to obtain a specimen. Gondal is a small flat promontory, T-shaped, that forms the southern extremity of Kismayu Bay. Within a quarter of a mile inland from its base are some very remarkable ruins. They consist of the remains of two buildings and a shrine; the accompany- ing photograph shows what is left of the latter. They 57 REMARKABLE RUINS are built of coral rock ; the walls are nearly 3 feet thick, and about 2,0 feet long. There is a door- way in one of the houses, flanked by pillars, and this, as well as the opening of the shrine, faces south. The latter is a most curious ruin, and is covered with a simple type of carving cut into the coral rock to a depth of about a quarter of an inch. The entrance, which is about 4 feet high, is arched, and at the top the stone has been cut into the shape of an inverted heart, while the walls on both sides are covered with carving.^ The interior is smooth, apparently plastered over, but the floor has crumbled away. To the north of the houses I found a quantity of broken but highly glazed pottery of a kind that is quite unlike any manufactured by the natives to-day ; especially interesting were some pieces of china, the bottom of a stone ewer and a piece of glass that would appear to have been the neck of a bottle or flask. These ruins are so buried in the dense bush that it would be easy to pass close by without seeing them. I learned from Captain Salkeld and Dr. Wilson that there are remains of a similar nature on the Bajun Islands farther south, and the latter was fortunate enough to obtain several unbroken specimens of what seemed to be oil lamps, unmistak- ably Persian in design. Repeated inquiries elicited no information from the Somali as regards the origin of these ruins ; they said that they were in the same condition when they entered the country ; the Galla seemed to know no more. Captain Stigand, in his book, T/ie Land of Zinj^ has given some very interesting information concerning the ruins he ^ Similar ornamentation occurs above the doorway of the old Persian monastery of Lamu. 58 PERSIAN RUINS discovered farther south, near Lamu, but at present the origin of these traces of the early occupation of the Jubaland coast remains very obscure. The cool wind from the north-east made Gondal a very pleasant place to camp in ; bathing was delightful in the evening and early morning, and it was with regret that I turned north along the coast towards Kismayu, whose white buildings could be seen across the bay nestling among the sanddunes. 59 CHAPTER V FINAL PREPARATIONS AND START FROM KISMAYU On arriving at Kismayu I was again very hospitably entertained, this time by Captain Salkeld, the Pro- vincial Commissioner, who had just returned from Mombasa, where he had been on official business ; and for the following days before I left on my long journey inland I was his guest. Much remained to be done before I could depart ; my provision and trade goods had been purchased already, but I had to choose my men, get their clothes and outfits, collect the pack-saddles, ropes, girths and mats for the camels, and finally to inspect tents, water-bottles and water-tanks, rifles, ammunition and all the innumer- able details upon which not only the success but even the safety of an expedition depends. The selection of a suitable variety of trade goods is of the utmost importance, and in this my headman was invaluable, being himself a Mohammed Zubheir Somali born in the interior of Jubaland. I shall refer in Appendix C to the various articles which I found most useful, but I should like to emphasise the fact that it is the worst possible policy to stint oneself as regards presents for natives. However distasteful it may be to spend money in this direction it is absolutely essential to give somewhat lavishly (as it may appear at first), for it not only keeps the natives in a con- 60 PACK-SADDLES tented frame of mind, but it makes them anxious to help in the hope of further favours ; moreover, it distracts their attention from your real object, and in this way much can be accomplished that would otherwise be impossible. At the same time the presents must be given judiciously in proportion to the social importance of the recipient ; otherwise jealousy and ill-feeling will be aroused, which is very hard to overcome. The pack-saddles I used were made for me by Arabs at Kismayu. They consist of two V-shaped pieces of wood, connected by transverse bars. The former are made from a single branch of a tree, and are well dried and seasoned. In choosing a saddle great care has to be taken to see that the V is not too broad ; for, if it is, the saddle comes too far down on the back of the camel and soon causes a nasty sore. The inside of this primitive saddle is padded by means of two small gunny sacks tightly packed with grass or dry seaweed ; and to the near side of the saddle is attached a long and thin girth, made of fibre or plaited rope - strands. This is tightened by means of a small cord running through a noose at the end of the girth on the offside of the camel. There are two mats to be added above the saddle before the load can be tied on. One, consisting of a large sack about 4 feet square and filled with seaweed, is placed over the hump behind the saddle and tied tightly to the latter, while the other, which is merely a long strip of matting, hangs down on either side of the camel to prevent loads from chafing the animal's body. Two stout poles must be provided, to which are attached 30 feet of grass rope for tying on the loads ; the latter, divided into 61 EXPORT AND IMPORT DUTIES two approximately equal packs, are each securely tied, and then in turn are lashed tog-ether on the camel's back just above the saddle tree. It will be easily seen, therefore, that to get the whole outfit together requires time, and I spared no pains to see that everything was as good as possible, in order that I might keep my camels in good condition, for only thus can the maximum amount of work be obtained from them. When all my preparations were nearly completed, I heard from my headman that my camels were waiting for me at Giumbo ; so I rode over to Gobwein on one of the riding camels that Mr. Dundas had very kindly placed at my disposal. It took me a day to complete the custom formalities, for there is an export duty of Rs. 7.50 on each animal from Italian Somaliland, and an import duty of 10 per cent, ad valoi'em into Jubaland. For mules the tariff is even higher, the export duty in their case being Rs. 35. I am unable to understand why the British authorities should levy custom duties on cattle and camels brought into their territory. The demand for them, especially for any kind of beast of burden, is far greater than the supply, and there- fore it would seem only sensible to encourage importers of such animals. So great is the difficulty of obtaining camels that both the military and civil authorities are obliged to hire them from the Arabs and Somali at the ruinous charge of Rs. i per diem, and are liable to pay Rs. 75 in case of death, besides the amount incurred for work done previously. The native traders therefore calculate that within a month of coming down to the coast they can earn the original cost of the camel, and every day's work 62 CROSSING THE JUBA RIVER after is clear profit ; for they send their camels out to graze in the middle of the day, and their keep therefore costs nothing. Getting the camels across the Juba River was a slow and tedious proceeding. Early in the morning they were collected close to the shore on the Italian side in charge of my head camel syce, a handsome Herti Somali of about thirty-five years of age, Farar Ali by name, whom I had engaged the day before. He had served as orderly and inter- preter to an officer in the K.A.R. some years before, and his frank cheerful countenance impressed me very favourably. Nor was my first estimate of his character falsified by subsequent events, for he proved invaluable, faithful, obliging and hard- working, and a better companion in the bush it would be impossible to find. Sixteen natives manned a large fiat-bottomed boat, and the camels were led two by two to the water's edge, not without difficulty ; for no animal is more helpless in the mud than they, and many times I thought they would slip and break a leg. Once there, they were made to lie down ; a noose was slipped over their lower jaw and they were dragged over the mud, powerless to resist, to the side of the boat ; the crazy old barge was then poled out into the river, three men holding the camels' heads above water. Once they had reached the other side, the animals struggled out with much splashing and gurgling ; they were then untied, when they at once rolled in the clean sand, and kneeling down patiently awaited the coming of the others. Only two camels were brought over at a time, so it took seven trips to complete the passage of my fourteen animals, and it was not till 63 CHOOSING THE SYCES nearly sunset that they were all safely across. They were then led away to feed slowly through the night under the supervision of Farar Ali, and arrived at Kismayu early the following day. I had in the meantime engaged six more syces. I took care to select those who had had but little ex- perience of civilisation and were thus unspoiled, and I was much helped by my headman, who was a wonder- ful judge of character. They were each provided with a crimson shirt, so that in case of a night attack in the interior it would be possible to quickly distin- guish friend from foe ; and in addition they were given a pair of shorts, sandals and a blanket. I also purchased four more camels from Mohammed Aden, chief of the Herti Somali. He receives a monthly salary of Rs. 75 from the Govern- ment, in return for which he is supposed to help the officials in every way. The Herti have now realised the value of trade, and, though despising in their hearts the " Ferinji" (the white man, literally, "the proud one "), are quite willing to submit to his rule in order to obtain the benefits which this submis- sion gains for them. But a more contemptible old scoundrel than Mohammed Aden it has seldom been my lot to encounter. Not only does he impose on the good-nature of the officials, but he is suspected, on one occasion at least, of plotting the murder of a white man when camping in the interior, by sending to the native chiefs of the districts inland letters calculated to arouse all their worst passions against the perfectly innocent and friendly traveller. The paramount chief of the Herti is really Mohammed Shirwa, a handsome boy of some eighteen years of age, and Mohammed Aden is only acting as regent 64 U THE START until the former is ready to take the affairs of the tribe into his own hands. Everything was ready for my departure, when I was suddenly taken ill with dysentery. Lately I had been feeling far from well, and now I had to give in altogether, though the delay was terribly exasperat- ing. Six days later I was sufficiently well to get up, and, weak though I was, I decided, perhaps unwisely, to start two days afterwards. My caravan consisted of my headman Dahir Omar, my interpreter Hassan Mohammed, my gun-bearer, skinner, syce, a personal boy whom I had had on a previous expedition, a Swahili cook, seven camel syces, six porters from Mombasa, four Somali police or Askaris, and a Herti guide who was to accompany me as far as the district of Joreh. I had eighteen camels, of which five were used solely for carrying the ten water-tanks so essential to the traveller in Jubaland. The Government's travelling allowance for its officials is twenty-five camels, so it will be seen that I had cut my loads down to a minimum. My own personal equipment, tent, bed- ding, instruments, guns, collecting boxes, and stores for four months, weighed nine hundred pounds, or three camel loads, while the other ten camels carried the men's tents, cooking-pots, rice and trade goods. On the day I started I sent the caravan on ahead with instructions to pitch camp in the plains beyond the sandhills, and I set out myself late in the after- noon of the same day. At first the trail led across the hills behind Kismayu, winding in and out among the giant um- brella trees, until the crest was reached. Turnino- back, I gazed for some time upon the beautiful scene that lay below, at Kismayu and at the ocean beyond, E 65 A CAMP SCENE for it would be many months before I should again see any town or even a village. I then descended into the plains that lay to the west. In the midst of the thick bush on the lower slopes were several large yak trees, in one of which was a natural cavity containing some fifty gallons of rain-water. For two hours we made our way through the scrub until at last, when the sun was sinking, we emerged into a little open plain where my camp was pitched. My own tent was in the centre, with the porters' little white tents behind, while all round the camp the headman had built a three-foot thorn hedge ; inside were my eighteen camels with all the loads, saddles, etc., piled near by, while an Askari kept guard over the only entrance. It was typical of many a camp scene I was to see daily throughout my journey, and I was filled with joy at the thought that a start had been made at last. As I rode into the boma the piled rifles and the bandoliered men were a grim re- minder to me of the condition of the country I was going to traverse ; but they were really a precaution and an emblem of authority more than anything else, for in case of a serious attack four police and seven armed but undisciplined syces would be of little avail. Early the following morning, after a night marred by the attentions of countless mosquitoes, I set out towards the north, intending to see if I could obtain a specimen of the Grant's gazelle which I knew to be fairly plentiful in this district. I had hardly gone a mile when I saw in the distance a cloud of dust, which, as I soon made out, was caused by some of these animals, which were running round in the bush, presumably in play. I hastily took my rifie and 66 GRANTS GAZELLE set out after them. The wind was right, and there was plenty of cover, so I was soon fairly close to them. As they were now feeding quietly towards me, totally unconscious of my presence, I lay down to wait for them, and in about twenty minutes a fine buck came out from behind a bush about a hundred and fifty yards off". I fired, hitting him a trifle behind the heart. At the shot four more appeared, and all five made a tremendous dash towards me, but, suddenly catching sight of my mule and followers in the distance, halted and turned within fifteen yards of where I lay behind the bush. I had a glimpse of these beautiful gazelles, their graceful heads and slender horns, before firing again. The buck collapsed to the shot, the bullet entering just above the tail and lodging under the skin of the chest. On examining it I was immensely pleased to notice that it was a variety of Grant's gazelle that was entirely new to me. Although in bodily size and horn- measurement it resembled a Peter's gazelle, yet in colour it was more closely akin to Bright's gazelle. In a subsequent chapter I propose to deal more fully with these differences, and to describe in detail the characteristics of what is undoubtedly a distinct race of Grant's gazelle. I did not go out again till the afternoon, when I made my way slowly on foot through the most atrociously thick bush and thorn-scrub to the top of Eyladera, the low ridge that runs north-east and south- west between Gobwein and Yonti, in order to do some geographical work. In spite of the heat and thorns, I was very glad I came, for when I reached the summit the view well repaid me for my trouble. To the north and the east the Juba River, fringed with 67 A MONOTONOUS SCENE a broad crreen belt of veo-etation, twisted and writhed across the plain like some monstrous snake, till I lost sight of it beyond Yonti. Southwards, the low red sandhills near the coast gave a warm note of colour to the landscape, but it was towards the west that I looked longest, for there lay my way. Three hundred feet below, the plain began and stretched away, as far as the eye could reach, absolutely flat without ridge or hollow, and without one single object to break the monotony of the scene. Even the brilliant sunlioht was unable to relieve the utter dreariness of that great expanse of desert scrub. But it was unknown, a blank on every map, and I was filled with joy to think that it was to be my home for weeks, perhaps months, and that day by day it would reveal to me its secrets, from which, as they were unravelled, I hoped my map would grow. And then my thoughts turned to people who live amid the bush, the people I should meet, who make it their home during the rains — nomads, dwellers in tents, living the same life now as In the days of the Old Testament, tending their flocks in endless search of water and pasture, moving with the seasons, rest- less and warlike. The following day I was able to obtain another silver-backed jackal, which completed my series of them from the Kismayu district. Later, close to camp, I saw three gerenuk, one of which had good horns. It took me, however, quite a long time to get within range, as they were feeding away from me, but finally, as I was crawling round a bush, the buck grew suspicious and turned round, giving me rather a difficult shot at about 200 yards. Greatly to my delight I heard the bullet clap loudly, the poor brute 68 A CIVET CAT gave a convulsive leap forward and then fell quite dead. Although fully adult, he was distinctly small in bodily size, and compared very unfavourably in that respect with others I had shot in the highlands of East Africa. I was to learn later that this decrease in size is apparent in all the common specimens of the game I shot in Jubaland. It would seem prob- able that the poor grazing and the hard physical conditions of the country which they inhabit are the causes of this. I spent several days in this district hunting and working, but saw little game except a few dik-dik and some small birds, of which I shot several for my collection. The night previous to my departure from this camp was not without incident. I turned in about 8.30, and was fast asleep when, at ten o'clock, my boy, Juma, came in and woke me, saying that, " There was a little thing outside to shoot." So, hastily putting on a pair of boots, I crept out with my shot- gun, and sure enough I saw some small animal in the moonlight just outside the boma. It heard me coming, but as it turned to run I fired and killed it, a clear proof of how bright the moon was. The camp was instantly in a hubbub, as every one woke at the shot and came running out with their rifles. It was exceedingly amusing to watch them before they realised what had happened. The midnight visitor turned out to be an exceedingly pretty little animal with small, pointed grey head and beady eyes, a grey body with rich brown spots on it, and a ringed black and grey tail, while all down the back was a crest of long black hairs. It appears to be a civet cat ( Viverra civetta). After it had been carefully put away I returned 69 THE EYLAD BUSH to bed, but it seemed scarcely a few moments later when I was again awakened, and I could already see the loads being done up and the camels being saddled. We finally started, shortly after three o'clock, and marched across a perfectly flat and dusty plain, which in the rainy season must, I should imagine, become somewhat swampy, until at noon we reached the edo^e of what the o^uide told me was the Eylad bush. The Eylad water-hole was still twelve miles on, but as I did not yet wish to over-exert myself by taking long marches in my present weak condition, I decided to camp here and proceed the following morning. It had been very hot and muggy all day, and at 2.45 there was a heavy storm to the west, great black clouds and obvious rain, which cleared off about four, when the air cooled somewhat. I did not go out again in the afternoon, as I knew I should not see any game, this part of the country being too hopelessly arid even for such desert dwellers as the gerenuk and Grant's gazelle. 70 CHAPTER VI A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS I LEFT Dol, by which name my last camp was known, just before 5 a.m., and in an hour's time, as the sun was rising above Eyladera, we left the plain and entered the real bush. In all my life I have never seen such a tangle, such thick, clinging, thorny scrub, twelve feet high, leafless, grey and dead-looking. Fortunately there was a native trail running due west to Eylad (white well), and this we followed for two and a half hours, before emerging into a delightful little meadow of ten or twelve acres, with thick green grass and two large circular depressions in the centre full of rain-water. I later discovered, by careful ob- servation, that the ground for miles around slopes very gradually, and, to the casual observer, imper- ceptibly, down to these pools, which, when full, contain sufficient water for four hundred cattle for at least three months. As I rode out into this delightful spot, I saw a large number of guinea-fowl feeding, and a dik-dik disappearing into the bush. I fired and got a guinea-fowl, and a second as they rose, and, hastily reloading, I shot a francolin as it came flying directly overhead. These two game birds are common throughout Jubaland, and are both exceedingly handsome specimens. In the francolin {Pternistes infuscatus) the head and upper part of the neck are devoid of feathers. 71 ELEPHANTS' SPOOR The bare skin of the face and throat is a brilliant red, abruprly changing to yellow on the neck. This colouring in life is very striking and beautiful, but in the dry skin it fades into a uniform dull brown, and gives no idea of the gradation of the rich crimson of the upper portion into the clear lemon-yellow of the lower parts of the neck. Neither of these birds affords really good sport, as they trust for escape rather to their legs than to their wings. When flushed they rise with a tremendous whirr, flying away in a straight course, and their large size and steady flight make them an easy mark. The harsh chattering cry of the francolin is most characteristic and cannot be mistaken, and it soon becomes one of the most familiar sounds to the traveller in Jubaland. In the afternoon, while investigating the country in the vicinity of my camp, I killed several more guinea-fowl, of which I lost three, owing to the thickness of the bush, which prevented our finding them. I also noticed some elephants' spoor, but none of it was fresh, and they appeared to have left the district, trekking westwards. I now proposed to march due west, in which direction lay the Guran- lagga, according to existing maps, but my guide insisted on going north-west, as he said that the bush was so dense that we should be unable to make our way through it in a direct line with camels. The following day we left camp at 3 a.m., and proceeded by moonlight through a country similar to that which we had traversed the day before. As dawn broke, it revealed a scene of luxuriant vegetation such as is always associated with tropical Africa. Huge trees festooned with creepers and brightly coloured flowers, brilliantly feathered birds flitting 72 Our Guide He was a Somili of tl e Herii tribe ; notice the fringe to his " Tobe," which was striped yellow and white, and the broad-bladed thrusting spear. LUXURIANT VEGETATION in and out amongst the branches, tall grass and shrubs in astonishing profusion, formed an almost theatrical picture to which the finishing touches were added by a thick white mist that rose from the ground, blurring the outlines and adding mystery to the scene. As the sun grew hotter, a perfect swarm of small flies collected around us, maddening the camels and driving my men and myself almost crazy. There was not a breath of air, and, to make matters worse, huge storm-clouds were quietly gathering, rendering the air oppressive beyond de- scription. At last, close on 8 a.m., we reached a small Somali boma, and about a quarter of a mile beyond I camped near a little rain-pool. The camels did not arrive for another hour, having had trouble with the loads in the bush. The storm threatened all the morning, but did not break till 2 o'clock, when rain came down with truly tropical violence. In three- quarters of an hour we actually filled eight tanks (ninety-six gallons) and two buckets with rain-water. It cleared up completely by three o'clock, and the sun came out, making the atmosphere, already stifling, perfectly indescribable. But, on the whole, the rain was really a blessing, as the water was clear and sweet, a delightful change from the usual kind found in the bush, which is either full of mud or tastes strongly of the animals which have been watering there. When the storm was over, I went out in search of game, as I had been told that there were oryx and topi in this district, but I saw no traces of them, and came back in disgust about dark, very much exhausted. We broke camp at half-past three the following morning, marching northwards, but at the very start there was an unfortunate accident, my servant, Juma, 1Z SOMALI BOMAS slipping in the mud left by yesterday's rain and cutting his shin to the bone on a piece of wood. He was much scared at the sight of blood flowing rather freely, and wept copiously ; however, I quickly bound up the wound, and, as he was obviously incapable of walking, put him on my mule, and we proceeded on our way. I passed two Somali bomas of about fourteen huts each, in little clearings in the bush, and unloaded at a third. There were several tiny children playing outside the boma, who, on seeing me, fled howling to their mothers. I was soon surrounded by the male population of the village, numbering about fifteen fully-armed men (one with an ugly-looking hatchet), but on walking forward with the interpreter and explaining that I had come merely to shoot and amuse myself, they became quite friendly, putting away their weapons and bringing me milk and ghee. In my turn I gave them some "buni" or Somali coffee, and I further cemented our friendship by presenting several of the youngest boys of the village with small presents. One of them, who could scarcely have been more than a couple of years old, came clinging to his father's leg and seemed perfectly terrified, but I managed to pacify him by giving him a piece of cloth for his mother. Its crude colours seemed to soothe his fears, and, giving me an enchanting smile, he clutched it in his tiny fists and toddled off to the boma to his mother. In the afternoon I marched on again towards the north, as the bush, in a westerly direction, was impenetrable. The country alternated between dense jungle and little open plains, but the going was easy, as we were following an old elephant trail. Old spoor of this kind was very common, although just before 74 THE DESHEK WAMA camping I came across some very fresh tracks of a small cow-elephant, and near by the pug marks of a lion, almost equally fresh ; but of antelopes I saw- no slo-n at all. o Although heavy clouds gathered in the afternoon, no rain fell, and towards evening the sun came out again with renewed intensity. During the second part of the journey, Juma travelled tied on to one of the camels, as I did not fancy walking all day if it could be avoided. On the following day I had a renewed attack of dysentery, but was compelled to proceed until water was reached. This we found in considerable quantities ten miles farther on, in a little valley that sloped downwards in a northerly direction towards the Deshek Wama. The latter is a large, shallow de- pression about sixteen miles long by two broad, which used to contain permanent water, thus forming a natural lake. It was fed by a stream that issued from the Juba, and also, during the rains, by the combined waters of the Lak Jiro and Lak Dera, while in turn it was drained by a stream that joined the Juba River again just above Yonti. But the feeder has now been cut off by an artificial bank, and the Deshek Wama is dry, except during the rainy season. The valley, where I camped, occupied almost the exact position on the map that had previously been assigned to El Lin Swamp, from which the Guranlagga was said to rise and flow southwards. But to the natives this name is un- known, and, though questioned separately, they all referred to it as Seyera. It is a shallow valley whose sides are covered with jungle, while the bottom forms a small swamp three miles long by half a 75 A TRYING TIME mile broad. This is drained by a small stream that runs into the Deshek Wama at a place called Soya. From the head of the valley the country rises gradually towards the south, with an average slope of I : 800, so that it was at once obvious that the Guranlao-aa did not flow southwards, and that there- fore existing maps were at fault. My guide also de- clared that it was still three days' march from Seyera and that it flowed west to east, and I discovered later that his statements were not far wrong. The next sixteen days were a very trying ordeal to me. Between attacks of acute dysentery I managed to do a little work, and by short and painful marches reached the little district of Gururu, which is situated some sixteen miles west of Seyera Swamp. Here I had to give in, and while lying seriously ill, I sent back to Kismayu for various things I needed. I was disheartened, and almost despaired of being able to accomplish my purpose of reaching the Lorian Swamp. It was an unenviable position, for although I was extremely ill and in great pain, 1 was compelled to issue orders daily to my headman, and keep my men busy. I lacked invalid food of any kind, for I had been obliged to cut down my own provisions to the barest minimum, and a continued diet of weak tea and toast, although harm- less, was not calculated to check my growing physical weakness. The damp, enervating heat night and day, when the whole world seemed steaming, and the unpleasant attentions of a variety of insects, which ranged from mosquitoes and flies to wood-lice and giant spiders, added greatly to my discomforts. As a last misfortune, malarial fever broke out among my men, and I was obliged to attend to the sick 76 MY HERTI GUIDE every evening, although I was so exhausted myself that I had to be carried out of my tent to my table, where I could dispense medicine to them. At last my illness took a turn for the better, and I received at the same time from Kismayu, in answer to my message, medicines, invalid food, consisting of eggs, cocoa and biscuits, and a stretcher in which I could be carried back in case of necessity. And here I must again express my great indebtedness to Mr. Dundas for the trouble he took on my behalf, and for the unfailing kindness he showed me. As I grew stronger I passed much time in a shelter I had had built near my tent ; here my chair was placed, and I would sit and rest, reading and re-reading the books I had with me, and smoke or doze the long hours away, longing to be up and working once again. The days passed pleasantly and quietly ; I wandered round the camp, took some snapshots, and saw that everything was in good order, so that I might start as soon as I felt strong enough. I had long been anxious to obtain a photograph of my Herti guide, but till now I had not been successful in persuading him to sit for me, for nearly all Somali have a great objection to doing so, either from a superstitious fear of the unknown, or because, by twisting the meaning of certain words in the Koran, they have come to the conclusion that the law forbids it. But at last, I thought that if he saw the picture on the ground glass, his scruples might be overcome. And my plan succeeded, for, on seeing the people upside down on the focusing screen, he was immensely amused, and thought it a splendid joke ! He told me that if my object was merely to view people in that ridiculous position n TRAYELLING UNDER DIFFICULTIES he could see no harm in it, and forthwith agreed to be photographed as often as I wished ! I allowed him to continue in this belief, for his interpretation of my actions was pleasing and unsophisticated, and could do no harm to anyone. While at Gururu, I witnessed a curious incident. I was sitting in front of my tent after tea, when I saw a laroe o-reen snake come out from the thorn fence, which surrounded my camp, in pursuit of a frog, which he caught and swallowed, before my eyes, not three yards away. I quickly got my whip and killed it, having noted the time. Exactly nine and a half minutes after the frog had been swallowed, I had the snake's stomach opened and found the frog still living, and, though dazed at first, it soon began to hop about. However, he too had to be sacrificed on the altar of science, and they both found their way into the collecting box. On I ith January I decided to move on westwards, for, although far from having completely recovered, it was very necessary that I should continue my journey. I had only a limited supply of food, and I feared lest the water should dry up in the arid country that lies between Kurde and the Lorian, which would make it impossible for me to reach the latter place. As I wished to husband my resources, I put my pride in my pocket, and was carried in a stretcher. The porters shared the work of carrying me and of clearing the road, while my syce came behind leading the mule, on which was attached my medicine chest and a little food, so that I might have something to eat on arriving at the spot where I should decide to camp, instead of having to await the coming of the camels. 78 BRUSH AND FOREST This method of travelHng, so long as it is in a bush or forest country, does not prevent one from carrying out a prismatic compass traverse. At fre- quent intervals I took both forward and back bearings of the direction of the trail, and read my aneroid, or noted the temperature at which water boiled, in order to ofet the variations in altitude. This method of surveying sounds extremely rough, but it is the usual, and, in fact, the only practicable one in dense jungle, and when checked by proper astronomical observations yields surprisingly accurate results. At first the country consisted of the usual bush, but gradually this gave place to forest equally dense but more interesting. Huge yak trees with weirdly gnarled trunks, and tall, slender mimosas took the place of the withered scrub of which I had grown so tired ; and the undergrowth of thorn and aloes changed into green shrubs with beautifully coloured flowers, some red, others mauve, but the majority white. Fluttering from bush to bush were a multi- tude of white moths, and so numerous were they, that they became almost as annoying as the flies. Except on this one occasion I saw not a single other specimen of this particular moth in Jubaland. The road wound in and out among the trees in a most bewildering fashion, until, some four hours later, we emerged into a little glade where two gigantic yak trees stood sentry over a little pool of rain-water. Here I decided to camp, and, after a welcome cup of cocoa, lay down and dozed until the camels arrived about noon. As I moved to allow them to pitch my tent in the shade beneath the tree, a francolin rose at my very feet with a tremendous whirr, leaving her nest with six eggs 79 A PLAGUE OF FLIES in it. It is extraordinary to think that in spite of the noisy porters and the confusion on the arrival of the caravan, she had remained hidden within fifteen yards, and had only flown away when I nearly stepped on her. In the afternoon I strolled round in the bush, and was lucky to shoot two guinea- fowl quite close to camp. There was but little game, although here and there I came across the monstrous spoor of elephant, which showed them to have trekked westward a month or so ago. Practically this whole district, from Seyera Swamp southwards, is avoided by the Somali, although it possesses some very rich pasture land, because of a certain kind of fly ( Tabanus africa7t2is) which infests its forests. They are said to cause fever among cattle and camels, and certainly my own camels suffered severely here, and large fires of green wood had to be lighted, in the smoke of which they used to stand, refusing to feed, and obviously terribly tormented by these flies. I believe, however, that it is the irritation caused by the bites of these insects, rather than any poison they carry, which causes the fever. 80 CHAPTER VII A NEW RIVER We reached the river after a long and tiring march, accompHshed without incident. I left Agodi in the early morning on my stretcher, and we marched throuo-h thin scrub and larQ;'e acacia trees until noon. After leaving Agodi the ground sloped slightly up- wards towards the south for about three miles, when the crest of the divide was reached. This is the main watershed which divides the valley of the Lak Dera from that of the Guranlagga, and it follows approxi- mately a line drawn between Liboyi, Agodi and the Dibayu Plain. When this is crossed the ground slopes gradually downwards towards the south-west. A thick line of big trees stretching across the plain and showing above the thin thorn scrub was the first indication that we were approaching the stream at last. We crossed the river-bed at four o'clock, where it was dry, but there were large pools above and below as there were in the bed of the small tributary that ran down from the hills parallel to the trail by which we had come. In both rivers trees, shrubs and creepers grew in the most astonishing tangle ; no words of mine could convey an adequate impression of the scene, but some idea can be gained of the tropical vegetation by referring to the accompanying photo- graph of the river. While camp was being pitched I strolled down along the bank of the river and shot ''THE POOL OF BIRDS" a francolin and a duck, which I was very glad to have secured for my dinner. The name of this place is Shimbirleh ("the pool of birds"), and here it may be explained that Guranlagga or the Lak Guran means, freely translated, a "jungle stream." Either name is correct, for Lak is a Galla word for a river that runs only after the rains, and is universally used in Jubaland by the natives to distinguish such streams from the permanent rivers, for which the Somali word is Webbe. When the word Lak is put after the name of a river, its form is changed into -lagga, although the meaning is preserved. Guran is a native word for a thornless acacia ; hence the literal meanino^ of GuranlaCTaa is "the stream where the Guran bushes grow." Its creneral direction at Shimbirleh is from west o to east, and a month later I discovered that its source was due west of that place. On previous maps it was shown to run from north to south, and its name was given as " Lak Guranlugga," which shows how easily confusion is brought into geographical nomen- clature by people who do not carefully question the natives as regards the meaning of local names. As a long and waterless march of 58 miles lay between this place and the districts of Joreh, I decided to spend a few days here and give the camels a rest before undertaking it. I spent much of my time in exploring the river, as far as it was possible to do so, both east and west. At intervals I did a little hunting ; the game was scarce and I was only able to add birds to my collection. However, one day while I was out in the jungle that fills the river-bed, I heard a tremendous rustling of branches, as though some large beast was making its way through the 82 The Lak Guran at Shimbirleh (the pool of birds) This stream had never been previously explored. It plays an important part in the drainage system of southern Jubaland. The photograph gives some idea of the dense character of the vegetation, which renders travelling so arduous in the interior of Jubaland. A TROOP OF MONKEYS forest, and I had visions of a magnificent bull elephant or buffalo. Unfortunately it was only a troop of monkeys jumping from branch to branch amongst the tree-tops, so I exchanged my express rifle for a shot-gun, and as they approached I shot one as he was crossing above the stream. He fell with a splash into the water, and at the sound of the shot the rest dashed off in alarm, their frightened chattering soon dying away in the distance. I sent one of the porters to retrieve the one I had killed, and it proved to be an adult male of a small species of monkey which is only found in the bush near the coast. Much to my surprise it was clasping in its arms a tiny baby monkey not more than one or two days old. The expression of anguish on its face, in fact, its whole appearance was so distressingly human that I hurriedly sent it back to the camp in charge of the skinner, in order to be rid of it. It appears, from what the natives told me, that it is not unusual for the male parent to look after the newborn monkey, while the mother goes out in search of food, during the first few weeks after birth. On the same day I managed to replenish my stock of food by killing two guinea-fowl and another duck. This was really welcome, for, owing to the heat and humidity, I had been compelled to throw away the rest of my potatoes, which had gone bad, and a sack of mealies that had become mouldy. Owing to the uncertain and cloudy weather I was often compelled, at this time, to take observations for latitude and time to the sun. This was a very trying performance, especially as at midday the sun was almost vertically overhead, since Shimbirleh is situated only a few miles south of the Equator, and 83 LOST IN THE JUNGLE often the telescope of the theodolite was so hot that it became painful to the touch. On one occasion I came across the fresh spoor of what must have been a gigantic bull buffalo, but so thick was the bush that it was impossible to follow it far, as I could only proceed on hands and knees. I was therefore reluctantly compelled to retrace my steps, but before I had reached more open country darkness had fallen, and I realised, to my dismay, that we were lost. I was only accompanied by my gun-bearer, who, having been born in the highlands, was useless at finding his way through the jungle. Fortunately, however, I found an old game trail which led us down to one of the main pools in the river-bed, not far from where I was camped. Here, owing to the bright moonlight, I recognised my whereabouts, and reached camp safely just before ten o'clock. On leaving Shimbirleh we started out in a south- westerly direction, and on our way crossed the river twice again where it makes a big bend to the south. We then turned south ourselves up a slight slope that rose about 150 feet in the next 10 miles, when we reached a plateau densely covered with trees, a very good example of a tropical forest. Here I saw again the same flowers and the same trees that I had seen at Agodi. I unloaded and let the camels feed, but later in the afternoon pushed on again in the same general direction, at first through forest and then through the usual grey thorn-scrub that rose above our heads, completely obscuring our view of anything, even within a few feet of us, but giving no protection from the burning sun. We marched on steadily till shortly after five o'clock, when we entered a little 84 GIANT SPIDERS' WEBS clearing where I decided to camp. The camels arrived very shortly after, as they had not rested long at midday ; my tent was soon up, and I was obliged to be content with a frugal meal of rice and tea, for I had been unable to shoot any game during the day. The men were very tired and, instead of the usual singing and talking, they were silent after their dinner and were soon asleep. At eight I went my rounds ; all was quiet, the camels chewing the cud in a great semicircle behind my tent, the dim figures of the sleeping men lying around the fires and the two sentries pacing up and down, the light from the new moon shining on their fixed bayonets ; all around was the dense bush, broken only by the yak trees whose giant forms rose here and there above it, their whitish trunks gleaming like silver in the moonlight. All day long I had seen no living thing except a few lizards, snakes and ants ; that night, at any rate, we were the only human beings in that huge wilderness. The next morning's march was through a country very similar to that which we had passed the day before, except for the thorn scrub, which was more than usually dense, so that I foresaw trouble for the camels. Moreover there were thousands of ©"iant o spiders' webs, almost invisible in the early morning light, which kept brushing across my face in a most irritating manner as I rode along, so I decided to walk, especially as I was somewhat saddle - sore after the long march of the previous day, and had not yet recovered from my illness. We marched on at a very good pace, the sun rose a dull smoke-coloured disc seen through the thick mist, and the heat grew ; but at 7.30 a great surprise was in store for me, for as we emerged from the forest for a moment, I saw a 85 A DEPRESSING SCENE large swamp right in front of me. It was a real discovery, as it was marked on no map, so I was immensely pleased, and took great pains to fix its position, and that of two smaller ones a little farther on. The first was a huge circular depression, now dry, three miles in circumference, filled with tall elephant grass and surrounded by numerous yak trees. It is known to the natives as Gombe Barsa, and is an important water-hole for the Somali who are trekking from the Deshek Wama to the district of Joreh. I attempted to take some photographs, but they were unsatisfactory owing to the thickness and heio"ht of the undergrowth. After leaving this spot we passed through another broad belt of forest, which gradually grew thinner until we emerged at last into a large open plain covered with very rank grass and dotted with small clumps of stunted grey thorn bushes. The scene was desolate in the extreme ; there was something physic- ally depressing about it, and, though I cannot explain the feeling, even the bush with its big trees and tropical vegetation seemed preferable to the hopeless aridity of this plain. My guide informed me that this was the beginning of Joreh, that land of promise teeming with game — a true hunter's paradise as it had been pictured to me. I did not halt here, but marched on, and soon, much to my disgust, the guide confessed he did not quite know where he was, for he had never been there before, and it was only his cousin who had told him the way. My inability to speak Somali prevented my telling him what I thought of him, so, leading the way, I struck south- wards across the plain, following an old game trail. We had still three tins of water, sufficient at a pinch 86 A DISAPPOINTMENT for two days, so I decided to march on as fast as possible till we came to a native track, and then to follow it. As a matter of fact I found one within three miles, and shortly afterwards reached a deserted Somali boma with a little rainpool in the bush near by. I camped there, but the camels did not arrive till late in the afternoon, for they had had great trouble with the loads in the thick bush, as I had fore- seen. One of the collectino- boxes had been broken by a branch, and most of the contents ruined. The heat had been excessive all day and tried both camels and men severely, but, in spite of an attack of fever, I was compelled to go out in the afternoon in search of game, as I had no fresh food. After a little while I saw a few topi grazing in the open, and I managed to get within lOO yards of them, but being far from fit, and my hand being rather shaky, I made a disgraceful shot ; I saw the dust fly to the right of the animal I was aiming at ; off they went at a lumbering gallop, and we saw them no more. Although I was very disappointed, I could not help laughing at the guide, for he, in the anguish caused by seeing himself deprived of the meat for which he had been longing, let out a string of Somali oaths, and then distinctly said "damn ! " As he did not even know "yes" and " no" in English, and had probably only heard the word for the first time that morning when I was talking to him about losing the way, it struck me as particularly humorous. The wearisome return to camp, however, was not so funny, although I managed to obtain a couple of doves, which made an excellent meal. Two days later I reached a Somali boma called Goloshe Ware, and found a small settlement of Herti S7 HERTI SOMALI Somali who had been detained there by ilhiess (which proved on investigation to be malaria), but who intended to move on southwards as soon as possible, since water was giving out. The headman proved very friendly but unintelligent and not very accom- modating. He agreed to sell me a little ghee in exchange for some cloth, but could not be induced to part with a calf at any price. We were much bothered by flies here ; the heat was indescribable and the humidity of the atmosphere excessive, so that it was with pleasure that I broke camp the following day, still going southwards. The two guides went first (for I had to engage another from this village), then I followed on my mule, with my syce, two gun-bearers, two orderlies, two camera and instrument bearers, interpreter and skinner ; after us came the long line of camels, their loads swaying as they walked, their wooden bells sounding cheerfully and blending with the songs of the syces who walked alongside, the rear being brought up by two more askaris, the headman and the head syce. The whole village — men, women and children — turned out to watch us pass, and they seemed greatly amused at the sight. My clothes, and especially my double terai hat, with its crimson puggaree, caused them more merriment than anything else. The Somali at this boma were a poor lot of men physically, although rich in cattle. They lived chiefly on milk, and were pot-bellied and weak. They spent most of their day asleep on their prayer-mats under a tree, sipping coffee, if they were lucky enough to have any, and chatting with their cronies in the intervals of wakefulness. The climate may partly account for this absence of energy, as it is terribly relaxing and 88 GIRAFFES unhealthy ; they seemed to feel Its effects very much, and were constantly suffering from fever and dysentery, while hardly one of them was free from ghastly sores on some part of his person. After we had camped that afternoon in a little clearing, I went out in search of game, and within half an hour of leaving camp I saw a bull giraffe and three young cows. Giraffes are protected in East Africa, and I was therefore unable to shoot one, but after a good stalk, I managed to get quite close and sat down to observe them. It was a beautiful sight watching them feed, quite unconscious of danger, nibbling daintily at the green leaves, and I was struck by the fact that they were scarcely noticeable amid the bush, in spite of their vivid marking and enormous size. I soon lost sight of them and came across nothing further for more than an hour, when I found some very fresh spoor which I carelessly took to be that of a topi. Leaving my gun-bearer behind I went forward alone, and soon after, on looking cau- tiously over an ant-hill, I saw, not loo yards away, five oryx feeding quietly among the bush ; there was no big bull, so I picked out a good cow, and sitting down took careful aim and fired. She pitched forward as the bullet hit her, and I knew that I had at last got meat. The others had not gone very far, so I fired again, and by a lucky fluke broke both hind legs of a young bull at about 200 yards. Both proved to be in splendid condition, with plenty of fat under the skin, which is somewhat unusual in African game. As I had had no proper food for three days, I there and then sat down and roasted a nice piece over the embers, and ate it, although I had no salt with me. Meanwhile, I sent the guide back to camp, and by 89 TOPI the time I had finished my impromptu dinner he turned up again with two camels, and every scrap of meat was taken back. Everyone was in the best of spirits, and when I refused to give out any rations, the men took it very well, only asking for plenty of meat, which I gave them. The following day I continued southwards and in the early morning I was again successful in obtaining more meat. We entered a small open plain, about two miles across, with a large swamp on the west, now dry. I left the camels here to go on, while I turned off to investigate, but I had not proceeded very far before my syce gave a low whistle. I looked up, and there, about lOO yards away, stood a solitary topi, looking very handsome in the early morning light. I sat down, and taking rather a quick sight, fired, and to my delight the bullet clapped loudly, telling me of a well-placed shot. The topi made a tremendous spurt, but soon stopped, and I saw that it was in great trouble, so I sat down and smoked a cigarette before going cautiously forward. I soon saw her lying down, and as she got up I gave her another bullet at close quarters which finished her olT. She proved to be a splendid cow, with very long horns, although in basal girth they were much smaller than those of topi in the more westerly parts of East Africa. Later in the day I saw another small herd of topi, of which I managed to bag three more. All the meat was taken, and what was not eaten immedi- ately was cut into strips and dried. The game was very tame. They were not much alarmed at the sound of a shot, but seemed bewildered, running round and round unable to detect the direction from which 90 MONOTONOUS COUNTRY danger came. But if once they have caught sight of the hunter they will make off directly, and it is then useless to follow them. The secret of success consists in keeping as much as possible in the shadows and in remaining as motionless as possible after the first shot, until their alarm has somewhat subsided. The days passed pleasantly enough in working and hunting, but I kept gradually moving southwards until I reached the little village of Guratti. The country in its vicinity is much pleasanter than any I had yet met with in Jubaland. There were large shady trees overshadowing picturesque glades car- peted with grass, and a few euphorbias lent interest to a scene that was otherwise tame. It is difficult to give an adequate description of the country through which I had passed. There were no mountains, rivers or lakes to form a dominant feature in the landscape ; constant monotony was the keynote of the country ; mile upon mile of grey thorn bushes, whose delicate leaves and thin thorny branches shut out the view, only gave place here and there to flat meadow-lands clothed with coarse grass and dotted with mimosas. Now and again there were some large trees, chiefiy yaks ; or perhaps great patches of reeds, 12 or 14 feet high, that met above your head, and rustled back to their places as you passed ; but otherwise there was no striking landmark, only the extraordinary flatness of the whole country. And in colouring it was the same, endless greens, more vivid where there was water, and greys, with here and there the brown of a dead tree, or of some curiously shaped ant-hill. As soon as we reached the boma, the headman, 91 A HOSPITABLE RECEPTION who was most decidedly Chinese in appearance, with almond-shaped eyes, and long thin moustache, came out and begged me to camp, saying that as I was the first white " officer " to come to their village they wanted to do me honour. I could hardly refuse, for the country here is only nominally administered, and I was dependent on the goodwill of the natives to allow me to go through their country ; and a delight- ful camp it proved. At a discreet distance all the male population watched the pitching of my tent with the greatest interest, and bright-eyed, brown- limbed little children, with long curly brown hair, gazed with solemn wonder at me from the safety of the surrounding bushes. When the tent was up, I saw a procession being formed, and the elders of the village came up to welcome me, bringing with them an ox, a quantity of ghee and eight pots of milk, "all they had," as the headman said, "to show me honour and make my heart glad." He further begged permission to hold a dance in the afternoon ; naturally, I gave it, and after thanking them for their welcome, and for their friendly attitude towards a stranger, I proceeded to question them as to their country and the whereabouts of game. In the meantime I ordered my headman to prepare coffee for them, and they remained the rest of the day within my boma, talking to my men for hours, while they sipped the sickly buni, of which they seemed so fond. The dance, which was to be somewhat similar, I was told, to one I had witnessed in Kismayu, took place in the afternoon. Boxes meanwhile had been placed in a semicircle in front of my tent, for the elders to sit upon. My men put on their best clothes 92 o ^ o bo <1 b''^ •r.-^ S. A DANCE and their cartridge belts, and took their rifles, while my escort, together with the headman, interpreter and gun-bearers, came up armed to the teeth and stood behind and on each side of me. There is always a certain element of danger in these dances, for the young men, or warriors, work themselves up to a high pitch of excitement, and sometimes the elders lose control over them. Soon the whole village assembled, and the dance began. It was characterised by much noise and extreme energy, but, like all African dances, it soon became very monotonous. In the same way as at Kismayu, each warrior came springing towards me, brandishing his spear a few inches off my face, crying out, "Modt" (Hail!). Everybody watched me to see if I would flinch, but I had been warned before- hand by my headman of what was going to happen, so that I was able to maintain my self-control, although I must confess it was somewhat disconcerting at first. This went on for about two hours, when I called a halt, as I was growing very tired of the performance. I then made another short speech of thanks, gave the dancers some more coffee, and the elders some presents, with which they were very pleased, and then dismissed them. Thus ended a very pleasant and interesting day. As I had now reached the northerly limits of the country inhabited by Hunter's hartebeeste, I propose to give in the following chapter an account of the characteristics and habits of these rare and interestingf animals before proceeding to describe the days I spent in hunting them. 93 CHAPTER VIII THE AREOLA, OR HUNTER'S HARTEBEESTE One of the objects I had in view in undertaking this journey was to obtain specimens of Hunter's harte- beeste, or arrola, as it is known to the natives. These antelopes were first discovered by Mr. H. C. V. Hunter, in 1887, when travelling near the mouth of the Tana River. He found them in herds of from ten to twenty, frequenting open plains and thin thorn bush, but he never saw them in thick scrub or forest. At present there is a fine pair, male and female, in the Nairobi Club, and also about a dozen speci- mens in England, but exceedingly little is known of their habits or of the country where they are to be found. They belong to the sub-family Bubalidin/e, which is constituted by the true hartebeeste, the bastard- hartebeeste and the gnu, and each of these genera is represented in East Africa. According to Mr. R. Lydekker, to whom I am indebted for much of the information on this subject, the members of this group are ungainly looking ruminants of comparatively large size, and with naked muzzles, although the lower part of the nostrils is covered with short bristly hairs. The tail is generally long, covered with hair, and ending in a tuft, and lateral hoofs of large size are generally present. The females, as well as the males, carry horns, as is the case with the "bovidse," but 94 TRUE HARTEBEESTES the teeth, which in the upper jaw have tall and narrow crowns, resemble those of the sheep or goat. The true hartebeeste is characterised by the enormous development of the upper prolongation of the forehead, known as the " pedicle," on which the horns are mounted ; the latter are doubly curved and heavily ringed, while the remarkable height of the withers and falling away of the hindquarters is another noticeable peculiarity. There are nine well-known varieties of true hartebeeste, namely : — 1. The Bubal Hartebeeste {B. boselaphiis), North Africa. 2. The Western Hartebeeste {B. major), Senegambia and West Coast. 3. Tora Hartebeeste {B. tora), Abyssinia and Blue Nile basin. 4. Swayne's Hartebeeste {B. Swaynei), Somaliland. 5. Coke's Hartebeeste {B. cokei), British and German East Africa. 6. Cape Hartebeeste {B. cama), South Africa. 7. Lelwel Hartebeeste {B. lelwel), East Central Africa. 8. Neumann's Hartebeeste {B. neurnanni), Lake Rudolf. 9. The Konzi Hartebeeste {B. lichiensteini), East Africa, north of Sabi River, Nyasaland and Mozambique. There are several varieties of the above species, but it is unnecessary to name them here, as their final classification is by no means complete. We now come to a group of antelopes closely akin to the more typical hartebeestes, from which they are distinguished by the more moderate length of face, by the absence of the horn pedicle, and by the simple lyrate form of the horns, while the withers are much less elevated above the hindquarters. There are five well-known species in this group. 1. Topi, korrigum and tiang {Damaliscus corrigumjimeld). 2. Bontebok (Z?. /jFrar^z/:^). 95 THE ARROLA 3. Blesbok (Z>. albifrotis). 4. Tsessebe {D. lunatus). 5. Arrola (Z>. hitnteri). I shall refrain from discussing the third group, Connochoetes, since no representatives of it are present in Jubaland. Of the animals mentioned above, Coke's, Neumann's and the Lelwel hartebeeste are found in the highlands of East Africa : the topi is common along the German border and near Muhoroni, but the race to which I have referred {^D. c.jimela) is typically from the Juba River Valley. It is also found in considerable numbers near Lake Rudolf. In Juba- land the topi takes the place of the true hartebeeste, which is absent. It will be seen, therefore, that it is widely distributed in the Protectorate. On the other hand, the arrola, which is the only other species of the family Bubalidinse in Jubaland, is extremely local in its range, and is found only in the Tana Valley and on the borders of Tanaland and Jubaland and nowhere else in Africa. Standing about 48 inches at the shoulder, the arrola is of a light and attractive build, while the horns are of a simple and graceful form, slanting first out- wards and upwards, then bending backwards, after which the long slender points are directed upwards and outwards. They are heavily ringed for the first 12 inches, after which they are quite smooth. In the bulls that are not quite fully adult, the tips of the horns are directed noticeably inwards and not out- wards, though in the case of immature females this does not appear to be the case. The face is of medium length, without any horn pedicle. The cheek teeth are large, and are peculiar in that there are only two, 96 COLOUR AND PECULIARITIES instead of the usual three, pre-molar teeth in the lower jaw. The face glands situated just below the eyes were remarkably developed in all the specimens I shot, and the pits in the skull corresponding to them, though shallow, are large (43 mm. in diam.). The glands are surrounded by white hairs, and the central cavities (which are on an average 7*5 mm. in diameter) exude a thick, dark-coloured excretion. This species is of a uniform pale cafe-au-lait colour, the cows being somewhat lighter than the bulls. The latter often become slaty grey towards the end of their lives, in this respect being similar to the eland {Tauro- tragus oryx). On the face they have a white chevron, joining the two white patches round the eyes. The inner surfaces of the ears, the belly (in Jubaland specimens at any rate) and the tail are also white. The latter is about 18 inches in length, the lower part being sparsely covered with coarse white hairs. There is one peculiarity in the arrola that I have not seen mentioned anywhere, nor have I noticed it in any other antelope ; they have a large roll of loose skin underlaid with fat, situated just behind the horns across the skull between the ears and horns. This is a very marked feature, and it is more developed in the male than in the female ; moreover, it is especially noticeable when the animals are in good condition. What purpose this may serve, I am quite at a loss to say. I questioned the natives very carefully as regards their range, and I have come to the conclusion that they are not found west of longitude 40° E., or north of latitude 0° 35' S. They do not inhabit the country south of the Tana River nor the district immediately adjacent to the coast. I was much puzzled and G 97 ITS DISTRIBUTION surprised at first when told by the Somali that I should find them to the west of the Lorian Swamp, but I discovered later that they apply the word *'arrola" to the impalla {yEpyceros melampus) as well, and this animal is, of course, found all along the Uaso Nyiro. If the reader will glance at the map, and note the range I have given to Hunter's hartebeeste, he will see what a very local animal it is ; and if it is remembered that the whole of that country is practi- cally unadministered, and inhabited by the most warlike and truculent of the Ogaden Somali, it will not seem so strange that only a very few specimens have ever found their way to this country. It is of course an infallible sign of ignorance to attempt to dogmatise on the habits of animals, with which one has had but a month's acquaintance. I saw ninety-seven arrola in all, and made careful notes at the time of what I observed, both of their movements and of the country they inhabit ; and I shall there- fore confine myself in the following description of their surroundings and their habits, to the facts I noted down on the spot in my field-book, and to a few deductions that may legitimately be drawn from them. I saw no arrola outside the district of Joreh, though the natives told me that occasionally there were some near Goniah-iddu, but when I passed through that district later I did not see any spoor. They inhabit a country of small open plains, covered with thin scattered bush alternating with belts of dense acacia scrub. In the early morning and towards sunset they may be seen in herds of from twenty to thirty animals, feeding on the coarse grass that is generally found on the plains ; but during the heat of 98 Ti,E Arrola. S (Damaliscus hunteri) This rare and interesting antelope was shot by the author in Joreh, and its horns are the longest yet recorded. Length on front curve, 275". Basal girih, 8J". Tip to tip, loV'. HORNS the day, especially if they have been disturbed by the passing of natives with their cattle, they retire to the depths of the bush, where it is almost impossible to see them, so close do they lie. I have often crept along, following their trail as quietly and silently as possible, only to find the place empty where they had been resting, and whence they had fled in alarm at my approach. Big as they are, they yet make their escape without noise, seeming almost to melt away in the bush. On one occasion only have I been able to creep close up to them in the middle of the day. It took me over three hours of most careful stalking, at times bent almost double as I made my way through the thickets, at others crawling on hands and knees, only to find that there was no head worth shooting, when I finally caught sight of them. Few people, who have not themselves hunted in the shadeless scrub of an East African desert right on the Equator, can appreciate the difficulties and the fatigue that have to be endured for days, and often for weeks, before success brings its reward. On this occasion, however, I was more than repaid by the delight it gave me to watch these beautiful antelopes at close quarters ; they were quite unaware of my presence, without any suspicion of the close proximity of danger. Of the eleven arrola there, two were young bulls which had not yet attained their full growth, for the slender points of their horns were turned inwards. It is interesting to note that this sign of immaturity is also found in the impalla, and is due to the rotation of the horny sheath on the bony axis during growth ; but in the considerable number of female arrola that I saw, the inward in- clination of the tips in the young was never so 99 A SMALL HERD pronounced as in the case of young bulls. This may be explained perhaps (and I only offer this as a suggestion) by the fact that the horns in the females are shorter and lack the strong backward bend so noticeable in the bulls. Of the nine other hartebeestes that completed the group, seven were females and two calves, of about two months old. During the month of January I saw several other young calves, varying in age between a few days and two months, which would seem to indicate that the cows drop their young generally about the beginning of December, which is somewhat earlier than is the case with the Lelwel hartebeeste. But I did not see a sufficient number of them to be certain of this, and I could not get any reliable evidence from the two guides I had with me, who were the only men in the caravan who had ever seen them before. However, one of the syces who came from the interior of Italian Somaliland near the Webbe Shebeyli, on seeing the first arrola that I killed, maintained with the utmost conviction that he had seen similar animals in his own country, but I think it almost certain he was mistaken, although there are large unexplored areas in those regions. The majority of the group I was watching were lying down, but there was a sentinel on guard as usual. Now and again one would get up, feed in a desultory manner for a few seconds, and then lie down again, while once, apparently for no reason, the two young bulls rose simultaneously and started fighting though without much vindictiveness, and as abruptly left off to resume their "siesta." During the whole time I was watching them they made no noise of any kind, but when alarmed or 100 SHY ANIMALS suspicious they emit a sound that is half sneeze, half snort, and is very characteristic of all the hartebeestes. It is a sound that once heard is not easily forgotten, and when it comes, for instance, from a kongoni, which is a solemn melancholy-looking animal, it is decidedly comic. During the day, if they have not been lately disturbed by natives, they will sometimes rest near their feeding-ground, if any shade can be found there. I have seen several old bulls under a tree in the open at midday, but rarely any females, and I think that on the whole it is the latter who are the more sus- picious. But, with few exceptions, arrola are some of the shyest and most wary animals I have ever hunted. Mr. A. B. Percival, who has had upwards of twenty years' experience with big game in Africa, is of the same opinion, and found them incredibly hard to approach in the Tana Valley, where he was hunting them. They are not much alarmed at the sound of the rifle, but the mere sight of a man even at a great distance will send them flying into the bush in the wildest alarm, and they will not halt until they have put a great distance between themselves and their pursuer. This seemed very strange to me, as at any rate at Golosh^ Gorm6 it is improbable that they had ever seen a man dressed in clothes before. Another interesting fact concerning their habits is that once they are thoroughly alarmed they will not return to that spot for at least a week, or even more. They generally trek off to some other small plain, fifteen or twenty miles away, and seem to remain uneasy and very much on the qui vive for days afterwards, as I found to my own cost. Old bulls generally lead a solitary life, or may lOI DESERT DWELLERS associate with one or two others of the same age ; it is these animals that carry by far the finest horns, although in extreme old age the tips may be worn away. Arrola are essentially desert dwellers, and are as a rule found at a considerable distance from a permanent water-supply, though an exception must, of course, be made in the case of the herds that inhabit the Tana Valley ; in the rainy season there is a quantity of water in the shallow pans that are so plentiful in Jubaland, but these soon evaporate and are dry for at least six months in the year. What they do then for water I am at a loss to understand, but it seems probable that when the pools have given out entirely they may find sufficient moisture in the heavy dews that fall nightly, and in the coarse grass that forms their principal food. Lesser kudu, which are numerous in Joreh, are very partial to the succulent leaves of the aloes, but I failed to find any traces of this plant in the stomachs of the arrola I shot, and I am inclined to doubt whether they ever indulge in this diet. In some books the Galla name for Hunter's hartebeeste is given as " Blanketta," and sometimes as " Herola," while the Somali are said to call it " Aroli." Personally I have never heard them called anything but "Arrola"; and Somali, Galla and Waboni, when speaking of them, even to each other, have always referred to them thus, at any rate when I have been present. I02 CHAPTER IX HUNTING IN JOREH The day after the dance had taken place, I left early with two new guides supplied to me by the headman of the village, who seemed confident that they could show me Hunter's hartebeeste. We marched at first through a kind of meadow-land with big trees here and there, and when the sun had risen, but while everything was still glittering with dew, we came upon another Maghabul village, the last we were to see for some time, as we were going into an uninhabited country. There were many marabou storks about, so tame that I had no difficulty in walking close up to one and shooting it. These hideous birds, who feed on all the offal from the village, are only valuable because of the beautiful feathers they carry under the tail. The latter are worth about ;^i2 an ounce, but, large though the birds are, they only possess very few of the precious feathers, and it would take six birds to yield one ounce. At the sound of the ofun three flocks of teal rose from a pool which I had not noticed, and flew over to another a short distance away. I managed to bring down two as they passed overhead, and then, as I needed food, I crept down to the edge of the swamp, and, taking a pot-shot, killed four more as they were swimming about. Two were skinned and added to my bird collection, while the others I decided to eat in due course. 103 THE FATE OF A GERENUK In the meantime the headman of the village, a venerable old Somali with white hair and beard, came out with lots of milk, insisted on all my men drinking their fill, and would take nothing in return. I must say that nothing could be more hospitable than the welcome I had so far received from the natives. We then proceeded for a couple of hours through the same pleasant kind of open bush until we reached a little pool, covered with mauve and white water-lilies {NymphcBa stellata). The water it contained, however, was very nasty, and full of slime, so I did not stop here, but marched on and soon entered a large open plain covered with yellow brown grass and some scattered bush. The heat was now growing intense, yet presently I saw a gerenuk buck feeding right out in the open, and as he carried nice horns I decided to shoot him. Taking advantage of every little piece of cover that offered, and keeping in the shadows wherever possible, I managed to get within lOO yards of him, while he was yet unaware of my presence ; then, taking careful aim, I fired and heard the bullet clap loudly. The gerenuk made a wild dash past me and into the bush beyond. Here I lost him, although I spent fully an hour searching, and at last I gave him up, although I knew he must be lying dead quite close. I was much disappointed, but as there was nothing else to be done, I marched on for a little way till I reached a dried-up swamp. Here the guides recommended me to camp, as they thought there would be game near by ; so I chose a big tree under which my tent was pitched, and gave orders to my headman to give out water to the men and then send back two camels with the 104 Oryx beisa. 9 Standing from left to right : (i) my orderly in the uniform of the East African Police, (ii) my gun- bearer, a Swahih. Kneeling : the skinner, an A-kamba, and the interpreter, a Somali. A FAMILY PARTY four empty tanks to fill up at the last pool. At twelve o'clock I sat down to lunch, and was just think- ing over my hard luck in losing the gerenuk, when my eye was caught by the sight of several vultures hovering over the bush in the direction from which we had come. So I immediately sent one of my guides to see if he could find what had attracted them, and told some porters to go with him. Sure enough in less than an hour they were back with the little that remained of the buck, for the birds had completely ruined the skin. I was delighted, how- ever, as the horns were uninjured, and they proved to be a fine pair, heavy and symmetrical. Later in the afternoon I left camp in search of game ; for a long time I saw nothing, but at last discovered a family party of gerenuk, buck, doe and calf, resting in the shade of a bush. I was again favoured by the wind and plenty of cover, and approached to within 90 yards, when I stumbled over a branch. The gerenuk whipped round in alarm, so seizing the opportunity I took rapid aim, and made an excellent shot as he was almost facing me. The bullet entered the front of the shoulder and lodged just under the skin near the hip, mushroom- ing perfectly and making a terrible wound. The buck was in beautiful condition, and carried a handsome pair of horns, so I decided to take the whole skin. I was very much gratified with my success in getting two nice specimens from this district, and began to think that, after all, the guide was not far wrong in describing Joreh as a hunter's paradise. I decided I would go on a little farther, although it was growing late, in the hope of seeing arrola, which my guide insisted were to be found on these 105 HAKTEBEESTE AND ZEBRA plains ; but I saw nothing, and was just thinking of turning back when I saw some animals standing under a tree. We all immediately crouched down, and my gun-bearer with his usual idiotic self-assurance whispered "Water-buck!" But I knew better; they were the longed-for Hunter's hartebeeste, and with them a solitary zebra. Now, being somewhat ex- cited, I did not sufficiently consider the lie of the ground before beginning the stalk, and when, after great exertions, I managed to get within 1 50 yards, I found the sun, which was low on the western horizon, right in my eyes, and the glare upon the sights made accurate shooting extremely difficult. My first shot was low, breaking the back leg of a buck. They all dashed off, and though I fired three other shots I missed terribly badly. They seemed at first quite bewildered, moving round and round, unable to see me hidden under a bush, but while I was reloading they caught sight of my men in the distance and immediately made off, as I thought for good. I took up the spoor at a trot, for it was easily followed in the soft sand. Just as the sun, a glowing disc of deepest red, was sinking over the trees, I came upon them once more, and, resting my rifle against a branch, fired at the only one I saw clearly. The sound of the bullet told me that I had made a well-placed shot, and I dashed forward as I saw the poor brute make a desperate spurt and pitch head foremost to the ground. She proved to be a young cow, with small but wonderfully symmetrical horns. Her sleek, coffee- coloured coat was soft as silk, and she was in the height of condition. The lower part of the tail, the under parts and the inverted chevron between the 106 THE MAGHABUL SULTAN S UNCLE eyes were white, while the muzzle was a rich dark brown. We did not reach camp till long after dark. I was delighted with my success and gave out sufficient coffee for all my followers, which pleased them greatly. They spent the evening in singing and dancing, and kept this up throughout the night. After dinner a very old man, the uncle of the Maghabul Sultan, who had arrived in the afternoon, after a thirty-mile walk, came to my tent and told me that another chief, Abdi Aden by name, was coming the following day in order that I might be able to discuss with him the best routes from here to the Lorian, and then, if possible, he would provide me with guides to replace those I had taken from Guratti, who were anxious to return. The following morning, before dawn, I had reached the plains where I had seen the arrola. For a long while I saw nothing, until at last my gun-bearer pointed out something moving among the bushes. I crept forward and saw between the branches a dark piece of skin striped with white, but could not at first make out what the animal was. I moved on hands and knees to the left and shortly saw, not 80 yards away, the head and horns of a lesser kudu {Strepsiceros imberbis), at which I promptly fired, and brought him crashing to the ground with a broken neck. On coming up to where he lay, I was struck with the great beauty of these antelopes. Indeed, I think they are the most handsome I have ever seen. Their glossy coat is of a grey fawn colour, and the face is black with white spots on the neck. The body is fully striped with white, and the throat is also white, while the tail is short and covered with long hairs like that of a bushbuck. 107 LESSER KUDU It is strange how perverse things are sometimes. All through the districts of Guranlagga and northern Joreh I was on the look-out for them every day, for that country is especially adapted to their habits ; for lesser kudu are generally found near water in thick bush, especially where there are aloes ; but there was never one to be seen, As soon, however, as I had reached a more open country typical of the true East African desert, with no water for several miles at least, I saw two and killed one. The other was a doe, and this one a young buck full-grown, but with horns which had not yet reached their maximum length. I sent to camp for a camel to bring him back, and after I had photographed the kudu I went on again, walking across open bush country, and keeping a sharp look-out all the time. Not long after I saw a fine bull arrola, but he unfortunately had got my wind and was looking fixedly in my direction. I stood motionless for about five minutes, but he was highly suspicious and, turning, trotted off into the bush. I only saw him once more, when I took a long shot, but missed completely, and he went off at a clumsy gallop, and though I walked through the bush for two solid hours on his trail I could not even get another glimpse of him. From the way he ran and from the uneven spoor he left, I believe, and my orderly thought so too, he was the buck whose leg I broke the day before. Finally I returned to camp very weary, and after lunch had an interminable discussion with Abdi Aden and two other chiefs that had come with him. I thought I should never be able to get rid of them, but he was exceedingly friendly and promised to accompany me to the Sultan's village. Thence he 1 08 A SATISFACTORY INTERYIEW said I should be able to reach the Lak Dera and follow that up to the Lorian. I had never imagined for a moment that I should be able to go that way, for not only is the country absolutely unknown, but its inhabitants are reputed to be the least friendly and most truculent of all the Ogaden Somali. I had anticipated a complete refusal on the part of the natives to allow me to do so, and had intended to go by way of the Tana Valley. But as the latter had been explored previously, it would not have been nearly so interesting, although game would have been much more plentiful. Abdi Aden told me that he believed the Lorian to be thirty marches by this new route through bush the whole way, but with water to be found, as rains were reported to have been plentiful. The question of water, game and roads was thrashed out over and over again in all its bearings, and he assured me of a warm welcome in his country, so the interview was on the whole very satisfactory ; but I decided that I would stay in this vicinity for another week in order to obtain more specimens of arrola and other animals that I might find. For the next few days I hunted with varying success. The country I traversed was in parts ex- ceedingly fertile, consisting of rich meadow-lands with long green grass and shady trees. These were separated from each other by dense belts of the more familiar acacia scrub, and it was thither that the animals retired to rest during the heat of the day, only coming out to feed in the little plains in the early morning and towards sundown. One afternoon a syce, who had been on guard while the camels grazed, reported having seen five arrola in the bush, so off I started in a broiling sun and began hunting 109 VARYING SUCCESS carefully. The time went on, but though I saw some gerenuk I did not fire, for fear of frightening more important game. At about five I was making my way, very carefully as usual, through extremely dense thorn-scrub towards a small swamp which my guide had found, when suddenly I heard a snort right in front of me, and the crashing of heavy bodies through the bush. I caught a glimpse of six arrola galloping away, and although I was afraid it would be useless I made a wide detour as fast as I could go, and by and by made them out in the distance ; but they were very nervous and uneasy, and before I could get a shot they were off again, led by a cow and a little calf. They did not rest again, and though I followed on the spoor for half an hour I was unable to catch them up. I then climbed a tree to see if I could detect my gun-bearer, guide or orderly, whom I had left behind when I began the stalk, but they were nowhere to be seen ; but under a large yak tree to the south I saw a topi feeding. So I came down and started towards him, but I had not seen some others, and a frightened snort on my right made me crouch down behind a bush. Just then another topi showed behind a tree about 150 yards away, so I took a quick shot and heard the bullet hit. I ran forward and saw the whole herd disappear in the bush, the one I had wounded being last and apparently in difficulties. I followed him for some time, but could not find him, and, as the sun was now very low, struck out in a north-westerly direction where I thought camp was. Greatly to my relief some ten minutes later I heard my orderly whistling for me, and calling back in answer I soon found him, and some thirty minutes no DIFFICULT HUNTING after reached camp, which was in the opposite direc- tion to that in which I had been walking. This shows how extraordinarily easy it is to lose one's way in the bush, where there are no landmarks of any kind to guide one. The Somali get lost quite often, but they generally cut marks on all the big trees which direct the real bushman, but convey nothing to the others. I had many such unsuccessful days, for hunting in Jubaland is particularly difficult, and weeks may be consumed before success at last crowns your efforts. On another occasion I left camp long before dawn, and reached a large plain half an hour later. Here I waited till the first streaks of light were apparent in the east, when, leaving everyone but the guide under a tree, I started out on foot. I had not gone half a mile, when in the dim light I made out a small herd of topi, who saw me at the same instant, and faced round sneezing and stamping. I immediately sank down into the grass out of sight, as it was too dark to shoot ; and then began rather a curious wait. I lay on my back on the burned grass and watched the light increasing and the soft fleecy clouds growing rosy as dawn broke, and all around me I could hear the sneeze, sneeze of the topi, with now and then a grunt and a snort ; but they did not run away immediately, for their curiosity was greater than their fear. It was extraordinarily peaceful and I thoroughly enjoyed the half-hour that passed before these sounds died away, and I knew I could get up and follow the herd. But to cut a long story short, I never got a shot; they were thoroughly frightened, and finally I lost them completely. So I gave up the chase and rejoined my men where I had left them. Ill A FINE HERD We then proceeded eastward for about five miles, when I suddenly spotted in the shadows a couple of topi resting under a tree ; motioning the others to lie down I went on alone, determined to get one this time. As long as game can be seen in this kind of country, before they are aware of the proximity of danger, it is generally possible to get within very short range, but it means constant watchfulness and very careful walking. I made a good stalk, and finally crawling round a bush saw, not 35 yards away (for I paced it afterwards), a herd of twenty- three topi, 1 some feeding, others resting. It was a beautiful sight ; their coats glistened in the early morning sunlight, the purple patches showing clearly on face and shoulder against the buff of the body colour ; they were motionless save for the twitch- ing of their tails to and fro as the flies bothered them, and were quite unconscious of my presence. I watched them for a minute or so, and then, choosing the one with the biggest horns, shot it through the neck, killing it stone dead. It proved to be a large cow, with fine heavy horns, nineteen and a quarter inches in length. After I had photographed it and had sent back a man to fetch a camel, in order to carry the meat back to camp, I went on again in search of arrola. Just before noon I reached a thick belt of forest, with a most lovely pool of water among the trees. It was the first clear water I had seen since leaving Kismayu, and though it was stained a deep brown, from the roots of the surrounding trees, it was cool and sweet to the taste. My guide told me that this was a well- known game resort, and was called by the natives J ana Nyeri ; so I decided to camp here, and sent 112 GIRAFFES back a man with a message to my headman, telHng him to strike camp and make his way here without loss of time. I had now been on the move since five o'clock, and since it was too far and too hot to go back with a messenger to camp, I decided to do without lunch, as I had nothing with me, and rest here. So, stretching out my saddle blankets in the cool shade of one of the enormous trees that over- hung the pool, I lay down and was soon asleep, and did not wake agrain till two o'clock. After a pipe and a drink of water I set out once more, although the heat was intense. Old elephant tracks were numerous, and giraffes' spoor, fresh and otherwise, crossed our path in every direction. The country here is indeed beautiful ; in the rich pasture- lands there are conifers and mimosas to afford pleasant resting-places, while there is plenty of water and less moisture in the atmosphere, probably because the altitude is some 200 odd feet above sea-level. After marchino- for a little over two hours I came across a troop of twelve giraffes quietly feeding on the green leaves of a mimosa tree. I got up quite close and watched them for half an hour. As luck would have it, I had finished the last plate in my camera, so I again could not photograph them ; suddenly there was a slight puff of wind from behind, a startled movement among the giraffes, and they were off at their curious undulating gallop, and were soon swallowed up in the bush. On my way back to camp I shot a couple of francolin and a dik-dik, so I was well off for food. On my return to the water- hole I found the camels had just arrived ; within an hour I had had a most refreshing bath, and sat down with a ravenous appetite to an excellent dinner. H 113 CHAPTER X MORE ARROLA AND A NEW ZEBRA My first day's hunting from Jana Nyeri was quite successful. I left in the early morning on foot towards the east, and we crossed the belt of bush or forest which surrounded the water-hole by a kind of tunnel about 4 feet high, and then passing across a plain entered once more the thin thorn-scrub which had that very desolate aspect so characteristic of Jubaland. Giraffes' spoor was exceedingly common, and I was not surprised soon afterwards to see one of these animals, but it was already in full flight. By and by I reached some more open bush, but no game could be seen at all, and it was not until we had passed another belt of extremely dense thorn- scrub, and were about to enter a small open glade, that the guide who was walking in front of me suddenly crouched down, whispering "fer'ro," which is the Somali word for zebra. And sure enough I saw, on looking cautiously through a bush, a zebra feeding under some mimosa trees in the middle of a small open plain. There was not a breath of wind, so choosing that part of the bush towards which he was slowly grazing, I crept in and out well within the scrub, bent double, as it was too thick to walk, until I had reached the place I had previously chosen ; there I crept on hands and knees till I reached the 114 AN UNCOMMON ZEBRA edge, where, making myself comfortable, I settled down to wait with my rifle in my hand. I was wearing a pair of thick corduroy trousers, but they afforded me no protection from the thorns, and the puggaree of my felt hat was torn to ribbons. As I cautiously looked out I saw a most interest- ing scene, five zebra in all were feeding quietly and slowly towards me, now and then looking up but quite unconscious of danger. They were led by an old stallion whose body and ears were much scarred by fighting. At last he left the others, and, ceasing to feed, walked up under a mimosa tree and stood still, not 80 yards off. His appearance, even at that dis- tance, seemed different from the zebra I had shot previously in East Africa. In size he resembled Grant's zebra, so commonly seen on the highlands, but the arrangement of stripes was unfamiliar to me. Moreover, I had expected to find Grevy's zebra in these regions. Mr. Lydekker states in his book on The Game- Animals of Africa, that the latter species range from the Tana River into Abyssinia, and the game-ranger in Nairobi, Mr. R. B. Woosnam, had corroborated this statement. As the zebra drew nearer and nearer my excitement grew, till I was afraid I should not be able to hold my rifle steady, but at last, as the foremost was within 70 yards of my hiding-place, and halted for a moment, I raised my rifle cautiously, aiming at his neck. I was too close to hear the bullet strike, but saw him drop like a log. The others seemed to vanish into the bush, so small was the little plain in which they were. I had no time to shoot again, and never saw them more. I ran forward and carefully looked him over. He proved 115 ABSENCE OF MANE to be a very old stallion, much scarred, but fat, and sure enough his appearance was in many respects different from the forms with which I was ac- quainted. Among several other points, which I noted at the time, was the curious arrangement of the stripes on the back ; the total lack of any mane, as though the neck had been carefully clipped ; the full and bushy tail, distinctly ringed on the upper portion ; the white ears ; the legs fully striped down to the hoof, in which it differs from E. b. granti, the lower portion of whose legs is black ; the narrow dorsal stripe and the presence of three faint shadow stripes on the thighs. In a subsequent chapter I intend to deal more fully with the characteristics of this animal, which has proved to be a new race of zebra, closely allied to the E. b. granti, which is typically found on the Athi Plains. After carefully photographing him in several positions, I measured him and finally told my men to skin him. Two things then happened that might have resulted in serious accidents. First, in getting out my pipe from the deep and narrow holster on my saddle I got my hand caught, the mule got scared as I tugged to get free, the stupid syce pulled on his bridle and made him worse, and I found myself being dragged along, my wrist bent and almost breaking from the strain, and my right shoulder somehow in the mule's mouth ! I shouted to the syce to let go the bridle, and then I gradually quieted the mule, which was frantic with fear, and worked my hand free. The whole affair only lasted a minute or so, but it was very unpleasant for the time being, and my shoulder showed the teeth-marks plainly for ii6 SKINNING THE ZEBRA days afterwards. Indeed, the men I had with me that day were the most incompetent it has ever been my misfortune to deal with. My skinner was in camp, looking after the trophies I had lately obtained : neither my gun-bearer nor guide, nor any of the other porters I had with me had the haziest notion of how to undertake the work of skinning so large an animal as a zebra. I sat down at first under a tree to have a quiet smoke, but soon got tired of watching their inefficient attempts, and since I was afraid that they would damage the skin, I pushed them aside and completed the job myself I skinned the whole of that zebra in three- quarters of an hour, under a broiling sun, alone, with my gun-bearer only helping by holding on when I told him. At the time I was not a little proud of this feat, especially as right at the beginning, my hands being slippery with sweat, and my knife with blood, I cut the inside of my thumb to the bone, making a fearful gash which gave me some trouble, until at length I managed to stanch the flow of blood. After this I went on for some time, through a country which alternated between little open plains and patches of acacia scrub, but, seeing nothing further, returned to camp about midday. As I was having lunch, a porter, who had gone down to the pool to fetch water, came in and reported that he had seen a herd of topi quite close, so I went off in search of them, and not long after spotted them resting under a clump of trees. The lie of the ground and the direction from which the wind was blowing were all in my favour, and I got to within a very short distance of where the foremost stood. This good stalk was spoiled by a lamentable shot. They immedi- 117 JUBALAND GERENUK ately dashed off, but by a most colossal fluke I hit a young bull in the neck as the herd galloped past me, and he turned head over heels like a rabbit. After sending the meat back to camp, I turned westward and, on reaching a large plain some five miles farther on, I saw the same herd of arrola from which I had shot a cow a few days previously. They were very much on the alert, however, and very sus- picious of danger. Cover was scarce and the breeze fickle, so that I was unable to get anywhere within range, and finally lost them altogether. Much disappointed, I made my way back to camp, and, as I entered the valley of Jana Nyeri, I caught a glimpse of a gerenuk feeding. Although I got very close to him I missed badly with my first shot, but broke his neck with the second before he had time to escape. No gerenuk seemed to have very big horns in Jubaland. They averaged from twelve inches to fourteen inches, although three out of the four that I had killed were solitary bucks fully adult, and one even of great age. As is the case with nearly all antelopes, it is the old bucks that always carry the finest horns, herd bulls being generally younger animals, whose horns have not yet attained their maximum development. In bodily size, how- ever, the gerenuk I killed in Jubaland were not noticeably smaller than those inhabiting the country farther west on the banks of the Uaso Nyiro. In direct contrast to the success which attended my efforts at first, the rest of my stay at Jana Nyeri was marked by unrelieved failure. Principally due to bad shooting, but also to the fact that the solitary herd of arrola inhabiting this district were growing ever more suspicious, I was unable, during my last ii8 A NEW GUIDE four days, to locate the herd at all. In fact, it was only on the third day that I ever got near them or had the remotest chance of success. Up at five, I reached the plains before dawn, and soon sighted the same herd, whose individual members I was now beginning to recognise quite easily. Then began a most exasperating stalk, that lasted four hours ; time and time again, with the help of a guide, I thought that I should be able to approach close enough to get a shot, but invariably when I emerged from the bush the game was gone ; and finally, at ten o'clock, we lost them altogether, and though I searched for them most diligently until long after noon, I had to return, empty-handed and disappointed once more, to camp. Here I was informed that Abdi Aden had arrived and had brought me a new guide to take me farther west. He very generously presented me with some fine wooden pillows and hair combs, which made a valuable addition to my ethnological collection. He was delighted with a present of a full " tobe " of bufta, a brilliant loin-cloth, a coloured piece of silk and some coffee, which I gave him in return ; but his father-in-law, who accompanied him, on receiving his piece of calico (which, I must say, was a little soiled by contact with the camel's back), merely remarked that "he would now have to buy a piece of soap to wash it with." I firmly ignored this gentle hint, and having submitted to the scrutiny of some half a dozen friends "who," as he said, "had never seen a white man before," proceeded to pay off my old guide. He demanded an exorbitant price for his week's work, and when reproached for this, Abdi Aden answered for him, and remarked that these bushmen did not 119 DIMINISHING FOOD AND WATEH know the value of things. But I noticed that their ignorance has a very practical side, and I hesitate to think of the value they will put on their services when they do get to know "the value of things." Water and food were now fast diminishing ; the animals in the district were becoming shy and wild, so I decided to move on to another haunt of the arrola, farther north. All the afternoon I spent in writing letters and getting ready to plunge once more into the bush on another stage of my long journey to the Lorian. Abdi Aden excused himself now from accompanying me, but as he had provided me with another guide to take his place, his refusal was of no importance. We parted on the most friendly terms, and throughout my dealings with him I found him pleasant, helpful and trustworthy. One of my camels had been ill for some time, and now he died from some obscure internal complaint called "gainda" by the natives. But in proportion as the food diminished the loads grew lighter, and his loss, therefore, was of no serious consequence. Here Said, one of my porters, caught a delightful little pet in the shape of a young mongoose. In size he was as big as a small rat, with silk-like olive- coloured hair and pink face. He quickly became very tame, and was a general favourite with every- body. He had for companion a tiny hare, which one of the camel syces had caught in the plain near by. They were kept in a curious little cage of bark, really very ingeniously made by one of my men, in shape and size similar to a large Rugby football. Very early the following morning the caravan got under way. I left at the head of my men in gorgeous moonlight ; we passed my old camp at Ob^ as dawn 1 20 s M A PARK-LIKE COUNTRY broke, and then turned north-west. Shortly after- wards we entered a most beautiful park-like country, with long green grass, shady oak trees and delicate mimosas. The going, however, was rather heavy, as we were not following a path, and the grass was knee-deep and somewhat tangled ; but the whole aspect of the place suggested cool running streams of clear water. Would that it had been true ! But our next camp was to be a dry one, and some forty miles of desert lay between us and the next rainpool. After marching through this kind of country for a couple of hours, we suddenly entered the bush again, and a more complete contrast can scarcely be imagined. The low grey scrub, without shade and covered with thorns, formed a scene as arid and desolate as the other was fertile and beautiful. We marched along at a good pace, for the path was good, though it wound endlessly in order to avoid the densest parts. We emerged at last into a minute little plain, in which was a deserted Somali boma. Here I decided to allow the camels to feed and rest before a'cinof on once more. While lunch was being got ready I took some photographs of the abandoned huts, and while doing so, found an old broken spoon, very handsomely carved. I was exceedingly interested to find that on the back of the handle the man's cattle brand had been cut, and my guide, on seeing it, stated that it must have belonged to Abdi Aden, who had had his boma there during the previous rains. Later I found the same brand on some of the trees in the vicinity. We left again in the afternoon, first going west- wards for quite a long time and then N.N.W. 121 A LARGE HERD OF ARROLA through very dry and arid bush country. Here I saw a large herd of giraffe, thirty-eight in all, mostly young cows ; but they had had our wind and were already in full flight. Towards sunset we once more reached a large plain, covered with small trees and short withered grass. I saw a large herd of oryx feeding, and after a poor stalk took a shot, but only managed to wound one. I was much annoyed, as I needed meat, not only for myself, but for my men. I had seen no arrola on the march, but the country seemed very suitable, so I decided to camp and try my luck on the following days. The heat had been terrific and had tried men and camels severely, and the long march had proved too much for the little hare, who succumbed during the night ; but the mongoose was growing more tame each day, and seemed to enjoy the weather rather than the reverse. My first day's hunting was unsuccessful. As soon as I had left camp in the early morning I saw some oryx in the distance, and started in their direction, but there was little cover and I was doubtful of being able to approach sufficiently close without alarming them. But as I was moving slowly forward, I suddenly saw to my left a large herd of arrola walking slowly across the plain toward the bush. Very quietly I turned back, and making a detour reached the bush at a trot before they arrived ; then settling myself in a comfortable position, so as to be sure of my shot, I awaited them. They came all right, twenty-eight in all, big bulls every one, except the last two, which were young cows. I took careful aim, and fired, hitting the foremost one rather far back behind the shoulder. Then followed a series of really shameful misses, and I finally lost sight of 122 STALKING ARROLA them, without being able to bring a single one to bag. I was thoroughly ashamed of myself, but on returning to camp and trying the rifle at a target, I found that I could not get anywhere near it. Then it dawned upon me that I must have struck a bad box of cartridges, and so it proved, for, on opening a new box, I immediately found the bull's eye. Of course when I went out in the afternoon I saw nothing, and returned in disgust after a trying and disappointing day. The following morning I was on the warpath at dawn. I made my way on foot to where I had seen the arrola the day before. I carried my double-barrelled '450, while my gun- bearer followed behind with my '318 magazine rifle and a new batch of cartridges. I crept through the scattered bush extraordinarily cautiously, and soon I was rewarded by catching sight of a white rump patch disappearing in the long grass some way in front. With redoubled caution now I crept forward by myself, leaving the other man behind, and soon saw a beautiful buck arrola feeding slowly away from me. Then, risking everything to get close and be sure of my shot, I made a long detour ; doubling back, and crawling on hands and knees through the grass right across his path, I reached the shelter of a bush, and there, concealed in the shadow, awaited his approach. This manoeuvre was entirely successful. He was quite unaware of any threatening danger and was feeding slowly in a direction that would bring him within 20 yards of me. It was a beautiful sight to watch him, moving slowly through the bush, now and then looking up, his great lyre-shaped horns showing clearly against the blue sky. He gradually sheered a little farther from me, but as he drew level 123 A FINE PRIZE he was just 8i yards off. Now was my chance, so, grasping the "450 firmly, and taking a fine bead on his shoulder, I fired ; the report was too loud for me to hear the bullet clap, but I saw him fall, rise and fall again, the blood pouring in torrents from his mouth. Greatly delighted I ran forward, and found him lying dead, the bullet having gone through the lungs and out on the other side. And what a magnificent prize he proved ! Absolutely in the height of condition, and in the prime of life, he carried on his small and shapely head a wonderfully handsome pair of horns. They were enormously massive and measured 27^ inches on the front curve, thus exceeding the previous record. The followingr are the measurements which I took upon the field : Height at shoulder, 48 inches ; length from tip of nose to root of tail along the curves of the body, 69 inches ; girth behind shoulder, 48 inches ; length of tail, 18 inches. After taking several photographs of him I sent for a camel and had him taken back to camp while I went on ; and while returning to camp I saw two topi and five gerenuk ; two of the latter were fighting furiously, their little horns locked, often going down on their knees in their furious endeavours to over- throw each other. Watching them and apparently totally absorbed in the sight the two topi stood together quite motionless on an ant-heap. They looked exceedingly foolish and solemn standing there, and their interest in the fight cost one of them his life, for I crawled through the grass till I was within 50 yards. Before firing I too watched the gerenuk until one had almost overcome the other ; I then aimed at the biggest of the two topi and brought 124 TOPI AND GERENUK off a successful shot, dropping him in his tracks. He proved to be a big bull, with heavy horns, measuring i8|- inches, and I was delighted, as we needed meat badly and it saved one day's rations. During the rest of my stay at Goloshe Gorme I hunted with varying success, and bagged, amongst other things, another fine bull arrola and an oryx, but I saw no more zebra and no lesser kudu. Finally, the herd of arrola which I had been so assiduously pursuing became very wild and shy, and left the locality at last ; so, having already obtained a small, but fairly comprehensive bag of the game-animals found in Jubaland, I decided to proceed northwards. One day was spent in getting ready and putting everything in good order, and on the following day at early dawn we broke camp. 125 CHAPTER XI ACROSS THE WILDERNESS I NOW regretfully turned my back on the haunts of the arrola, and faced the difficult problems that lay in front of me. For now I had to cross a huge stretch of wilderness, a vast expanse of bush that separated me from the Lak Dera and the Lorian. Much of it was unknown even to the Somali, who prefer the district of Bhodji, and have named the country immediately to the south of the Lak Dera Rama Gudi (the bush wilderness). The district of Gulola, however, towards which I was now travelling, is inhabited, as I have said elsewhere, by the Maghabul Somali, and I hoped to meet their sultan, from whom I desired to obtain guides to lead me westward. As we left camp there was just that almost imperceptible glow in the east, called, I believe, the false dawn. I always think the sunrise one of the most beautiful things I know, and I never grow tired of watching and enjoying it. On this occasion, owing to the heavy clouds and thick mist, it was particularly lovely, the sky shading from a lovely blue to mauve and rose, while on every branch and every blade of grass the dewdrops sparkled and glistened and the countless spider webs seemed iridescent in the growing sunlight. I led the way along the trail, leaving the caravan 126 SENSATIONAL RIDING a little way behind, enjoying the comparatively cool air and the beautiful scene. Suddenly two lesser kudu, to my mind the most handsome of all antelopes, dashed across the path, startled by the sounds of the camels' bells, and were immediately lost to sight in the bush. Otherwise an unbroken calm reigned over this wilderness, into which I was the first white man to penetrate. But soon it began to grow hot, the dewdrops vanished, the sun disappeared behind heavy storm-clouds and the beauty of the scene vanished with it. Some two hours later, I entered a little clearing, in which was situated a small Somali boma con- sisting of ten huts of the usual type. The entire population, male and female, old and young, came out to see the "white man" — and this anxiety to see me led to a somewhat humorous incident. For my mule, which stands nearly fourteen hands, and was very nervous, suddenly shied violently at a little boy who was hiding behind a bush, and then bolted towards a group of Somali standing near the village. I was nearly thrown, but somehow managed to stick on, and by sawing on his bit pulled the mule up short after a most sensational piece of riding through the scattered thorn-scrub. The expression on the faces of the natives, and the chorus of astonished "Allahs!" made me shake with laughter, as they obviously thought I had made the mule do this for their benefit, or else that it was my usual method of travelling ! As a matter of fact, I do not know to this day how I managed to stick on. After filling up the water-tanks, and shooting a couple of guinea-fowl, I went on again, still through the bush, indeed, but a bush quite different from what 127 TRACKS IN THE WILDS I had seen so far ; all kinds of cacti now covered the ground beneath the thorn trees, and the latter were different in shape and more attractive. The road twisted and turned in a most fantastic manner, rendering my mapping a very tedious affair, so that we averaged scarcely more than a mile and a half in the hour. I was here obliged to resort to a plan first put into practice, I believe, by Mr. G. F. Archer, during his valuable surveys of the Northern Frontier District. In order to get the bearing of the general direction of the road, I sent on a couple of camels with bells attached, and the rest followed behind. In this way I was able to get both forward and back bearings of the track by pointing my compass in the direction from which the sound of the camel bells proceeded, for it was impossible to see them. At one time we passed through a series of little open places covered with short green grass, and surrounded by dense bush on all sides, at another through a real tunnel formed by the interlacing of the thorn trees above our heads. Continually I caught sight of a dainty little form bounding across the path, and heard the frightened whistle of a dik- dik as it vanished in the jungle, or the loud whirr of wings as a covey of guinea-fowl rose in alarm. To the lover of nature there is unending pleasure in noting all the innumerable signs and tracks that abound in the wilds, and in reconstructing the story they can tell to those whose experience and bush-craft are sufficient to enable them to read them. In this way the hours passed pleasantly and quickly till we reached Jara, which consists of three small water-holes and a shallow swamp. In the latter water can generally be obtained by digging, and there 128 FISH were traces of three old wells overgrown with reeds and fallen into disuse. In the centre was a little water, fast disappearing, yet in the mud I discovered several small fish about 4 inches long. Two of these I caught and brought back for identification, and presented, with other specimens, to the British Museum. How strange it seemed to find them so far from any permanent stream or lake ! I think there can be no doubt that there is an underground flow of water here, as, according to native information from various sources, water is always to be found at a depth of about 10 feet. But whether these fish are able to burrow down through the mud until they reach it, when the surface water evaporates, I am unable to say. While the camels were feeding here, I interviewed the headman of the village which was situated near by. He told me that they were on the point of moving, but had been delayed by illness, which proved on investiofation to be malaria. I rave him some quinine, for which he was very grateful, and some tobacco, which was eagerly accepted. Later I moved on again ; the weather had now grown most oppressive and a couple of showers fell, but so slight that they did no good, and only increased the humidity. We had now entered the district of Kurde and the densest bush I had yet encountered. Travelling became monotonous in the extreme, and for four hours there was no opening of any kind in the bush where I could camp, but at last, towards sunset, we emerged into a little clearing where I decided to halt. After the camels had been unloaded and the fires lit, there was not a piece of ground as large as a shilling that was not covered with loads, I 129 ELEPHANTS tents, ropes, etc. It was an interesting scene I saw from my tent, the little camp fires burning brightly in the dark niorht, the half-seen forms of men movinor about or crouching over their cooking-pots, the dim outlines of the resting camels and piled saddles and loads. Near at hand the harsh voices of the Somali sounded in endless talk, or snatches of Swahili con- versation drifted over from the cook's fire. In the distance came the low rumble of thunder and the multitudinous noises of the jungle. All the following morning we made our way through similar country to that which we had passed the day before, the sky was again covered with huge black clouds, and there was obviously a heavy storm coming. It was obvious, too, that there had been plenty of rain, and yet the thorn was extremely dry and arid looking, and the only green plants were the cacti and aloes. Soon I saw the fresh spoor of two cow-elephants and a small calf; they must have passed but a few hours before. I could not resist getting off my mule to have a nearer look at those monster footprints, silent witnesses of the near presence of the biggest game alive to-day. Elephants, dik-dik and girafies are the sole inhabitants of the East African desert jungle, especially the two former. In Southern Jubaland elephants do not need pro- tection, for they will continue to live for centuries unmolested in these vast tracks of desolate and water- less thorn-scrub which can never be inhabited by Europeans. It is true that they are much sought after by native hunters, but it is only the white man with his modern rifle who can upset the balance of nature. About noon we passed across a small, open plain, where I saw a herd of oryx beisa feeding, and then 130 DISCOMFORTS reached a beautiful little stretch of open bush, plentifully shaded by giant umbrella trees. It is here that the Lak Guran has its source ; at least it is towards this point that all the surrounding country gradually and gently slopes, but there is not sufficient water to make a real river-bed until a point a little farther is reached ; this district is called Goniah-iddu, which means the "sandy lonely place." It will be seen, therefore, that the Lak Guran rises in Kurde and flows almost due east until Shimbirleh is reached, which is a very different course to that marked on existing maps. I remained here for some time, the storm was approaching and the heat was indescribably op- pressive ; no breath of air stirred, and the poor camels, instead of feeding as usual, lay down in the shade of the trees. It was with some reluctance that I got on my mule again and started off towards Gulola. The march was extremely tedious, and there was nothing to be seen except an occasional bird or even more rarely a dik-dik bounding through the bush. At three o'clock the storm which had been threatening for days broke in earnest ; the rain fell in solid sheets of water and we were immediately drenched to the skin. It is impossible to describe all the discomforts of this kind of weather as you have to face it when marching in a tropical country, but it is too unpleasant for words. Clothes become wet and sticky, the road degenerates into a kind of bog, the mud from which clings to one's boots and makes walking a nightmare ; nothing is dry, while the heat does not grow less, but rather more oppressive than before. At 5.30 we camped in another little clearing, my tent was soon pitched and the fires 131 DISCOMFORTS lighted ; everything was steaming ; although the rain had stopped, the heavy clouds hung low, and light- ning flickered now and then to the northward. All throuoh the evening the distant rumblings of thunder foretold rain for the morrow. My bedding was wet, my clothes wet, and I had no more meat, so after a frugal dinner of rice and tea, I went to bed. The following day I started off before dawn, still going to the north-north-west. I walked, as my saddle was sodden with water and my mule could not stand up in the mud. It soon began to drizzle, half mist half rain, and it was rather a depressed caravan that marched on through the bush. The trail too was growing worse and worse, the wait-a-bit thorn thicker and thicker, and I soon saw the guide had lost his way. Although considerably annoyed I could not do anything, but, calling up my men and setting an example myself, I started to cut a way through the bush for the camels. This was slow and painful work, hands, arms and face getting badly scratched by the thorn, but in two hours we reached a huge swamp, across which I led the way by an old elephant path. The grass rose high above our heads, and the water came up to our knees as we sank in the mud. Great difficulty was experienced in getting the camels across ; each had to be unloaded and the things carried by the porters, who then returned to lead the camels over to the other side. Once we were all across, the guide knew where he was, but I decided to camp while he went on to find out where the Sultan's village was, for I depended on him for a euide to take me to the Lorian. There were some beautiful umbrella trees here, so I chose a nice spot, and my tent was soon up. 132 A Marabou Stork These hideous birds are very useful as scavengers. They possess a very valuable small bunch of feathers under the tail. In order to procure one ounce of these feathers it would be necessary to kill at least three birds. A «■ r,-^M k ^>^^Kf Jr S« M gg^ M 1^^^ P ypfl %^ ji ^ Ir' f^ /!^U 1 . €»?^3ij^-^ 1 - m bi gm ^ii&Siint'^" jB \ 'f^\ H/ ^^^^^^^HBH^^ Wm ^^^mB^KM m H^^iv "'' ./*",' «f^ V -*»?* ^^^^ H wn mk Hi ■nliil Loading a Camel with the Water Tanks These tanks, of which two can be seen in the right-hand corner, and one on the camel, are mdispensable to the traveller in the interior of Jubaland. They are made of copper, and contain from lo to 12 gallons. THE WEAVER BIRD While the guide was away I spent my time ex- amining this important water-hole which is known to the natives by the name of Gama Gar, It is about five miles in circumference, roughly circular in shape, and is situated in a shallow depression. It is filled with elephant grass and surrounded by dense acacia bush, spiny euphorbias and a few large conifers [Juniperzis procera). A small stream runs into it from the west ; the water within the swamp was about 3 inches deep, and the ground beneath very soft and boggy. While here I obtained a few doves, a francolin and some good specimens of the weaver bird's nest. These nests are rather curious in shape, and are generally to be found in small colonies, hanging down from the branches of some thorn tree, having their entrance at the bottom. In shape they resemble a large pipe or chemist's retort, for attached to the entrance, and forming a kind of tunnel, is a tube about 1 8 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, made out of grass. Owing to the cloudy skies of the last few days it had been impossible to take any observations for latitude, but on the evening previous to my departure from Gama Gar I had an unob- structed view of the sky for a couple of hours, and I was therefore able to fix the position of the place with fair accuracy. When the guide came back he said that the village was an hour's march away, and that the Sultan had not yet arrived, but was expected on the morrow. I therefore broke camp without any regret, as the flies, mosquitoes and small red ticks made life a perfect burden. The swamp, however, was important geographically, and I was glad to have had this opportunity of studying it. A BUSY VILLAGE The country between Gama Gar and Gulola village slopes gradually upwards towards the north ; but the rains of the last few days had left pools of water everywhere and made the going very heavy. After an hour's march, however, we reached the village itself, a little cluster of beehive-shaped huts nestling under some large acacia trees. While my orderly was looking for a good place to pitch camp, I sat and watched the scene of great activity that was going on, for some more families had but just arrived and the Sultan himself was expected in the afternoon. All around the cattle were moving about herded by little naked boys, while the women, nearly all with the black cloth denoting marriage tied round their heads, began to build the houses they had brought with them on the gentle, cream-coloured oxen. The men, their white cloths thrown round them, were either standing on one leg, resting on their spears and watching us, or were beginning to cut branches and bushes to make the thorn fence around the village. There were camels too, with little children slung in sacks, and balanced on the other side by tiny lambs or kids, and in between, on the backs of animals, were every kind of household goods to complete the load. The sun very luckily came out a little later, so I was able to take an observation for latitude, but almost immediately after it began to rain, and the storm continued all the afternoon, only clearing up again at 4 p.m., when I immediately took further observations for time. I had hardly finished when I saw coming down the trail a long line of laden oxen and camels, led by old women and Galla slaves ; and soon, surrounded by a dozen young warriors, a few elders and a priest, 134 THE SULTAN MOHAMMED ALI the Sultan Mohammed All entered my boma and advanced towards my tent. I went out to meet him and, as we shook hands, my four askaris each fired one shot in the air and presented arms, while every- body cheered. I could see that he was much gratified with his reception, but as it is not etiquette for a chief to talk to a stranger before he has given the latter a present, he only said that he was very glad to see me, and then excusing himself went off to his village, saying that he would return later, with my permission. Standing about 5 foot 8, he was a short, thick-set man with rather a fine head and strong, clean- cut features ; he was dressed in the characteristic white robe and carried the usual warrior spear, which was noticeable for its splendid black shaft. At dusk he returned together with about twenty-three of his followers, and sat down in front of my tent on some blankets I had provided for them. While " buni " was being prepared for them, I made a long speech, in which I told him that I had been very pleased with the welcome I had received from his subjects farther south, and I went on to explain my plans and to ask them for help. To all this they listened very patiently, and while he was thinking of an answer and drank his coffee, I went into my tent and had supper. But while I was waiting for it they told me that it was time for them to pray, so taking off their sandals and sprinkling their hands, face and feet, they stood up, the priest in front, and with rather a splendid lack of self-consciousness began their prayers. All through supper, I saw their dim forms bending down and prostrating themselves, following the ex- ample of the priest, whose low droning voice rose and fell in a monotonous undertone in the darkness without. 135 COMPLIMENTS AND PRESENTS When I had finished I went out again, and Mohammed Ali, having presented me with a really magnificent ox, spoke for a long time. He began with the usual flowery compliments of the East, and spoke of the friendship he professed for the Govern- ment, of which he had hitherto been unable to offer tangible proof, since no officer had previously visited his country ; he hoped, however, that I should carry away with me pleasant memories of my stay there. He told me that little was known about the roads from here to Lorian, since it was a country that was reputed waterless and inhospitable, and had therefore been avoided by his tribes ; he would return, he said, the following morning, and if he could find two men who knew the road he would see that they should guide me thither. His news was not very satisfactory, but I had perforce to be contented. 136 CHAPTER XII SOME NOTES ON THE SOMALI I HAD now reached the heart of the country I was exploring, and found myself amongst a tribe whose customs and character have been influenced by con- tact with Europeans, and who have not yet come into contact with Western civilisation. It would therefore seem not inappropriate that I should give some account of the Jubaland Somali ; I do not propose to deal at any length with their history, for such matters are fully dealt with in certain books on British Somaliland,^ and my own stay in Jubaland was not sufficiently extended to qualify me to speak with authority on the subject. In East Africa there are only two main branches of the true Somali, namely, the Ishaak and the Darud, and it is only the latter that is represented in Jubaland. According to the native account, in the 75th year of Hejira (692 a.d.) an Arab Sheik, Ismail Juberti by name, was outlawed in his own country and fled from Arabia by night in a dhow. After many vicissitudes of fortune, he landed on the Benadir coast near Hobia (or Obbia), but the inhabi- tants of that country, the Haweyah, refused to shelter him and drove him out ; he was compelled therefore ^ La valUe du Darror, G. Revoil ; British Somaliland, R. E. Drake- Brockman. BRANCHES OF SOMALI to flee southwards, but eventually was received by the Dirr, another aboriginal tribe of the Benadir coast. With them he settled down, and married Dubarra, daughter of Dogolla, by whom he had five sons, from one of whom, namely, Darud Juberti, all the Darud Somali are descended. Of the tribes now represented in Jubaland, the Marehan claim descent from Esa, and the Ogadan and Herti from Kablala Darud, both sons of the above-mentioned Darud Juberti. The Marehan are again subdivided into three important branches, the Hassan, the Isak and the Galti. It is only within the last six years that the latter have entered Jubaland. They possess a quantity of horses and camels, but few cattle. They inhabit the country near Dolo and Sarrenleh, and at the present time are giving some trouble to the Government, as I have mentioned in a previous chapter. Their numbers may be estimated at about 5000. In the immediate vicinity of Kismayu, and as far south as Biskayia, are the Herti. Their head chief is Mohammed Shirwa, but he is still a young man, and the affairs of the tribe are in the hands of Mohammed Aden. The Herti are divided into three important sub-tribes — the Dolbahanta, the Was- engeleh and the Midjertein. The first-named still remain east of the Juba, and there are but few of the Wasengeleh in British territory. The Midjertein are, however, fairly strongly represented, about 3000 inhabiting the country between Gobwein and Port Durnford. The Herti, being traders as well as cattle- owners, have confined themselves to the coast, where they have kept in close touch with the Arabs, and were amongst the first to submit to British rule. 138 A Somali Woman She is carrying an earthenware water jar. A Somali Girl \ ^J^^^ _^ W « il rWi, 4^ HjwIft^^^^^T^^c^^iWB^^^^^^^H ^tlg i An Ogaden War-Dance For a description of these dances, see Chapters VII and XI i I. ABDULLA SOMALI They are very different from the real nomads of the interior, and from personal experience I did not form a very favourable opinion of those I met in Jubaland. They are avaricious and money-loving, a fault I am afraid common to all Somali, but in their case intensified to an almost incredible extent ; they have been spoiled by too frequent contact with European influences, and seem to possess the vices of two civilisations without the redeeming qualities of either. Very different to the Herti are the true Somali of the bush, of which the Ogaden tribe is chiefly com- posed. The most important sub-tribes of the latter are the Mohammed Zubheir, the Aulehan, the Abdulla, the Abd Wak and the Maghabul, while the Rer Mohammed and the Habr Suliman are two minor subdivisions. The Abdulla inhabit the country to the south- west of Biskayia as far as the Tana River. West- wards again from them are the Abd Wak and the Rer Mohammed, known collectively as Talamuga. The latter occasionally wander into the hills north of Lorian, but there is a constant feud between them and the Mohammed Zubheir, whose headquarters are at Wajheir, and many are the fierce fights waged between them. Shortly before I reached Melka Waja, the Mohammed Zubheir, led by their chief, Ahmed Mugan, had inflicted a terrible defeat on the Talamuga, after a fight lasting thirty-six hours, in which, according to native reports, there was great loss of life on both sides. The victors then returned northwards, taking with them some four hundred head of cattle. I am unable to say in what way the spoils are divided amongst the victorious army, since the 139 A STEADY MIGRATION answers to my questions varied considerably. It is likely, however, that each tribe has its own methods, although all are probably based on the same general principles. The Aulehan inhabit the country between Lorian and Sarrenleh ; but they are generally to be found in the northern parts of that region, and it is only an occasional family, or a band of young warriors, that makes its way south to Tur Guda and Haryel. The Maghabul, although not numerically strong, possess immense herds of cattle ; they wander in search of grass and water through the districts of Joreh and Gulola, according to the season ; and it was with them that I remained the longest. There was, and there is still, a steady migration of Somali from the north towards the south and west ; I have already referred to the fact that the Marehan have but lately crossed the Juba, while it is only the Tana that temporarily prevented the Abdulla and the Abd Wak from driving the Galla still farther south. Some seventy-five years ago the latter tribe enjoyed undisputed possession of the country between the Juba and the Tana. At the same time the Ogaden Somali were migrating southwards in the vicinity of the Webbe Shebeyli. Here they were met by the Rahn-Wen and the Bimaal, who severely defeated them and drove them westwards across the Juba River. They now came into collision with the Galla, locally known to-day in Jubaland as the Werdey, by whom they were again defeated with great loss ; the fighting, however, was continued for nearly two years, when they made peace, and obtained the consent of the Galla to settle side by side with them in Jubaland. For five years this state of things continued ; in the 140 GALLA AND SOMALI meanwhile the Somali were recuperating from their exhausting conflicts with the Rahn-Wen and Bimaal, their numbers were increasing, and they were finally- joined by the Herti, who had come down by sea in dhows. Finally they seized a favourable opportunity, broke their agreement, and rose simultaneously against the Galla, whom they utterly routed and drove south- wards and westwards. This movement is, as I have said, still progressing ; the Somali, although they are submissive to British rule along the coast, are, in the interior, still a conquering race, and whether they defeat the Borana or the Galla, they will be uncon- sciously carrying out the curious impulse that for the last eighty years has been pushing them southwards and westwards. In Jubaland proper there is only one Galla settle- ment, but there are several individuals of that tribe serving the Ogaden in the interior either as herdsmen or as slaves. Physically they are smaller, but more sturdily built than the Somali, to whom they are much inferior in intelligence. It would seem probable, from a comparison of their respective languages, that the Somali and the Galla come from a common parent stock ; but this is a particularly difficult question, and requires for its elucidation a more complete knowledge of both languages than we possess at present. The Galla are Pagans, although many of them now profess Islam ; but in any case, according to Western ideas, their morality is very lax, and at marriage it is not their custom to give a dowry. Having had but a slight acquaintance with them, I prefer to refer the reader to books such as Travels in S. Abyssinia, by C. Johnston, for further information concerning them, and will now pass on to the consideration of 141 GEOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS some of the most characteristic habits of the Somali. But since cHmatic and physical conditions are so intimately connected with, and have so profound an influence on, the character and habits of the natives, I must first briefly recapitulate the main geographical aspects of the country. In the whole of Jubaland there are no permanent rivers or streams except the Juba and the Tana, and no permanent water-holes except the wells at Wajheir, Eil Wak, Afmadu and Fungal in the north, and a few fresh-water springs along the coast. A glance at the map will immediately show the large tract of country where desert conditions must therefore of necessity prevail. At all times sparsely inhabited, the interior is completely deserted during the dry season, the Somali with their cattle, goats and camels, moving south to the Tana, west to the Lorian and north and east to the permanent wells and the Juba. The word "desert," which is applied to this waterless region, immediately conjures up a picture of waste stretches of rolling sanddunes, such as are found in parts of the Sahara, or the wide open plains with bare volcanic ridges so characteristic of the great desert areas of Western America and North- West Mexico ; but very different conditions prevail in Jubaland. The whole of the region with which I am now concerned is clothed with a low, dense thorn-scrub which from time to time opens out into little park- like spaces, covered during the rainy season with a temporary growth of luxuriant grass. In the centre and north-west, the belts of bush become denser and more difficult to penetrate, but towards the Tana the open plains become larger and more numerous. If these facts are remembered, much that is otherwise 142 NOMADIC HABITS incomprehensible in the habits of the SomaH is explained, and it will be obvious how much the country they inhabit has moulded their characters and influenced their way of living. They themselves have a saying, which illustrates my point, " God made Somaliland : then He laughed and made the Somali." Since there is no permanent water-supply, agricul- ture is rendered impossible. Their wealth therefore consists in live stock, and in order to keep them in good condition the natives are obliged to wander from place to place, according to the season, in endless search of good pasture and of water. Years of such wanderings have developed their nomadic instincts to the full, and have moulded their physique into a form almost ideally suited to such a life. Resembling an Arab in appearance, the Somali is slightly built, small boned, and very lithe and active. Accustomed to hardships of every kind, and exposed to danger from his earliest years, he is content with a minimum of physical comfort and becomes a tireless marcher, a wonderful scout and a courageous warrior. In endless conflict with the natural difficulties of his country and the vicissitudes of his climate, perpetually defending himself from the dangers that beset his life and his belongings, he finds rest only in his wanderings, peace and contentment of heart only in fighting and in adding to his stock by raiding that of his neighbour. In his heart he considers himself perfect and far superior to the tribes by which he is surrounded. He holds in subjection the Waboni, and despises the Galla, refusing to believe for a moment in the possibility of a common origin. But this narrow and 143 ADAPTABILITY OF THE SOMALI bigoted outlook on life, inevitable to a people whose ideals are made up of a fancied superiority, is not incompatible with an acute intelligence, and this they possess without a doubt. No native is more adaptable than the Somali. They may be found as stokers on big liners, as miners in South Africa, as servants, soldiers, interpreters and clerks, and they do their work well ; but as soon as they return to their homes they cast off the conventional dress of civilisation, and become once more true nomads, for in such a life only can they find their full measure of happiness. Like the Arabs, they may well be called true Children of the Desert. Essentially lazy in times of peace, their dignity does not allow them to do any manual work, which is therefore left to the women. Their sole preoccupation is to see to the welfare of their stock and to add to their possessions by raiding the cattle of their enemies. When not thus occupied, they will lie for hours outside their village, in the shade of some convenient tree, sleeping, droning songs about their past deeds of prowess, or chatting with their companions. In character they are proud and quick to resent some fancied wrong or injury ; they are generally cheerful, talkative and true to their code of honesty ; but in the latter respect it must be remembered that what would be bindinsf between two Mohammedans is by no means a trust- worthy contract between a Mohammedan and an infidel. Although in many cases they appear to be insolent to a stranger, I believe this to be more of a mannerism than a deliberate act. If a Somali thinks he is being wronged or unfairly treated, he changes from a light-hearted, 144 Somali Cattle All the cattle belonging to the Somali are of the native shorthorn breed common through- out East Africa. The meat is excellent, and the cows give plenty of milk, when the grazing is good. The general colour is pale brown or cream. So^[ALI Warriors, preparing for a Dance Notice the bright striped cloths worn by the youn? warriors, the long thrasiing spears and the turbans. THE WEALTH OF THE SOMALI willing and obedient native into a sullen, dangerous and treacherous enemy, and his undoubted intelli- gence and courage, coupled with his powers of endurance and knowledge of the bush, render him a truly formidable antagonist. As I have already mentioned, the wealth of a Somali is estimated by the amount of live stock he possesses. The latter consists of camels, cattle, goats and sheep. Camels are not bred much south of the Lak Dera, but round Wajheir and Eil Wak there are enormous herds. I shall deal with them in another chapter ; and so, therefore, I need not refer to them at greater length here. Nor is there much to be said of the cattle, for they belong to the well- known shorthorn breed of native cattle common throughout East Africa. While the grazing is good the cows give plenty of milk, but the necessity of continually moving according to the water-supply is a serious drawback and keeps the animals from getting really fat. The sheep, however, are interesting ; they belong to a black-headed fat-rumped group, for which Dr. Fitzinger proposed the name Ovis pachycerca, be- lieving them to be descended from a distinct stock. There does not seem to be sufficient justification for such an opinion, since their peculiarities may well be the results of long domestication. As special characteristics of this breed, Mr. R. Lydekker gives " the absence or rudimentary condition of the horns of the rams ; the excess in length of the lower over the upper jaw ; the strongly developed dewlap which often extends downwards to the chest : . . . the short stumpy tail, which appears as a kind of knob between the fatty cushions on the rump ; the short sleek coat K 145 GOATS of hair, which is shortest on the face, ears and tail, and longest on the underparts. No less distinctive is the blackness of the head and the white with a tinge of yellow of the body and limbs. . . . The rudimentary tail is about a couple of inches in length, and the fat masses on the rump weigh about 25 Ib."^ The goats are of the usual breed found elsewhere in East Africa. In colour they are white, or white and brown ; occasionally a black and tan or a com- plete brown individual may be seen ; the hair is short, and in size and weight they usually exceed the sheep with which they are generally herded ; the horns are well developed, and the skins valuable for various purposes. ^ TJie Sheep audits Cousins^ R. Lydekker, pp. 204-5. 146 CHAPTER XIII FURTHER NOTES ON THE SOMALI A Somali village, or "rer," as it is called, is com- posed of a number of huts shaped like a beehive (gurgi), surrounded by a thorn fence, or " zariba." The centre of the enclosed space is usually divided into a number of divisions or pens, in which the sheep and goats are kept during the night. The huts, which are wretchedly poor and squalid in appearance, are carried from place to place on the backs of camels or bullocks, and are erected and taken down by the women, while the zariba is erected by the men. The gurgi are built by placing six or more curved posts in the ground ; the tops are tied tightly together, and supported by a heavy central pole, and the framework is strengthened by cross-pieces tied horizontally ; a small space is left for the doorway, to the right of which a shallow trench is made for the fire. This is the only means of entrance and exit for the inhabitants ; it is the sole method of ventilation, and of enabling the smoke to escape. The shell of the hut being thus securely erected, the whole is covered by a number of mats skilfully woven out of grass and the fibre made from the smooth outer bark of the " araru " tree, while some- times the hide of a bullock is stretched over the top and tightly lashed down, in order to make everything completely rain- and storm-proof. The interior is generally divided into two apart- 147 THE "TOBE " ments by hanging up another mat, the left-hand side forming the sleeping apartment, while the right, which contains the fire, is used as the living room. Such, at any rate, was my impression of the huts, which I had the opportunity of inspecting. The Somali are somewhat chary of allowing strangers to enter their gurgi, and I therefore offer these observations with the utmost diffidence, knowing how easy it is to carry away an erroneous idea of the habits and doings of natives with whom one has had but a brief acquaintance. The Somali, when at home in his village, wears the white "tobe," which completely covers his person. This is merely a piece of calico (Bufta) of double width, and about 8 yards in length. In Jubaland a "piece" of cloth is 40 yards, which is cut into 5 full "lengths," or 8 "half-lengths" ; this is the recog- nised standard of exchange, and is the basis of all trading. There are three qualities of cloth, Bufta, Murduf and Americani, in their respective order of value corresponding to what I should call in English, calico, twill and common cotton cloth. A list of these and other trade goods, together with their values in the interior as a medium of exchange and what can be obtained in return for them, will be found in Appendix C. The " tobe " is draped much as the old Romans wore their toga ; its appearance, when clean, is very graceful and picturesque, and must be extremely com- fortable. But when the Somali is travelling, or is on the warpath, he modifies his dress accordingly. A loin-cloth, either plain or brightly coloured, is then worn round the waist, which is supported by a wide belt of tanned leather, in which his broad-bladed knife is carried. The upper part of his body is covered with 148 COIFFURES a half-tobe, which is often draped in such a way as to conceal his weapons. On his feet he wears sandals, made, if possible, from the hide of a giraffe. A Somali always prefers to travel at night, when practicable, and to rest and sleep during the day. But when compelled to march in the heat, he often wears his half-tobe as a turban and covering for his face combined, and will leave his body from the waist upwards uncovered. I often noticed my own men doing this, and when we were exposed to the tremendous heat experienced in the arid sun-scorched wilderness of Arroga and Rama Gudi, they would in addition cut branches from a bush, and covering these with an old rag or odd piece of sacking, would use them as a kind of sunshade. The true bush Somali wears his hair long. They are not in the habit of bleaching it, as is the fashion in northern Somaliland ; they keep it carefully anointed with ghee, and generally wear one or two hair-combs stuck in it. These are shaped like a skewer, but chiefs often wear more elaborate ones handsomely carved. The young women wear their hair loose, plaited for about half its length and then fluffed out. After marriage, however, it is tied into a kind of bag of black or blue gauze. Among the Aulehan I saw married women with a red cloth tied tightly over their hair, although I do not think this is a habit confined to that tribe ; but, at any rate, it is less common than the usual black cloth. The warriors on the march carry, in addition to their knife, a round shield made of giraffe hide about 14 inches in diameter strapped to their left arm, a short broad-bladed spear, a wooden pillow on their left wrist, a small water-bottle and a "tooth-stick." 149 ARMS The hunters carry in addition a bow and arrow if they have no rifle, a light stick to which is attached a bunch of marabou feathers for testing the wind, and a hollow stick about 2 feet long by ^ inch in diameter for drinking water, when it is situated deep down amongst the rocks, or in the hollow of a tree trunk. Fastened to the quiver in which they carry their arrows are two small bags ; one contains the iron arrow-heads, which only fit loosely in the shafts, some poison for smearing on them, manufactured from an evergreen, locally known as the Wabayu, little bits of gut for tying on the feathers, and various odds and ends ; the other smaller one contains charms of all kinds, some of which may consist of verses of the Koran, while others may be merely little bits of cloth, a lion's tooth, a rusty nail or similar small objects, v/hich they believe will bring them success. Very curious was a hook, strangely twisted and ornamented, about 3 inches long, made of soft iron, which I noticed was carried by most of these hunters. I was able to obtain one specimen, but could not elicit any information from its owner as to its use. I am at a loss to understand what purpose it may serve, unless they employ it for roasting meat above the fire, in which case it would seem that the natives would have had no objection to tell me. All implements of iron are made by a certain class of dependant known as the Tomal. These men are Somali who have married a woman of the Midgan, an outcast tribe, whose origin is wrapped in obscurity. The Tomal are despised by the Somali, and are treated as inferiors, but why they are not allowed to possess cattle, with very rare exceptions, and why they are compelled to become iron-workers, is a mystery 150 LEATHER— SPEARS that has not yet been solved. The iron required is obtained from the coast through Arab traders, and payment is made for it with cattle, hides or ghee. The Midgan men themselves tan the leather that is required for the manufacture of shields, sandals, belts and water-bottles. The skins most prized in Jubaland are those of the giraffe {Gii^affa retmdata), the rhinoceros, which is very rare, and the oryx beisa. In the bulls of the latter species the skin over the withers and lower part of the neck is extraordinarily thick and tough. This peculiarity in the oryx beisa may have been developed as a protection against their sharp spear-like horns when they are fighting one another. The spears carried by the warriors, of which there are a considerable variety, are usually fitted with thin strong shafts made from a variety of wood. Some are quite ornamental, cut from trees especially selected for their fine even grain, and highly polished by rubbing in ghee, which imparts a rich dark yellow gloss to the surface ; others are fashioned from a kind of wood that resembles hickory ; others, again, are made of ebony, which is also treated with ghee. The latter kind are only carried by those warriors who have killed an enemy ; this distinction, which confers upon a man the privilege of wearing the " Bal," or feathered head-dress, is eagerly sought after, and the young men are always on the look-out for the opportunity of gain- ing it. Among certain tribes I have been told that a man cannot marry until he has thus proved his metal. The wooden sleeping-pillows are of a variety of shapes, ranging from the pattern with the single leg, as carried by the poor man, to that cut out of a solid piece of wood, 15 inches in diameter, with six legs, which are very rare and only used by men of import- 151 DIET ance. Mohammed AH, the chief of the Maghabul Somali, gave me one of the latter, which was most elaborately carved ; it had been treated with ghee, and was of a rich red brown colour. The wooden ghee spoons are ornamented in a similar fashion ; it is usual, though by no means always the case, for a rich man to have his cattle brand cut on the back of the handle, for a similar reason, I suppose, that a man in Europe will have his coat of arms engraved on his silver ware. Thus, amongst others, I have in my posses- sion spoons which have the following marks on the back — TN which are respectively the cattle brands of Mohammed Ali and Abdi Aden. The Somali in the interior are by force of circum- stances abstemious in their habits. Their sole habitual diet is milk and ghee : no fruit, no vegetables, seldom any rice and rarely flesh, for they will not, if possible, kill any of their own stock for food. Yet they are inordinately fond of meat, and if a camel falls sick and can no longer work, they will cut his throat and cook and eat every scrap of flesh. They also boil down all the fat, thus making a kind of lard to which they are extremely partial. Being strict Mussulmans they will not touch alcohol of any kind, not even when ill. But they have another kind of drink, peculiar, I believe, to Jubaland Somali, called " Buni." It is prepared in the following way. The coffee, consisting of the entire berry, is first roasted, or, as a matter of fact, fried in ghee ; the latter is then poured off into a dish, which is handed round to each man, beginning with the eldest. In turn they dip their hands in, and solemnly rub their faces, head or limbs with the ghee, according to their individual taste ; meanwhile, the 152 "BUM ' berries are boiled in a little water, with which a good deal of sugar, if they have any, or honey, has been mixed, and more ghee is added. This mixture is allowed to simmer over the fire for a few minutes ; it is then poured out into one large or several small cups, which are handed round, and the sickly mess is then sipped with the greatest relish, and the berries are eaten. They claim that it possesses marvellous properties, that it relieves fatigue and pains of all sorts, clears the brain and makes "the heart glad." The drinking of buni, involving though it does an unbending formality, is invariably observed before anything can be discussed, before any dance can be begun or any important decision can be taken. With discontented Somali it is a good plan to provide a quantity of buni ; they will invariably drink it, and thus comforted, they will talk their fancied wrongs over for hours, perhaps with one of your own trusted men, until very often their anger cools, and everything can be settled in an amicable manner satisfactory to both sides. This coffee therefore formed one of the principal and most important items of my trade goods, and no traveller should attempt a journey into the interior without a plentiful supply of it. The Jubaland Somali are very fond of singing and dancing, but they neither use nor possess musical instruments of any kind, not even the tom-tom, of which the Arabs are very fond. They have songs suitable for almost every occasion, many of them being of a religious nature. Of the latter type perhaps the most interesting is the " Song of Thanksgiving," which consists of a solo and chorus, rendering praise to Allah when water has at last been reached after a long and dangerous march. 153 THE CAMEL The stern faces of the men, upon which the hard- ships and poverty of their daily hfe and the ever- present dangers to which they are exposed have im- printed an indeHble mark, the real gratitude to Allah, the All Powerful, Who Alone knows what is best for His children, expressed in their voices, and the circum- stances in which it is sung, all combine to form a picture that is at once solemn and impressive. Somewhat cruel by nature, the Somali is lavish of kindness and affection to his camel ; it forms the subject of innumerable songs, in which one man addresses the camel, while the rest answer for him, thus carrying on a kind of running conversation. As soon as I would give the order to halt and unload, the syces would begin singing, " Aurki dalai ! " (" My camel is tired ! "), to which the men who were helping would cry out in answer for the camel, " Dika so dig!" ("Then place it {i.e. the load) on the ground ! "). And this would be repeated in end- less iteration until the camels were unloaded. In the same way in the mornings I have often eaten my breakfast to the sound of my head syce singing, " Wa fa liligo ! " (" Pick up the load ! "), to which the men would roar out in chorus a line, which I never quite caught, meaning, " Then tie it on tight ! " And there are a number of variations on the same theme. It was always pleasant to listen, as I knew my men were happy and contented. I never forbade them to sing, unless circumstances demanded it, as, for instance, when we were in the Aulehan country, and were expecting an attack. And I tried to allow them as much liberty and freedom as when travelling by themselves, so long as this was compatible with obedience and discipline, for there must be much 154 A WAR DANCE that is irksome and trying in a long journey. And I think they appreciated my attitude towards them, for they showed unquestioning obedience to my sHghtest command, and helped me in every way to the best of their ability, by combining to help each other in their respective work. I will give one illustration of the kind feeling and thoughtfulness they will show if well treated. Smoking is one of their few luxuries. Yet when I had finished my tobacco, and the men heard of it, one of my syces, whom I had recently lightly punished for some trivial offence, went round and collected a little of the precious weed from each, and then came up and presented it to me, in such a way that it was impossible to refuse. Their favourite dance is the war dance. Ten or twelve men, fully armed with spear, shield and knife, and wearing their sandals, gather together round an ox-hide, which is stretched in the centre of the dancing-place. The rest of the spectators form a hollow square around them, while farther back the women stand on the outermost edge of the ring. At a given signal the warriors begin singing and then dancing in -a circle, at first slowly, but gradually faster and faster. From time to time one of them will rush towards their chief, leaping high in the air, brandishing his spear and saluting, while the others all stamp together upon the ox-hide. They gradually work themselves into a perfect frenzy of excitement ; the spectators join in the songs, keeping- time by stamping on the hard ground, while above the uproar can be heard the thin shrill cries of the women, voicing their approval. Chiefs of tribes are buried with some ceremony. 155 THE BONI Their followers build hug-e mounds of earth about 20 feet high above their graves, and they then surround it with a strongly built fence, made of logs of wood placed horizontally between heavy upright posts. No account of the inhabitants of Jubaland would be complete without a reference to that interesting and little-known tribe, the Boni. These strange people originally inhabited the southern regions of Abyssinia, whence they have made their way south- west into the district of Arnoleh in Jubaland. They are hardly a thousand in all, and their numbers are fast diminishing, so that in a few years they will probably have disappeared completely, or have become merged among the Somali. They live in subjection to the latter, unmolested so long as they pay a tribute of one tusk from every elephant killed. Under this agreement they are allowed to hunt where they wish. By some the Waboni are believed to be the original inhabitants of this part of British East Africa. At any rate, they depend entirely on hunting for their food, as do the Wandorobo of the Kenya country. Their knowledge of bush-craft is perfectly astonishing, and as hunters and trackers I have never seen their equals. They have been much harassed and persecuted by the young Somali, and are consequently very shy and suspicious of strangers, preferring to make their homes in the most impenetrable bush, in which they immediately take refuge at the slightest sign of danger. According to Captain R. E. Salkeld, who has spent twelve years in Jubaland, many of the Waboni are the property of a private individual of a Somali tribe, and I was warned that should I engage a 156 Somali Ghee Spoons The Back of the Handle of a Ghee Spoon Showing the owner's cattle brand carved in the wood. Threk different styles of Hair Combs As used by the Ogaden Somali. A remarkable Wooden Sleeping Pillow Cut from a single block of wood. It was made especially for Mohammed Ali, the Sultan of the Maghabul tribe, and was given to me by him. ADMINISTRATION Boni guide it would be inadvisable to take him out of the tribal district. Their marriage customs are simple, and depend upon whether the man can provide sufficient cloth to satisfy the girl's father. If he can, she immediately becomes his wife. The Boni language, according to Mr. F. Elliott, is at present unwritten, but resembles Somali to a certain degree, though the differences are too great for mutual understanding. The administration of the natives in Jubaland represents an extremely difficult problem. The chiefs of the tribes naturally profess friendship, since the Government pays them a monthly salary of from Rs. 65 to Rs. 75, and supplies them with a few rifles and cartridges. Whenever their followers openly disobey, and the chiefs' pay is stopped temporarily in consequence, they put all the blame on the young men, saying the latter have acted without their knowledge, and so the affair is smoothed over. The interior of the country, especially in the south, is unknown and unsafe, and will be for some time no doubt. This state of affairs Is, of course, very unsatis- factory, but no blame can be attached to the officials, for they are handicapped by lack of men and money, and are hampered by red tape. There are two main difficulties that face the administration. When it is necessary to punish offenders it is exceedingly difficult to find them, inasmuch as being nomads, the natives wander widely through an unknown country ; secondly, since there are no roads, and the bush is generally very dense, it is far too risky to send out a small expedition, while the expense of a large one is too heavy. Therefore the offenders, 157 TRADE as in the case of the murderers of the late Mr. A. C. W. Jenner, go generally unpunished. It must be remembered that one thing the Government cannot afford is a reverse, for anything that would tend to lower our prestige further would be absolutely disastrous. It has been brought too low already by the way we have acted in the Somaliland Protectorate. Now I believe there is only one factor that will solve the problem which the administration of Jubaland presents, and that is trade. The Somali are quite intelligent enough to realise the value of trade, indeed, they are beginning to do so, and have already grasped the value of money. They possess enormous herds of cattle, goats and sheep, and they need rice, maize, cloth and iron. But before this trade can be developed the country must be opened out, and, if possible, the natives must settle down in their respective districts. In other chapters I have indicated all the main water-holes and swamps, which are at present semi-permanent, and which if cleared, and in some cases deepened, could be made into permanent reservoirs at a low cost. If this were done and the native trails cleared and broadened into roads, the natives would settle down permanently round the reservoirs, only too glad to be rid of the constant anxiety as regards a sufficient water-supply for themselves and their cattle. At these points police posts could gradually be instituted, and the roads would not only be invaluable for police patrols and for enabling the officials to move from one place to another, but would give a very real impetus to trade, the value of which, for purposes of civilisation, cannot be overestimated. 158 CHAPTER XIV THE DISCOVERY OF GULOLA SWAMP Mohammed Ali paid me another visit on the morning after our last interview. In addition to the presents he had already given me, he brought more milk, and on this occasion a sheep also. It is, of course, customary to give, in return, trade goods that some- what exceed in value the presents received ; these gifts become sometimes rather embarrassing if one's stock of trade goods is limited. In this case, however, I was rather pleased than otherwise, as my men were delighted with the milk, and mutton was a pleasant change from the tough, stringy meat of the wild animals I had shot. He did not, however, bring me very encouraging news. Nobody in his village knew the country between Gulola and Lorian, and the best, therefore, that he could do was to provide me with two men who would take me as far as Jeldez, a well-known water-hole on the old Galla trail that led between Afmadu and the Lorian to the south of the Lak Dera. I was most disappointed, as, from what Abdi Aden led me to believe, I had been counting on Mohammed Ali to provide me with guides, and I did not at all relish the thought of leading my men through an unknown country with no idea of the number or position of the water-holes. Existing maps were useless, the country hereabouts being only 159 VARIOUS PROBLEMS represented on them by blank spaces, and the position of the Lorian Swamp varied on the different sheets by nearly one degree ! For the benefit of those who have not had the privilege, shall I say, of travelling through such a country as Jubaland, I will point out the various problems that face the leader of an expedition. The country is generally unknown, pathless and, in many districts, waterless. Frequently it is so thick with bush that it appears almost impossible to cut a way through. It is a well-known fact that in the interior the natives are unfriendly towards the white man and are notoriously treacherous. The only possible method of progress is to travel from water-hole to water-hole, which lie perhaps sixty or even a hundred miles apart. After a series of exhausting and trying marches, beset with every kind of difficulty and hardship, a water-hole is reached, and found perhaps to be dry. By this time the water-tanks are three- parts empty, and the men are almost certainly dis- couraged and discontented, owing to the enormous amount of work they have had to perform in cutting a path through the bush ; moreover, they are probably ill at ease and nervous, for there is always the possibility of an attack by a party of young Somali warriors, anxious to qualify for the privilege of wearing the " Bal," and carrying the black-shafted spear, the special insignia of those who have killed an enemy. The next water-hole is perhaps another fifty or sixty miles ahead. Only two courses are now open, either to retrace one's steps or to go on in the hope of finding water at the next place. If the latter plan is followed, and the water-hole again proves to be dry, both the traveller and his men 1 60 A MARKET must inevitably die of thirst. In deciding which course to pursue, the leader cannot help remembering that his men trust in him with implicit confidence to bring them back safely home. Such are the problems that face the traveller every day in Jubaland ; and at Gulola I was con- fronted with them in a particularly aggravated form. For as I have said I could obtain no guides, I was ignorant of the position and number of the water-holes, or even if there were any at all, and I knew that the Mohammed Zubheir and the Talamuga Somali were at war. At all times turbulent and insubordinate, a party of their warriors would be now even more dangerous to encounter than at other times, whether they were elated by victory or embittered by defeat. But I had set my heart on reaching the Lorian, so after considering the question of success very carefully, I decided to go on. After Mohammed Ali had left me I sent word down to the "rer" (village) to say that I wished to hold a market that afternoon, at which I desired chiefly to buy ghee for my men, that I would pay in the form of trade goods preferred by the seller, and that my stock would be exposed to view before my tent. At first no one would come, but at length a very aged woman, wrinkled and bent beyond belief, came in carrying a little ghee in a pot. After naming her price, the headman gave her the choice of a corresponding value of cloth, coffee, beads, "tusbah" (rosaries), perfumes or tobacco. She hesitated for a long time, muttering to herself the while, but finally chose a brightly coloured loin-cloth, of the kind worn by young warriors, and amidst shouts of laughter from my men, retired to the village clutching it to L i6i A PICTURESQUE SCENE her shrivelled breast. Then others came, some young, some old, with their little babies tied in bags upon their back or clinging to their skirts (such as they had !), and soon I had bought all the ghee I needed. It was a scene of bustle and activity. Trading went on briskly and I bought amongst other things wooden pillows, ghee spoons, hair combs and other small objects that are commonly used by the Somali. Everyone was in the best of tempers, jokes were bandied about, and peals of laughter rang out continuously. Old men and women were moving slowly through the crowd, the traces left by the hardships and poverty of their daily lives showing clearly in their bent forms and wrinkled faces ; young girls, with curiously dressed hair, clothed in the loose white robes which emphasised rather than concealed the lithe beauty of their graceful forms, held by the hand tiny little boys with shaven heads, whose small brown bodies were innocent of clothes ; they wandered round together, gazing with awe and wonder at my tent and my belongings within. Having satisfied their curiosity, they began to return to their village, and when the sun was sinking and the time for prayer was at hand, they were all gone, and my camp resumed its normal aspect. Mahommed Ali visited me after supper on the evening previous to my departure and said he would accompany me himself to Jeldez, so that no one might say afterwards that he had not done his best to help the first white man who had been willino- to visit his country. I took this opportunity of giving him my present, consisting of cloths, silks, perfumes and buni, with which he seemed very pleased. When 162 FAME AS A DOCTOR thanking me he said, with the charming exaggeration of the Oriental, that he would have been equally gratified with much less, for a gift is soon forgotten, but that the pleasure his acquaintance with me had given him, and the pride he felt in having entertained me, would never fade from his memory ! Although my relations with the natives had made my stay at Gulola a very pleasant one, the camp itself was an unhealthy one, owing to the swampy nature of the soil and its low-lying situation. I had a great deal of malaria to deal with among my men, and I was also suffering myself from a slight return of dysentery. Having been rather successful in dealing with the ailments of my own men, my fame as a doctor was spread abroad in the village and daily many cases were brought to me for treatment ! On one occasion a man, whom I had cured of a very mild form of ophthalmia, came up and asked me for some medicine for his mother. In reply to my questions as to the symptoms of her illness, he answered that she was growing very old, and he seemed very disappointed when I told him that this was a malady beyond my power to cure ! At last however, one morning, I left Gulola at sunrise, leading the way with one guide, while Mahommed Ali followed with the camels, accompanied by his "body-guard." The latter was an extremely minute individual, not five feet in height, but very sturdily built ; he was a Galla slave captured in war, but was now a freeman, though he still worked for Mahommed Ali in return for his food. He carried an ancient French rifle (a Fusil Gras model 1873) and two cartridges. During the three days that he accompanied my caravan he was 163 SWAMPY LAND never parted from those cartridges ; they were always somewhere about his person — in his hair, behind his ears or in his mouth. We marched to the north-east at first through the open bush. There was no trail, and we were often up to our knees in the mud ; for the whole place is like a swamp, for there is not sufficient slope to carry the water off. But I was told that for the last two years there had been no rain, and as the country is chiefly sandy and the feed poor, it is generally uninhabited, except after a good rainy season. As regards the Bisahu Hamu, marked on almost every map as an important swamp, its name is unknown to the natives, but north of Bussa Berora, about twenty- five miles north-east of Gulola, there is a large plain covered with coarse grass that no doubt becomes swampy during the rains, but it cannot be relied on even as a temporary water-hole. We soon reached a ofood trail runnino; east and west. This is the native trail that runs between Hadamamel Dabassa and Gulola Swamp. The former place is an important water-hole situated immediately to the south of the Lak Guran, twenty-three miles due east of Gonia- iddu. We followed this path going westwards, though not without difficulty, for the camels were continually slipping in the mud, and were compelled to walk very slowly. The country, however, was lovely ; giant acacias stretched out their spreading branches towards each other, enshrouding the under- growth in perpetual shade, while dense tropical vegetation overran everything, dripping in airy festoons from the trees above, and running riot over the earth beneath. A profound silence reigned, unbroken save for the occasional "tap-tap" of a 164 GULOLA SWAMP woodpecker, or the whistle of some frightened dik- dik. Two hours later I reached Gulola Swamp. This important water-hole is situated just south of the Equator, some seven miles north-west of Gulola village. It is roughly circular in shape, and about twelve miles in circumference ; and, although sur- rounded by almost impenetrable jungle, the centre is open and I should imagine very deep, for the bottom slopes sharply down from the edge of the swamp. After a plentiful rainy season, this pool lasts through- out the year, and would amply suffice to water several thousand head of cattle during that time. But it has been known to dry up, with disastrous results to the Somali and their cattle, who were dependent on it. Two years previously it had failed, and the heaps of dried and whitening bones that lay in its immediate vicinity bore eloquent testimony to the tragedy that ensued. I do not think that it would be either a difficult or costly enterprise to clear and deepen the pool sufficiently to make it a permanent reservoir. If this were done it would prove an inestimable boon to the natives. As I was examining the swamp, the camels overtook me and passed on to the northwards. I followed them an hour afterwards, marching at a good pace along the trail which they had made. On leaving Gulola Swamp the whole aspect of the country changed with startling abruptness, and became arid in the extreme. The ground was sandy, and the bush seemed to grow denser and more impenetrable as we proceeded. The overhanging branches, though they clung to my clothes and tore them, afforded no shade, while the loose nature of the 165 A SURPRISE soil made walking slow and exhausting. At ten o'clock, according to my observations, I crossed the Equator. From that time until I passed again to the south, near Meru, I remained on the north side of it, but at no time during my journey was I more than a degree of latitude from it, except for a brief period in the Lorian district. At noon I came up with my " safari " resting in a little clearing ; my chair and table were in the scanty shade of a mimosa tree and my lunch was ready not long after. After I finished it I told my headman to start with the camels at 1.30 and not to disturb me. Then lying down on my saddle blankets with my head on the saddle, I was soon fast asleep and did not wake again till nearly three o'clock. We were quickly off again, and I caught up and passed the camels two hours later. Towards sunset I reached a small pool, much to our general surprise, and I decided to camp near by, havino- covered about eip"hteen miles since leaving^ Gulola village. A warm bath greatly refreshed me, and after dinner I plotted the day's work on my plane table sheet. By marching clue north from Gulola to Jeldez and thence to the Lak Dera, I hoped to traverse a country that would be interesting geographically. I had questioned the natives care- fully about the district lying in a direct line between Lorian and Gulola, and they all agreed in saying that it was a "bad" country, waterless and unin- habited, and the bush so dense that it would be impossible to take camels through it. It is known to them under the name of Rama Gudi, which means " wilderness." We were on our way very early the next morning ; the air was terribly oppressive although the sky was 166 HUNTING-DOGS clear, and the bush grew even more arid, if possible, as we advanced. It was darker in colour and entirely leafless as though it had been killed by a hard frost ! It gave the country a most curious aspect, while to add interest to the scene, there was evidence every- where of a large herd of elephants having passed but a few days ago ; in fact the trail we were following was but an old elephant track. The ground was strewn with chewed bark and leaves, great' branches had been broken off, small trees had been uprooted, while on every side the imprints of their huge feet could be seen in the sand. I was deeply absorbed in noticing these things and in unravelling the story they told, when suddenly in front of me I heard the loud barking of dogs. I was so surprised I could not imagine what it could be, but, jumping off my mule, I took my rifle, and kneeling down, peered through the bush in the direction from which the sounds were coming. So dense was the undergrowth I could not make out anything at first, but suddenly saw three dark forms moving through the scrub. Before I could raise my rifle they had disappeared, and though I found and followed their spoor, they easily made their escape. Their barking gradually grew fainter and then died away in the distance, and silence fell once more upon the trackless jungle. From the glimpse I had of them, I knew that they were hunting-dogs, but what they were doing in a country so destitute of game as this I am quite unable to say. These interesting but unattractive animals stand about 20 to 23 inches at the shoulder, and resemble vaguely the spotted hyaena in coloration and general appearance. They differ from wolves and foxes in having only four toes 167 TERRIBLE HEAT on the front as well as on the hind feet, and their coat irregularly spotted with tan or white patches. Naturalists recognise six races based on the apparently constant variation of colour in the different localities in which they are found, and those I saw probably belonged to the race known as Lycaon picttcs hipimts, a name proposed by Mr. O. Thomas for the hunting-dogs inhabiting East Africa, whose special characteristics are their dark colouring and the small number of yellow spots. The race in- habiting Somaliland is known as L. pictus somalicus, and is a smaller animal, with shorter coat and less powerful teeth. Packs of hunting-dogs soon clear the game out of any locality, and since they depend on antelope for their food, they do not long remain in one spot. They are generally to be found in the bush and are rarely seen on the open plains. It has been stated that they will readily attack a human being, but I have never heard of any authentic instance. I was sorry I was unable to obtain a speci- men, but I saw that it was useless to pursue them further, and so returned to the trail and continued the march. The sun Avas now blazing down from a cloudless sky, everything was burning to the touch, and the glare exceedingly trying to the eyes. At noon I called a halt, and lay down beneath a thorn bush, over which I spread my saddle blankets to keep off the sun which was pouring through the leafless branches, and soon, in spite of countless small ants, I went fast to sleep. When I awoke an hour later the cook had ready the wing of a guinea-fowl, which I had shot that morning near Gulola Swamp. After an excellent meal I gave the order to load up, and i68 JELDEZ just before two o'clock we were on our way once more. As I stepped out from my little patch of shade the sun almost seemed to strike me a physical blow, and the ground was so hot that it was really painful to the feet even through thick boots ; more- over, the sand rose in little clouds as we walked, hanging above us like a copper-coloured mist, stirred now and again by gusts of wind which, instead of bringing freshness to the burning air, only seemed to intensify the dreadful heat. The bush clutched at my clothes as though it had a thousand hands, or tripped me up as I walked, for the trail was so obstructed that it was impossible to ride. Faintly behind me I heard the chop, chop of the axes, as the men cleared the worst places for the camels, or the swish and breaking of the branches as the poor brutes forced their way through. We walked on in silence, save once, when I saw some guinea-fowl, and brought one down as they rose above the bush. A little later, very unexpectedly, we came upon a little pool of rain-water — very stagnant and green, it is true, but still water. While I was waiting here for the camels to overtake us, the clouds gathered, and there was a short shower, followed later by two more. This only served to accentuate our dis- comforts, and, rather depressed and in silence, we went on again still to the north, towards Jeldez ; the men were exhausted by the hard work, and cursed the climate and the country to which I had brought them. At last, when I had almost given up hope of reaching our destination before dark, we arrived at a clearing in the bush in which Jeldez lay, but to our dismay found it dry. I had plenty of water with me for a couple of days, but I decided to camp here tem- 169 A HONEY-BIRD porarily, and send back the camels in the morning to fill up at the last pool, for it would have been madness to go into the unknown country that lay beyond with- out the ten water-tanks being full of water. While I was waiting for the arrival of the rest of the " Safari," I noticed a little bird sitting on a bush close by and twittering incessantly. The guide whistled in answer and off it fluttered a little way, looking back at us all the time. This manoeuvre was repeated, until it led us to a dead stump of a tree in which I found some honey. Taking the greater part of it for myself, I left the rest for this intelligent little creature. It was the well-known honey-bird, and several times on my journey I was able to procure honey in this way. The Somali are very fond of this bird, and will not molest it under any circumstances. They assert that it also leads them occasionally to an elephant who has died in the bush, but, person- ally, I have never had this experience. When I got back to camp, I found that the camels had already arrived, and were being unloaded to the accompani- ment of the usual songs. 170 CHAPTER XV INTO THE UNKNOWN As it turned out I was delayed at Jeldez for three days, because I thought it advisable to send men forward to see if they could find water ahead, for I was now about to enter an absolutely unknown stretch of country without a single guide. Mahomed Aii, his slave and his companion, returned to their village, for they said, in an interview which I had with them the day before, that although they were willing and anxious to help me in every way, they did not know the country which lay to the west at all well, and they were afraid that if the next two marches should prove waterless, they would be unable to return, unless I gave them camels, on which they could carry water. These I could not spare, for of the eighteen with which I started, one had died at Jana Nyeri, one had been left at Gulola with an abscess in his foot, and another was very ill with what the natives called "camel sickness," so that I had only sufficient for my own needs. Jeldez is a well-known water-hole situated on the old Galla trail between Afmadu and Lorian. This bush-path has been completely abandoned by the Somali, who prefer to travel along the north bank of the Lak Dera, where water - holes are more numerous and the country less inhospitable. As I have said, it was dry when I arrived, so I had to 171 A DOUBLE RAINBOW send back to a rain-pool I had passed some fifteen miles to the south, which a local thunderstorm had luckily filled, in order to obtain any water at all. It was small in quantity and unpleasant in quality, but we were glad enough to get any. This rendered it imperative that we should leave Jeldez as soon as possible, in order to reach a more plentiful water- supply. Jeldez itself is a circular depression, about 300 yards in diameter, surrounded on all sides by very dense bush, and on the north also by some large acacia trees. The soil is sandy, and in the centre a well has been dug, now fallen into disuse, about 12 feet deep. The floor of the well was damp, but though I dug 3 feet deeper no water could be obtained. In spite of the sandy covering the ground below was extremely hard, so hard indeed that it was impossible to drive the tent-pegs in, so that in order to pitch my tent I was compelled to tie the guy-ropes to the water-tanks, which were placed in line, three on each side. On the day after my arrival there was a heavy storm in the north, and as it drew to a close there was a most beautiful double rainbow, so vivid in colouring that I was able to take a photograph of it. In the evening the men I had sent forward returned, bringing bad news, for although they had walked for six hours along the trail they had found no water. This was indeed serious, especially as it was too hot to march during the day. So on the following morning I decided to send back five camels to fill up the water-tanks at the last rain-pool, since it was not safe to proceed without a maximum supply of water. While they were away, I was busily engaged 172 AN ANNOYING OCCURRENCE in fixing the position of Jeldez on my map, and in exploring the country around. Some twenty-five miles to the N.E. there is a large and semi-permanent water-hole known as Tubtu, but otherwise the country is arid in the extreme and covered for the most part with " wait-a-bit " thorn and similar scrub. According- to the map the Lak Dera was about fifty miles away to the N.W., and I hoped to find water there, as during the last week I had noticed thunderstorms almost every evening in that direction. My plan was to start in the afternoon from Jeldez and march all through the night, and longer if necessary, unless we reached water before. A most annoying occurrence prevented me from starting on the following day, as I had arranged. The syce, whom I had sent back in charge of the camels, returned without water, saying that the little pool, where they had filled up on the previous day, was dry. He had not had the sense, or rather he had been too lazy, to go on and search further. So I was compelled to send them back again, as it was essential that the tanks should be full before we started. This time the syces went in charge of an askari, and I forbade them to come back without water, even if it was necessary for them to march all through the night. The rest of the day passed pleasantly enough, although I did not leave camp ; but I was very busy writing up my notes, and, having taken a whole series of observations, I worked them out, including some taken at Gulola which I had not finished. I was very much gratified with the results, and carefully locked the papers away in my box, in order that they might be checked when I returned to civilisation. 173 THE THERMOMETER Having completed this work I inspected the trophies, both horns and skins, and found them in excellent condition. All this took up the larger part of the day, but after a cup of tea at four o'clock, I took my pipe and a book of Oscar Wilde's poems and went out in search of a shady bush. Having found one I lay down on the soft, warm sand, and read and smoked in luxurious comfort until dark. It was delightfully refreshing to turn one's thoughts to some- thing so essentially different, so totally unlike and so far removed from the life which I had been leading, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading " Humanitad," " Panthea " and some of the charming short poems over again. The heat had been very great, and all through that day the mercury in my thermometer stood well over 1 00°, and in the early afternoon reached its maximum height of 116°. I should not like to say what the temperature was in the sun, but at noon, when I went out to take an observation for latitude, the barrel of the telescope on my theodolite was so hot that it was almost impossible to touch it. Just before nightfall I went out in the bush and shot a couple of doves, very luckily for me, since I had nothing for supper, but what they were doing so far from water I cannot imagine. The camels returned just before midnight with all the tins full. The following morning was occupied in getting everything in order. All that was not absolutely necessary was thrown away, ropes, girths and saddles were tested and overhauled, while the loads were carefully tied up into bundles of approxi- mately equal weight. During my stay at jeldez the camels had fed well and seemed rested and in good 174 A BAD PATCH OF SCRUB form. It is essential, if one wishes to travel far with a minimum of discomfort, that everything should be done to lighten their work, and now, by a careful distribution of the weights, and by discarding all but essentials, I managed to reduce their loads to something under 250 lb. each. And I believe it was owing to this careful preparation, and consideration for the welfare of the camels, that I was enabled to accomplish successfully the journey between Jeldez and Lorian, in the face of difficulties and dangers which no one can realise unless he has had some experience of travelling in the interior of Jubaland. We left Jeldez shortly after three o'clock, in spite of the terrific heat, marching along an old trail which led directly towards the west. Almost immediately we entered the worst patch of scrub it had yet been my misfortune to encounter. Riding was out of the question, so I walked, and shuddered as I thought of what was going to happen to the loads on the camels, for the scrub consisted almost entirely of wait-a-bit, whose small crooked thorns cut through my clothes like knives, and I foresaw that they would tear the gunny sack coverings of the loads to pieces. As the sun sank behind heavy storm-clouds, we reached a rather more open country, the two hurricane lamps were lighted, and we proceeded at a good pace. It would be impossible to imagine a more hopeless and desolate piece of country than that through which I had been travelling for these last few days ; the soft, sandy soil, the low, leafless scrub, and the stunted, blackened mimosa, with which it is covered, only serve to emphasise the aridity of the country and represent another kind of desert common in East Africa, but havinof but little charm either of colour or of outline. 175 A CURIOUS MARCH It was a curious march. The men were depressed, the going heavy, and the night air hot and oppressive, so that we were all perspiring freely. There was hardly a sound to break the silence, save when we brushed past some bush, or when a frightened bird rose in alarm at our feet. All other sounds were muffled by the soft sand through which we walked and which rose in little clouds that looked like mist in the lamplight as we hurried along. Twice we passed what I imagine to have been small plains where there had been surface water ; and here the tracks of elephants were very numerous, all going westward, which seemed to show that they travelled from Guran- lag-^a to the Lorian durino^ the rains. Hour after hour passed by, until at midnight I took a short rest, drank some of the tea in my water-bottle, and ate some bread which I had brought with me. The chill I had caught at Gulola had not yet left me, and the dull pains on my right side and back made this march particularly trying. After half an hour thus spent I marched on again, the camels having by now caught us up. On and on we went, and I think I must have been dozing on my mule, as I do not remember much more until a sharp exclamation from my headman woke me with a start. Curious sounds were coming from my left. What they were, at first I could not make out, then it dawned upon me. Frogs ! And therefore water ! We all rushed forward, and sure enough found a large pool surrounded by trees. Everybody was hugely delighted ; the news that I had found water revived everybody, and spread down the line like wildfire. Even the camels seemed to be imbued with the excitement and came in at a fine pace, their syces 176 CAMEL SICKNESS whistling and singing in a most cheerful manner. Here I decided to camp and, when light broke, to send on two men to find the road which led westwards towards the Lak Dera. We had marched since leaving Jeldez for ten and a half hours and had covered twenty miles, which was not bad considering the character of the country we had traversed. My tent was soon pitched and a hot bath was prepared for me, which I thoroughly enjoyed before turning in. The camel which was so ill at Jeldez, had been gradually growing worse, and on reaching this water- hole, which is known to the natives by the name of Robleh ("containing rain-water"), he lay down and refused to move, although he had carried no load during the night. As he was obviously dying and in agony, I had him killed. Shortly afterwards I saw the Somali lining up before my tent, and on asking what they wanted they asked me if I would let them eat the camel ! I was so disgusted at first that I refused, but when they said that they would accept it instead of four days' rations (120 lb. of rice), I could say no more, especially as I had lost a quarter of a load of rice through one of the sacks giving way during the night. They immediately set about cutting the camel up and smoking the flesh, and boiling down the fat into a kind of lard, which they use in their cooking in the same way as ghee. An absolute orgy ensued ; the men stuffed themselves with half-cooked meat, gnawed the bones till they were clean, and then chopping them open, sucked the marrow out. It was a most revolting sight, but I had no choice but to let it go on. Only the Swahili refused to touch it, which was rather a surprise after the filth I have seen them eat. M 177 A LEOPARD AND GIRAFFE I spent two days here working and hunting, but all game was very scarce, and I saw nothing but dik- dik. Of these I shot two, which provided me with food for two days. While hunting them I came across a young giraffe only a few days old that had been killed by a leopard a few minutes before. The tracks and marks of the struggle told the story very plainly. The leopard had jumped out from a bush and chased the giraffe for about 20 yards, when, springing forward, it had caught the helpless animal by the neck and choked it to death. It had then either gone off to call its family to join in the meal, or more probably had heard me coming and made its escape. The giraffe proved to be a young bull, very pale in colour, buff rather than chocolate, and in the centre of the dark patches there were numerous white hairs. I had noticed that the cows are always lighter in colour than the bulls, but I did not see a sufficient number of calves to be able to say whether this pale tint is usual, and characteristic of young animals. I had it carried back into camp and skinned. On examinino; the skull I found that the two horns on the forehead were just noticeable, but otherwise it presented no unusual features of interest. My headman, who was born in Jubaland, said that he thought there was another water-hole called Liboyi some 20 miles to the westward, and it was in the hope of finding it that we started shortly after midnight on the third day after my arrival at Robleh. We marched along a very dim trail by lamplight in silence, for we were all beginning to feel the effects of hard work and bad food. But as the light grew I noticed that we had entered a more open bush country, and a little later we found a 178 c o °-o ■— o .2^ J- E °- "S o-S ry5 V- « .- o 5 •-'S M J= 2 c GIRAFFES' SPOOR ofood trail leadino- almost due westward. It was obvious that rain had fallen hereabouts, and the scene was most attractive ; there were shady trees, green grass, and even the ubiquitous thorn bushes were just beginning to show some leaves. Somehow the scenery gave me the impression of early spring, though in reality it was midsummer in that latitude. This was too pleasant to continue, and I was not surprised when we soon entered once more the endless wait-a-bit thorn-scrub. Throughout this country giraffes and giraffes' spoor are to be seen in astonishing numbers, yet it is hard for those who have not experienced it to believe how difficult they are to see. Their liver- coloured bodies netted with white seem to blend perfectly with the bush in which they live. This shows how easily Nature surpasses any efforts of ours, for who would have thought that so con- spicuously marked an animal would be almost invisible under certain circumstances ? As we trudged on, the heat grew and travelling became most tedious, owing to the thickness of the bush and the soft sand under foot. So that it was with geniune relief that we saw the scrub thinning out into a little plain which really formed a plateau of low elevation, although it was scarcely perceptible to the eye. In its centre was the typical Jubaland rain-pool — that is to say, a large circular depression filled with dense jungle. There is a very curious but general tradition among the Somali, that these pools were made by the prehistoric inhabitants of the country. The only foundation for this belief is the curious similarity of these natural reservoirs, and the strange fact that they are often situated at 179 MURDER OF JENNER approximately equal distances from each other along a trail, but it would have been an impossible work for any uncivilised native to have completed. But to continue. We were much disappointed to find Liboyi stone-dry, but I decided to take our midday rest here, and proceed again in the afternoon. This I did, and while waiting for lunch, went down into the swamp and took some photographs. The interior was filled with dry bush and dead trees, forming a jungle which was honeycombed with elephant paths from side to side. It was here that the late Mr. A. C. W. Jenner was murdered in 1905. He was attempting the same journey as I was now carrying out, and his object was to explore the Lak Dera and the Lorian. He passed through Afmadu and followed the old trail that leads past Tubtu to Robleh and Liboyi. He camped here during a thunderstorm, and unwisely collected the rifles of his escort and placed them in his tent in order to keep them from the wet. A party of Mohammed Zubheir warriors, who had been following him, attacked him suddenly during the night and murdered him together with his followers, of whom only three escaped in the bush and returned to tell the tale. I was therefore not sorry to leave this ill-omened place the same afternoon. At first I followed what seemed to be a well-marked trail, but, after going about one hour due west, I saw it was used only by giraffes and elephants, and fearing lest I should find no water I determined to march due north ; so leavinor the trail I struck out throug-h the bush in a direction at right angles to that from which we had come. I felt the responsibility of taking my men thus through an unknown country, especially since 180 INTO AN UNKNOWN LAND they placed in me a complete confidence that I would bring them back safely to their homes at last. I knew nothing of what lay in front of me ; the maps I had of this part of the country were mere blanks, and I was obliged to trust only to the accuracy of my last latitude observations and compass- bearings to enable me to reach the river. Some of the Swahili porters were already wavering and talking of going back, so I had to be firm, and in this my headman and my interpreter, Hassan, helped me immensely, or else Juma and the malcontents for whom he spoke might have won over to their side the rest of my men, and I should have had to return. I believe some kind fate was looking after me, for after making my way slowly for over an hour through the wait-a-bit thorn, I found a game trail, and following this, came upon two small pools of rain-water, one of which was beautifully clear and sweet. I was very much relieved, and so were my men ; they pitched camp and built the zariba in a very short time. Meanwhile I had gone out in search of food, and though I saw no big game, I luckily shot a couple of doves for dinner. Later on, as the night was clear, I seized the opportunity to take a series of observations for time and latitude, which kept me up till nearly eleven o'clock. i8i CHAPTER XVI THE LAK DERA As the first streaks of lio^ht were showinor in the east I climbed on to my mule, and, leading the way, marched towards the N.N.W. After half an hour's march we crossed some alluvial mud-flats and then reached what was evidently a dry river bed of some importance. It was filled with rank grass and reeds and was quite dry. Its general course was towards the north-east, and the bottom of the bed was some 15 feet below the level of the surrounding country. My first idea was that it was the Lak Dera. But I was mistaken, as I found later in the day that it was only a tributary. I took some photographs here and observations for altitude, and then marched on through dense acacia scrub up a slight incline till I reached a kind of plateau. There was a quantity of surface water everywhere, so filling up the tanks I proceeded with a much lighter heart. The bush had been and was so thick, that I had to walk all the time, riding being out of the question. The country was entirely overgrown with a low jungle composed of camel thorn and mimosa scrub in full leaf. There was no trail of any sort, and the trees grew in such close proximity one to another that it was often necessary to clear the way for the camels, as otherwise the loads would have suffered severely. I soon began to go downhill again, and at eleven 182 LAK DERA o'clock, much to my joy and surprise, reached another river bed, also dry, and a well-travelled native path leadlno- alongf it towards the north-west. This, I was certain, was the Lak Dera ; so I gave orders for the camels to be unloaded and went on to in- vestigate. A river bed, such as this, has just the appearance of a crooked line drawn by some gigantic finger in the sand, only, of course, on a gigantic scale. Fill this with dense green scrub, and you have the Lak Dera as I first saw it. Some two hours later I started again under a blazing sun along its southern bank, and marched for half an hour up the trail, when to our mutual surprise I saw two Somali resting under a tree. They jumped for their spears, but as soon as they saw we were friends they came forward and a long conversation ensued. They told me that they were of the Aulehan tribe, and were in search of good pasture and water. This, they said, was the trail which led along the Lak Dera to Lorian, that the river I had crossed early in the day was the Lak Aboloni, and that their village was about four hours up the trail, whither they volunteered to escort us. So off we went aoain, still marchino- through the endless green scrub over a country that gradually rose as we advanced. From time to time I got a more open view of the river bed, now filled with reeds and tall rank grass, now bare and scarred by innumerable nullahs, and the hours passed like magic until at length we reached their little village, which lay beside two large pools to the north of the river ; but the camels did not arrive until two hours later. The inhabitants were not very obliging, refusing to provide guides for our next march, and though they possessed a VILLAGE OF SHIMBIRLEH large herd of cattle, they brought in nothing except a little milk. I noticed that the married women wore a vivid crimson head-dress instead of the usual black cloth, but I do not think that this custom is confined to the Aulehan. The country from here to the Lorian is unknown, except to a few native hunters, but the western extremity has been the scene of many a bloodthirsty conflict between the Mohammed Zubheir and the Abd Wak, two of the most truculent and least civilised sub-tribes of the whole of the Ogaden. It was therefore a heavy responsibility to take my men forward into this unexplored, water- less and dangerous region. Early the following morning I left the village, which is known, by the way, as Tur Guda (which means "a clump of Guda^ thorn trees"), and marched along an excellent trail, until some eleven miles to the westward I came to the little village of Shimbirleh, where there was a large rainpool, a hundred yards broad by two hundred long. The country between these two villages is fairly open, and contains many shallow sandy depressions to the north of the river. There were many guinea-fowl in the bush, of which I shot two, and I also obtained a young dik-dik, which were a valuable contribution to my larder. As I knew nothing of what lay before me, I let the men cook their food here, and then, filling up the ten water-cans, I started off westwards. Before leaving Shimbirleh, I had offered the fabulous sum of Rs.50 for a guide, but nothing would induce the headman of the village to provide one. He told me, however, that I should cross the river and follow its southern bank until I reached tv/o * Guda (or Guhra) is the Acacia Isyol. Z>EL. 184 Q I DENSE BUSH large pools near some low hills, and should then follow an old trail which led onwards to the Lorian. With this meagre information I had to be content. The bush soon became exceedingly dense, once more keeping out every breath of air and rendering the atmosphere terribly oppressive. We crossed the river, which was here shallow and much overgrown, and then made our way at a good pace along the right bank, as I had been directed. I was exceedingly grateful when the sun gradually sank lower ; at the same time the bush opened out a little, trees grew more plentiful, and at sunset I had a glimpse of the river bed again — white sand this time, and much deeper than I had previously seen it. The trail which had been growing more and more indistinct now gave out altogether, but I had the river to guide me, so I kept on, though the pace was now reduced to a crawl, for the country was very rough, full of holes and little steep valleys and nullahs. Except for the humidity of the atmosphere it was quite pleasant, the temperature being about 86°. A glorious moon was shining in a clear sky, and its beautiful soft light transformed a desolate and arid scene into one of beauty and of peace. My orderly walked in front carrying a lantern, and I followed him, my mind full of speculations as to what lay before me, and of pleasure because I was the first white man to penetrate this wilderness. The hours passed quickly, but towards eleven o'clock I decided to camp in a small open space, as my camels were very tired. My bed was got out, and after a cup of tea I lay down, and it seemed to me that I had hardly gone to sleep before I was awakened once more. After a hurried breakfast of minced 185 ARID COUNTRY guinea-fowl, I started off once more shortly before 3 a.m. We were all somewhat tired and stiff, and it seemed ages before the first signs of dawn were apparent in the east ; but soon after the sun rose — a disc of deepest red seen through the heavy pall of mist that hung low over the bush. The dry river bed was on my right, and on each side of it the ground rose slightly, forming a kind of valley, while ahead I could see a low line of rounded hills just visible above the jungle through which I was threading my way. Dense thorn covered the land in all directions, forming a vast sea of verdure, but in spite of this the general aspect of the country was arid and inhospitable beyond words. These endless stretches of thorn-scrub are very depressing, and the brilliant sun, which had already dispersed the morning mist, failed to dispel the gloomy impression the scene had left on me. I continued marching steadily, keeping close to the river bank, and shortly before eight o'clock reached the low hills I had seen in front of me at daybreak. Here the river takes a bend to the north, and as the trail had by now quite disappeared, I decided to go straight on to the north-west, since it was most im- portant that we should reach the swamp as early as possible, both on account of water and of food. So I skirted the spur of the hills, where I found traces of an old Somali boma, leaving the river on my right- hand side. Close at hand were two large pools, then quite empty, and surrounded as usual by dense woods ; round one of them was a thorn hedge about 2 feet high with only one small opening where an old elephant trail led down to the pool. Not many yards away was a small shelter built in the bush. This was probably the work of some Somali hunters who had 186 SMALL ANNOYANCES lain in wait for their prey, and on several other occa- sions I have seen similar bush shelters built on river banks or near some favourite water-hole. On leaving this place, known, as I discovered later, by the name of Sereda, I again entered a most appalling stretch of bush, through which we had to hack our way with axes and slashers. It was terribly trying work, and we were all truly glad a couple of hours later when the scrub got thinner and progress became easier. Just before eleven we entered a small plain with a dry water-hole in the centre, and I decided to rest here. All around the thorn bush had given place to low stunted trees packed close together, leafless and blackened as though they had been burned. The heat was terrific, and in the sun one felt as though one were standing close to some huge bonfire. Two of my men suddenly collapsed from the heat, one of whom was a Somali. He became delirious and had to be tied down, but he recovered in the evening. After I had eaten a little lunch, I tried to sleep, but a multitude of ants and small flies kept me awake, and the time dragged heavily on, until at two o'clock I gave the signal to begin loading. Very wearily the caravan started once more, shortly after 3 p.m. Four of the water-tanks were now empty, so the sick men were tied on to the lightly loaded camels, but I could not help feeling sorry for them as I walked out once more into that blindino- sun. I marched on o steadily through fairly open bush ; no water was to be found, and the country seemed very parched and barren. Words fail me to describe the utter dreariness of that desert scene. Just before sunset, however, I had a great slice of 187 A SLICE OF LUCK luck. I had noticed a good many doves flying over- head in the same direction as we were going, and now I saw several sitting on a bush a few hundred yards to the right. Leaving my men and my mule I walked in their direction, full of excitement, and sure enough I found a small pool of very muddy water, perhaps 3 yards broad, hidden under some bushes. I was immensely thankful, and my men delighted beyond words at this unexpected find. Having put my orderly on guard, I sat down to wait for my caravan to arrive. Presently the sun turned blood-red as it neared the horizon, and then soon sank from view behind the stunted thorn trees that stretched away interminably towards the west, whilst almost simultaneously the full moon rose in the east, a deep copper-coloured disc. I lay back luxuriously in the sand and dozed for a time until I heard in the distance the faint sound of bells and the snapping of branches as the camels made their way through the bush. The men began calling and whistling, and presently I saw the long line of camels, looking very strange now in the moon- light with their huge loads swaying and creaking as they walked, led by their native syces. The news that there was water immediately revived everyone, and they sang and joked as they unloaded the camels. I served out dates, instead of rice, for their evening meal, and these were soon eaten. Within an hour, silence reigned once more, and I turned in after a good look round to see that all was well. Much refreshed, I woke next morning at 2.30 and we were soon off. The bush was again appallingly dense and our progress slow. When the sun rose it revealed the same apparently limitless expanse of low wait-a-bit thorn ; there is but little charm in the dull 188 .Jt* D O JJ ° g O 'S. a'" ■" ^-^ .tl S 5 o B c ^00 2 C >>J3 O o o ice J3 4; CO ca !£ . I O I — . (y o^5 ■ - O i- « c S ■all o a " u-a c 3 c « -d " - ^ , CO °v^ « r ° °'" I -?.H 2 1) ^^ aj c H >.2 S HOUSEHOLD UTENSILS It is carried in an elaborate network of leather thongs. Another interesting utensil is the milk-pail, made from a single piece of giraffe skin cleverly sewn together with a loop of the same leather on one side. This is also thoroughly well smoked and greased, so that it becomes quite watertight, and will last a lifetime. When full to the brim, it holds seven pints of milk, all but a few ounces. Their "herios" or camel mats compare unfavourably with those made by the Somali in quality, as also do their knives, spears and sandals and the forked stick they use for making or pulling apart the zariba. They do not appear to be in the habit of wearing hair combs, and I did not see any ghee spoons. They often carry about with them, when near their village, a piece of undressed ox-hide (which is therefore stiff and hard), and this they use as a kind of screen or shelter from the wind, which is often cold and damp at night. I have never observed this among the Somali. The Borana are amongst the richest cattle-owners in British East Africa, being second only to the Masai ; they possess a few camels and donkeys, upon which they pack their belongings when moving from one locality to another. In addition, they own vast flocks of fat-rumped sheep and large herds of goats. But they will rarely kill any of their stock for food, their principal diet being milk. I was told by my headman that when one of their cattle is ill and likely to die, they will cut its throat and eagerly drink the blood as it pours forth, but as I never saw it done I cannot vouch for the truth of this statement. They are, however, extremely fond of "buni " when they can get it, which is seldom : they told me that there was a certain berry that grew in abundance in the Moyale 233 AGRICULTURE AND TRADING district, which, when cooked in the same way as coffee, gives them almost equal satisfaction. Of labour, then, around a Borana boma there is but little — no tilling of the soil, no searching for roots or wild plants and seldom any cooking. While the men spend their days in hunting or idling, the women keep guard over the cattle when they are grazing, and the boys and girls tend the sheep and goats. From what I could gather, I am of opinion that these Tufi Borana are an inferior race to, or perhaps even an outcast tribe of, the true Borana, who inhabit southern Abyssinia. I am unable to speak with authority on the subject, as I have not had the oppor- tunity of studying the latter, but such at least is my impression. When the habits and customs of both these people have been further investigated by future travellers, it will be of extreme interest to learn their relationship and to know more of their primitive customs, which are fast dying out before the spread of Islam. I spent two days at this village, and during the whole of that time trading went on continually. As a result of this incessant bargaining, I found myself the possessor of fifteen sheep, which would provide my men with food, I hoped, until I reached Archer's Post or even Meru. Had I had a few more of the white metal bracelets and cubes, I should have done better; for so anxious were they to obtain them, that for 250 cubes (value at the coast about 50 cents), they would give me a nice fat sheep, and my little stock of 2000 went almost immediately. The glass beads I had were not reoarded with much favour, a new shade having become all the fashion, but cowrie shells and Americani sold fairly steadily, and I was 234 AMUSEMENT AND SURPRISE able to buy seven more sheep and various objects of ethnological interest with them. Before I left I gave the chief men presents, con- sisting of tobacco and "buni," with which they were delighted, and the women perfume, beads and shells. The whole village collected outside my tent in the best of humour, and roars of laughter broke out at the slightest provocation. Great amusement was caused by my camera, and especially by my clothes, which must have seemed to them particularly absurd in com- parison with their loose, flowing garments. They crowded round me when I showed them a book con- taining photographs of elephants, giraffes and other game with which they were familiar, and as they recognised each animal as I turned the pages, they pointed excitedly at it with their fingers, and broke out into cries of astonishment and surprise. It was an animated and entertaining scene, but there was nothing vulgar in their curiosity, only a naive interest and a childlike simplicity which completely disarms criticism. There is always much that is sym- pathetic, much that is attractive in the primitive savages who people the remote corners of the earth. But how quickly these qualities disappear on the advent of the missionary and the civilisation he brings with him ! I dismissed them at last, having made arrange- ments with the headman of the village to provide a guide who was to lead me as far as Marti Plateau ; and I went to bed that nig-ht relieved of a oreat anxiety with regard to the food supply for my men. For now, even if I did not meet any other natives, I should have sufficient for myself and my followers until I reached the outskirts of civilisation. 235 CHAPTER XXI MARTI PLATEAU It was still pitch dark as the last camel was loaded, and the long string of patient animals moved slowly away from the warm light of the camp fires into the night beyond. Countless stars shone from a clear sky, and the Southern Cross was clearly visible above the horizon. The guide led the way at a smart pace through the open bush, for a chilly wind was blowing from the north over the river, and the dampness of the atmosphere made it difficult to keep warm. When dawn broke, and the surrounding country took shape, I found myself on an open plain bounded on the right-hand side by a tall line of trees that grew along the river bank ; it was covered with a luxurious growth of grass and small broad-leaved plants, bearing a quantity of yellow fiowers. There was but little bush, and the ground seemed very rich and even more fertile than at Melka Gela. I was told that durinof the rains it becomes somewhat swampy, and impass- able for camels, who are helpless in the mud. As the light grew stronger, it revealed in the distance the striking outlines of Marti Plateau, whose sides rose precipitously from the bush that surrounded its base up to its broad and perfectly level summit. Its dark colour, due to the volcanic rock of which it is composed, formed a sombre background against which the vivid greens of the bush and the grove of 236 A RELUCTANT GUIDE dom palms showed very brilliantly. While I was looking round with my glasses, I caught sight of a half-grown rhinoceros about a quarter of a mile away ; he had, however, got our wind, and after staring fixedly in our direction for some seconds, he turned away, and breaking into a fast trot, he soon dis- appeared. My guide now declared that he did not wish to proceed any farther. He said that since Marti was in sight we did not need a guide, but, as I wished to explore the plateau and should be therefore obliged to cross the river, I insisted that he should keep to the promise he made the night before, and accompany me at any rate to a ford I had been told of some three miles to the east of the mountain. He seemed very ill at ease, but at length agreed to do so in return for a considerable sum in cloth and tobacco, which I naturally refused to give him until our arrival. We went on again after this discussion, but as we were passing through a narrow belt of bush the guide suddenly bolted in the direction of the river. Though much annoyed I decided not to send any one after him, as I did not wish to waste any more time than I could help, for Marti lay a good twelve miles ahead. I have no idea why he was so anxious to return — so anxious indeed that he was willing to forfeit what must have appeared to him a large sum of money, which he would have earned had he accompanied me but a few miles farther. It is often impossible to follow the working of a native's mind : his life Is so bound up with convention and superstition, that his actions are often Incomprehensible to us. However, I went on again, leading the way over the soft brown earth due west towards Marti. Rain 237 A MONOTONOUS MARCH must have fallen a short time before, for the ground was slippery with mud ; the sun poured down, the wind had dropped and the heat became terribly oppressive. Moreover, I was now approaching the river again and had entered a patch of dense bush, which not only rendered progress slow and exhausting, but deprived the scene of its previous interest, leaving it monotonous and wearisome beyond expression. Hour followed hour without any incident to enliven the march ; I ate a hurried lunch of bread and meat, which I had in my saddle-bags, without stopping to rest, and I began to despair of ever reaching my destination, when suddenly I emerged from the bush into a little plain, which lay in a bend of the river, and beyond the tall fringe of dom palms the dark mass of Marti Plateau loomed impressive and close at hand. My tent was soon pitched, and while everything was being put in order I walked down to the river. As I crossed the plain I noticed some old buffalo spoor, and a small herd of waterbuck feeding on its farther edge, but I had plenty of meat, so I did not disturb them. As soon as I entered the grove of palms I found a steep bank in front of me, down which I climbed. After the brilliant sunlight outside, it seemed quite dark and deliciously cool within, but as my eyes grew accustomed to the gloom, I was struck with the beauty of the scene. The tall smooth trunks of the dom palms rose in serried ranks, crowned with tufts of feathery branches which grew in such profusion that they enclosed the undergrowth below in perpetual shade. Near the river bank a few mimosas and some small shrubs filled in the spaces between the palms, and through their delicate foliage 238 THE UASO NYIRO— BABOONS appeared the rich brown of the slowly moving water below, and above the pale blue of the tropical sky. The incessant hum of mosquitoes and other insects sounded not unpleasantly, and only seemed to intensify the drowsy stillness of that enchanting spot. Coming as it did after months of travel through an arid and jungle-covered country, across desert plain and un- healthy swamp under a burning sun, this scene of beauty and of peace made a deep impression on me, and I was loth to leave it. At length, however, I made my way alone down to the edge of the river, and there lay down in comfort and enjoyed a pleasant hour of rest after the hard march we had accomplished that morning. The Uaso Nyiro, which is about 150 feet broad at this point, flowed calmly and slowly between low banks. The deep mud-coloured water showed scarcely a ripple on its surface, except where a few tiny sand- bars and patches of reeds broke the smooth monotony of its course. I had fallen almost asleep, soothed by the silence and peace of the surrounding scene, when I was startled by a loud chattering and barking a few yards up-stream. I got up quietly, and on peering through the bushes caught sight of a troop of baboons making their way down to the water's edge. They had been jumping from tree-top to tree-top, but now had come down and were walking through the undergrowth, led by an old male. Some were playing or quarrelling, others searching for food, but all were heading for the river. The little wind there was was blowing up towards them, so they soon became aware of my presence. Immediately a babel of alarmed cries broke out, and they leaped back into the bush and 239 HAWEYAH HUNTERS up into the branches. But recovering from their momentary panic, they climbed down as low as they dared, and crowding together, they growled and barked at me ; each time I approached they dis- appeared into the topmost branches or hurled them- selves with extraordinary recklessness and skill from tree to tree, but as soon as they saw I was not following them their curiosity got the better of their fear, and they returned, chattering and screaming, to growl defiance at the intruder. They looked for- midable enough, especially the old males with their enormous teeth bared in impotent fury, but at last they made off, jumping from tree-top to tree-top until their frightened chattering died away in the distance, and silence fell once more upon the bush. It was time too that I should return to camp, and so, regretfully, I turned my back on the river, and walked slowly through the grove of dom palms out into the little plain. The shadows were lengthening as I reached my tent, and the sun was sinking below Marti, softening its outline with its golden light and tinging with opalescent hues the low-lying mist that hung above the river. While I was having supper, my headman came up to inform me that the syces, who had been on guard over the camels, had met and brought into camp two Haweyah hunters. I told him to bring them before me, as I thought that they might be very useful as guides if I could persuade them to go with me. They appeared at length — one well on in years, the other about thirty — and stood in front of my table in the dim circle of light cast by my lamp. They seemed very nervous and ill at ease, and glanced first at the uniform of my askaris and then at me with evident apprehension. So I ordered "buni" 240 THE HAWEYAH to be prepared for them, and while waiting for it I began questioning them about the country and so on. By their answers I soon discovered the cause of their uneasiness. They took me for the Game Ranger, and were afraid I was going to punish them, although they declared they had not killed anything for months. They were obviously very much relieved when they found out their mistake, and agreed willingly enough to act as my guides during the next few days, although they said they had never worked for a white man before. They refused to name any price for their services, preferring to trust to my generosity when we parted. After they had drunk the "buni," I had a most in- teresting talk with them through my interpreter. The Haweyah, though not true Somali, resemble them very closely, and it would be difficult for a stranger to detect any difference. They are inhabitants of the Benadir coast, and the northern parts of the interior of Italian Somaliland. It was to them that Ismail Juberti, the ancestor of the Somali, first applied for shelter and protection, according to native accounts, when he was wrecked along their inhospitable coast, and, his requests being refused, he was obliged to wander southwards until he met the Dirr, another tribe inhabiting those regions. This may partly account for the contempt displayed towards the Haweyah by the Somali. Many of them have been driven westwards from the Benadir coast and have taken refuge among the Borana and the Gabra, but whatever their present position is, it is almost certain that Somali and Haweyah are descended from a common stock. I questioned them about the Maanthinle, that mysterious tribe known by hearsay to all the dwellers Q 241 A MYSTERIOUS TRIBE in the Horn of Africa, but which have now completely disappeared, leaving no trace except their name, and a few cairns of stone. They told me there were still many legends concerning them, but they had disappeared long before the present inhabitants had entered the country. They said that there were many graves and many pools cut into the rock, which were made by the Maanthinle, in northern Jubaland, and that they thought that they had been a race of giants. To my question as to what they imagined had happened to them, they replied that it was believed that these people had done evil and had ceased to sacrifice to their god, at which the latter was so displeased that he sent a plague of bees which killed some and drove the rest out of the country. They had by now quite forgotten the uneasiness they had shown at the beginning of our interview, and, stimulated perhaps by the "buni," they revealed to me much that was interesting, and described their daily life in detail, telling the story in their own way with many a picturesque simile and many a quaint but illuminating phrase. The sole weapon of these hunters is a small bow, shooting arrows of which the tips are covered with a powerful vegetable poison. They will search for days, perhaps for weeks, until they have discovered a water-hole or salt lick, where their quarry comes regularly. Then with infinite precaution on some moonlit night they make their way to within a few feet of the trail by which the elephant or rhinoceros is expected to approach the water. Crouched under a bush they wait in breath- less silence until some faint noise, inaudible perhaps except to them, is heard above the whispering of 242 A PICTUEE OF NATIVE LIFE the trees and the myriad indefinable sounds that together make up the stillness of a tropical night. So noiseless is his approach that the giant form of their quarry looms up almost before they are prepared for him, but as he passes by, a few feet, maybe only a few inches, away, they fire their arrows into his side and then seem to melt into the bush as if by magic. The stricken animal halts and then, turning, dashes back, crashing through the jungle. Gradually the sounds die away and silence once more reigns supreme. But dawn rarely fails to reveal to the eager searchers the dead body of the animal not far away. A brush shelter is erected near by, their few possessions are transferred from their last camping place, and here they will remain as long as the meat lasts. If they fail to kill they are compelled to subsist entirely on roots and berries until success again crowns their efforts. It is difficult for us to realise what such a life means, surrounded as we are by all those things which they lack and which civilisation has made so easy of attainment ; but on that occasion, helped no doubt by the picturesque surroundings in which the tale was told, they drew such a vivid picture of their life, revealing, unintentionally no doubt, all its hardships, its excitements, and its primitive simplicity, that I seemed to understand and appreciate it in all its completeness. I was sorry when our conversation ended and it was time to go to bed, but I determined to renew it, if I could, on another occasion. All the following day was spent in examining and mapping the country to the south of Marti, ac- companied by the elder of the hunters, while the other guide led the caravan to the nearest ford, 243 MAPPING OUT THE COUNTRY where camp was made. This would enable me to reach the summit of Marti, explore the plateau and return on the same day. Meanwhile I worked hard, and covered a considerable amount of country. By climbing a few isolated little hills, which rose some 150 feet above the plains, I was able to sketch in the main landmarks on my plane table, but it was not possible to fix the course of the river with any accuracy from the south, as it was hidden by bush and palm trees. I reached camp very late, and, while waiting for supper, shot an old male baboon with enormous canine teeth. It appeared that a large troop had come down at midday, but on seeing my men had fled in alarm, but this particular baboon had remained behind, and had sat round camp, always within 100 yards or so, and had barked and roared defiance incessantly all through the afternoon. He was quite the largest specimen I have seen, so I was glad to add him to my collection. I was awakened the next morning by the grunting of a lion, but by the time I was up and dressed, it had ceased. I soon came upon its spoor not 200 yards from camp, and easily followed the pug marks for about a mile, until I lost them completely on a somewhat stony piece of ground. As the river was left, the surface became gradually harder, so that it was useless to continue the search. I turned back again, and marched along the southern bank for nearly an hour, when the guide told me that we had reached a oood ford where we could cross with ease. So I turned to my right and, passing through a thick belt of bush, entered the dom palms, following a little path that led down to the river's edge. I was again vividly impressed with the beauty of the scene, which 244 An Observation Station on Marti Plateau The two natives were Haweyah hunters who were my companions during my exploration of the Lorian and Marti Plateau. CROSSING THE UASO NYIRO resembled that which I had so enjoyed two days before. The early morning sun was casting long shadows across the rather muddy waters, a wonderful variety of trees overhung the banks, while towering above them the giant mimosa and slender dom palms showed wonderfully green and delicate against the pale blue sky. Taking off my boots and putties, I got on to my mule, and plunged down the slippery bank into the river, after taking the precaution of firing a couple of shots into the water to scare away any possible crocodiles. The Uaso Nyiro, near Marti, attains its greatest development, being just under 200 feet in breadth, but at the point where I crossed it, it was barely two feet deep. It did not therefore take me long to reach the northern bank, up which I clambered, and found myself immediately in another grove of dom palms. Through this I made my way, and emerged on to a flat and muddy plain scarcely a mile across, which divides the river from the mountain. Having reached the foot of the latter, I left the mule and started on the steep climb that lay before me. The sides of Marti are clothed with small stunted trees, and many varieties of euphorbia, while the ground is composed of loose volcanic rock. Every step therefore requires care, for a fall would be attended with unpleasant consequences from the thorns and sharp pointed rocks. After three-quarters of an hour, however, I reached the edge of the plateau, which is formed by a ring of bare volcanic rock, and sat down with my glasses to have a look round. The view was disappointing, for there was a thick mist in spite of the strong wind that was blowing, which rendered the course of the river and the distant hills 245 THE MARTI PLATEAU hazy and indistinct. The Uaso Nyiro, I discovered, flows through a broad, shallow valley of which Marti forms the northern edge, and which is bounded on the south by a low line of hills. About twenty miles to the west I could just make out some more hills, which, the guide informed me, we should pass on our way to Archer's Post. At this corner of the plateau, which forms the summit of the most earterly spur of Marti, I took observations for local time and latitude, and completed the sketch that I had been working on ; I then went on and rapidly explored the tableland to the north-west. Kilima-ya-Mesa/ as Marti is called by Swahili-speaking natives, is the only mountain deserving the name between this place and the Indian Ocean, and forms an unmistakable landmark. The river which flows towards it from the south- east, turns east, closely following its base, and then, having left it behind, north-east. It is volcanic in origin and rises abruptly from the river bank to a height of 1607 feet, or 603 above the surrounding country. The summit, as I have mentioned before, consists of a plateau higher on the eastern edge and roughly oval in shape, the long axis of which runs due east and west, and is about eighteen miles in diameter. The whole is covered with dense scrub o-rowino- from a rich, soft soil, and there were many small pools of rain-water hidden away in the bush. I noticed the spoor of greater and lesser kudu and rhino while crossing the plateau, but saw no game. It was late before I had finished my work and reached the ford once more. The river was crossed without incident, and camp was safely reached shortly after dark. ^ Table Mountain. 246 CHAPTER XXII THE GAME ANIMALS OF JUBALAND Before leaving Jubaland and the Lorian, and entering on the narrative of the closing stages of my journey, it would seem appropriate to give some account of the game animals to be found between the coast and Marti plateau, to examine briefly any differences or peculiarities that may distinguish them from those found in other parts of the Protectorate, to notice how far they are influenced by climate and physical condi- tions, and incidentally to glance at their distribution throughout that large area. If the dense character of the bush that covers the greater part of southern Jubaland and the lack of water are remembered, it will readily be seen that only those bush-loving animals which are more or less independent of a plentiful supply of water, will be found inhabitinor the reg-ions where such conditions prevail. In addition, on the open stretches near the coast, and on the alluvial plains near the Lorian Swamps, zebra. Grant's gazelle and a few other of the more characteristic plain-dwellers will be seen. Of the larger game, buffalo, rhinoceros and lion are very scarce, but there is a small herd of buffalo in the tsetse-infested jungle in the south-east of the Biskayia district, which is known to the natives under the name of Wama Iddu (sandy swamp), and from time to time I came across the pug marks of a lion in Joreh, where game is more or less plentiful. Leopards 247 LAUGE HERDS OF ELEPHANTS are exceedingly common in the bush near the coast. They are, as any one who has hunted them knows, very hard to see, and in Jubaland this is especially so, owing to the dense undergrowth. They appear to live chiefly on dik-dik, which are very numerous everywhere. Elephants are by no means uncommon in certain districts during the rainy season. In Guranlagga I saw a great deal of spoor. Some large herds had trekked throug-h, oroino- westward durinq- the last rains ; they had probably been disturbed in the jungle near the Juba River, and were travelling across country to the Tana River, by way of the Deshek Wama. In Joreh and Kurde they are rare, but in the dense tropical forests near the Arnoleh River, and throughout the almost limitless stretches of acacia scrub and wait-a-bit thorn, they are to be found in considerable numbers, so long as the water-supply has not given out completely. They appear to trek eastwards from the Lorian and the Tana when the rains begin, and to return westwards when they cease. Judging from careful observations and accurate mea- surements of a considerable number of footprints, I am led to the belief that the bodily size of the bulls is slightly smaller than that of the average East African elephant ; but it must be remembered that bodily size is by no means a certain indication of the weight of the tusks. The tusks are notoriously small in the case of elephants found near the coast, but farther west, in the interior, and near the middle Tana, they are much larger. The giraffe which inhabits Jubaland has been regarded as a distinct species, and is generally referred to as the Somali or "netted" giraffe {Giraffa reticu- lata), although its colour pattern is merely an extreme 248 NETTED GIRAFFE development of that of the Nubian race of the ordinary species. It is found as far north as Somali- land and inhabits the Lake Rudolf district and the northern parts of British East Africa. The bulls have a dark liver-coloured coat, divided into irreeu- larly shaped, but generally quadrangular patches, by a network of coarse white lines. On the head itself the marking changes to round chestnut spots on a yellow ground, but the back of the ears and the lower part of the legs below the knees are white. In some cases the sides of the face are also white. The cows, however, are of a paler hue, the general colour being more of a creamy brown. The centres of the dark liver-coloured patches are often almost black, but in a few animals the centres are white or yellowish white. I have in my possession the skin of a very young Somali giraffe that had been killed by a leopard, which shows very clearly this peculiarity, the centres of the dark patches, especially round the withers, being white and star-shaped. In young animals of both sexes the colour is a pale fawn. The unpaired horn on the forehead is moderately developed and the two anterior are very small. The young have dark tufts of hair where the horns subsequently grow. Although somewhat narrow, the ears are moderately large ; the muzzle is broad and hairy with long slit- like nostrils, while the tongue is long and extensile. The neck and withers are maned, and the tail is long and covered with coarse black hairs. When giraffes are running they nearly always carry their tails twisted up above their backs, a habit that adds to their some- what quaint and ungainly appearance. In spite of their enormous length of neck, they are unable to drink without straddling their front legs wide apart, 249 HAUNTS or THE SOMALI GIRAFFE and to see them satisfying their thirst at a water-hole is a curious sio-ht. The Somali giraffe is found in astonishing numbers throughout Jubaland, for the character of the country in the interior is especially adapted to their habits. They prefer, as a rule, those regions that are only thinly covered with scrub. Occasionally, however, they may be found in very dense bush, and on these occasions it is astonishing how difficult they are to see. I saw about 280 in all, of which the greater number were In the districts of Joreh, Arroga and Rama Gudi ; and in the thorn country to the west of Marti Mountain they were also exceedingly plentiful. Of the antelopes found in Jubaland there is none that yields a finer trophy than the arrola, or Hunter's hartebeeste. A full description of this interesting animal will be found in Chapter X, so it is unnecessary for me to refer to them here at greater length. An almost equal interest attaches to the race of Grant's gazelle inhabiting the coastal region of Juba- land north of the Arnoleh River. In The Game Animals of Africa, by Mr, R. Lydekker, F.R.S., it is stated on the authority of Mr. O. Neumann that Grant's gazelle is not found within 1 50 miles of the sea, its place there being taken by the closely allied form, Peter's gazelle. I was therefore much pleased at obtaining, near Eyladera, a specimen of Grant's gazelle that differed in certain essential points both from G. peter si and from G. g. brighti. In size it approximates closely to Peter's gazelle, being about 50 lb. lighter than Bright's, while the horns are short and straight as in the former. The white rump patch, however, is extremely large, intruding deeply into the fawn colour of the back and completely surrounding 250 GRANT'S GAZELLE the tail, which is white. The lower part of the rump patch is edged with broad and conspicuous black markings, while the dark black band is absent both in the young and in the fully adult, and the body colour is much paler than in either of the two other forms. These points are important as showing the differ- ence between it and Petersi, in which the fawn colour of the back extends down the tail, thus dividing the rump patch into two parts. In my opinion the latter animal is not found much further north than the Tana, and does not extend into the district of Biskayia. At the Lorian, however, Brighti were found in consider- able numbers, and I was able to obtain three good specimens from that region. In the following table I have given the essential characteristics of three out of the eip'ht races of Grant's P"azelle found in East Africa. The Petersi were originally described in 1884 as a distinct species, but now it is generally regarded merely as a race of the true Grant. Grant's gazelle are found on open plains in deserts, and on stony hills, even where one would imagine there was not enough feed to keep a mouse alive. They appear to be almost independent of water, and it is certain that for months at a time the only moisture they can obtain is the little that is contained in the grasses on which they feed, but they are usually more plentiful near a permanent water-supply. They are often seen in company with Coke's hartebeeste, or topi, and not infrequently with zebra. They may be found in herds varying in size from three or four to twenty and upwards. Of antelopes in Jubaland the most important are the lesser kudu, the topi, the oryx beisa and the gerenuk. The lesser kudu {Strepsiceros imberbis) is 251 ANTELOPES quite common in the districts of Joreh and Kurde. It is found in fairly dense bush where there is a certain quantity of aloes, of which it is particularly fond. But they are by no means easy animals to bag, TABLE SHOWING THE MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FOUR RACES OF GRANT'S GAZELLE No. 4. No. I. No. 2. No. 3. New Race on the Granti iypica. G. g. brighti. G. g. Peter si. Coast of Juba- land. Bodily size . Large Medium Small (32") Small (30") Flank bands Faint Absent Faint Absent Body colour Rich fawn Paie fawn Rich fawn with reddish tints Very pale buff Horns . Lyrate, long and Shorter and Almost straight Short and slender (30I") straighterthan in No. I and short straight, simi- lar to No. 3 Rump patch The white in- White intrudes Rump patch di- Similar to No. 2, cludes practi- deeply into vided into two but white in- cally all the fawn of back, parts by the ex- trudes even tail ; only a completely tension of the more into short spur of surrounding fawn on the fawn of back. the fawn ex- tail; dark back, which Black bands tending on to band to this continues a- to this patch its base patch well- long upper broad and well nigh obsolete surface of tail marked Tail . Fawn above, white below White Fawn above, white below White as it is almost impossible to avoid making a noise when walking through the jungle. In fact, to bring them to bag often requires many days of hard and continuous tracking. The topi [Damalisctis corrigtun jimela), typically from the Juba district, but ranging as far south as the Sabaki River, appears to differ from the true topi, or 252 TOPI AND ORYX korrlgum, by its browner colour, the absence of the dark-eye stripe and the smaller tuft. It is of a dark reddish-brown colour with a silk-like slate-grey gloss ; on the shoulders and thighs there are blue-black patches, with a dark brown glaze on the face. The under parts are bright chestnut and the tail tuft black. They stand about 4 feet at the shoulder and are of a heavy, clumsy build. The muzzle is broad and the skull of medium length without the horn pedicle characteristic of the true hartebeeste. The horns are of a simple lyrate shape, with their tips inclined backwards and inwards. Neither the topi nor Grant's gazelle are found in the interior of Jubaland, As regards the oryx, I found them plentiful near the coast and again near the Lorian Swamp. They have been separated from the typical oryx beisa of the Red Sea littoral and Somaliland on account of the deeper and more reddish colour of the upper parts, and the presence of a brownish tinge on the white of the limbs, and are known to naturalists under the name of Oryx beisa annectans^ They are found throughout the northern part of East Africa, their place being taken near Kilimanjaro and in the country south of the Tana by an allied form known as the fringed-eared oryx ((9. b. callotis). In this race the ears, which are narrow and pointed, are surmounted by conspicuous tufts of long black hairs, while the face markings are of a deep fawn colour instead of black, and there are no black bands on the front of the forelegs below the knee. The skin of these animals is much prized by the natives on account of its extraordinary thickness on the neck and shoulders. This peculiarity, however, is confined to the males, and may have been developed as a protection against 253 GERENUK AND DIK-DIK their sharp, spear-like horns when they are fighting one another. It is interesting to note that their SomaH name is " biid " (plural, "biida"), and not, as it is given in most books, "beid," or " beida." Gerenuk [Litkocranius walleri) are, with the dik- dik, the most common animals in Jubaland. Wherever strictly desert conditions prevail, gerenuk are found in twos and threes, feeding like goats on the leaves or young shoots of the acacia scrub, or wait-a-bit thorn. I have seen them in places at least eighty miles from water, and they are apparently unaffected by the sun, as they may be observed feeding and moving about at all times of the day regardless of the heat. They often associate with oryx and sometimes with topi. On the whole I did not find them shy, and it was generally easy to bag one, when meat was required. As I mentioned above, dik-dik [Madoqua kirkii) are extremely numerous throughout Jubaland, and this is especially the case in the sandhills near the coast. I was able to bring back six specimens of these little animals, and compared them carefully with the type-specimens at the British Museum, but though they all exhibited slight differences in size of skull, there was no marked deviation from the type of Kirk's dik-dik, even in those I shot in the interior of Jubaland. From a sporting point of view they are somewhat uninteresting, but the study of their habits and the sight of their dainty forms, and ex- quisite grace of movement, was a never-failing source of pleasure to me. In all the larger animals the effects of scanty grazing and the severe physical con- ditions of the country they inhabit are shown in their small bodily size and horn measurement, and this is 254 GREYY'S ZEBRA especially noticeable in the topi. I shot several speci- mens of the latter, but although the length of horns in some cases reached over 19 inches, their basal girth was insignificant compared with those I had seen from the Loita Plains farther west. The southern form of Grevy's zebra {E. grevyi) is met with throughout the Lorian district and northern Jubaland, the stripes being pure black on a white ground. It would be interesting to know where this race changes into the Somaliland Grevy's zebra {^E. grevyi be7'berensis\ of which there is an excellent specimen in the British Museum, whose stripes are a deep rich brown on a cream ground. I was very much surprised to see it stated, the other day, in an article on northern Jubaland, that these zebra are generally to be found in waterless regions. This is the opposite of what my observations had led me to believe, and I think that the majority of those who have had the opportunity of closely observing its habits will agree with me in saying that though it is sometimes met with in semi-arid districts, there is generally water somewhere near, and that it drinks, if not every day, at any rate every second or third day. In the interior of southern Jubaland, where desert conditions attain their maximum development, zebra are totally absent, but on the Dibayu Plain, and southwards through Joreh, there are a certain number of a much smaller species of zebra closely akin to those found on the Athi Plains {^E. burchelli granti). There are, however, important differences between these two races, which I have attempted to set forth in the following table, since the specimen I obtained appears to be a new race, and its comparison with Grant's zebra may therefore be of interest. 255 YULTUmNE GUINEA FOWL The description of the Grant's zebra was taken from a specimen shot by myself on the Athi Plains, on a former visit to British East Africa. No. I. E.b. Granti. New Race from Jubaland. Stripes . Black stripes, broader than intervening spaces Deep black ; intervening spaces white. More numerous than in No. I and narrower Dorsal stripe . Broad in the centre, nar- rowing towards tail and withers Very narrow, connected by two short black patches with the near- est obliquely longitu- dinal body stripe Ventral stripe . Medium Narrow Nose stripes . Ten Eleven Nose Black Black Ears Striped White, edged with black Pasterns . Stripes fused into black patch Fully striped (not fused) to hoof Tail White, with black blotches, detached from median black stripe Fully striped. Tail tuft very full Mane Medium, chiefly black. A few white hairs with black tops Absent, as though clipped Of the game-birds which I saw, none is more handsome than the vulturine guinea-fowl, and through- out my journey it formed the piece de resistance of my daily menu. Scarcely less handsome, and equally numerous in the western part of Jubaland, was a species of francolin {^Pternistes inftiscatus\ The head and upper part of the neck is devoid of feathers. The bare skin of face and throat is of a brilliant red, 256 u S "^ 4J ^ 5 .£.b _0 O J3 <^ J! " ., 3 a- 2K o t3 ta ■ .v-.-C. <*^ {^•a D D S = c ^ 8-- -^ rt ■« " Haiyal Molko Waja (Obseivalioii Poi INDEX Abd Wak tribe, the, 139. Abdi Aden, chief, 107, 119. Abdul Malik bin Muriani, 31, 41. Abdulla tribe, the, 139, Abyssinia, raiding parties from, i8. Administration, difficulties of, 157. Afmadu, 22. Agodi, 81. Agriculture, impossibility of, 143. Ahmed Mugan, chief, 139. Albino waterbuck, 216. Albino zebra, 216. Ambergris, sale of, 42. Amu or Lamu, 31. Antelopes in Jubaland, 252. Arabian or desert camel, 269, " Araru" trees, 54. Archer, G. F., 18, 128. Archer's Post, 279. Arnoleh, R. , 25 ; game near, 46. Arnoleh district, the, 156. Arro dima, swamp near, 263. Arroga, 149. Arroga, giraffe in, 250. Arrola, the, 94, 108, no, 118, 122, 123, 250. Askaris or police, 65. Athi Plains, the, 116, 255, Aulehan tribe, the, 139. Aylmer, Lieut., 20. Baboons, 239, Bactrian camel, the, 269. Bajun Is., 31. " Bal" or feathered head-dress, 151. Bath, 290. Bearings, taking, 79 ; a novel plan, 128. Bedstead, a folding, 289. Bhoji, district of, 126. Bimaal tribe, the, 140. Birds- Duck, 82, 83, 257. Egrets, 203, 215. Birds — FrancoHn, 71, 79, 82, 256. Honey-bird, 170. Hornbill, 53. Marabou storks, 103. Teal, 103. Vulturine guinea-fowl, 55, 71, 79, 83, 256. Weaver birds, 133. Bisahu Hamu, the, 25, 164. Biskayia, 138, " Bonia," a Somali, 54. Boni tribe, the, 143, 156. Borana boma, a, 227 ; women, 228 ; customs, 228 ; language, 228 ; dress, 230 ; ornaments, 231 ; weapons, 231 ; cattle-owners, 233. Borana, the, 18. Bow, Borana, 232. Brass horn, history of the, 34. Brava, 28, 42. British East Africa, exploration in, 18. Broun, Col., 21, 14, 216. Bubalidinm, the, 94. " Buni " or Somali coffee, 74, 152. Burial of a chief, 156, Bush shelters, 209. Bussa Berora, 164. Camel, Somali's affection for his, 154. Camels, 56, 61 ; duties on, 62 ; crossing the Juba, 63 ; Government allowance, 65; "gainda," 120, 174, 177, 268; Arabian or desert, 269 ; Bactrian, 269 ; wild, 270 ; anatomy, 270 ; in the U.S.A., 272 ; sickness, 274 ; "firing," 275; baggage and riding C, 275; "aurki" and "Gol" C, 275 ; defects, 276 ; characteristics, 276. Camels, buying, 48. Camels, the necessity for, 27, Camp scene, a, 66. Cana, F. R., 20. 313 INDEX Cants mesomelas, 54. Caravan, my, 65. Cartridges, inferior, 123. Cattle brands, 51, 121, 152. Cattle of the Somali, 145, Chair, portable, 289. '^;^ Chanler, 21, Character of the Somali, 144, China and pottery manufactories of Lamu, 33. " Chop" boxes, 288. Civet cat, 69, Cleanliness, the need for, 290. Climate, App. B, 307. Closed district, a, 19, Club at Kismayu, 40. Cobus ellipsiprymnus, 216, ^ Cockburn, N. C, 18. Coke's hartebeeste, 96, Colonisation of the east coast, 31. Conifers, fiat-topped, 50, Costume of married women, 184. Cotton, cultivation of, 46. Crocodile, 267. Crocodiles in the Uaso Nyiro, 23. Cunninghame, R. P., 27. Curiosity, native, 235. Cus oms, Borana, 228. Dahir Omar, my Somali headman, 26. " Dameir Baktis "^district, 51. Dance, a Somali, 92. Dancing, 153. Darud Juberti, 138. Darud Somali, 137. Daua R., 19, 46. " Desert" of Jubaland, the, 142, Desert scrub, 68. Deshek Wama, L., 24, 46, 75. Dibayu Plain, 52, 81, 255. Dik-dik, 56, 254. Dirr tribe, the, 138, 241. Dol, 71. Dolbahanta tribe, the, 138. Dolo, 138. Dress, Borana, 230. Drinks, hints on, 293. Dubarra daughter of Dogolla, 138. Duck, 82. Dundas, Hon. K. R., 39, 77. Durnford, Port, 25. Duties on camels, 62. Dysentery, 65, 75, 76. Egrets, 203. Eil-ad bush, the, 70. Eil Wak, 19. El Lin swamp, 25, 75. Elephants, 72, 74, 80, 130, 167, 200, 216, 248. Elliott, F., 157. Equipment, 65, 288. Equipment of warriors, 149. Exploration in British East Africa, 18, 284. Eyladera, 67. Farar Ali, my camel syce, 63. Fertility of the Juba Valley, 46. Fire, a prairie, 220. Fish, 129, 217. Fish in the Uaso Njaro, 22. Fitzinger, Dr., 145. Flies, 73 ; dangerous, 80. Francolin, 71, 79. Frogs, 176. Gabra tribe, the, 241. " Gainda, " a camel complaint, I2i. Galla tribes, 20, 141. Galti branch of Somali, 44, 138. Gama Gar water-hole, 133. Game — Buffalo, 84, 127. Dik-dik, 56, 71, 178, 248. Elephants, 72, 80, 130, 200, 248, 264. Gerenuk, 52, 68, 104, 124, 222, 252, 254. Giraffe, 89, 113, 122, 178, 179, 189, 248. Grant's gazelle, 66, 203, 209, 222, 223, 250, 251. Hunter's hartebeeste, 92-102, 106, 250. Impalla, 261, 266. Leopard, 57, 248. Lesser kudu, 107, 127, 252. Oryx beisa, 52, 89, 122, 130, 203, 218, 222, 252, 253. Peter's gazelle, 52, 250, 259. Silver-backed jackal, 54, 55. Topi, 87, 99, 96, 112, 117, 124, 251. Wart-hog, 226. Waterbuck, 215-221, 222, 226. Zebra, 114, 209, 210, 222, 223, 247, 25s, 256. Geographical Journal, The, 20. Geographical results, App, A, 300, Gerenuk, 52, 68, 118, 254. Gerenuk, a lost, 105. Ghee spoons, carved, 132. Gifts, concerning, 294. 314 INDEX Giraffe, 89, 113. Giraffe, " netted or Somali," 249. Giumbo, 44, 47. Goats, Somali, 146. Gobwein, 41, 44, 67. Goloshe Gorm6, 125. Golosh^ War^, 87. Gomb^ Barsa, 86. Gondal, 57. Gonia Iddu, 98, 164. Gosha country, 40. Government road, a, 280. Grant's gazelle, 66. Grant's gazelle, table of races of, 252. Grant's zebra, 115, 256. Grevy's zebra, 114, 115, 209, 210, 222, 223, 247, 255. Ground-sheet, the, 288. " Guda " thorn trees, 184. Guide, a runaway, 237. Gulola, district of, 126, 131, 161. Gulola Swamp, the, 165. Guranlagga, the, 72, 75. Guranlagga, game in, 248. Guratti, 91. "Gurgi," or huts, 147. Gururu, 76. Gwynn, Major, 18. Habr Suliman tribe, 139. Hadamamel Dabassa, 164. Hair, bleaching the, 194. Hair combs, 119, 149. Hair dressing, 149, 194. " Hans," or water vessel, Borana, 232. Hard travelling, a land of, 299. Hare, a pet, 120. Harford, Dr., 290. Hai-tebeeste, Hunter's, 94, 108, no, 118, 122, 123, 250. Hartebeeste, true, 94, 95. Haryel, 140. Haryel Plains, 198. Hassan branch of Somali, 138. Hassan, my interpreter, 181. Haweyah, the, 137. Haweyah hunters, 215, 240 ; arms, 242 ; method of hunting, 242. Haywood, C. W., 21. Headman, a useful, 60. Heat, intense, 84, 87, 88, 122, 174, 187. Helwalud Hill, 45. " Herios "or camel mats, Borana, 55, 233, Herti Guide, ^photographing my, 77. Herti Somali, 52 ; Farar Ali, 63 ; Mo- hammed Aden, 64 ; Mohammed Shirwa, 64, 88 ; fever and dysentery among, 89 ; a dance, 92, 183. Herti tribe, origin of, 13S. Hints on Outfit, Dr. Harford's, 290. Hobia or Obbia, 137. Hoey, A. C, 18. Honey-bird, a, 170. Hook, a curious, 150. Hornbill, the, 53. Horns, fine Arrola, 124. Horns, interesting, 34. Hunter, H. C. V., 94. Hunting-dogs, 167. Hunting in Jubaland, in, 257. Hunting in the scrub, 99. Huts at Kismayu, native, 43. Huts, Borana, 229. Hydrography of S. Jubaland, 25. Illness of the porters, igo. Impalla, the, 98, 262. Insect pests, 211. Invalid foods, 291. Iron-workers, the class of, 150, Isak, a division of the Marehar Somali, 138. Ishaak Somali, 137. ^ Ismail Juberti, 137, 241. Italian Somaliland, 19. Ivory Horn of Patte, the, 35 Ivory, sale of, 42. Jaffa-wein, 22, 207. Jana Nyeri, 112, 114, 171. Jara, water-holes and wells at, 128. Jeldez, 159, 171. Jenner, A. C. W., murder of, 180. Jombeni mountains, 284. Joreh, 65, 86. Joreh district, giraffe in, 250, Joreh, game in, 248. Juba, R., 17, 19, 45, 63, St, game, 248. Juba Valley, fertility of the, 46. Jubaland, 19. Jubaland, geographical aspects of, 142. Jubaland, S., hydrography of, 25. Jubaland Somali, 137. Juma, accident to, 74, 75. Juniperus Procera, 50. Kenya Mountain, 17, 18, 281. Kilima-ya-Mesa, or Marti, 246. 315 INDEX Kilwa, the, 42. Kismayu, population of, 21, 25, 28, 38, 39, 40 ; importance of, 40 ; buildings, 40, 42 ; club, 40 ; wells, 41 ; founded, 41 ; trade, 42 ; roads, 43 ; huts, 43. Kitui, 284. Kiunga, 19. Knowles, F. A., 221. Kongoni, loi. Kulal, 18, 19. Kurde, district of, 78, 129 ; game in, 248. Laikipia plateau, the, 21. Lak Aboloni, the, 183. « Lak Arro dima, 207. Lak Dera, 20, 22, 75, 183, 206. Lak Guran and Guranlagga, meaning of, 82. Lak Guran, source of the, 131, "Lak Guranluga," the, an example of confusion in geographical nomen- clature, 25. Lak Jiro, the, 25, 75. " Lakdera," meaning of, 25. Lamu, 28 ; the houses of, 32 ; inhabitants, 33 ; industries of, 33, Lamu Bay, 30. Land of Zinj, The, 42. Land untouched, a, 284, 285. Landmarks in the bush, iii. Language, Borana, 228. Language difficulties, 219. Lascar, a picturesque, 28. Leh, the suffix, meaning of, 45. Lelwel hartebeeste, 96. Leopards, 57. Lesser kudu, 102, 107. Liboyi, 81, 178, 180. Licentious inhabitants of Lamu, 33. Lions, 52, 244, 247. Loita Plains, 255. Lophoceros medianus, 54. Lorian Swamp, 19 ; position of, 21 ; first view of, 201, 205, 207 ; bed of the Lorian, 214 ; absence of game, 214, 222. Lydekker, Mr. R., 115, 270. Maanthinle tribe, the, 241. Mackenzie River, the, 284. Macmillan, W. N,, 23. Madoleh, 24, 46, 206, 208. Maghabul Somali, 126, 139. Maghabul village, a, 103. Mahommed All's bodyguard, 163. Maize, cultivation of, 46, Malarial fever, 76, Malindi, 28, 30, 42. Manda Island, 31. Manda, the Sultan of, and the Brass Horn, 34. Marabou storks, 103. Marehan Somali, the, 44, Marehan tribe, origin of, 138. Marer Koh, 22. Market, a, 161. Marsabit, 18, 19. Marti, 245. Marti Plateau, the, 23, 236. Matthews Range, the, 18. Maud, Capt., 18. Medical treatment, 163. Melka Adi, 218. Melka Dera, 214. Melka Gela, 22, 206. Melka Waja, 205. Meru, 281 ; a thriving place, 282. Mfudu, 46. Midjertein tribe, the, 138. Migdan tribe, the, 150. Military outposts, 19. Milk pail, Borana, 233. Mimosas, 79. Mirage, 215. Mogadishu, 28, 41. Mohammed Aden, 64, 138. Mohammed Ali, Sultan, 13S-1S9. Mohammed Shirwa, Chief of the Herti Somali, 64, 138. Mohammed Zubheir tribe, 139. Mohammed Zubheir and Abd Wak tribes, conflict between, 184. Mombasa, 26. Mongoose, a pet, 120. Monkeys, a troop of, 83. Monotonous scenery, 91. Mosquito net, 289. Mosquitoes, 66, 211. Moths, white, 79. Moyale, 19. Msuaki bush, 222. Mudflats, dreary, 226. Muhoroni, 96. Mule, an unruly, 211. Nairobi, 17, 26, 284. Naivasha, 213. Names of animals, App. D, 310. 316 INDEX Natives, treatment of, 294. " Nature's Zoo," 17. Neumann's hartebeeste, 96. Ngabotok, ig. Ngare Nyuki, the, i, 223. Nomadic habits of the Somali, 144, Nomenclature, confusion in geographical, 24, 82. Northern Frontier district, the, ig. Nyeri, 283. NyfJtphcea siellafa, 104, 177. Obe, camp at, 120. Observations, taking, 83. Ogadan tribe, origin of, 138. Ogaden Somali, g8, log. Ornaments, Borana, 231. Oryx beisa, 52, 8g, 122, 130, 203, 218, 222, 252, 253. Oryx, the fringe-eared, 253. Pack-saddles, 61, Patte, the ivory horn of, 35. " Pedicle" horn, 95. Percival, A. B., loi, 216. Persian monastery at Lamu, 58, Persian ruins, 31. Peter's gazelle, 52. Phillips, Lieut., 44. Phoenician settlements, 31. Photographic outfit, 2g6. Poison for arrows, 150. Porters, engaging, 27. Porters and servants, paying off my, 282. Portuguese rule, 32. Presents, 61. Prisoners, Somali, ig6. Problems to be faced in Jubaland, 160, Pteynistes inftiscaius, 71. Punishment, difficulties in administering, 158. Rahn-wen tribe, the, 140. Raiding parties, 18. Rainbow, a double, 172. Rama Gudi, 126, i4g, i66 ; giraffe in, 250. Reddie, A. T., 33, Reeves, Mr. E. A. , 2g5, Rer Mohammed tribe, i3g. " Residente" of Giurabo, 47, Rhinoceros, 247, 25g, 260. Rivers and wells of Jubaland, 142. Robleh, water-hole, 177, Rudolf, L., 18, 285. Ruins, remarkable, 57. Rumuruti, 213. Sabaki R., the, 252, 285. Salkeld, Capt. R. E., 26, 58, 60, 156. Samburu, the, 225. Sargent, Mr., 46. Sarrenleh, ig, 45, 136, Scientific instruments, 27. Scientific outfit, 295, Scrub, 186. Scrub, a bad patch of, 175. Scrub, bush, and plain of Jubaland, 142. Sereda, 187. Seyera swamp, 2$n., 75. Sheep, Somali, 145, Shela, 3t. Sherif Jamall Lail, the ivory horn of, 35. Shield, a scarred, 52. Shield, the Somali, 149. Shimbirleh, 46, 82, 84, 131, 184. " Shiraa," the, 32. Silver-backed jackal, 54, 55. Sim-sim, cultivation of, 46. Singing, 153. wiw Skinning a zebra, 117. Skins most prized, 151. Sleeping-pillows, 151, Smith, Dr. D., i8. Snake and frog, a, 78, Soldiers, native, of Italian Somaliland, 48. Somali, 53 ; boma, 54 ; a family, 55, 73, 74, 121 ; unpremeditated display, 127; Jubaland S., 137; S. of the bush, 139 ; nomadic habits, 143 ; adaptability, 144 ; character, 144 ; cattle and sheep, 145 ; village, 147 ; "tobe," 148; hair-dressing, i4g ; warriors, 150 ; the Tomal, 150 ; spears, 151; "buni," 152; singing and dancing, 153 ; the camel, 154 ; war dance, 155 ; the Boni, 156 ; administration, 157, 183 ; a conflict, 184 ; hunters, 186 ; cattle, igi ; head- man, 192 ; suspicious behaviour, 194. Somali tribes, 20. " Song of Thanksgiving," 153. Soya, 76. Spears, 151, Spiders' webs, 85. Spoon, an elaborately carved, 121. z-^i INDEX Stigand, Capt., iS, 42. Storms, 73. Strepsiceros imberbis, 107. Surveying, 244. Sven Hedin, 270. Swahili servants, 26, 181. Swamps, unknown, 86. Syces, 64. Tahanus Africanus^ 80. Talamuga tribes, 139. Tana R., 20. Tana R. and Juba R., confusion between, 47- Tana R., unknown country about the, 284. Tanaland, 19. Tanner, Capt. C. O., survey by, 25. Teal, 103. Tent, 288. Thomas, O., 168, "Tobe," the, 53, 148, 194. Tomal, the, 150, Topi, 87, 90, 96, no, 117, 124, 251, 252. Trade, 234. Trade goods and values, App. C, 308. Travelling by night, 149. Treasury at Kismayu, 41. Trees, stunted, 50. Trench round the tent, 288. Tristan da Cunha, 32. Trophies, 257. Tsetse fly, the, 45, 213. Tubtu, water-hole, 173. Tufi Borana, the, 227. Tur Guda, 140, 184. Uaso Nyiro, 20, 21 ; fish in, 22, 98, 205, 239, 244, 245 ; vegetation, 258 ; ford across, 279. Uganda railway, the, 17, 26. Umbrella trees, giant, 131. Ururaha swamp, 22. Vegetation, 226, 238, 258, 263. Vegetation, tropical, 72. Village, a Somali, 147. Viverra civetta, 69. Von Hohnel, 21. Vulturine guinea-fowl, 55, 71, 79, 83, 256. Wabayu, poison from the, 150. Waboni, the, 143, 156. Waja gum, edible, 205. Wajheir, 19. Wajiri family, the, and the brass horn, 35. Wama Iddu, 247. Wandorobo, the, 156. War dance, a Somali, 155. Warriors on the march, 149. Wasengeleh tribe, the, 138. Waterbuck, 215, 216, 221, 222, 226. Water-holes, 71 ; a lovely pool, 112, 129, 133, 142, 160, 171, 176 ; tradition, 179, 186, 188. Water-lilies, 104. Water-tanks, 292. Weapons, Borana, 231. Weapons of the Haweyah, 242, Weaver birds, 133. Webbe Ganana or Juba R., 46. Webbe Shebeyh, the, 100, 140. Werdey or Galla tribe, 140. Wickenburg, Count E., 18. Wiesman, the, 27 ; accommodation of, 29. Wilson, Dr., 58. Women, Borana, 228. Wooden pillow, a curious, 52. Wooden pillows, 119. Woosnam, R. B., 115. " Worrta" or rainwater pools, 50, 215. Worrta, L., 25. Yak trees, 51, 66, 79. Yata Plateau, the, 285. Yonti, 46, 67. Zebra, 114, 209, 210, 222, 223, 247, 255, 256. Printed by Morrison & Gibb Limited, Edinhursh ^ "' %; ..#\v' ,0 \^- 'ci-. ^/- * .■. s o ,A^- ■^.'i'^ f\^ ««• i Deacidified using the Bookkeeper pr > Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxid % Treatment Date: May 2003 PreservationTechnolo! \ V 1 6 , '/' A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERV . \ ,. » » i ' ^ , , , Thomson Park Drive -^"^ ^^^i;^r '"- Cranberry Township, PA 16061 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 010 594 212 6 m i"':;|i)';' im m •''>if! ' ^f. iil ,l^'!!::!t[ll I iHi;i!j)hh;| i' liiii.