What Led to the Discovery of the Source of the Nile | Page 5

who had been disputing with an elder brother for certain territorial
rights at Mecca, was overpowered and driven from the Mussulman
Holy Land, and marched southwards, accompanied by a large number
of faithful followers,--amongst whom was an Asyri damsel, of gentle
blood and interesting beauty, whom he subsequently married,--to
Makallah, on the southern shores of Arabia. Once arrived there, this
band of vanquished fugitives hired vessels, and, crossing the Gulf of
Aden, came to Bunder Gori. Here they were hospitably received by the
then governing people, who, for the most part, were
Christians--probably Gallas and Abyssinians--who, judging from the
few archaeological remains they subsequently left behind them, must
have lived in a far more advanced state of civilisation than the present
Somali enjoy. Those Christian people were governed by one man,
Sultan Kin, who had a deputy called Wurrah, renowned alike for his
ferocity of character and his ability to govern.
For some years Darud and his Arab followers led a quiet, peaceable life,
gaining the confidence of his host, and inspiring Kin's subjects with
reverence for their superior talents. In process of time, by intermarriage
and proselytising, these Mussulmans increased in number, and gained
such strength, that they began to covet, and finally determined to take
the country from the race that had preceded them. This project, by
various intrigues and machinations, was easily effected; and Kin, with

all his Christians, was driven back to his native highlands in Ethiopia.[5]
Darud now was paramount in all this land, and reigned until he died,
when an only son by his Asyri wife succeeded to him. This man's name
was Kabl Ullah, who had a son called Harti. On succeeding his father,
Harti had three sons, called respectively, in order of birth, Warsingali,
Dulbahanta, and Mijjertaine. Amongst these three he divided his
kingdom, which to this day retains the names. The Mijjertaine
dispersed over the eastern portions of the land, the Warsingali held the
central, and the Dulbahantas the western territories.[6]
Subsequently to this period, an Arab called Ishak came across from
Southern Arabia and established himself forcibly at Méit, and founded
the three different nations who now occupy all the coast-line from Ras
Galwéni on the eastward to Zeyleh on the extreme west of the Somali
country. Ishak, it appears, had three wives, who gave in issue three sons,
and among these three men was divided the whole country which he
subdued.
Forming themselves into tribes, the senior or Habr Gerhajis, by
constant feuds and other causes, are much distributed about the country,
but mostly occupy the hilly grounds to the southward of the coast-line;
whilst the Habr Owel, or second in order of birth, possess all the coast
of Berbera between Zeyleh and Kurrum; and the third, or Habr Teljala,
hold all the rest thence eastwards to Héis.
The Somali have been chiefly known to us since the time of our taking
occupation of Aden, whither many of them resort with their wives and
families to carry on trade, or do the more menial services of porterage
and donkey-driving. They are at once easily recognised by the overland
traveller by their singular appearance and boisterous manner, as well as
by their cheating and lying propensities, for which they are peculiarly
notorious; indeed, success in fraud is more agreeable to them than any
other mode of gaining a livelihood, and the narration of such acts is
their greatest delight in conversation. They excel as donkey-boys even
the Egyptians. As may be concluded from their history, they are a
mixed Ham-Shemitic race, but differing considerably from both in their
general appearance, though retaining certain characteristics of both
these breeds. They are a tall, slender people, light and agile as deer;
slightly darker than, though much the colour of Arabs, with thin lip,
and noses rather Grecian when compared with those of blacks, but with

woolly heads like the true negroes. Their natures are so boisterous and
warlike, that at Aden it has been found necessary to disarm them. When
they first arrived there, it was not an unusual sight to see the men of
different tribes, on the hillsides that form the face of the "crater,"
fighting battles-royal with their spears and shields; and even to this day,
they, without their arms, sometimes have hot contests, by pelting one
another with sticks and stones. There is scarcely a man of them who
does not show some scars of wounds received in these turmoils, some
apparently so deep that it is marvellous how they ever recovered from
them.
Their costume is very simple. The men, who despise trousers, wear a
single sheet of long-cloth, eight cubits long, thrown over the shoulder,
much after the fashion of the Scotsman's plaid. Some shave their head,
leaving it bare; others wear the mane of a lion as