What Led to the Discovery of the Source of the Nile | Page 6

a wig, which is
supposed by them to give the character of ferocity and courage to the
wearer, while those who affect the dandy allow their hair to grow, and
jauntily place some sticks in it resembling the Chinaman's joss-sticks,
which, when arranging their toilette, they use as a comb, and all carry
as weapons of defence a spear and shield, a shillelagh, and a long
two-edged knife. The women clothe more extensively, though not
much so. Fastening a cloth tightly round the body immediately under
their arms, they allow it to fall evenly down to the ground, and
effectually cover their legs. The married ones encase their hair in a
piece of blue cloth, gathering it up at the back of the head in the fashion
of English women of the present day; this is a sign of wedlock. The
virgins wear theirs loose, plaited in small plaits of three, which, being
parted in the centre, allows the hair to fall evenly down all round the
head like a well-arranged mop. On approaching these fairs, they
seductively give their heads a cant backwards, with a half side-jerk,
which parts the locks in front, and discloses a pretty little smiling face,
with teeth as white as pearls, and lips as red as rubies. Pretty as they are
when young, this beauty fades at once after bearing children, and all
their fair proportions go with it. After that marked peculiarity of female
negroes, they swell about the waist, and have that large development
behind, which, in polite language, is called steatopyga. Although they
are Mussulmans, none wear the yashmac. Beads are not so much in
request here as in other parts of Africa, though some do wear necklaces

of them, with large rings of amber. This description, however, applies
to the Somali in his own land. When he comes over to Aden he takes
shame at his nakedness, dons the Arab's gown and trousers, and
becomes the merchant complete.[7]
In consequence of the poorness of their land, almost all the Somali are
wandering pastorals, which of itself is enough to account for their
turbulent natures. The system of government they maintain is purely
patriarchal, and is succeeded to by order of birth generally in a regular
and orderly manner, attributable, it would appear, to the reverence they
feel for preserving their purity of blood. The head of each clan is called
Gerad or Sultan, who would be powerless in himself were he not
supported by the united influence of all the royal family. When any
disturbances or great disputes arise, the sultan is consulted, who
collects his elders in parliament to debate the matter over, and, through
them, ascertain the people's feelings. Petty disputes are settled by the
elders without any further reference. In most cases war arises from
blood-feuds, when a member of one clan kills the subject of another,
and will not pay the recognised valuation of the party injured, or allow
himself to be given up to the vengeance of the family who has
sustained the loss. In such cases as these, whole tribes voluntarily
march out to revenge the deed by forcibly taking as many cattle from
the aggressor as the market valuation may amount to.
Thus a war, once contracted, does not subside for years, as by repeated
deaths among the contending parties the balance of blood-money never
can be settled. Moreover, the inflicted punishment seldom falls on the
party immediately concerned; added to which, in wars of tribes,
everybody helps himself to his enemy's cattle in the best way he can,
and men formerly poor now suddenly become rich, which gives a zest
to the extension of the contest nothing else could produce. Indeed, the
poorer orders of Somali are only too glad to have a good pretext for a
fight, as a means of bettering their condition, by adding a few more
head of cattle to their stock. Were this not the case, there would be no
fighting whatever, as the sultan would be powerless to raise an army
against the inclination of the people. War only ceases when both sides
become exhausted, and withdraw as by mutual consent. The great
object in these encounters is to steal away as many cattle as possible
without risk of person, and such feats are boasted of with rapture by

those returning home with any prize. In the administration of justice
they consult the Mosaic law, as given in the Koran, taking life for life,
and kind for kind.
The northern Somali have no permanent villages in the interior of the
country, as the ground is not cultivated; but they scatter about,
constantly moving with their flocks and herds to any place within their
limited districts where water is to be found, and erect temporary huts of
sticks, covered