CONTENTS
| CHAPTER I ETHNOLOGY | |
| Division of classes in Somáliland—The trading caravans from Ogádén and Harar—Habits of the nomad tribes—The Somáli brokers—The outcaste races and their characteristics—The settlements of the mullahs—The Somáli, his character—Religion—Costume and weapons—Condition of women—Marriage laws—Industries of women—Blood money—Feuds—Native councils—Respect for the English—Somáli vanity—The dibáltig ceremony—Influence of religion—Influence of civilisation—Religious observances—Superstitions—Carelessness—The origin of the Somáli race—Tracing descent for twenty-two generations—Arab descent—Tribal customs—Plurality of wives—Adoption of prefix Ba to name of children—Somáli nomenclature—Nicknames—Tribal divisions—“Brothers of the shield”—Ruins, cairns, and graves—Frontier raids between the Gállas and the Somális—Boldness of southern tribes—The Golbánti Gállas-The Wa-pokómo negroes of the Tana—Origin of the Gállas—The Esa tribe—The Gadabursi tribe—Evidences of former highly-organised races in Somáliland—Interesting remains—Old Gálla ruins—Curious legend to account for cairns—The robbers’ cover—Baneful influence of feuds | [1-28] |
| CHAPTER II THE NOMADIC LIFE | |
| Varieties of camel—Somáli camel willing and gentle—Method of loading camels—On the march—Weight of loads—Marching hours—Scourges, gadflies, ticks, and leeches—Firing camels—Sore back—Camel food—Grazing customs—Breeding habits of Somáli camels—The milk-supply of she-camels—Description of Somáli ponies—Fodder—Ticks—Donkeys—Their usefulness in Somáliland—Cattle—Cow’s milk—Ghee—Hides exported to America—Sheep and goats—Powers of subsisting without water—Camel meat and mutton the favourite meal of Somális—The annual movements of trading caravans governed by seasons—Duration of seasons—Great heat—Movements of the nomad tribes—Caravan marauders—Tribal fights—Gangs of highway robbers—Methods of the raiders—English scheme of protection popular—Trade greatly injured through insecurity of routes—A peculiarity of the Somáli guide—Mysterious strangers—Remarkable faculties of adaptability in the Somáli—Baneful effect of civilisation | [29-44] |
| CHAPTER III BIG GAME SHOOTING, 1887 | |
| Start from Berbera—The first koodoo—First herd of elephants seen; elephant bagged with a single shot—Fresh start with another caravan—Waller’s gazelle bagged—Mandeira; delightful headquarters—The Issutugan river—Herd of elephants found—Elephant hunt at Jalélo, and death of a large bull—Our night camp—Camp at Sobát—Elephants heard trumpeting at night—Interesting scene; a herd of sixty elephants—Two elephants bagged—Camp at Hembeweina; lions round camp—A herd of elephants in the Jalélo reeds—Long and unsuccessful hunt—Tusks stolen by a caravan—Lions roaring round the Hembeweina camp at night—Visit of Shiré Shirmáki and thirty horsemen—Interesting scene—A row in camp—News of a solitary bull at Eil Danan—Exciting hunt; horsemen manœuvring a vicious elephant, and death of the bull—Return to Berbera | [45-76] |
| CHAPTER IV GOVERNMENT EXPLORATIONS | |
| Early trips to the coast—Disturbed state of Bulhár—Stopping a fight—Two skirmishes—First exploring trips—Hostility of the natives—An unlucky trip—Start with my brother to explore the Habr Toljaala and Dolbahanta countries on duty—Camp on Gólis Range—Theodolite station at 6800 feet—Enter the waterless plains—Advance to the Tug Dér—News of raiders ahead, and of Col. A. Paget’s party—Dolbahanta horsemen—Advance to the Nogal Valley—Constantly annoyed by the Dolbahanta—Prehistoric tank and buildings at Badwein—Advance to Gosaweina—More horsemen—Insecure border, and scene of a raid—Explore Bur Dab Range—Robbers’ caves—Exploration of my brother on Wagar Mountain—Lovely scenery—Return to Berbera—Start on a second expedition to the Jibril Abokr country—The top of Gán Libah—A new hartebeest—Death of a leopard—Hargeisa—Natives clamouring for British protection against Abyssinia—Bold behaviour of a leopard—Advance to the Marar Prairie—Camp at Ujawáji—Extraordinary scene on the prairie—Quantities of game—Gadabursi raid—Jibril Abokr welcome of the English—A shooting trip on the plains—News of three lions—Vedettes posted over lions—Advance to the attack—Savage charge; unconscious and in the clutches of a lioness—My brother’s account of the accident—His own narrow escape, and death of a fine lion—Civility of the Jibril Abokr—Abyssinian news—Return to the coast—Recovery from wounds—Third expedition; to the Gadabursi country—Great raid by the Jibril Abokr on the Bahgoba—Curious adventure with robbers—Betrayed by vultures—Raiding tactics—First meeting with the Gadabursi—Meeting with Ugaz Núr—The rival sultans—Construction of an Abyssinian fort at Biyo-Kabóba—Esa in a ferment—Speech of Múdun Golab—My brother bags a large bull elephant—March to Zeila | [77-118] |
| CHAPTER V A RECONNAISSANCE OF THE ABYSSINIAN BORDER, 1892 | |
| First news of Abyssinian aggression—Start for Milmil—Unfortunate Bulhár—Across the “Haud” waterless plateau—Extraordinary landscape—Sudden meeting with the Rer Ali—Their consternation and pleasant greeting—News of a raid—Water-supply statistics—Great display at Milmil in honour of Au Mahomed Sufi—Agitation against Abyssinia—Unsuccessful lion hunt—Display in honour of the English—Interesting scene—The vulture-like elders—Success of an Arab pony—Our camp at Túli—The “Valley of Rhinoceroses”—Two rhinoceros hunts—Four bagged—Death of a bull rhinoceros—The Waror wells—Abbasgúl complaints against Abyssinia—First meeting with Abyssinians—Disturbed country—English sportsmen met at Hargeisa—Fresh start from Hargeisa—Incessant rains—Thousands of hartebeests near Gumbur Dúg—Scouting for the Abyssinians—Visit to the Abyssinian fort at Jig-Jiga—We approach Gildessa—The caravan imprisoned by the Abyssinians—Embarrassing situation—A letter to Rás Makunan of Harar—Exciting time at Gildessa—We retire by night—The answer of the Rás—March to Zeila | [119-154] |
| CHAPTER VI A VISIT TO RÁS MAKUNAN OF HARAR, 1893 | |
| Project to explore Gállaland—News of Colonel Carrington’s party—A Bulhár feud—Start from Bulhár—Gadabursi dance to the English—Esa raid—A rival sportsman—Awálé Yasín breaks his leg—Native surgery—Adventures with leopards—Following a wounded leopard by moonlight—A plucky home charge—Exciting encounter—An oryx hunt—On the Marar Prairie again—Quantities of game—Arrival at Jig-Jiga, and visit from Abyssinians—Attempted arrest of the caravan by an Abyssinian general—Exciting adventure—Arrival of Gabratagli—Character of Banagúsé—A letter to the Rás—Interviews with Banagúsé—Bertiri complaints against Abyssinians—An answer from the Rás—Picturesque journey to Harar—Hospitality of Basha-Basha, an Abyssinian general—Enter Harar—Meet Signor Felter—First interview with the Rás in the audience-room—Entertained by Allaka Gobau Desta—My servant wounded—Meet Count Salimbeni, M. Guigniony, and the Archbishop of Gállaland—Interviews with the Rás and exchange of presents—Farewells in Harar—Leave Harar for the Webbe | [155-186] |
| CHAPTER VII FIRST JOURNEY TO THE WEBBE SHABÉLEH RIVER, 1893 | |
| Form an ambush over the pool at Kuredelli—A rhinoceros wounded—Unsuccessful hunt after the rhinoceros—Two lions seen—Another rhinoceros wounded at the pool; three lionesses arrive; interesting moonlight scene—A lioness drinks, and is wounded—Death of the lioness—Follow and bag the rhinoceros—Exciting hyæna hunt with pistol and knife—Abbasgúl fight—Unsuccessful rhinoceros hunt—We march into the monsoon—Walleri buck wounded by me and pulled down by a leopard—Death of the leopard—Camp again at Túli—Two rhinoceroses bagged; furious charge—The Sheikh Ash, a friendly tribe—A leopard in camp—Ambush at the Garba-ali pool; leopard and hyæna bagged—Abundance of game—First enter zebra country—Man-eating lions at Durhi—Malingúr at Durhi—Elephant-hunting in Daghatto Valley; a bull bagged—Large number of elephants—Interesting scene in Daghatto—Leopards seen—Uninhabited country—Difficulty in finding the Rer Amáden tribe—Halt at Enleh and send out scouts | [187-212] |
| CHAPTER VIII FIRST JOURNEY TO THE WEBBE SHABÉLEH RIVER (continued) | |
| Our camp at Enleh—Success of the Lee-Metford rifle—An oryx hunt—Abundance of game—A night alarm—Attempt to catch a zebra foal—Strange voices in the bush—News of the Rer Amáden—Jáma Deria—Advance into the Amáden country—Meeting with Sheikh Abdul Káder at Dambaswerer—Friendly reception by the Rer Amáden—Decide to make a dash for Imé—Fine view of the Webbe Valley—Difficulty and expense of a Somáli outfit—Close to Imé; doubtful as to our welcome—Cordiality of the Adone or Webbe negroes—Council of the elders; desire for an English treaty—Kind hospitality of Gabba Oboho, chief of Imé—A word for British management at the coast—Invited to return to the Webbe—Shoot two waterbuck—Return to Dambaswerer—Jáma Deria at home—Gálla raids—Extraordinary vitality of a Somáli—Jáma Deria’s avarice—Reputation of Rás Makunan—Oryx shot—A lion roars at night—Lion surprised stealing the carcase—Exciting hunt, and death of the lion—Sit up for lion at Durhi—Melancholy episode; Daura Warsama killed by a man-eater—Unsuccessful hunt—Clarke’s gazelle bagged—Oryx bull bagged—Artificial tanks—Form a camp for koodoo-hunting at Mandeira | [213-241] |
| CHAPTER IX THREE WEEKS’ KOODOO STALKING ON GÓLIS RANGE, 1893 | |
| Our hunting camp in the mountains—The “Rock of the Seven Robbers”—Exciting koodoo hunt; death of a splendid koodoo—My shooting costume—Triumphant return to camp—Unsuccessful koodoo hunt—March to Henweina—Unsuccessful hunt after four bull koodoos—Bag a fine bull—A charming spot—Dog-faced baboons—Alarm note of the koodoo cow—Picturesque bivouac—Cedar-trees in Mirso—A leopard caught with a piece of rope and speared by the Somális—March to Armáleh Garbadir—The great Massleh Wein bull—Exciting hunt; success of the Martini; a glorious koodoo—Return to the coast | [242-257] |
| CHAPTER X SECOND JOURNEY TO THE WEBBE SHABÉLEH RIVER, 1893 | |
| The new caravan—Pass Lord Delamere’s party—Captain Abud in camp at Hargeisa—Sheikh Mattar—Cross the Haud, and arrive at Seyyid Mahomed’s town in Ogádén—Holy reputation—Why the Somális have no Mahdi—Scene at the Seyyid’s town—Native impression of some European travellers—Every European a doctor—Malingúr mission to Harar—Ruspoli’s men seized—Jáma Deria’s Englishman—Reach the Webbe and bag a waterbuck—Friendly Gilimiss Somális—First news of the Webbe bushbuck—Shooting a crocodile—Great beauty of our camp on the Webbe banks—Gálla raids on the Gilimiss—The crossing of the Webbe at Karanleh—Unexpected Gálla news—Entertain Gálla chiefs in camp; a defiant speech—A Gálla trip planned—Fresh hippo tracks in the reeds—A waterbuck swims the Webbe; a noble buck—Sad death of a horse—The Aulihán—A row in camp—Unsuccessful buffalo-hunting—Wounded waterbuck struck down by a lion—Starving negroes eat the carrion—Disturbed country; the Gálla trip impracticable—Recross the Webbe—Driving for bushbuck—A fine wart-hog bagged—A man seized by a lion; extraordinary story—A leopard bagged—A buck killed by leopards before our eyes—A row at Garbo—Success of the Lee-Metford—The Awáré pan; beautiful hunting-ground—Lions roaring at night—Unsuccessful lion hunts—Magnificent lion shot; a surprising leap—Abundance of lions—Return to Berbera; and go to England | [258-291] |
| CHAPTER XI | |
| Notes on the Wild Fauna of Somáliland | [292-329] |
| Appendix I.—On Fitting Out Somáli Expeditions | [331] |
| ” II.—Physical Geography | [361] |
| ” III.—Notes on Somáli Trade | [375] |
| Index | [379] |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
| PAGE | |
| The Author and his Escort | [Frontispiece] |
| Group of Somális (White Esa) | [1] |
| Somáli Camp Followers and a Horseman from the Bush | [5] |
| A Camp Servant with Lesser Koodoo Skull and Horns | [13] |
| Somáli Scouts halting in a Sandy River-Bed to look for Water | [29] |
| A Herd of Plateau Gazelle | [45] |
| Elephants | [49] |
| “Flying the Bushes” | [55] |
| Elephant and Calf | [61] |
| Lesser Koodoo and Aloes | [76] |
| ♂ Waterbuck Head | [79] |
| Somáli Horseman | [81] |
| “Sakáro” Antelope | [89] |
| Jungle of “Hig” Aloes and “Gudá” Thorn-Trees | [107] |
| On the Mule-Track, near Harar | [118] |
| Game on the Plains | [123] |
| Dik-Dik Antelope | [124] |
| Waller’s Gazelle | [125] |
| Oryx Fighting—“A Trial of Strength” | [133] |
| A Slumbering Lion | [135] |
| Greater Koodoo Head | [145] |
| ♂ Sœmmering’s Gazelle Head | [153] |
| A Herd of “Aoul” | [155] |
| A Herd of Hartebeest | [164] |
| Jungle of “Wádi” Thorn-Trees and “Hig” Aloes; Subul Odli, Haud | [179] |
| ♂ Sœmmering’s Gazelle Head | [186] |
| “Aoul” Bucks at Play | [187] |
| Rhinoceros at Pool of Kuredelli | [190] |
| A Herd of Oryx | [203] |
| A Sounder of Wart-Hog | [212] |
| A Herd of Gerenúk | [213] |
| Greater Koodoo on the Look-out | [242] |
| Rock Rabbits | [256] |
| A Herd of Water Antelope | [258] |
| Waterbuck Swimming | [269] |
| Central African Buffalo, Skull and Horns | [274] |
| Lion—“A Snap Shot” | [289] |
| Vultures | [292] |
| Black Rhinoceros Head | [296] |
| “Oryx beisa” Head | [298] |
| Lesser Koodoo Head | [304] |
| Somáli Hartebeest | [305] |
| Bushbuck Head | [309] |
| Clarke’s Gazelle Head | [311] |
| Clarke’s Gazelle | [312] |
| Waller’s Gazelle Head | [313] |
| ♂ Pelzeln’s Gazelle Head | [317] |
| ♀ Pelzeln’s Gazelle, Skull and Horns | [317] |
| Klipspringer, Head and Skull and Horns | [318] |
| Dik-Dik Antelopes, Heads and Skull and Horns | [319] |
| Dik-Dik and Aloes | [320] |
| Wart-Hog Head | [324] |
| ♂ Speke’s Gazelle Head | [325] |
| ♀ Speke’s Gazelle Head | [328] |
| [Hunting Map of Northern Somáliland.] | |
| [Map of the Horn of Africa.] |
