[CONTENTS]

[CHAPTER I]
ZEILA
PAGE

Early history—Slave trade—Gen. Gordon—Somali tribes

13
[CHAPTER II]
"ALL IN THE DAY'S WORK"

The staff—Office work—The "Poor Fund" and its distribution—A tale of woe—The D.C. on inspection rounds—Petitions

23
[CHAPTER III]
PERSONAGES

Mahomed the Interpreter—Mahomed as magistrate—Mahomed as author—Mahomed's reason for Ramathan—Mahomed as fighting man—Buralli Robleh, policeman and gentleman—Buralli's domestic affairs—Mohamed Auwit, petition writer

32
[CHAPTER IV]
COURT WORK

The Court opens—Sultan Mahomed Haji Dideh—Petitions—A case of "being found out"—Gambling—Mr Gandhi

41
[CHAPTER V]
THE TWO WIVES

Indelicate expressions—The narrative of No. 1—Interruptions—The narrative of No. 2—Buralli speaks the epilogue

49
[CHAPTER VI]
CONCERNING SOMALS

Tribal location—European Protectorates—Characteristics—The old Akil—A tale of treachery

57
[CHAPTER VII]
MAHOMED FARA

As body servant—Safari troubles—Mahomed of the lion's heart—Mahomed to the rescue—The duel—Mahomed on field service—The parting

65
[CHAPTER VIII]
COMMERCE

Trade sources and commodities—A typical manifest—The old Jew goldsmith

78
[CHAPTER IX]
SOMETHING ABOUT DHOWS

Timber—Navigation—The dhow and the slave trade—Dhow captains

86
[CHAPTER X]
SOMETHING ABOUT THE SLAVE TRADE

British and French pressure—The general question—A naval narrative

92
[CHAPTER XI]
RAMATHAN

The Kharif—The month of Ramathan—The Sahib's gift and others

98
[CHAPTER XII]
A NAUGHTY STORY

A remedy for loneliness—Mohamed's Story—Buralli's "unfinished" story

108
[CHAPTER XIII]
THE YIBIR

His characteristics—Gulaid Abokr and his Yibir—The first Yibir and his talents—A "makran"

117
[CHAPTER XIV]
THE ISLAND

The trip to the island—Fishing—Frenchmen, Greeks and Chinamen—Sharks and bêche-de-mer—El Kori

124
[CHAPTER XV]
PEARLS

Pearl dhows and finance—Methods and materials—"God alone knows"—Pearl divers—A pearl story—Juma Bana, pearl merchant

137
[CHAPTER XVI]
A PEARL DIVER AT HOME

Adan Abdallah and his story—Another story in which I play a part

145
[CHAPTER XVII]
MANY TRIBES

Hayoun the Jew "At Home"—Hayoun's largesse—Hindus, Parsees and vaccination—Buralli's knowledge of legs

155
[CHAPTER XVIII]
SCANDAL

Mrs Kar Krishna and Saleha—Mrs Ibrahim and a few reasons—Whisperings and consequences—Saleha's statement

164
[CHAPTER XIX]
ON TREK

Orders for Hargeisa—Salvage and propositions—A camel, a girl and my policeman—Bokh and water—The sin of water wangling—Camel-packing—The "White Running Water"—Mahomed Gaileh's sheep—Four Sahibs—A Somal dance—Hargeisa and flowers

170
[CHAPTER XX]
THE BREAKING OF THE MAD MULLAH

The Mullah's deeds—Supply and transport—Arrival of No. 2 Unit, R.A.F., at Berbera—Details and arrangements—Mullah miracles—Aeroplane scouting—Friendlies—R.A.F. reports—Post-bag bombing—To Medishe—The Mullah's birds—A Mullah victim—Tali and the last of the Mullah

200

[LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS]

PAGE
[BURALLEH ROBLEH AND HIS EXCELLENCY]Frontispiece
[GENERAL GORDON'S HOUSE AT ZEILA]Facing18
[A STREET IN ZEILA]"29
[SCENE OUTSIDE ZEILA COURT-HOUSE]"47
[A DHOW CAPTAIN AND HIS FAMILY]"89
[A GOVERNMENT-CHARTERED DHOW]"95
[SYYED KHUDAR THROWING THE CIRCULAR NET]"133
[A SOMAL HOUSEHOLD ON THE MOVE]"173
[A SOMAL DANCE]"196
[BERBERA TOWN]"202
["AT 1,000 FEET," BOMBS BURSTING N.W. OF TALI]"212
[JIDALI FORT FROM THE GROUND]"218