Visit to Somaliland. 391 



a sub-tribe of the Eesa Moosa, had lately been indulging in 

 looting passing caravans^ for which offence several of their 

 number were now in irons in Berbera, while several more were 

 particularly " wanted," and among those the genial old 

 gentleman Avliose hospitality we were then enjoying. It 

 appeared afterwards that they had been warned of our 

 intention of ascending the mountain, and as their guilty 

 consciences suggested that we represented the strong arm 

 of the law, they had done their best to thwart our object, 

 even to intimidating our own men. Hence all the difficulties 

 of which we had been told, as well as the extraordinary 

 ignorance of the country displayed by all from whom we sought 

 information. Bland and I, however, were happily ignorant 

 of the real feelings of our hosts, who not only showed us 

 their water-supply and the best camping-ground, but also 

 j)romised to help our caravan up the steep pass with their 

 mountain-bred camels, so that we returned to camp greatly 

 elated with the success of our expedition. 



A few days later, George being considered well enough to 

 travel, we left Sogsoda and marched to the base of Wagga, 

 where we awaited the arrival of our mountain friends with 

 their promised assistance; it required, however, two interviews, 

 and the acceptance on our part of two presents of milk, before 

 sufficient confidence was established and the welcome camels 

 made their appearance. Meanwhile Aylmer and Gillett, 

 having completed their arrangements, left us and struck out 

 into the Howd towards Eyk in the hope of finding lions, and 

 we did not meet again till we arrived at Dobar, eight miles 

 from Berbera. The camels that old Osman and his son 

 Artan brought were magnificent creatures, and, from having 

 been bred on the steep sides of Wagga, they had developed 

 muscles that are entirely wanting in the heavy " ships of 

 the Desert " used only to the level plain, and it was to the 

 latter class that our own animals belonged, so that we soon 

 saw that without help we should never have accomplished 

 our object. The name of the hollow before mentioned was 

 Hankadeely. Here we pitched our camp in a grove of giant 

 euphorbias and spent three delightful weeks. For the men 



