116 Sir Charles Eliot [May 19, 



by Hamites and also by tribes such as the Masai. I may, however, 

 allude to one peculiar feature which has contributed to complicate the 

 ethnology of this part of Africa, and that is the colonies of nmaway 

 slaves called in Swahili, Watoro. The slaves owned by Arabs on the 

 coast in former times, who were numerous out of all proportion to 

 the work required of them, were drawn not only or chiefly from the 

 neighbourhood but from every accessible part, from the Zambesi in 

 the south to the Congo in the west. Those who from time to time 

 escaped, founded colonies or republics where all other runaway slaves 

 were welcome. Such was Fudadoyo, not far from Melindi, and on a 

 larger scale, the district of Gosha on the south bank of the Juba. 

 This is an excellent instance of how rapidly the population of Africa 

 may change, from causes which we could never guess if we did not 

 happen to know what actually occurred. A hundred years ago this 

 district of Gosha was probably inhabited exclusively by Gallas. Now 

 it is inhabited chiefly by Somalis, but the fertile country on the river 

 bank is occupied by a mixed Bantu -speaking population, a large pro- 

 portion of whom are said to come from Nyassaland, about a thousand 

 miles to the south. 



The Hamites in East Africa fall into two classes, the Gallas and 

 Somalis. According to their traditions both came from Arabia, and 

 it is clear that the Gallas represent the earlier invasion which has 

 been pushed southward and westwards by the pressure of the Somalis 

 behind. The main difference between the two tribes is, that the 

 Somalis have adopted Mohammedanism, and with it acquired a certain 

 amount of fanaticism and Arab civilisation ; the Gallas, on the other 

 hand, are either Pagans or Christians, and they have been influenced 

 by Abyssinia rather than by Arabia. At present, they are a receding 

 race. In the time of the Portuguese they were the dominant power 

 on the coast, but they were attacked by both the Somalis and the 

 Abyssinians, until in 1872 their power was finally crushed by a coali- 

 tion between the Somalis and the Arab or Swahili chiefs of the coast. 

 At present, the name Galla is generally restricted to the remnant of 

 them who live near the river Tana, inoffensive herdsmen, distinguished 

 chiefly by their finely cut features, but in the north of our territories 

 is found the large tribe of Boran Gallas. As no frontier has yet been 

 recognised in this district, it remains to be seen whether the Borans 

 will fall ultimately within the x\byssinian or the British sphere. It 

 would appear that the Abyssinians conquered them six or seven years 

 ago, and now claim them all as their subjects. They are a pastoral 

 people, and live mainly on curdled milk. They keep large herds of 

 cattle and some camels. They have also mules and ponies, and are, as 

 far as I know, the only natives of East Africa who ride, this form of 

 exercise being otherwise unknown, even to the most civilised tribes. 

 Though a physically fine race, they are described as lazy and cowardly, 

 so that their political extinction between the Somalis and Abyssinians 

 is not strange. 



