43 



even at Berbera, the young plants raised by Capt. Cordeaux after a 

 time called for a change in treatment Capt. Cordeaux quotes his 

 native informants as stating that in its natural habitat ' Yeheb J 

 grows with great rapidity. 



Col. Swayne states that the seeds of ' Yeheb ' are much sought 

 after as food by the Dolbahanta Somalis. Capt. Cordeaux describes 

 them as being the staple food of the poorer inhabitants of the 

 1 Haud ' to the south of Dolbahanta, and adds that besides using 

 the seeds as food, often in preference to their ordinary diet of rice 

 and dates, the Somalis ascribe to them medicinal properties. He 

 tells us also that though the seeds are mostly consumed locally, 

 some of them find their way to and are readily bought by the 

 Somalis of the coast towns. As to this Capt. Wellby too has 

 explained that Mudug, a small district which serves as a buffer 

 between the Dolbahanta, Midjourten and Marehan teiritories, 

 is regularly visited by khafilas of merchants both from Berbera 

 on the north and Obbia on the east coasts. These merchants bring 

 cloth and dates which they exchange for gums, sheep,- ghi, 

 feathers and Yee-ep, *' a fruit peculiar to these parts." Capt. Wellby 

 does not, however, state that 4 Yeheb ' is a native of Mudug. 



nformed 



■>/ 



the Somalis during the famines induced by the severe droughts 

 which have prevailed in Somaliland during recent years. 



The analysis of kernels selected from the second consignment 

 sent to the Imperial Institute, which Professor Dunstan has 

 permitted us to reproduce, gave the following results : 



Moi 

 Ash 



• • • • • • • • • • • ■ 



Reducing ... 



• - 



• • • 



*"&** J Cane 



Carbohydrates (other than sugars), by difference... 37*1 



11-8 

 1-3 



27 



10-8 



.-,,., , Albuminoids 

 Proteids A id 



« f « 



• • » - . . 



Fibre 

 Oil 



• • • 



Nutrient ratio ... 

 Nutrient value... 



Per cent. 

 9'3 

 3-1 

 2-3 

 21-6 



• • • • • 



• • • 



• • • 



1 : 65 

 92 



"The nuts were tested- for alkaloids and glucosides, but no 

 " indication of the presence of such constituents was obtained. 



"The results of the analysis indicate that the nuts are likely to 

 " prove a useful food-stuff. A satisfactory point is the presence of 

 "considerable quantities of sugars and oil in addition to the 

 " carbohydrates. 



"Judging from the analytical figures alone, the nutrient ratio, 

 " i.e., the ratio of albuminoids to carbohydrates and oil converted 

 " into their starch equivalents, is a very serviceable one, and the 

 " total * nutrient value ' is high. The kernels are rather tough, 

 " and this point raises some doubt as to the complete digestibility 

 " of the carbohvdrates other than sugars. 



