A CHARACTERISTIC SCENE 



a fairly plentiful supply of rain had fallen, and soon 

 we reached two shallow pools, around which a small 

 herd of native cattle were resting during the heat of 

 the day, huddled together in the scanty shade afforded 

 by a few low camel-thorn trees. A couple of hundred 

 yards away was a group of Somali huts surrounded 

 by a thorn fence, above which hovered and wheeled 

 innumerable vultures, 



I camped here, and spent the afternoon in taking 

 photographs. Towards evening I was visited by the 

 headman of the village, who brought me a sheep and 

 some milk. He carried a large black umbrella, and 

 no weapons, but was dressed in the usual white "Tobe," 

 as were his followers. The whole scene was very 

 characteristic of Jubaland, and typical of many others 

 that I was to see later on my journey to the Lorian, 

 It reminded me very vividly of passages in the Old 

 Testament ; the same conditions are found to-day as 

 prevailed two thousand years ago by the shores of the 

 Dead Sea. I held a long conversation with him 

 through my interpreter, but unlike most Somali, he 

 was stupid and unintelligent, and I could get little 

 information from him. He told me, however, that 

 his villao^e was about to move south, as water was 

 getting scarce in Dibayu. Having obtained all the 

 news I could, I gave him a small present and then 

 dismissed him. 



The following morning I started shortly before 

 dawn in a south-easterly direction across the plains ; 

 occasionally we passed through thin belts of bush, but 

 on the whole the scenery was very monotonous, the 

 country being too flat and overgrown with low 

 scrub to afford any extensive view. Animal life was 

 also little in evidence, but while on the march I was 



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