GALLA AND SOMALI 



meanwhile the SomaH were recuperating from their 

 exhausting conflicts with the Rahn-Wen and Bimaal, 

 their numbers were increasing, and they were finally- 

 joined by the Herti, who had come down by sea in 

 dhows. Finally they seized a favourable opportunity, 

 broke their agreement, and rose simultaneously against 

 the Galla, whom they utterly routed and drove south- 

 wards and westwards. This movement is, as I have 

 said, still progressing ; the Somali, although they are 

 submissive to British rule along the coast, are, in the 

 interior, still a conquering race, and whether they 

 defeat the Borana or the Galla, they will be uncon- 

 sciously carrying out the curious impulse that for the 

 last eighty years has been pushing them southwards 

 and westwards. 



In Jubaland proper there is only one Galla settle- 

 ment, but there are several individuals of that tribe 

 serving the Ogaden in the interior either as herdsmen 

 or as slaves. Physically they are smaller, but more 

 sturdily built than the Somali, to whom they are much 

 inferior in intelligence. It would seem probable, from 

 a comparison of their respective languages, that the 

 Somali and the Galla come from a common parent 

 stock ; but this is a particularly difficult question, and 

 requires for its elucidation a more complete knowledge 

 of both languages than we possess at present. The 

 Galla are Pagans, although many of them now profess 

 Islam ; but in any case, according to Western ideas, 

 their morality is very lax, and at marriage it is not 

 their custom to give a dowry. Having had but a 

 slight acquaintance with them, I prefer to refer the 

 reader to books such as Travels in S. Abyssinia, 

 by C. Johnston, for further information concerning 

 them, and will now pass on to the consideration of 



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