COIFFURES 



a half-tobe, which is often draped in such a way as 

 to conceal his weapons. On his feet he wears 

 sandals, made, if possible, from the hide of a giraffe. 



A Somali always prefers to travel at night, when 

 practicable, and to rest and sleep during the day. 

 But when compelled to march in the heat, he often 

 wears his half-tobe as a turban and covering for his 

 face combined, and will leave his body from the waist 

 upwards uncovered. I often noticed my own men doing 

 this, and when we were exposed to the tremendous 

 heat experienced in the arid sun-scorched wilderness 

 of Arroga and Rama Gudi, they would in addition 

 cut branches from a bush, and covering these with an 

 old rag or odd piece of sacking, would use them as a 

 kind of sunshade. 



The true bush Somali wears his hair long. They 

 are not in the habit of bleaching it, as is the fashion 

 in northern Somaliland ; they keep it carefully 

 anointed with ghee, and generally wear one or two 

 hair-combs stuck in it. These are shaped like a 

 skewer, but chiefs often wear more elaborate ones 

 handsomely carved. The young women wear their 

 hair loose, plaited for about half its length and then 

 fluffed out. After marriage, however, it is tied into 

 a kind of bag of black or blue gauze. Among the 

 Aulehan I saw married women with a red cloth 

 tied tightly over their hair, although I do not think 

 this is a habit confined to that tribe ; but, at any rate, 

 it is less common than the usual black cloth. 



The warriors on the march carry, in addition to 

 their knife, a round shield made of giraffe hide about 

 14 inches in diameter strapped to their left arm, a 

 short broad-bladed spear, a wooden pillow on their 

 left wrist, a small water-bottle and a "tooth-stick." 



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