THE SOMALI OF THE INTERIOR 



Somalis, armed to the teeth with spear and shield, etc., 

 making their way to the coast, their strings of camels laden 

 with skins of camels, goats, etc., for which they find a ready 

 market in Berbera. 



The Somali of the interior is a wild enough looking 

 creature, with a piece of cotton sheeting wrapped about 

 the body, his hair short and curly bleached a light 

 red, or plastered with white clay. Many of the men wear 

 a leather charm containing a verse from the Koran round 

 their necks for the Somalis are all Mussulmans and of the 

 Shafai sect. 



Among certain tribes, any man who has killed another 

 presumably in battle ? wears an ostrich feather in his 

 hair. The spears they use are most deadly-looking weapons, 

 horribly barbed. A heavy spear with laurel-leaf shaped 

 blade is used for close quarters, for the Somalis usually 

 fight on foot, and when charging their foe, use this spear 

 to stab with as they close. The women wear a dark blue, 

 nondescript sort of garment, displaying a good deal of 

 the bosom. The married woman ties up her hair in a piece 

 of blue cloth, while the young girls, " Gubats " or maidens, 

 wear theirs in oily looking plaits. 



Women generally, and more especially when old and 

 decrepit, are of very little account among the Somali. If 

 unable to keep up with the Kafila on the march, they are 

 often abandoned and left lying exhausted on the side of the 

 road, either to follow as best they can or to be devoured by 

 a hungry lion, should one happen to pass that way. 



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