5OO MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS 



the country to the areas occupied by their respective 

 tribes to look for petroliferous shales; in the coast 

 regions to the east especially, there is little doubt that 

 other deposits might be discovered. Once the value 

 of an oil-field is explained to him the Somali is intelli- 

 gent enough to hunt for them and in this way a rough 

 survey of a considerable part of the Protectorate might 

 be made at little cost, prior to the subjugation of the 

 Mullah and his followers who, to-day, according to 

 native report, occupy a country where oil-shales are 

 said to exist. 



